The troops here and across the world are fighting a global war on terror. The war reached our shores on September the 11th, 2001. The terrorists who attacked us -- and the terrorists we face -- murder in the name of a totalitarian ideology that hates freedom, rejects tolerance, and despises all dissent. Their aim is to remake the Middle East in their own grim image of tyranny and oppression -- by toppling governments, by driving us out of the region, and by exporting terror.This is from his opening remarks and what this does is explain why Iraq is a part of the Global War on terror and why we are fighting it there rather than here.
To achieve these aims, they have continued to kill -- in Madrid, Istanbul, Jakarta, Casablanca, Riyadh, Bali, and elsewhere. The terrorists believe that free societies are essentially corrupt and decadent, and with a few hard blows they can force us to retreat. They are mistaken. After September the 11th, I made a commitment to the American people: This nation will not wait to be attacked again. We will defend our freedom. We will take the fight to the enemy.
Iraq is the latest battlefield in this war. Many terrorists who kill innocent men, women, and children on the streets of Baghdad are followers of the same murderous ideology that took the lives of our citizens in New York, in Washington, and Pennsylvania. There is only one course of action against them: to defeat them abroad before they attack us at home. The commander in charge of coalition operations in Iraq -- who is also senior commander at this base -- General John Vines, put it well the other day. He said: "We either deal with terrorism and this extremism abroad, or we deal with it when it comes to us."
Our mission in Iraq is clear. We're hunting down the terrorists. We're helping Iraqis build a free nation that is an ally in the war on terror. We're advancing freedom in the broader Middle East. We are removing a source of violence and instability, and laying the foundation of peace for our children and our grandchildren.
Those that criticize the war as not being a part of the war on terror are mistaken. I would much rather fight this enemy in their homelands than on ours. Taking the fight to our enemies was the right move. Those who make the claim that Saddam was not involved in terrorism are also misinformed, but that's for another day...
Some of the violence you see in Iraq is being carried out by ruthless killers who are converging on Iraq to fight the advance of peace and freedom. Our military reports that we have killed or captured hundreds of foreign fighters in Iraq who have come from Saudi Arabia and Syria, Iran, Egypt, Sudan, Yemen, Libya and others. They are making common cause with criminal elements, Iraqi insurgents, and remnants of Saddam Hussein's regime who want to restore the old order. They fight because they know that the survival of their hateful ideology is at stake. They know that as freedom takes root in Iraq, it will inspire millions across the Middle East to claim their liberty, as well. And when the Middle East grows in democracy and prosperity and hope, the terrorists will lose their sponsors, lose their recruits, and lose their hopes for turning that region into a base for attacks on America and our allies around the world.This paragraph really addresses who we are currently fighting...this is representative of the "global" part of the Global War on Terror. The best smackdown of the aforementioned Iraq war critics is coming up next:
Some wonder whether Iraq is a central front in the war on terror. Among the terrorists, there is no debate. Hear the words of Osama Bin Laden: "This Third World War is raging" in Iraq. "The whole world is watching this war." He says it will end in "victory and glory, or misery and humiliation."WHich side are you on? Do you want Osama to have "victory and glory" or "misery and humiliation"? I'm in the latter camp...I can think of more than a few critics that are in the former...
The terrorists know that the outcome will leave them emboldened, or defeated. So they are waging a campaign of murder and destruction. And there is no limit to the innocent lives they are willing to take.By examining the brutality of our enemy, we can see much more clearly why we must defeat them. Surely, no one will support suicide bombings that kill innocent civilians...that's what supporting terrorism is, by the way... When the President said, "You're either with us or against us." he was saying you can chose to support suicide bombings that kill innocent people or you can support us. I have no doubt who's side those liberals waving their banners supporting the "fragging" of our military officers by enlisted men are on...do you?
We see the nature of the enemy in terrorists who exploded car bombs along a busy shopping street in Baghdad, including one outside a mosque. We see the nature of the enemy in terrorists who sent a suicide bomber to a teaching hospital in Mosul. We see the nature of the enemy in terrorists who behead civilian hostages and broadcast their atrocities for the world to see.
