President Discusses War on Terror
National Defense University
Fort Lesley J. McNair
March 8, 2005
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, all. Please be seated. It is great
to be back to this fine university. Many great military leaders
of the 20th century, from Dwight Eisenhower, to Colin Powell,
studied on this campus. And today the National Defense
University is training a new generation of leaders who will
serve and defend this nation in a new century. Americans are
grateful for your devotion to duty, and so is your
Commander-in-Chief. (Applause.
I am honored that two influential and important members of
the United States Congress have joined us. First, Senator Joe
Lieberman, strong defender of freedom. Thank you for coming,
Senator. (Applause.) And the Chairman of the House Armed
Services Committee, Congressman Duncan Hunter. Proud you're
here, Dunc. Thanks for coming. (Applause.) In the midst of what
we hope will be the final snow blizzard of 2005 -- (laughter) --
I'm honored you two men slushed here to this event.
I appreciate so very much Lieutenant General Michael Dunn and
his wife, Pam, for greeting me and for serving our nation. I
want to thank all the National Defense University students for
being here. I appreciate the staff for joining us. I want to
thank the members of the diplomatic corps who have come today.
It is an honor to see you all again. I want to thank my fellow
Americans for caring about the subject of peace, and that's what
I'm here to discuss.
We meet at a time of great consequence for the security of
our nation, a time when the defense of freedom requires the
advance of freedom, a time with echoes in our history.
Twice in six decades, a sudden attack on the United States
launched our country into a global conflict, and began a period
of serious reflection on America's place in the world. The
bombing of Pearl Harbor taught America that unopposed tyranny,
even on far-away continents, could draw our country into a
struggle for our own survival. And our reflection on that lesson
led us to help build peaceful democracies in the ruins of
tyranny, to unite free nations in the NATO Alliance, and to
establish a firm commitment to peace in the Pacific that
continues to this day.
The attacks of September the 11th, 2001 also revealed the
outlines of a new world. In one way, that assault was the
culmination of decades of escalating violence -- from the
killing of U.S. Marines in Beirut, to the bombing at the World
Trade Center, to the attacks on American embassies in Africa, to
the attacks on the USS Cole. In another way, September the 11th
provided a warning of future dangers -- of terror networks aided
by outlaw regimes, and ideologies that incite the murder of the
innocent, and biological and chemical and nuclear weapons that
multiply destructive power.
Like an earlier generation, America is answering new dangers
with firm resolve. No matter how long it takes, no matter how
difficult the task, we will fight the enemy, and lift the shadow
of fear, and lead free nations to victory. (Applause.)
Like an earlier generation, America is pursuing a clear
strategy with our allies to achieve victory. Our immediate
strategy is to eliminate terrorist threats abroad, so we do not
have to face them here at home. The theory here is
straightforward: terrorists are less likely to endanger our
security if they are worried about their own security. When
terrorists spend their days struggling to avoid death or
capture, they are less capable of arming and training to commit
new attacks. We will keep the terrorists on the run, until they
have nowhere left to hide.
In three and a half years, the United States and our allies
have waged a campaign of global scale -- from the mountains of
Afghanistan, to the border regions of Pakistan, to the Horn of
Africa, to the islands of the Philippines, to the plains of
North Central Iraq. The al Qaeda terror network that attacked
our country still has leaders, but many of its top commanders
have been removed. There are still governments that sponsor and
harbor terrorists, but their number has declined. There are
still regimes seeking weapons of mass destruction -- but no
longer without attention and without consequence. Our country is
still the target of terrorists who want to kill many, and
intimidate us all. We will stay on the offensive against them,
until the fight is won. (Applause.)
Members of our military are undertaking difficult missions,
in some of the most dangerous and desolate parts of the world.
These volunteers know the risks they face, and they know the
cause they serve. As one Marine sergeant put it, "I never want
my children to experience what we saw in New York, at the
Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania." He said, "If we can eliminate
whatever threat we can on foreign soil, I would rather do it
there than have it come [home] to us." In this vital cause, some
of our men and women in uniform have fallen, some have returned
home with terrible injuries, and all who sacrifice will have the
permanent gratitude of the United States of America. (Applause.)
