Praising the White House for restraint in its response to the attacks on New York and Washington, former President Bill Clinton and one-time presidential hopeful Bob Dole announced on Saturday a major effort to provide scholarships for victims' families. 
The former political adversaries, each with an American flag pin pinned to his lapel, stood shoulder to shoulder at a news conference at Georgetown University, where they said they were chairing an effort to raise $100 million for college and trade school scholarships. The money would go to needy children and spouses of the 6,500 feared dead in the attacks as well as survivors of those who suffered disabling injuries. 
Afghanistan-based Osama bin Laden, Washington's top suspect in the suicide hijacking attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. 
"I agree that we should not intentionally bring violence to innocent civilians, even in Afghanistan, but it's obvious that the president and the national security team are trying to avoid that," Clinton said. 
"I think I can speak for all Americans in saying I have been very impressed by the fact that they have told us the truth, that these were difficult decisions, the tactical decisions are difficult, and they didn't go off and try to get vengeance and carelessly cost a lot of lives from people who can't help the fact that they're trapped in Afghanistan," he said. 
"America has not shown a great of blood lust here, even in New York. ... Our leaders, I think, are approaching this in a very measured way," he added. "America has acted like anything but a warmonger in this. We're just trying to do the right thing long-term against a very serious threat." 
Dole, the Kansas Republican who sought the presidency for much of his Senate career and lost to Clinton in the 1996 election, said he agreed. 
"There has been a demonstration of prudence and patience. We have no desire to harm, kill or otherwise cause any problems for innocent victims anywhere. That's always been the American thinking," Dole said. 
He added, however: "Collateral damage will probably happen. Some of it you can't avoid." 
"I understand there were some urging an immediate response - do it now, make you feel good. But that was declined, fortunately, and I think now we're on the proper path," he said. 
The effort Dole and Clinton will chair is called the Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund. It has already raised $3 million to $5 million, with promises of millions more, those involved in the effort said. 
The fund is controlled by the Minnesota-based Citizens Scholarship Foundation, a group that supports and manages private-sector scholarships. The foundation said every dollar contributed would go to scholarships, with interest on funds collected being used partly for administrative costs. 
William Nelsen, a former college president who heads the group, said it was impossible to estimate how many scholarships would eventually be handed out but they would be in the "thousands" and include survivors of both U.S. and foreign nationals affected by the attacks. 
Information on the program is available at 1-800-335-1102. 