These are savage acts of violence, but they have not brought the terrorists any closer to achieving their strategic objectives. The terrorists -- both foreign and Iraqi -- failed to stop the transfer of sovereignty. They failed to break our Coalition and force a mass withdrawal by our allies. They failed to incite an Iraqi civil war. They failed to prevent free elections. They failed to stop the formation of a democratic Iraqi government that represents all of Iraq's diverse population. And they failed to stop Iraqis from signing up in large number with the police forces and the army to defend their new democracy.
The lesson of this experience is clear: The terrorists can kill the innocent, but they cannot stop the advance of freedom. The only way our enemies can succeed is if we forget the lessons of September the 11th, if we abandon the Iraqi people to men like Zarqawi, and if we yield the future of the Middle East to men like Bin Laden. For the sake of our nation's security, this will not happen on my watch.This was a pretty powerful moment in the speech and the president delivered it very well. The "...on my watch" line is a favorite and he is quite comfortable delivering it.
The important phrase in this paragraph deals with us not forgetting the lessons of 9/11. It is important for us to remember what happened that day and realize the importance of that day as we fight to prevent another day like it from ever happening again.
In the past year, we have made significant progress. One year ago today, we restored sovereignty to the Iraqi people. In January 2005, more than 8 million Iraqi men and women voted in elections that were free and fair, and took time on -- and took place on time. We continued our efforts to help them rebuild their country. Rebuilding a country after three decades of tyranny is hard, and rebuilding while at war is even harder. Our progress has been uneven, but progress is being made.All this good stuff is probably news to the folks who have been relying on the mainstream media. That's right, good stuff is actually happening in Iraq, but you'd never know it by reading our newspapers and watching the evening news. That should say something about just how objective our media really is...it certainly tells me something.
We're improving roads and schools and health clinics. We're working to improve basic services like sanitation, electricity, and water. And together with our allies, we'll help the new Iraqi government deliver a better life for its citizens.
In the past year, the international community has stepped forward with vital assistance. Some 30 nations have troops in Iraq, and many others are contributing non-military assistance. The United Nations is in Iraq to help Iraqis write a constitution and conduct their next elections. Thus far, some 40 countries and three international organizations have pledged about $34 billion in assistance for Iraqi reconstruction. More than 80 countries and international organizations recently came together in Brussels to coordinate their efforts to help Iraqis provide for their security and rebuild their country. And next month, donor countries will meet in Jordan to support Iraqi reconstruction.
The progress in the past year has been significant, and we have a clear path forward. To complete the mission, we will continue to hunt down the terrorists and insurgents. To complete the mission, we will prevent al Qaeda and other foreign terrorists from turning Iraq into what Afghanistan was under the Taliban, a safe haven from which they could launch attacks on America and our friends. And the best way to complete the mission is to help Iraqis build a free nation that can govern itself, sustain itself, and defend itself.This is a real exit strategy rather than some lame date of withdraw that Democrats and a couple of weak-kneed Republican "moderates" have been clamoring for... And it is a mission worthy of America's best and brightest.
So our strategy going forward has both a military track and a political track. The principal task of our military is to find and defeat the terrorists, and that is why we are on the offense. And as we pursue the terrorists, our military is helping to train Iraqi security forces so that they can defend their people and fight the enemy on their own. Our strategy can be summed up this way: As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down.
This paragraph also features, I think, the best new line..."As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down." That is probably the most accurate way of describing our exit strategy in the bumper sticker language that Democrats seem to favor these days. It is a soundbite, for sure...but a good one.
To further prepare Iraqi forces to fight the enemy on their own, we are taking three new steps: First, we are partnering coalition units with Iraqi units. These coalition-Iraqi teams are conducting operations together in the field. These combined operations are giving Iraqis a chance to experience how the most professional armed forces in the world operate in combat.Clearly, there is still a lot of work left to do. There is a plan and that plan is working. I admit that it isn't working as quickly as I might have hoped, but the progress is there if you look. Let's face it, the only way we're going to win this thing is if we can get the Iraqis trained up well enough to take back the remaining pockets of their country that is being overrun by terrorist thugs. Not only do they have to have the ability to take it back, but they have to be able to keep it once they do. That is a monumental task...
Second, we are embedding coalition "transition teams" inside Iraqi units. These teams are made up of coalition officers and non-commissioned officers who live, work, and fight together with their Iraqi comrades. Under U.S. command, they are providing battlefield advice and assistance to Iraqi forces during combat operations. Between battles, they are assisting the Iraqis with important skills, such as urban combat, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance techniques.