In this war on terror, America is not alone. Many governments
have awakened to the dangers we share and have begun to take
serious action. Global terror requires a global response, and
America is more secure today because dozens of other countries
have stepped up to the fight.
We're more secure because Pakistani forces captured more than
one hundred extremists across the country last year, including
operatives who were plotting attacks against the United States.
We're more secure because Britain arrested an al Qaeda operative
who had provided detailed casing reports on American targets to
senior al Qaeda leaders. We're more secure because German
authorities arrested extremists who were planning attacks
against U.S. and coalition targets in Iraq. We're more secure
because the Philippines' new Anti-Terrorism Task Force has
helped capture more than a dozen terrorist suspects -- including
seven members of al Qaeda and affiliated networks. We're more
secure because Poland is leading a 15-nation multi-national
division in Iraq, and forces from 23 countries have given their
lives in the struggle against terrorists and insurgents in
Afghanistan and Iraq.
Our allies in the war on terror are making tough decisions,
and they're taking risks, and they're losing lives. These
countries have proven themselves trusted friends and reliable
allies. So I urge the Congress to pass the Solidarity Initiative
I have proposed to stand by the countries that are standing by
us in the war on terror. (Applause.)
Our strategy to keep the peace in the longer term is to help
change the conditions that give rise to extremism and terror,
especially in the broader Middle East. Parts of that region have
been caught for generations in a cycle of tyranny and despair
and radicalism. When a dictatorship controls the political life
of a country, responsible opposition cannot develop, and dissent
is driven underground and toward the extreme. And to draw
attention away from their social and economic failures,
dictators place blame on other countries and other races, and
stir the hatred that leads to violence. This status quo of
despotism and anger cannot be ignored or appeased, kept in a box
or bought off, because we have witnessed how the violence in
that region can reach easily across borders and oceans. The
entire world has an urgent interest in the progress, and hope,
and freedom in the broader Middle East.
The advance of hope in the Middle East requires new thinking
in the region. By now it should be clear that authoritarian rule
is not the wave of the future; it is the last gasp of a
discredited past. It should be clear that free nations escape
stagnation, and grow stronger with time, because they encourage
the creativity and enterprise of their people. It should be
clear that economic progress requires political modernization,
including honest representative government and the rule of law.
And it should be clear that no society can advance with only
half of its talent and energy -- and that demands the full
participation of women. (Applause.)
The advance of hope in the Middle East also requires new
thinking in the capitals of great democracies -- including
Washington, D.C. By now it should be clear that decades of
excusing and accommodating tyranny, in the pursuit of stability,
have only led to injustice and instability and tragedy. It
should be clear that the advance of democracy leads to peace,
because governments that respect the rights of their people also
respect the rights of their neighbors. It should be clear that
the best antidote to radicalism and terror is the tolerance and
hope kindled in free societies. And our duty is now clear: For
the sake of our long-term security, all free nations must stand
with the forces of democracy and justice that have begun to
transform the Middle East.
Encouraging democracy in that region is a generational
commitment. It's also a difficult commitment, demanding patience
and resolve -- when the headlines are good and when the
headlines aren't so good. Freedom has determined enemies, who
show no mercy for the innocent, and no respect for the rules of
warfare. Many societies in the region struggle with poverty and
illiteracy, many rulers in the region have longstanding habits
of control; many people in the region have deeply ingrained
habits of fear.
For all these reasons, the chances of democratic progress in
the broader Middle East have seemed frozen in place for decades.
Yet at last, clearly and suddenly, the thaw has begun. The
people of Afghanistan have embraced free government, after
suffering under one of the most backward tyrannies on earth. The
voters in Iraq defied threats of murder, and have set their
country on a path to full democracy. The people of the
Palestinian Territories cast their ballots against violence and
corruption of the past. And any who doubt the appeal of freedom
in the Middle East can look to Lebanon, where the Lebanese
people are demanding a free and independent nation. In the words
of one Lebanese observer, "Democracy is knocking at the door of
this country and, if it's successful in Lebanon, it is going to
ring the doors of every Arab regime."
