State Department committed to overseas security, Powell says

The State Department will continue to work with the private sector to provide security for American businesses overseas, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday. "We're here to help you. We're here to give you all the information we can," Powell told an audience of business people at the annual meeting of the Overseas Security Advisory Council. The Council is a public-private partnership between State and the business community that works on security issues faced by American interests overseas. While describing security as a "top priority" for all Americans, Powell stressed that companies doing business outside American borders should not let security concerns interfere with their core mission. "You know, to make your life easier, you would like to button up everything [and] not let anybody into your facilities," said Powell. "You always have to find that right balance between access and mission accomplishment and security." The meeting also featured a rare speech by retired Army Gen. Wayne Downing, director of the new White House Office of Combating Terrorism at the Office of Homeland Security. Downing, whose duties include detecting, deterring and eliminating terrorist threats to the United States, said the battle against terrorism would be long and would not end with the defeat of Osama Bin Laden. "Gear yourself for a long campaign," he said. "It's going to go on for awhile."