Third, we're working with the Iraqi Ministries of Interior and Defense to improve their capabilities to coordinate anti-terrorist operations. We're helping them develop command and control structures. We're also providing them with civilian and military leadership training, so Iraq's new leaders can effectively manage their forces in the fight against terror.
The new Iraqi security forces are proving their courage every day. More than 2,000 members of Iraqi security forces have given their lives in the line of duty. Thousands more have stepped forward, and are now training to serve their nation. With each engagement, Iraqi soldiers grow more battle-hardened, and their officers grow more experienced. We've learned that Iraqis are courageous and that they need additional skills. And that is why a major part of our mission is to train them so they can do the fighting, and then our troops can come home....but it looks like the Iraqis are up to the task. And it looks like our men in women in unifrom are getting it done. The question that remains is whether or not we at home are willing to see this through.
I recognize that Americans want our troops to come home as quickly as possible. So do I. Some contend that we should set a deadline for withdrawing U.S. forces. Let me explain why that would be a serious mistake. Setting an artificial timetable would send the wrong message to the Iraqis, who need to know that America will not leave before the job is done. It would send the wrong message to our troops, who need to know that we are serious about completing the mission they are risking their lives to achieve. And it would send the wrong message to the enemy, who would know that all they have to do is to wait us out. We will stay in Iraq as long as we are needed, and not a day longer.In case some fever swamp liberals missed the subtle version of the exit strategy, the president just spelled it out again. Will we stop hearing accussations that there isn't an exit strategy from our friends on the left? I'm not holding my breath...and you shouldn't either. Sometimes I wonder if they even understand English...but that's anouther whole thing.
Some Americans ask me, if completing the mission is so important, why don't you send more troops? If our commanders on the ground say we need more troops, I will send them. But our commanders tell me they have the number of troops they need to do their job. Sending more Americans would undermine our strategy of encouraging Iraqis to take the lead in this fight. And sending more Americans would suggest that we intend to stay forever, when we are, in fact, working for the day when Iraq can defend itself and we can leave. As we determine the right force level, our troops can know that I will continue to be guided by the advice that matters: the sober judgment of our military leaders.Here is another common charge from the fever swamp left: we don't have enough troops over there. Even Wesley Clark can understand and respect the commanders on the ground, why can't the rest of you Komrade Kossacks?
The other critical element of our strategy is to help ensure that the hopes Iraqis expressed at the polls in January are translated into a secure democracy. The Iraqi people are emerging from decades of tyranny and oppression. Under the regime of Saddam Hussein, the Shia and Kurds were brutally oppressed, and the vast majority of Sunni Arabs were also denied their basic rights, while senior regime officials enjoyed the privileges of unchecked power. The challenge facing Iraqis today is to put this past behind them, and come together to build a new Iraq that includes all of its people.The president goes on to brief about what the Iraqis are doing to make sure that they meet their deadlines. This is critical. If the Iraqis fall behind, our stay is going to be protracted. NOBODY WANTS THAT.
As Iraqis make progress toward a free society, the effects are being felt beyond Iraq's borders. Before our coalition liberated Iraq, Libya was secretly pursuing nuclear weapons. Today the leader of Libya has given up his chemical and nuclear weapons programs. Across the broader Middle East, people are claiming their freedom. In the last few months, we've witnessed elections in the Palestinian Territories and Lebanon. These elections are inspiring democratic reformers in places like Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Our strategy to defend ourselves and spread freedom is working. The rise of freedom in this vital region will eliminate the conditions that feed radicalism and ideologies of murder, and make our nation safer.Critics say that there is no "cause and effect" relationship between the Iraq War and what is happening all over the Middle East. I got this all the time in my stint over at The Jawa Report. I encourage those folks to spend some time in the library looking over old newspapers from the years BEFORE the war: have you seen any trends like this in this region before? It has to be happening for a reason...
We have more work to do, and there will be tough moments that test America's resolve. We're fighting against men with blind hatred -- and armed with lethal weapons -- who are capable of any atrocity. They wear no uniform; they respect no laws of warfare or morality. They take innocent lives to create chaos for the cameras. They are trying to shake our will in Iraq, just as they tried to shake our will on September the 11th, 2001. They will fail. The terrorists do not understand America. The American people do not falter under threat, and we will not allow our future to be determined by car bombers and assassins.Emphasis added by moi. Why? To illustrate that the president understands that these terrorist thugs aren't qualified for treatment under the Geneva Conventions. In a perfect world, we could treat these monsters like respectable human beings...but the reality is, they are monsters.
