Attacks Reveal the Nature of Terrorism, Bush says ["terrorism violates every religion]

DoD - American Forces Press Service ^ | Aug. 25, 2003 | Jim Garamone

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Attacks Reveal the Nature of Terrorism, Bush says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2003 - The terrorist attacks in Baghdad and Jerusalem will serve as an added spur in the war on terror, President Bush said during his radio address Saturday.

In both cases, the terrorists struck innocents in an effort to impose Taliban- like regimes on the world.

On Aug. 19, a truck bomb exploded outside the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad. The blast killed at least 20 people. "The U.N. personnel and Iraqi citizens killed in the bombings were engaged in a purely humanitarian mission," Bush said. "Men and women in the building were working on reconstruction, medical care for Iraqis and the distribution of food."

The U.N. representative for Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello was among the dead. U.S. officials said the bombing was likely the work of former members of Saddam Hussein's regime.

Also on Aug. 19, a suicide terrorist in Jerusalem murdered 20 innocent people riding a bus, including five Americans. "The killer had concealed under his clothing a bomb filled with metal fragments, designed to kill and injure the greatest number of people possible," Bush said. "Among the 110 people hurt were 40 children." The Israeli police said the bomber was from Hamas.

Bush said the two bombings reveal, once again, the nature of the terrorists, and why they must be defeated. "In their malicious view of the world, no one is innocent," he noted. "Relief workers and infants alike are targeted for murder. Terrorism may use religion as a disguise, but terrorism violates every religion and every standard of decency and morality."

The president said the terrorists have declared war on every free nation. "Their goals are clear: They want more governments to resemble the oppressive Taliban that once ruled Afghanistan," he said. "Terrorists commit atrocities because they want the civilized world to flinch and retreat so they can impose their totalitarian vision."

Bush said the United States will not flinch in this war on terror, and there will not be a retreat. "From Afghanistan to Iraq, to the Philippines and elsewhere, we are waging a campaign against the terrorists and their allies, wherever they gather, wherever they plan, and wherever they act," he said.

"This campaign requires sacrifice, determination and resolve, and we will see it through," he continued. "Iraq is an essential front in this war. Now we're fighting terrorists and remnants of that regime who have everything to lose from the advance of freedom in the heart of the Middle East."

The president said that most of Iraq is making steady progress toward reconstruction and a stable, self-governing society. "This progress makes the remaining terrorists even more desperate and willing to lash out against symbols of order and hope, like coalition forces and U.N. personnel," he said. "The world will not be intimidated. A violent few will not determine the future of Iraq, and there will be no return to the days of Saddam Hussein's torture chambers and mass graves."

Bush said Iraqis are working with coalition forces to stop these assassins. Coalition forces acting on tips from ordinary Iraqis are increasing raids, seizing weapons and capturing enemy leaders. "The United States, the United Nations and the civilized world will continue to stand with the people of Iraq as they reclaim their nation and their future," he said.

The president said that all nations face a challenge and a choice. He said "terrorists are testing our will, hoping we will weaken and withdraw. Yet across the world, they are finding that our will cannot be shaken. Whatever the hardships, we will persevere. We will continue this war on terror until all the killers are brought to justice. And we will prevail."

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

8 "THERE WILL BE NO RETREAT" ~ and other quotes from experts the PRESS ignored this last week.
  ~ White House, DoD, various  | 8/25/03 | Pres. Bush, Amb. Bremer, SOD Rumsfeld +

[Cacophonous]

Terrorists win simply by not losing. At what point do we declare victory?

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

DoD playing catch up on the weekend's news. If anyone in the press thinks they can dissuade this leadership, they are not listening to these leaders.

"The world will not be intimidated. A violent few will not determine the future of Iraq, and there will be no return to the days of Saddam Hussein's torture chambers and mass graves."

If you want on or off my pro-Coalition/anti-wanker ping list, just ping.

8 Unapologetically Pro-Coalition News Links and Articles

[Soaring Feather]

bump

[Paleo Conservative]

Terrorists win simply by not losing. At what point do we declare victory?

When all the terrorists receive Darwin Awards.

[Paleo Conservative]

Terrorists win simply by not losing. At what point do we declare victory?

When all the terrorists receive Darwin Awards.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

When they no they have no future. They don't.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

I believe he realizes the nature of the enemy far more than you do. He most certainly wouldn't demean his neighbor by calling him 'dumbya'. Thank goodness we have such a courageous and honorable President during these times.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Please stop listening to CNN and start listening to the troops and the Iraqi people. They are most certainly diminishing the # of terrorists and terrorist wannabes and stabilizing whole sections of Iraq. Still, you clearly don't care about the truth because every leader of this mission, as well as the troops stated it clearly last week for anyone who cared enough to pay attention to those RUNNING and fighting this war.

