THE
PRESIDENT: Thanks for that warm welcome. I'm delighted to be here with
the men and women of the National Guard Association of the United
States. For 128 years, the National Guard Association has been fighting
for the citizen-soldiers who fight for America. I appreciate your
service, and I appreciate you supporting those that America depends on
in times of crisis. Our nation is safer because citizens are willing to
put on the uniform and defend our freedom.
The first thing I want to tell you is America is grateful for the
service of our Guardsmen and women, and I'm proud to be their
Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.)
I thank Brigadier General Bob Taylor for his service and for his
introduction. I appreciate Congressman Jim Gibbons, who is with us
today, from the great state of Nevada. Thanks for coming, Congressman;
I'm proud you're here, thanks for supporting the Guard.
I thank Brigadier General Steve Koper, retired president of the
National Guard Association of the United States. General, thank you for
greeting me. I'm proud to be here with Major General Roger Lempke. He's
the president of the Adjutant General Association. I thank my friend,
Lieutenant General Danny James. One of the interesting things about my
life, I've been the Commander-in-Chief twice -- today and when I was the
Governor of Texas. And Danny and I worked together for the good of our
state. Thanks for coming, Danny; glad to see your brought your beautiful
wife.
I want to thank Lewis King; he's the Chief Warrant Officer, retired.
He helped raise the money for this box, and I appreciate it very much,
Lewis, and all those who contributed to it. I want to thank Charles
Parks, the sculptor. Charles caught me before my hair went gray.
(Laughter.)
I also want to thank Lanny McNeely for joining us today. He's the
head of the 147th Wing Guard at Ellington, where I used to serve. And I
appreciate you coming, Colonel; thanks for being here; thanks for
greeting me when I arrived there, on Air Force One there at Ellington --
checking on my mother and father on a regular basis. I also want to
thank Chuck Rodriguez, who's the TAG of Texas. When you're a Texan you
always got to make sure you pay attention to your fellow Texans.
And thank you all for having me. I want to share with you some
thoughts about the war on terror. Before I do, I want to remind our
country that the Guard has been fighting for America since before
America was a nation. From your "First Muster" in 1636 to today's global
war on terror, Americans have counted on the Guard to protect our land
and defend our way of life. The role of the Guard in our military is
unique. It's the only part of the Armed Forces that serves both the
state and the nation. And in the past year, Americans have witnessed the
courage of our Guardsmen and women at home and abroad.
When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast last year, more than
40,000 Guardsmen and women rushed to the impact zone -- it was the
largest stateside deployment in National Guard history. They conducted
search and rescue operations, distributed food and water, provided
emergency medical care, protected communities from criminality, and
worked around the clock to repair homes and restore power. Guard units
from all 50 states, three U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia
provided assistance -- and together, they saved lives and helped
evacuate over 175,000 people stranded by the storm.
When the Pennsylvania National Guard came to repair the roof of a
Louisiana woman, she said this to the soldiers: "That's a long way to
come to help us. We're really grateful n you boys are going to heaven, I
tell you." (Laughter.) When tragedy strikes, Americans know they can
count on the men and women of the National Guard.
As you protect your neighbors from natural disasters, you're also
protecting the American people from terrorist dangers. Since September
the 11th, 2001, more than 260,000 members of the National Guard have
been mobilized for various missions in the war on terror. At this
moment, Guardsmen and women are training the Afghan National Army,
standing watch over the world's most dangerous terrorists in Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba, and taking the fight to the enemy in Iraq. Across the world,
and on every front, the men and women of the Guard are serving with
courage and determination -- and they're bringing us to victory in the
global war on terror.
Your service is vital to the security of the country and the peace of
the world -- and that service would not be possible without the support
of the Guard families. Guard loved ones miss their husband and wife or
son and daughter; they worry when our Guards people are deployed
overseas. By standing behind our Guardsmen and women, the families of
the Guard serve our country as well, and America appreciates their
service. Our nation also depends on the commitment of the employers of
the Guardsmen and women. In offices and schools and factories across
America, organizations do without that talents of some really fine
people that have been called upon to protect our nation. Businesses that
are putting patriotism ahead of profit deserve the gratitude of all
Americans.
