Posted on 11/11/2005 12:57:29 PM PST by SandRat
WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2005 – President Bush today used Veterans Day, a day originally designated to commemorate victory in World War I, as an opportunity to reaffirm the United States' commitment to seeing the war on terror through to victory. "The nation has made a clear choice," the president told a gathering of servicemembers, veterans and family members at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pa. "We will not tire or rest until the war on terror is won."
Bush condemned terrorists who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and have continued to spread violence around the world, using what he called "a litany of excuses" to justify it.
The United States did not invite the attacks it suffered, the president said, dismissing claims that the U.S. presence in Iraq has fueled the terrorists' efforts. "We were not in Iraq on Sept. 11, 2001," the president reminded the group. "The hatred of the radicals existed before Iraq was an issue, and it will exist after Iraq is no longer an excuse.
"No act of ours invited the rage of killers," he continued, "and no concession, bribe or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans for murder."
Rather, he said, terrorists will prey on any indication of weakness or loss of will among Americans and the coalition. He cited an intercepted letter from Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, intended to reach Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, that referred to the U.S. withdraw from Vietnam in the 1970s as a model for a future retreat from Iraq. Toward that end and terrorists' ultimate political goals, he said, there's little doubt that they will carry out future attacks, as evidenced by deadly bombings this week in Baghdad and Amman, Jordan.
He cited success of the strategy aimed at preventing those attacks by eliminating terrorist networks and their ability to inflict violence. "This progress has reduced the danger to free nations, but it has not removed it," he said.
Meanwhile, Bush said, another kind of attack is under way in the United States -- what he called "baseless attacks" about the rationale that led to U.S. operations in Iraq. The president acknowledged the right of all Americans to voice opinions about what led to the war or how that war is being carried out. But he called it "deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began."
"The stakes in the global war on terror are too high and the national interest is too important for politicians to throw out false charges," he said.
Political attacks send the wrong message to U.S. troops fighting the war on terror and mixed messages to enemies judging America's will to stay the course, the president said. U.S. troops deserve a clear understand that their nation is behind them and that this support won't bow to political winds, he said.
"As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy your way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them to war continue to stand behind them," he said. "Our troops deserve to know that this support will remain firm when the going gets tough. And our troops deserve to know that whatever our differences in Washington, our will is strong, our nation is united, and we will settle for nothing less than victory."
Bush acknowledged that the road ahead won't be easy but said the coalition strategy in Iraq is working. Iraq is showing solid progress on the political and security fronts, paving the way for the United States to ultimately bring its troops home, he said. "As Iraqis stand up, the United States will stand down," he said.
Meanwhile, Bush said, the best way the United States can honor its troops, particularly those who have died in the war, is to stay the course to achieve the goals for which they sacrificed.
"The best way to honor the sacrifice of our fallen troops is to complete the mission and to lay the foundation of peace for generations to come," he said.
Bush's Gettysburg
From a small town in Pennsylvania, the president came to finally answer critics of an increasingly unpopular war, a war that Democrats hoped would sweep them into office in the next election.
But enough about Lincoln at Gettysburg 142 Novembers ago; let me analyze George Walker Bush's speech today in Tobyhanna, Pa.
Much attention is being given to his blasting the revisionist history of Democrats who supported the war to get by the 2002 election and now cluck their tongues.
Who cares?
WMD were not what this war was -- or is -- about. The president:
"If the peoples of that region are permitted to choose their own destiny, and advance by their own energy and participation of free men and women, then the extremists will be marginalized, and the flow of violent radicalism to the rest of the world will slow and eventually end. By standing for hope and freedom of others, we make our own freedom more secure."
That is it. That in a nutshell is how America will be free: By making sure that all men enjoy the rights to which they were endowed by their Creator.
http://donsurber.blogspot.com/2005/11/bushs-gettysburg.html
Need to make some of these with Bush's words
We will fight it to the end: we will see it through. Weenies, get the hail out of the way.
hmmmm.... not a bad idea. Wonder what it would cost to have say,.... a run of 100 printed up at 17" X 22" on poster quality paper and give them out to stores in the area?
Any suggestions for the exact words to substitute in the different paragraphs?
BTTT
A lot of possible quotes out there.
President George W. Bush speaks to the Joint Armed Forces Officers' Wives Luncheon Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2005, at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. The President thanked the members for their courage and sacrifice saying, "We don't know the course our own struggle will take or the sacrifices that might lie ahead. We do know the strength and character that our troops and military families bring to the fight."
Today he said:
"If the peoples of that region are permitted to choose their own destiny, and advance by their own energy and participation of free men and women, then the extremists will be marginalized, and the flow of violent radicalism to the rest of the world will slow and eventually end. By standing for hope and freedom of others, we make our own freedom more secure."
That is it. That in a nutshell is how America will be free: By making sure that all men enjoy the rights to which they were endowed by their Creator. (to quote Don Suber)
BTT.
God bless our troops and our veterans.
It annoys me to no end that the alphabet Spews is gleefully reporting that the President's approval ratings are at 38% but have you heard it touted at the same level and frequency that for Republicans in both house of Congress it's 36% and for the DemonRATs it's barely reaching 33%? Bet not.
Amen! My Dad died from wounds he suffered in a war, my son-in-law was in the frontlines in the first gulf war, two of my uncles fought in a war, one a Soldier the other in the Navy.We are a family who loves and supports all the troops!!
God Bless America and all troops this Veterans Day.
You have a blessed, patriotic and true American family.
God bless all of you, and sincere thanks for their service and sacrifice.
Wow, was that speech great or what? I was cheering from my living room! Will it shame the left not trying to gain political power off the blood of our troops and those murdered? Probably not. Too many of them are truly evil.
Left is all too well described in the book Treason by AC.
Thank you for your service!
Proudly, we thank you.
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