Across the Middle East, a critical mass of events is taking
that region in a hopeful new direction. Historic changes have
many causes, yet these changes have one factor in common. A
businessman in Beirut recently said, "We have removed the mask
of fear. We're not afraid anymore." Pervasive fear is the
foundation of every dictatorial regime -- the prop that holds up
all power not based on consent. And when the regime of fear is
broken, and the people find their courage and find their voice,
democracy is their goal, and tyrants, themselves, have reason to
fear. (Applause.)
History is moving quickly, and leaders in the Middle East
have important choices to make. The world community, including
Russia and Germany and France and Saudi Arabia and the United
States has presented the Syrian government with one of those
choices -- to end its nearly 30-year occupation of Lebanon, or
become even more isolated from the world. The Lebanese people
have heard the speech by the Syrian president. They've seen
these delaying tactics and half-measures before. The time has
come for Syria to fully implement Security Council Resolution
1559. All Syrian military forces and intelligence personnel must
withdraw before the Lebanese elections, for those elections to
be free and fair. (Applause.)
The elections in Lebanon must be fully and carefully
monitored by international observers. The Lebanese people have
the right to determine their future, free from domination by a
foreign power. The Lebanese people have the right to choose
their own parliament this spring, free of intimidation. And that
new government will have the help of the international community
in building sound political, economic, and military
institutions, so the great nation of Lebanon can move forward in
security and freedom. (Applause.)
Today I have a message for the people of Lebanon: All the
world is witnessing your great movement of conscience. Lebanon's
future belongs in your hands, and by your courage, Lebanon's
future will be in your hands. The American people are on your
side. Millions across the earth are on your side. The momentum
of freedom is on your side, and freedom will prevail in Lebanon.
(Applause.)
America and other nations are also aware that the recent
terrorist attack in Tel Aviv was conducted by a radical
Palestinian group headquartered in Damascus. Syria, as well as
Iran, has a long history of supporting terrorist groups
determined to sow division and chaos in the Middle East, and
there is every possibility they will try this strategy again.
The time has come for Syria and Iran to stop using murder as a
tool of policy, and to end all support for terrorism.
(Applause.)
In spite of attacks by extremists, the world is seeing
hopeful progress in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. There is
only one outcome that will end the tyranny, danger, violence and
hopelessness, and meet the aspirations of all people in the
region: We seek two democratic states, Israel and Palestine,
living side-by-side in peace and security. (Applause.)
And that goal is within reach, if all the parties meet their
responsibilities and if terrorism is brought to an end. Arab
states must end incitement in their own media, cut off public
and private funding for terrorism, stop their support for
extremist education, and establish normal relations with Israel.
Israel must freeze settlement activity, help the Palestinians
build a thriving economy, and ensure that a new Palestinian
state is truly viable, with contiguous territory on the West
Bank. Palestinian leaders must fight corruption, encourage free
enterprise, rest true authority with the people, and actively
confront terrorist groups.
The bombing in Tel Aviv is a reminder that the fight against
terrorists is critical to the search for peace and for
Palestinian statehood. In an interview last week, Palestinian
President Abbas strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Tel
Aviv, declaring, "Ending violence and security chaos is first
and foremost a Palestinian interest." He went on to say, "We
cannot build the foundations of a state without the rule of law
and public order."
President Abbas is correct. And so the United States will
help the Palestinian Authority build the security services that
current peace and future statehood require: security forces
which are effective, responsive to civilian control, and
dedicated to fighting terror and upholding the rule of law. We
will coordinate with the government of Israel, with neighbors
such as Egypt and Jordan, and with other donors to ensure that
Palestinians get the training and equipment they need. The
United States is determined to help the parties remove obstacles
to progress and move forward in practical ways, so we can seize
this moment for peace in the Holy Land. (Applause.)
In other parts of the Middle East, we're seeing small but
welcome steps. Saudi Arabia's recent municipal elections were
the beginning of reform that may allow greater participation in
the future. Egypt has now -- has now the prospect of
competitive, multi-party elections for President in September.
