*EPF104 03/22/2004
Alliance Against Terrorism Remains Strong, Senators Say
(March 21 interview with McCain, Lieberman) (260)

By Bridget Hunter
Washington File Special Correspondent

The international alliance against terrorism remains strong, two prominent U.S. senators said March 21.

Senator John McCain (Republican from Arizona) and Senator Joseph Lieberman (Democrat from Connecticut) said that Europe and the United States are committed to waging the war on terrorism even though some disagreement on the most effective strategy may emerge from time to time.

The senators were interviewed on the Fox News program "Sunday with Chris Wallace."

"Europeans may be more inclined to work with us because those attacks [in Madrid] showed us that no one is safe," McCain said. "I believe that perhaps we will see much closer cooperation on the war on terror and it's vital," he added.

Lieberman concurred, saying that leadership "on the American side and the European side can bring us together to strengthen the defenses that both of us need to put up against the terrorists."

Underscoring the "strong commonality of interest" between the United States and Europe, McCain said there is no split on the fundamental need to stop terrorism. "An attack on one is an attack on all," he said.

Both senators agreed that the U.S. national interest in winning the war on terrorism transcends any political party differences arising in the U.S. presidential campaign. "Though we be Democrat or Republican, we, more than that, are Americans," Lieberman said. "There's a lot of agreement on the urgent necessity" to be successful against terrorism, he added.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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