Each of the Guardsmen and women have stepped forward to defend our
country, and our country owes them something in return. We've taken a
number of steps to improve the call up process, so it's more respectful
to the Guardsmen and women and their families. In most cases, we're now
giving you at least 30 days notification before mobilization, so that
you and your families have time to make arrangements. We're working to
give you as much certainty as possible about the length of
mobilizations, so you can know when you will be able to resume civilian
life. We're working to minimize the number of extensions and repeat
mobilizations. We're working to ensure that you and your families are
treated with the dignity they deserve.
We're also taking steps to improve the quality of life. We've
expanded health care benefits for Guard and Reserve forces and their
families, giving you access to the military's TRICARE system. We're also
expanding access to education for America's citizen-soldiers. I was
proud to sign legislation providing our Guard and Reserve forces between
40 and 80 percent of the education benefits available to active duty
forces -- depending on the length of their mobilization in the war on
terror. We've also tripled the amount that can be paid for re-enlisting
in the National Guard or Reserve. The last month, I signed into law a
new retention bonus for Guardsmen and Reservists with critical skills
needed in this war on terror. Our Guardsmen and Reservists are standing
up for America, and you need to know that this administration supports
you in your efforts.
We're working to give you the tools and resources you need to prevail
in the war on terror -- and meet state and homeland security missions,
as well. Our 2007 budget that I just submitted to the Congress increases
funding for our men and women of Armed Forces by $28.5 billion. That
includes vital funds to help the National Guard meet its
responsibilities during this war.
The Army National Guard currently has about 330,000 soldiers -- and
my 2007 budget funds the Guard at that level. As the Guard recruits
above that level, we'll make certain that there is funding in place for
every citizen who steps forward to wear the uniform. (Applause.) And to
ensure that the Army and our Air National Guard are ready for any
challenge, my budget more than doubles funding for equipment and
modernization over the next five years. (Applause.) Any time we've got
folks in harm's way, they deserve the best -- the best pay possible, the
best training possible, and the best equipment possible. It's a
commitment this administration has made since I've been the
Commander-in-Chief, and it's a commitment we will keep. (Applause.)
We remain a nation at war. I wish I could report, you know, a
different sentence to you. But my job as the President of the United
States is to keep the American people fully informed of the world in
which we live. In recent months, I've spoken extensively about our
strategy for victory in Iraq. Today, I'm going to give you an update on
the progress that we're making in the broader war on terror: The actions
of our global coalition to break up terrorist networks across the world,
plots we've disrupted that have saved American lives, and how the rise
of freedom is leading millions to reject the dark ideology of the
terrorists -- and laying the foundation of peace for generations to
come.
On September the 11th, 2001, our nation saw that vast oceans and
great distances could no longer keep us safe. I made a decision that day
-- that America will not wait to be attacked again. (Applause.) And
since that day, we've taken decisive action to protect our citizens
against new dangers. We're hunting down the terrorists using every
element of our national power -- military, intelligence, law
enforcement, diplomatic, and financial. We're clarifying the choice
facing every nation: In this struggle between freedom and terror, every
nation has responsibilities -- and no one can remain neutral.
Since September the 11th, we've led a broad coalition to confront the
terrorist threat. Four weeks after the attacks, America and our allies
launched military operations to eliminate the terrorists' principal
sanctuary in the nation of Afghanistan. I told the world that if you
harbor a terrorist, you're equally as guilty as the terrorists. And when
an American President says something, he better mean what he said. I
meant what I said. (Applause.)
We removed a cruel regime that oppressed its people, brutalized women
and girls, and gave safe haven to the terrorists who attacked America.
Because we acted, the terror camps in Afghanistan have been shut down --
and 25 million people have tasted freedom, many for the first time in
their lives. Afghanistan now has a democratically elected President, a
new national assembly, and the beginnings of a market economy. Women are
working and starting their own businesses, boys and girls are back in
school. The Afghan people are building the institutions of a lasting
democracy and the foundations of a hopeful future for their children and
their grandchildren.