Like all free elections, these require freedom of assembly,
multiple candidates, free access by those candidates to the
media, and the right to form political parties. Each country in
the Middle East will take a different path of reform. And every
nation that starts on that journey can know that America will
walk at its side. (Applause.)
Progress in the Middle East is threatened by weapons of mass
destruction and their proliferation. Today, Great Britain,
France, and Germany are involved in a difficult negotiation with
Iran aimed at stopping its nuclear weapons program. We want our
allies to succeed, because we share the view that Iran's
acquisition of nuclear weapons would be destabilizing and
threatening to all of Iran's neighbors. The Iranian regime
should listen to the concerns of the world, and listen to the
voice of the Iranian people, who long for their liberty and want
their country to be a respected member of the international
community. We look forward to the day when Iran joins in the
hopeful changes taking place across the region. We look forward
to the day when the Iranian people are free. (Applause.)
Iran and other nations have an example in Iraq. The recent
elections have begun a process of debate and coalition building
unique in Iraqi history, and inspiring to see. Iraq's leaders
are forming a government that will oversee the next -- and
critical -- stage in Iraq's political transition: the writing of
a permanent constitution. This process must take place without
external influence. The shape of Iraq's democracy must be
determined by the Iraqis, themselves. (Applause.)
Iraq's democracy, in the long run, must also be defended by
Iraqis, themselves. Our goal is to help Iraqi security forces
move toward self-reliance, and they are making daily progress.
Iraqi forces were the main providers of security at about 5,000
polling places in the January elections. Our coalition is
providing equipment and training to the new Iraqi military, yet
they bring a spirit all of their own.
Last month, when soldiers of the U.S. 7th Cavalry Regiment
were on combat patrol north of Baghdad, one of their Humvees
fell into a canal, and Iraqi troops came to their rescue --
plunging into the water again and again, until the last American
was recovered. The Army colonel in charge of the unit said,
"When I saw those Iraqis in the water, fighting to save their
American brothers, I saw a glimpse of the future of this
country." One of the Iraqi soldiers commented, "These people
have come a hundred -- 10,000 miles to help my country. They've
left their families and their children. If we can give them
something back, just a little, we can show our thanks."
(Applause.) America is proud to defend freedom in Iraq, and
proud to stand with the brave Iraqis as they defend their own
freedom. (Applause.)
Three and a half years ago, the United States mourned our
dead, gathered our resolve, and accepted a mission. We made a
decision to stop threats to the American people before they
arrive on our shores, and we have acted on that decision. We're
also determined to seek and support the growth of democratic
movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the
ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world. (Applause.)
This objective will not be achieved easily, or all at once,
or primarily by force of arms. We know that freedom, by
definition, must be chosen, and that the democratic institutions
of other nations will not look like our own. Yet we also know
that our security increasingly depends on the hope and progress
of other nations now simmering in despair and resentment. And
that hope and progress is found only in the advance of freedom.
This advance is a consistent theme of American strategy --
from the Fourteen Points, to the Four Freedoms, to the Marshall
Plan, to the Reagan Doctrine. Yet the success of this approach
does not depend on grand strategy alone. We are confident that
the desire for freedom, even when repressed for generations, is
present in every human heart. (Applause.) And that desire can
emerge with sudden power to change the course of history.
Americans, of all people, should not be surprised by
freedom's power. A nation founded on the universal claim of
individual rights should not be surprised when other people
claim those rights. Those who place their hope in freedom may be
attacked and challenged, but they will not ultimately be
disappointed, because freedom is the design of humanity and
freedom is the direction of history. (Applause.)
In our time, America has been attacked. America has been
challenged. Yet the uncertainty, and sorrow, and sacrifice of
these years have not been in vain. Millions have gained their
liberty; and millions more have gained the hope of liberty that
will not be denied. The trumpet of freedom has been sounded, and
that trumpet never calls retreat. (Applause.)
Before history is written in books, it is written in courage
-- the courage of honorable soldiers; the courage of oppressed
peoples; the courage of free nations in difficult tasks. Our
generation is fortunate to live in a time of courage. And we are
proud to serve in freedom's cause.
May God bless you all. (Applause.)