Let's examine what the two views of torture are: in the TIME Magazine corner is "kicking the Quran and accidentally taking a whiz on it" in the other Islamofascist corner is "beheadings and lifetime prison sentences (with daily beatings!) for possessing a Bible." Choose your side, folks...I know which team I want to play for...
America has done difficult work before. From our desperate fight for independence to the darkest days of a Civil War, to the hard-fought battles against tyranny in the 20th century, there were many chances to lose our heart, our nerve, or our way. But Americans have always held firm, because we have always believed in certain truths. We know that if evil is not confronted, it gains in strength and audacity, and returns to strike us again. We know that when the work is hard, the proper response is not retreat, it is courage. And we know that this great ideal of human freedom entrusted to us in a special way, and that the ideal of liberty is worth defending.Buck up little soldiers on the left, we're going to defend your fever swamp too. Would it kill you to at least do no harm? I'm not saying you have to love our country jingoistically, but give the troops a chance to finish their job without having to worry about whether or not you and your kind are going to turn Iraq into Vietnam for them...we already lost your generation to that nonsense, I'll fight against you to preserve this generation of American soldier from your lies.
In this time of testing, our troops can know: The American people are behind you. Next week, our nation has an opportunity to make sure that support is felt by every soldier, sailor, airman, Coast Guardsman, and Marine at every outpost across the world. This Fourth of July, I ask you to find a way to thank the men and women defending our freedom -- by flying the flag, sending a letter to our troops in the field, or helping the military family down the street. The Department of Defense has set up a website -- AmericaSupportsYou.mil. You can go there to learn about private efforts in your own community. At this time when we celebrate our freedom, let us stand with the men and women who defend us all.
To the soldiers in this hall, and our servicemen and women across the globe: I thank you for your courage under fire and your service to our nation. I thank our military families -- the burden of war falls especially hard on you. In this war, we have lost good men and women who left our shores to defend freedom and did not live to make the journey home. I've met with families grieving the loss of loved ones who were taken from us too soon. I've been inspired by their strength in the face of such great loss. We pray for the families. And the best way to honor the lives that have been given in this struggle is to complete the mission.I like this bit of closing material. He addresses the fact that we have a recruiting problem and that there are a lot of active military people re-upping. What sort of analysis can I give about that fact: there are reasons why guys who are doing it are re-upping and those at home who are not signing up. It has something to do with a media filter about what is really going on over there...
I thank those of you who have re-enlisted in an hour when your country needs you. And to those watching tonight who are considering a military career, there is no higher calling than service in our Armed Forces. We live in freedom because every generation has produced patriots willing to serve a cause greater than themselves. Those who serve today are taking their rightful place among the greatest generations that have worn our nation's uniform. When the history of this period is written, the liberation of Afghanistan and the liberation of Iraq will be remembered as great turning points in the story of freedom.
After September the 11th, 2001, I told the American people that the road ahead would be difficult, and that we would prevail. Well, it has been difficult -- and we are prevailing. Our enemies are brutal, but they are no match for the United States of America, and they are no match for the men and women of the United States military.An emotional final statement. And a fine speech. It did everything that was needed.
May God bless you all.
Were there a few issues that didn't make it in to the speech? Sure. Wesley Clark noted that the president didn't talk about the difference of opinion between VP Cheney and SecDef Rumsfeld on the condition of the insurgency. And that's really all it is: a difference of opinion. Did that rise to the level of needing to be addressed? Not really, unless you're watching a scorecard of some sort and want to get points of some kind. This address was about the American people, not Rumsfeld and Cheney.
Wes also mentioned the fact that the rate of car bombings has risen and tht was supposed to be an indicator of strength. It isn't. For a former general and supreme commander of NATO, this guy is an idiot. Car bombs are the only effective weapon these terrorists have left. And there are reports that the bombers are having to be handcuffed to the stearing wheels because they aren't idiologically motivated to carry these attacks out but rather are victims themselves - the terrorists are kidnapping family members and forcing citizens to carry out some of these attacks.
I thought it was a pretty good speech. I wouldn't call it a home run, but he definately advanced some runners and picked up an RBI or two. he needs to do this more often.
