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US President George W. Bush
| | THE PRESIDENT:
Good morning.
Today, I can report to you that we are making good progress in
advancing the cause of freedom, defeating the forces of terror, and
transforming our military so we can meet the emerging threats of the 21st
century. As I speak, Laura is in the Middle East to help advance the
freedom agenda; and her message is a powerful one -- that by working
together for liberty, we will create a future of peace and opportunity for
women and men worldwide.
On Monday, I will meet Afghan President
Hamid Karzai at the White House to discuss freedom's remarkable progress
in his nation. Afghanistan now has a constitution, an elected President,
and its citizens will return to the polls this September to elect
provincial councils in the lower house of the National Assembly. We're
helping Afghanistan's elected government solidify these democratic gains
and deliver real change. A nation that once knew only the terror of the
Taliban is now seeing a rebirth of freedom, and we will help them succeed.
Terrorists know that there is no room for them as freedom takes root in
the broader Middle East, so they are fighting to stop its progress. But in
recent weeks, we have dealt them a series of devastating blows. In
Afghanistan, we have brought to justice dozens of terrorists and
insurgents. In Pakistan, one of Osama bin Laden's senior terrorist
leaders, a man named Al-Libbi, was brought to justice. In Iraq, we
captured two deputies of the terrorist Zarqawi, and our forces have killed
or captured hundreds of terrorists and insurgents near the Syrian border.
Our strategy is clear: We will fight the terrorists abroad so we do not
have to face them here at home. While some difficult days still lie ahead,
these recent victories are making America safer and the world more secure.
As we make progress against today's enemies, we are also transforming
our military to defeat the enemies we might face in the decades ahead. On
Friday, I will speak to future leaders of our military who are graduating
from the U.S. Naval Academy about how we are making our Armed Forces
faster, more agile, and more lethal.
To deal with the emerging threats of the 21st century, we are building
a military that can deploy rapidly and deliver more fire power with fewer
forward deployed forces. However, much of our military is still deployed
in ways that reflect the threats of the Cold War. So last summer, I
announced a plan to reposition our forces over the next decade. This shift
will bring home 60,000 to 70,000 uniformed personnel, while still
maintaining a significant overseas presence. It will also allow us to
reduce the stress on our military families and make the best overall use
of our resources. In the months and years ahead, we will continue to do
what is necessary to prepare our Armed Forces to protect the American
people in this new century.
The war on terror continues, and we are making solid progress, but we
must not become complacent. We will continue to pursue terrorists abroad.
We will continue to support democratic change throughout the world,
including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the broader Middle East. And we will
do whatever it takes to support our men and women in uniform and give them
the tools they need to prevail.
Thank you for listening. |