For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 8, 2005
President Discusses War on Terror
National Defense University
Fort Lesley J. McNair
10:17 A.M. EST
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.)
END 10:49 A.M. EST
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