State of the Union AddressesBush, George W. (George Walker)
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State of the Union Addresses
Bush, George W. (George Walker)
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
Our cause is just, and it continues. Our discoveries in Afghanistan
confirmed our worst fears, and showed us the true scope of the task
ahead. We have seen the depth of our enemies' hatred in videos, where
they laugh about the loss of innocent life. And the depth of their
hatred is equaled by the madness of the destruction they design. We
have found diagrams of American nuclear power plants and public water
facilities, detailed instructions for making chemical weapons,
surveillance maps of American cities, and thorough descriptions of
landmarks in America and throughout the world.
What we have found in Afghanistan confirms that, far from ending there,
our war against terror is only beginning. Most of the 19 men who
hijacked planes on September the 11th were trained in Afghanistan's
camps, and so were tens of thousands of others. Thousands of dangerous
killers, schooled in the methods of murder, often supported by outlaw
regimes, are now spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs,
set to go off without warning.
Thanks to the work of our law enforcement officials and coalition
partners, hundreds of terrorists have been arrested. Yet, tens of
thousands of trained terrorists are still at large. These enemies view
the entire world as a battlefield, and we must pursue them wherever
they are. (Applause.) So long as training camps operate, so long as
nations harbor terrorists, freedom is at risk. And America and our
allies must not, and will not, allow it. (Applause.)
Our nation will continue to be steadfast and patient and persistent in
the pursuit of two great objectives. First, we will shut down terrorist
camps, disrupt terrorist plans, and bring terrorists to justice. And,
second, we must prevent the terrorists and regimes who seek chemical,
biological or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and
the world. (Applause.)
Our military has put the terror training camps of Afghanistan out of
business, yet camps still exist in at least a dozen countries. A
terrorist underworld--including groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic
Jihad, Jaish-i-Mohammed--operates in remote jungles and deserts, and
hides in the centers of large cities.
While the most visible military action is in Afghanistan, America is
acting elsewhere. We now have troops in the Philippines, helping to
train that country's armed forces to go after terrorist cells that have
executed an American, and still hold hostages. Our soldiers, working
with the Bosnian government, seized terrorists who were plotting to
bomb our embassy. Our Navy is patrolling the coast of Africa to block
the shipment of weapons and the establishment of terrorist camps in
Somalia.
My hope is that all nations will heed our call, and eliminate the
terrorist parasites who threaten their countries and our own. Many
nations are acting forcefully. Pakistan is now cracking down on terror,
and I admire the strong leadership of President Musharraf. (Applause.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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