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Bush: U.S. Will Defend Itself 'At Any Price'
http://www.abcnews.go.com ^ | 3 4 2002 | By Arshad Mohammed

Posted on 03/04/2002 1:47:10 PM PST by ATOMIC_PUNK

Bush: U.S. Will Defend Itself 'At Any Price'

— By Arshad Mohammed

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - President Bush on Monday mourned the deaths of U.S. soldiers in the Afghan war but said the United States would defend itself "at any price."

Al Qaeda and Taliban forces shot down a large U.S. Army helicopter on Monday, killing seven U.S. soldiers, while an eighth died when he was apparently shot or fell from a second helicopter during a big offensive against al Qaeda and Taliban forces dug in high in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

"This nation will defend ourselves and freedom at any price," Bush told students at Eden Prairie High School during a one-day visit to Minnesota. "It is too precious a gift for future generations to give up to terrorists."

Bush launched his war on terrorism in Afghanistan five months ago, toppling the Taliban regime that harbored Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network, which the United States blames for the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Aides said Bush was keeping close tabs on the action in Afghanistan, where U.S. and Afghan forces as well as soldiers from Western allies Australia, Denmark, France and Germany were attacking a pocket of regrouped al Qaeda and Taliban forces.

"There is some serious combat as I speak," Bush told the students. "I want to assure the students who are here and the loved ones of those military (who died) -- defending freedom is a noble cause and it is a just cause."

He added: "People say, well how long is this going to last? And the answer is, for however long it takes to make sure America is secure. People say, well the hard part is over with, and my answer is no it's not -- we're just beginning."

Speaking earlier to reporters, Bush said he was saddened by the deaths of the U.S. soldiers but determined to fight on. Speaking of bin Laden, he said: "He's on the run, if he's running at all."

"Any time somebody loses their life, the American people will mourn and are sad -- and I feel that way too," Bush said. "On the other hand, I am just as determined now as I was a week ago or three months ago to fulfill this mission and that is to make sure our country is safe."

Citing fierce resistance from al Qaeda and Taliban forces, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld earlier said a U.S. special forces MH-47 "Chinook" helicopter was downed by ground fire near Gardez in the icy mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

The eighth American soldier died when he apparently was shot or fell from a second helicopter that was under fire, Rumsfeld and Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a news briefing.

After visiting the school, where he talked up his plans to improve teacher training, Bush was to speak at a fund-raising event to collect about $2 million for his fellow Republicans, including Norm Coleman, who hopes to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone in November's congressional elections. fend Itself 'At Any Price'


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bushdoctrineunfold
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1 posted on 03/04/2002 1:47:10 PM PST by ATOMIC_PUNK
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK

      

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2 posted on 03/04/2002 1:51:32 PM PST by WIMom
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
"This nation will defend ourselves and freedom at any price," Bush told students

Translation=Bush hits Dacshle right between the eyes in one clean shot.

3 posted on 03/04/2002 1:52:42 PM PST by VRWC_minion
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
I saw W live on Fox. It was a terrific speech. W's really hitting his stride in his delivery. Several extemporaneous and ad lib remarks gave his speech more color and substance. The kids loved him! The teachers were rather non-plussed in their appreciation of W. My wife, who is a native MN'an told me that MN is the most left-wing state in the country.... so I should "not be surprised that the teachers were so stoic, despite the fact that W's initial remarks were radiant towards the school and its teachers."

Oh well...

4 posted on 03/04/2002 1:56:15 PM PST by Cobra64
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To: VRWC_minion
I like how they say "Bush's war on terrorism" what a bunch of bull after 9/11 if your an American and don't want those ****ers dead then you must not give a crap about anything. Daschle is barking up the wrong tree in attacking Bush on the war. He is probably just pandering to his far lefty base which is about all the dimocraps have left.
5 posted on 03/04/2002 2:05:02 PM PST by KSCITYBOY
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To: Cobra64
Cobra64

MN is an ultra-left wing state --- however, this leftist philosophy is really just confined to the major metro areas. I was born and raised in Mpls years ago, when it was actually a pretty good place to live. We now have moved away from the metro area to outstate MN, the main reason for a better place to raise the kids.

Eden Prairie is in the middle of liberalville, but the rest of MN (outside of the range) is quite conservative.