There are many working to undermine their efforts daily - the worst are members of the mainstream international pro-UN, anti-Bush press.

Our troops can handle the enemy. They can't inform the people. People buy the 24/7 lies.

[Cacophonous]

So I ask you, who are so much more informed than I (apparently because you only watch Fox News, and I don't get cable): at what point do we declare victory? We've already said the major combat operations are done; yet we have 156,000 soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors in the region, and many say that we don't have enough. How many troops would we need if we still had major combat operations going on?

[Cacophonous]

I recently talked to some of the folks that are helping to build the Afghan National Army, and their stories were stunning. The biggest payback was the gratitude of the Afghan people. There was one fellow, an archtitect by trade, that told the Americans that for the first time in his life, he could leave his home in the morning with the confidence that he would return alive. Very moving and his story was typical.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

No, I don't watch FoxNews often. There is not one media outlet covering this war accurately. You can trust CENTCOM and DOD and most military news sources, according to the troops who keep us informed regularly. Check out my homepage. I can give you stats, quotes, an overall picture of the situation on the ground from the beginning of the war. I guarantee that the troops are proud of the job they're doing and they are doing a great job....with VERY few casualties, with the help of the grateful Iraqi people.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

The biggest payback was the gratitude of the Afghan people.

True in Iraq, too.

You don't hear about the number of serious lowlifes our guys are taking out. It helps if you think about the European theater - that we've 'removed' 6000 terrorists since 9-11.

CENTCOM, our troops have removed far more than that. We went into Iraq 5 SHORT months ago. The Ba'athists did unspeakable things to the Iraqi people for decades. Yet the press not only acts as if our troops AREN'T making excellent progress across the nation, but act as if the longsuffering Iraqi people should jump right in and help. The press has not only been lying from the start, they've been sowing dissent daily.

Our troops say that they can handle the enemy, the heat, the fear - they CAN NOT get the truth out to the world about their daily SUCCESSES.

What everyone should have been told by now about Iraq, the work of our troops:

*Tales of Saddam's Brutality [lengthy, graphic]

*Silent No Longer: Iraqi People Reveal the Past

The detailed good works and security successes of the troops across Iraq:

 

*COALITION AND IRAQI POLICE WORK TO MAKE IRAQ SECURE

*COALITION EFFORTS AID IRAQ'S RECOVERY

VOICES OF FREEDOM
Quotes from the grateful Iraqi people. Y

[Cacophonous]

Listen, you don't have to convince me of the dedication, pride, efficiency, effectiveness, pride, and professionalism of the troops, or of the spectacular job they are doing. I couldn't be prouder of them.

Why are so many so quick to jump to the conclusion that because I have some questions about the policies that put our soldiers over there, that I don't support them? It's an asinine conclusion, one that results from knee-jerk adherence to a party line. And it's getting tiring.

No, I object to a situation where our soldiers are sent into a war without a clear exit plan, without a long-term plan for victory.

I never accepted that Hussein had ties to al qaida (and none have been established); I never doubted he had WMD (though I'm beginning to), but I was never convinced that he posed a threat to the US. I was more than willing to support a policy of "war for oil", or war for some other material gain for the US; I was told, however, that a war in which the US somehow gained something was anti-American (and I still understand how that can be).

And the war of liberation was at best a bad use of American lives, and at worst, established a horrible precedet.

I can accept it as a part of the war on terror (even though the proof is sketchy). But Republicans went to great pains to say that no, Saddam was NOT an imminent threat, that we sent troops in because he might become an imminent threat. Talk about a frightening precedent!

And we still do not know how long we will be there.

In short, I haven't yet heard a good explanation of why we are there, and I hate to see fine American servicemen pay the price for a lousy policy.

[McGavin999]

Terrorists win simply by not losing. At what point do we declare victory?

When they're dead.

[freekitty]

I don't know how many of your have seen "Tears of the Sun".
Please do. You will understand why we are the greatest country in the world. You will understand our need for President Bush and our strong military. And more than anything you will understand our greatest asset, contrary to the libs lies is our extraordinary compassion and courage.

I understand this is a true story and it is unlike any you have ever seen.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Well, sorry they haven't satisfied all your demands in 5 short months. Start with the CENTCOM security reports. You will not hear the details in the press. Yes, there are connections to Al Qaeda...not just in terrorist training camps. Much of intel involves cells that exist inside Iraq today. You will hear more about them. As for what they've accomplished....PLEASE read the security reports. The world has far fewer seriously nasty characters with intent to do mass-harm to innocents, and Western interests today.