Afghanistan still faces serious challenges, from illicit drug
trafficking to continued violence from al Qaeda and the remnants of the
Taliban regime. So the international community is working together to
help Afghanistan's young democracy succeed. Earlier this month, Prime
Minister Tony Blair hosted over 40 nations and nine international
organizations for a conference in London, where they pledged $10.5
billion in aid to Afghanistan. (Applause.) With the help of 35 nations,
NATO is leading the International Security Assistance Force in
Afghanistan.
The United States, Britain, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain, Lithuania,
Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand are all leading provincial
reconstruction teams. These teams are helping the Afghan government
extend its authority and provide security in provinces across the
country. Our coalition has trained nearly 27,000 Afghan soldiers and
more than 56,000 Afghan police -- so they can take the fight to the
terrorists and eventually provide for the security of their own
citizens. Afghan forces are risking their lives to fight our common
enemy -- and coalition forces are proud to serve along with such
courageous and bold and determined allies.
Our coalition is also working to root out and destroy terrorist
networks all around the world. More than 90 nations --nearly half the
world -- are now cooperating in a global campaign to dry up terrorist
financing, hunt down terrorist operatives, and bring terrorist leaders
to justice.
Some said that an aggressive strategy of bringing the war to the
terrorists would cost us international support, would drive nations from
our coalition. The opposite has happened. Today more governments are
cooperating in the fight against terror than ever before. And in one of
the most significant developments of this war, many nations that once
turned a blind eye to terror are now helping lead the fight against it.
A little over four years ago, Pakistan was only one of three
countries in the world that recognized the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan. Today, Pakistani forces are risking their lives in the hunt
for al Qaeda; President Musharraf has faced several attempts on his life
since his courageous decision to join the war on terror. Before
September the 11th, terrorist supporters were operating with relative
ease in Saudi Arabia, where fundraisers and facilitators were providing
money and logistical support to al Qaeda. Since the Riyadh bombings in
May of 2003, the Saudi government has recognized that it is a prime
target of the terrorists. And in the past two and a half years, Saudi
forces have killed or captured nearly all of the terrorists on their
most wanted list, they've reduced the flow of money to terror groups,
and arrested hundreds of radical fighters bound for Iraq.
These governments are taking important steps to confront terror --
and as they do, we will continue to encourage them to take the path of
political reform. By respecting the rights and choices of their own
people these nations can marginalize the extremists, strengthen their
societies, and eliminate the conditions that feed radicalism.
These and other governments around the world are stepping forward to
fight the terrorists because they know the lives of their citizens are
at stake. President Musharraf said something interesting: "Terrorism
threatens to destabilize all modern societiesd. It cannot be condoned
for any reason or cause. The people of Pakistan have suffered from
terrorism . [and] we are making our contribution to the fight against
terrorism." President Musharraf is right. In the war against terror,
there is no separate peace -- and no nation can stand on the sidelines.
By standing together, the United States and our partners are striking
real blows against the enemy. Since September the 11th, 2001, our
coalition has captured or killed al Qaeda managers and operatives in
over two dozen countries. That includes many of al Qaeda's operational
commanders -- the senior leaders responsible for day-to-day planning of
terrorist activities across the globe. In November 2001, our coalition
forces killed Mohammed Atif with an air strike in Afghanistan. In March
2003, his replacement -- Khalid Shaykh Mohammad -- was captured in
Pakistan. In May, 2005, the man who took over for him -- a terrorist
named al-Libi -- was captured in South Asia.
The terrorists are living under constant pressure -- and this adds to
our security. When terrorists spend their days working to avoid death or
capture, it's harder for them to plan and execute new attacks on our
country. By striking the terrorists where they live, we are protecting
the American homeland. (Applause.)
