[STARWISE]

WOO HOO !! And rightly so! He was relentless .. every single day after 9/11 .. in pursuing this monster, and importantly: seeing that the military was transformed for this new assymetric warfare. It is a good day.

[silent_jonny]

Andy Card was on FOX a while ago (by phone) and told how President Bush has kept the badge of George Howard since 9-11. The President promised George's mother, Arlene Howard, that he would always remember her son and all those that were murdered by Osama bin Laden's henchmen that day.

George Howard

President George W. Bush talks with Arlene Howard after Howard presented a police badge found on the body of her son, Port Authority Police officer George Howard, as the President greeted family members of victims in the World Trade Center disaster in a photo taken Friday, Sept. 14, in New York City. White House photo by Eric Draper

.

In January 2009, as President Bush's term was ending, he invited Mrs. Howard to attend his farewell address to the nation in the East Room of the White House (the same room where Zero just delivered his "I gave the order" speech)

President George W. Bush delivers his farewell address to the nation Thursday evening, Jan. 15, 2009, from the East Room of the White House, thanking the American people for their support and trust. White House photo by Chris Greenberg

President Bush: This evening, my thoughts return to the first night I addressed you from this house -- September the 11th, 2001. That morning, terrorists took nearly 3,000 lives in the worst attack on America since Pearl Harbor. I remember standing in the rubble of the World Trade Center three days later, surrounded by rescuers who had been working around the clock. I remember talking to brave souls who charged through smoke-filled corridors at the Pentagon, and to husbands and wives whose loved ones became heroes aboard Flight 93. I remember Arlene Howard, who gave me her fallen son's police shield as a reminder of all that was lost. And I still carry his badge.

As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation. I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe.

Mrs. Howard is seated in the front row, next to Vice President Cheney.

Our nation is blessed to have citizens who volunteer to defend us in this time of danger. I have cherished meeting these selfless patriots and their families. And America owes you a debt of gratitude.

And to all our men and women in uniform listening tonight: There has been no higher honor than serving as your Commander-in-Chief.

God bless you, Mrs. Howard and President Bush.