29 September 2001
Text: President's September 29 Radio Address
(Reports progress on several fronts in war against terrorism) (713)
(begin text)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
Saturday, September 29, 2001
RADIO ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT TO THE NATION
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I want to report to you on the progress
being made on many fronts in our war against terrorism. This is a
different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and
methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity.
In recent days, many members of our military have left their homes and
families and begun moving into a place for missions to come. Thousands
of Reservists have been called to active duty. Soldiers, sailors,
airmen, Marines and Coast Guardmen are being deployed to points around
the globe, ready to answer when their country calls. Our military
families have accepted many hardships, and our nation is grateful for
their willing service.
The men and women of the Armed Forces are united in their dedication
to freedom and they will make us proud in the struggle against
terrorism.
International cooperation is gaining momentum. This week, I met with
the Prime Ministers of two of America's closest friends: Canada and
Japan. Other countries, from Russia to Indonesia, are giving strong
support as the war against terrorism moves forward. America is
grateful to the nations that have cut off diplomatic ties with the
Taliban regime in Afghanistan, which is sheltering terrorists.
The United States respects the people of Afghanistan and we are their
largest provider of humanitarian aid. But we condemn the Taliban, and
welcome the support of other nations in isolating that regime.
We have also launched a strike against the financial foundation of the
global terror network. Our goal is to deny terrorists the money they
need to carry out their plans. We began by identifying 27 terrorist
organizations, terrorist leaders and foreign businesses and charities
that support or front for terrorism.
We froze whatever assets they had here in the United States, and we
blocked them from doing business with people, companies or banks in
our country. Many governments and financial institutions around the
world are joining in this effort to starve terrorists of funding.
This week I visited the headquarters at the FBI and the CIA. Their
agents and analysts have been on the case around the clock, uncovering
and pursuing the enemy. In the long campaign ahead, they will need our
continued support, and every necessary tool to do their work.
I'm asking Congress for new law enforcement authority, to better track
the communications of terrorists, and to detain suspected terrorists
until the moment they are deported. I will also seek more funding and
better technology for our country's intelligence community.
This week, we also took strong steps to improve security on planes and
in airports, and to restore confidence in air travel. We're providing
airlines with federal grants to make cockpits more secure through
measures including fortified doors and stronger locks. And we're
dramatically increasing the number of federal air marshals on our
planes.
Americans will have the confidence of knowing that fully equipped
officers of the law are flying with them in far greater numbers. I'm
also working with Congress to put federal law enforcement in charge of
all bag and passenger screening at our airports. Standards will be
tougher and enforced by highly trained professionals who know exactly
what they're looking for. To enhance safety immediately, I've asked
governors to place National Guardsmen at security checkpoints in
airports.
As all these actions make clear, our war on terror will be much
broader than the battlefields and beachheads of the past. This war
will be fought wherever terrorists hide, or run, or plan. Some
victories will be won outside of public view, in tragedies avoided and
threats eliminated. Other victories will be clear to all.
Our weapons are military and diplomatic, financial and legal. And in
this struggle, our greatest advantages are the patience and resolve of
the American people.
We did not seek this conflict, but we will win it. America will act
deliberately and decisively, and the cause of freedom will prevail.
Thank you for listening.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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