Since September the 11th, the United States and our coalition
partners have disrupted a number of serious al Qaeda terrorist plots --
including plots to attack targets inside the United States. Let me give
you an example. In the weeks after September the 11th, while Americans
were still recovering from an unprecedented strike on our homeland, al
Qaeda was already busy planning its next attack. We now know that in
October 2001, Khalid Shaykh Muhammad -- the mastermind of the September
the 11th attacks -- had already set in motion a plan to have terrorist
operatives hijack an airplane using shoe bombs to breach the cockpit
door, and fly the plane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We
believe the intended target was Liberty [sic] Tower in Los Angeles,
California.*
Rather than use Arab hijackers as he had on September the 11th,
Khalid Shaykh Muhammad sought out young men from Southeast Asia -- whom
he believed would not arouse as much suspicion. To help carry out this
plan, he tapped a terrorist named Hambali, one of the leaders of an al
Qaeda affiliated group in Southeast Asia called "J-I." JI terrorists
were responsible for a series of deadly attacks in Southeast Asia, and
members of the group had trained with al Qaeda. Hambali recruited
several key operatives who had been training in Afghanistan. Once the
operatives were recruited, they met with Osama bin Laden, and then began
preparations for the West Coast attack.
Their plot was derailed in early 2002 when a Southeast Asian nation
arrested a key al Qaeda operative. Subsequent debriefings and other
intelligence operations made clear the intended target, and how al Qaeda
hoped to execute it. This critical intelligence helped other allies
capture the ringleaders and other known operatives who had been
recruited for this plot. The West Coast plot had been thwarted. Our
efforts did not end there. In the summer of 2003, our partners in
Southeast Asia conducted another successful manhunt that led to the
capture of the terrorist Hambali.
As the West Coast plot shows, in the war on terror we face a
relentless and determined enemy that operates in many nations -- so
protecting our citizens requires unprecedented cooperation from many
nations as well. It took the combined efforts of several countries to
break up this plot. By working together, we took dangerous terrorists
off the streets; by working together we stopped a catastrophic attack on
our homeland.
Across the world, our coalition is pursuing the enemy with relentless
determination. And because of these efforts, the terrorists are weakened
and fractured -- yet they're still lethal. We cannot let the fact that
America hasn't been attacked in four and a half years since September
11, 2001 lull us into the illusion that the threats to our nation have
disappeared. They have not. Just last month, we heard Osama bin Laden
declare his intention to attack America again. Our military, law
enforcement, homeland security, and intelligence professionals take
those threats very seriously -- and they're working around the clock day
and night to protect us. We are safer for their efforts -- but we're not
yet safe. America remains at risk -- so we must remain vigilant. We will
stay on the offense, we will hunt down the terrorists, and we will never
rest until this threat to the American people is removed. (Applause.)
We will continue to take the fight to the enemy. Yet we must also
recognize in the long run, victory will require more than military means
alone. Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists is to defeat
their dark vision of hatred and fear by spreading the hope of freedom to
troubled regions of the world. The terrorists have an ideology; they
share a hateful vision that rejects tolerance and crushes all dissent; a
world where women are oppressed and children are indoctrinated; and
those who reject their ideology of violence and extremists are
threatened and often murdered.
The terrorists have aims -- they seek to impose their heartless
ideology of totalitarian control throughout the Middle East, and arm
themselves with weapons of mass murder. Their stated goal is to
overthrow moderate governments, take control of countries, and use them
as safe havens to launch attacks against America. When an enemy states a
goal and a strategy and tactics, we must take their word seriously.
To achieve their aims, the terrorists need popular support. We know
this from the terrorists' own words. In a letter to his chief of
operations in Iraq, the terrorist Zawahiri wrote that popular support
is, "a decisive factor between victory and defeat. In the absence of
this popular support the ... movement would be crushed in the shadows."
He went on to say, "... Therefore our planning must strive to involve
the Muslim masses in the battle."
So a key part of the terrorists' strategy is to feed public
resentment by convincing people across the Muslim world that the future
holds just two choices: One of Islam, holiness, and virtue -- and one of
Western decadence, immorality and imperialism. They use every
opportunity to promote this false choice. Sometimes they spread blatant
lies about America. Other times, it is American mistakes -- like the
abuses of Abu Ghraib -- that give them ammunition in their campaign to
foment anti-Western sentiment, and rally Muslims to support their dark
ideology.