6 posted on 03/04/2002 2:05:44 PM PST by coder2
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To: Cobra64
MN is way lefty - all the lefty wackos think it's paradise. I have to go up there 5 or 6 times a year. In my opinion it's a frozen hellhole where your not allowed to make your own decisions.
7 posted on 03/04/2002 2:07:34 PM PST by KSCITYBOY
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
John F. Kennedy said it well:

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe (little did JFK know he would be speaking of his own brother!) to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

8 posted on 03/04/2002 2:09:37 PM PST by RetiredArmy
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Comment #9 Removed by Moderator

To: WIMom
You know what? I am sick and tired of seeing FR donation requests on every thread. Ask JR: I frequently donate and even have a monthly recurring payment.

I simply am fed up with this nonsense.

One freeper's opinion.

--Boris

10 posted on 03/04/2002 2:13:30 PM PST by boris
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
I have a little problem with Bush's "at any price" statement. Our borders are still wide open, we're not deporting the millions of illegal aliens, our airline pilots are unarmed and law enforcement authorities are not allowed to "profile". I pray our nation doesn't lose several more thousands or hundreds of thousands of citizens before we start getting serious.
11 posted on 03/04/2002 2:19:27 PM PST by waxhaw
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To: boris
Hi Boris, I to am a monthly freeper but not everyone gets the message.
Unfortunatly, most people are users not payers.
If each registered freeper woud pay one dollar per quarter there would be no freepathon.
That's $4.00 per year, real chump change, yet most registered freepers don't even do that.
Some people need to be reminded again and again. Some need to be hit over the head before they "get it"
I am sorry this constant reminding bothers you, but knowing you are a classy guy, just ignore them, the reminders aren't meant for us.
12 posted on 03/04/2002 2:20:49 PM PST by grammymoon
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To: KSCITYBOY
Bush launched his war on terrorism

Wow ! Good catch I missed that. That is an outrageous but not unexpected bit of editorializing on American Broadcasting's (ABC's) part.

Should we Freep them ?

13 posted on 03/04/2002 2:22:51 PM PST by VRWC_minion
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To: VRWC_minion
I haven't seen Peter Jennings face for more than 2 seconds since 9/12/01/ and I know others less opininated than I who stopped watching then. Why freep a endangered species, let them go quietly by their own hand.
14 posted on 03/04/2002 2:27:07 PM PST by KSCITYBOY
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To: VRWC_minion
As far as the left-liberals are concerned, this is Bush's"war on terrorism" - note the possessive and the quotation marks. They don't believe in it and don't want their sophisticated friends in Europe and Baghdad to think they approve. Most Americans - the President's 80-odd% approval ratings - think this is America's war on terrorism, no snide quotation marks. But the defeatists will never stop questioning its legitimacy and trying to undermine it.
15 posted on 03/04/2002 2:30:07 PM PST by Argus
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To: grammymoon
If each registered freeper woud pay one dollar per quarter there would be no freepathon. That's $4.00 per year, real chump change, yet most registered freepers don't even do that.

Well then, there's no need for me to donate again. After the last freepathon, I'm paid up for the next 25 years using your formula.

Thanks.

16 posted on 03/04/2002 2:31:47 PM PST by usconservative
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
Those who have given their lives to defend our freedom will have died in vain if we do not pursue this to the end. We owe it to those noble warriors to continue this fight to the very end.
17 posted on 03/04/2002 2:34:38 PM PST by McGavin999
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To: ATOMIC_PUNK
"This nation will defend ourselves and freedom at any price,"

That ought to cause yet another bad case of Euro panty-bunching.

18 posted on 03/04/2002 2:35:03 PM PST by Redcloak
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To: Cobra64
MN is the most left-wing state in the country....

Well, maybe, but I'd say MA is way out front on that. MN is more of populist state. In fact the Democratic Party there is called the Democrat Farm Labor Party, harking to it's roots. They are liberal, but not nearly so statist as many other places. Hubert Humphrey was from there, and he once said:

"Certainly one of the chief guarantees of freedom under any government, no matter how popular and respected, is the right of citizens to keep and bear arms. This is not to say that firearms should not be very carefully used, and that definite safety rules of precaution should not be taught and enforced. But the right of citizens to bear arms is just one more guarantee against arbitrary government, and one more safeguard against a tyranny which now appears remote in America, but which historically has proved to be always possible." Sen. Hubert Humphrey, Know Your Lawmakers, Guns Magazine, Page 4, Feb. 1960.

So those Democrat Farm Labor types aren't ALL bad.

19 posted on 03/04/2002 2:39:57 PM PST by El Gato
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To: usconservative
yeah, if only it were happening, I would be paid up for the next 25 years too. But we are carrying the load.
20 posted on 03/04/2002 2:43:41 PM PST by grammymoon
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