December 9, 2001 Diary: America Strikes Back

• Today's stories

Cheney says videotape leaves no doubt of bin Laden's involvement in terrorist attacks
Sunday, December 9, 2001
(Updated Sunday at 3:02 p.m.) Osama bin Laden says in a videotape he was pleasantly surprised by the extent of damage from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, U.S. officials disclosed Sunday. The tape also suggests that some hijackers did not know they were going to die.

Death notices of wife, family of bin Laden aide appear in paper
Sunday, December 9, 2001
The family of Ayman al-Zawahri, the top aide to Osama bin Laden, has published a death notice saying al-Zawahri's wife and children have been killed in Afghanistan.

Caves hold dangers for troops
Sunday, December 9, 2001
The rules for a cave assault: Strike fast and hard, keep the enemy off balance, use four-man teams and advance quickly from room to room.

Tape links bin Laden to attacks
Sunday, December 9, 2001
The United States has obtained a videotape of Osama bin Laden describing the damage to the World Trade Center as being much greater than he had expected, according to senior government officials.

U.S. hunts down terrorists
Sunday, December 9, 2001
Armed with photographs of wanted terrorists, U.S. Marines scoured the roads of southern Afghanistan on Saturday for Taliban and al-Qaida leaders who might have slipped out of Kandahar as the former ruling militia abandoned its last stronghold.

Schools differ on allowing recruiters
Sunday, December 9, 2001
By Tim Carpenter

The Afghanistan war has inflamed controversy about U.S. high schools and colleges that refused to welcome military recruiters and ban ROTC programs. But that ruckus hasn't surfaced in the Lawrence public school district or at Kansas University.

Protesters actually aided conservatism
Sunday, December 9, 2001
By George Will
Washington Post Writers Group

In Southern California, on the shore of the sundown sea, the sunset of the 1960s myth continues. The most telling recent episode was not the much-remarked death of a semiretired guitarist. Rather, it was the little-noticed "girl excuse" offered in court by a retired terrorist.

American jets pound Tora Bora caves
Sunday, December 9, 2001
(Updated Sunday at 3:06 p.m.) American bombers pounded the hills and caves of Tora Bora on Sunday, trying to soften al-Qaida defenses for a ground assault by Afghan tribesmen. Pakistani forces moved to seal off escape routes on their side of the border.

Bush seeks action on domestic agenda
Sunday, December 9, 2001
President Bush opened a push Saturday for congressional action on domestic legislation that has been sidetracked since Sept. 11.

Briefly
Sunday, December 9, 2001
• Pakistan: Crowd beats journalist traveling near Afghanistan
• Washington: Public tours resume at U.S. Capitol complex
• New York: Christmas tree brings cheer for Ground Zero workers
• New York: Report: Hijack leader Atta visited NY before attacks