The problem for the terrorists is they cannot hide the inhumanity of
their ideology. Because they lack the military strength to challenge us
directly, they have turned to the weapon of fear. They seek to break our
will with stunning acts of violence. They don't understand America. They
cannot shake our will. We will stay on the hunt, we will never give in,
and we will win this war on terror. (Applause.)
In the terrorists' campaign of violence and destruction, the majority
of their victims since 9/11 have been innocent Muslims. When the people
in the Arab world see al Qaeda murdering Iraqi children or blowing up
mourners in an Iraqi mosque, their outrage grows. And as the terrorists
spread violence in places like Riyadh and Istanbul and Sharm el-Sheikh
and Jakarta and Bali -- the people of those countries are starting to
turn against the terrorists.
After terrorists bombed a Palestinian wedding at a hotel in Amman
last November, thousands of Jordanians took to the street and rallied
against al Qaeda. One protester carried a sign that read "Jordan's
Nine-Eleven." Others chanted "This is not Islamic, this is terrorism!"
The outrage even reached the Jordanian town of Zarqa -- birthplace of
the terrorist Zarqawi, who heads al Qaeda in Iraq and who was the
mastermind of the Jordan bombing. A cousin standing outside the al Qaeda
leader family home said this: "We hate him even more than other people
do now." Zarqawi was even expelled by his own tribesmen, hundreds of
whom declared in a letter to a Jordanian newspaper: we "renounce his
actions, pronouncements or whatever he approves of r. We disown him
until judgment day."
Before the bombings, most Jordanians reportedly sympathized with al
Qaeda. Today only a minority sympathize with al Qaeda, and most
Jordanians say its activities are not in conformity with the teachings
of Islam. Similar shifts in public opinion are beginning to appear in
other parts of the Muslim world. From Pakistan, to Indonesia, to al
Qaeda's former home base of Afghanistan, more people now say they oppose
the terrorists and their tactics.
These are positive signs -- but we still have a long way to go. So
we'll continue to oppose the terrorists' ideology by offering the
hopeful alternative of political freedom and peaceful change. We're
working to spread the hope of liberty across the broader Middle East
because we've learned the lessons of history: Free nations don't wage
wars of aggression; they don't give safe haven to terrorists to attack
other democracies. Free nations are peaceful nations. And when democracy
takes hold, nations replace resentment with hope, respect the rights of
their citizens and their neighbors, and join the fight against terror.
Every step toward freedom in the world makes this country safer -- so
across the world the United States of America is acting boldly in
freedom's cause.
We're standing with the brave people of Iraq as they risk their lives
to build a strong democracy in the heart of the Middle East. And their
courage is changing their country, and it's changing the region, and
it's changing the world. Before the January 2005 elections, the
terrorists threatened anybody who voted with death. The Iraqi people
defied these threats, and went to the polls in that election and two
other elections last year, each with larger and broader participation
than the one that came before. Iraqis are rejecting terror, they're
rejecting the violence; and they want to replace terror and violence
with openness and democracy. They have made their decision, and the
world saw their decision. They're showing the world that the terrorists'
ideology cannot compete on a level playing field with the ideology of
freedom.
Iraqis still face challenges, and they're serious. The terrorists and
Saddamists continue to sow violence and terror, and they will continue
fighting freedom's progress with all the hateful determination they can
muster. The Iraqis still have to overcome long-standing ethnic and
religious tensions, and they must build the institutions of a free
society that will serve all the people, not narrow political or
religious interests. These challenges ahead are complex and difficult,
yet the Iraqis are determined to overcome them -- and our coalition is
determined to help the Iraqi people succeed.
We're carrying out a clear strategy for victory in Iraq. First, we're
helping Iraqis build an inclusive government, so that old resentments
will be eased, and the insurgency marginalized. Second, we're continuing
reconstruction efforts and helping Iraqis build a modern economy, so all
Iraq's citizens can experience the benefits of freedom. And, third,
we're striking terrorist targets, we're after the terrorists; and at the
same time we're training Iraqi forces which are becoming increasingly
capable of defeating the enemy. The Iraqi forces show courage every day.
We are proud to be the allies in the cause of freedom. As Iraqis stand
up, America and our coalition will stand down.
Many of you are concerned about troop levels in Iraq. Those decisions
will be made based upon conditions on the ground, based upon the
recommendations of our military commanders -- not based upon politics in
Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
The courage of Iraqis is inspiring others across the broader Middle
East to claim their freedom, as well. And the message is going forth
from Damascus to Tehran that the future of the Middle East belongs to
freedom. As liberty spreads in this vital region and freedom produces
opportunity and hope for those who have not known it, the terrorist
temptation will start to fall away. And as more nations claim their
freedom, we will gain new allies in the war on terror, and new partners
in the battle for peace and moderation in the Muslim world.
Before that day comes, there will be more days of testing. The
terrorists remain brutal and determined -- and they still have some
resources at their disposal. The attacks in London and Madrid and other
cities are grim reminders of how lethal al Qaeda remains. Money is still
flowing to radical mosques and madrassas, which are still turning out
new terrorist recruits. Some countries, like Syria and Iran, still
provide terrorists with support and sanctuary. And the terrorists are
sophisticated at spreading propaganda, and using spectacular attacks to
dominate our evening news.
Yet from the vantage point of a terrorist sitting in a cave, the
future seems increasingly bleak. Consider how the world looks
four-and-a-half years into the war on terror: The terrorists have lost
their home base in Afghanistan, and no longer have control of a country
where they can train recruits and plot new attacks; many of their
leaders are dead or in custody, and the rest of them are on the run;
they've been reduced to using messengers to communicate; they're running
low on funds, and have been forced to beg the terrorists in Iraq to send
money; countries that once allowed them free reign are now on the hunt.
Their efforts to the divide the West have largely failed, and the
vast majority of the world's governments are standing firm and working
together in the fight against those terrorists. Iraqis are forming a
unity government, instead of giving into disunity, instead of fighting
the civil war the terrorists hoped to foment. Iraqi Sunnis are joining
the political process. The success of democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan
is inspiring calls for change across the region. And the terrorists'
strategy of attacking innocent Muslims is beginning to backfire and
expose them for what they are: murderers with no respect for human life
and human dignity.
Despite the violence and the suffering the terrorists are wreaking,
we're winning the war on terror. Yet victory will require more courage
and sacrifice. In this war, we have said farewell to some very good men
and women -- including more than 360 heroes of the National Guard. We
hold their loved ones in our hearts and we lift them up in our prayers.
These brave Americans gave their lives for a cause that is just, and
necessary for the security of our country. And their sacrifice is
sparing millions from lives of tyranny and sorrow.
And now we will honor their sacrifice by completing the mission. And
in this long run, we can be confident in the outcome of this struggle --
because we've seen the power of freedom to defeat tyranny and terror
before. And because we have on our side the greatest force for freedom
in the history of the world: the men and women of the United States
Armed Forces. (Applause.)
One of the great strengths of our military is that it's an
all-volunteer army, and all-volunteer force. And since the attacks of
September the 11th, 2001, nearly 1.5 million Americans has stepped
forward to put on our nation's uniform -- including nearly 290,000 who
have joined the National Guard. Nearly 1.3 million more American troops
have made the courageous decision to re-enlist and stay in the fight --
including more than 350,000 members of the National Guard.
These brave Americans saw the future the terrorists intend for us,
and they said, "Not on my watch." (Applause.) Four-and-a-half years into
the fight, America's Armed Forces are determined, experienced and ready
for any challenge -- and our nation is blessed to have such brave
defenders. All of you are bringing honor to the uniform, and pride to
our country, and security to the American people. America will always be
grateful for your service in the cause of freedom.
Thank you for letting me come today. God bless you and your families,
and may God continue to bless our country. (Applause.)