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Transcript: Bush Cites Progress in Afghanistan Military Campaign

(Lists destruction of air force, air defenses, terrorist camps) (1940)
President Bush says the U.S. military is making progress in its
campaign in Afghanistan, both against the forces of the Taliban regime
and the al Qaeda terrorist organization.
"The terrorist camps are being destroyed. The enemy's air force and
air defenses are being demolished. We're paving the way for friendly
troops on the ground to slowly, but surely, tighten the net to bring
them to justice," Bush said in remarks October 17 to U.S. military
personnel at Travis Air Force Base in California.
Bush stopped there on his flight from Washington to Shanghai to attend
the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
"We don't quarrel with the innocent folks of Afghanistan; they're not
our enemy," the President said. "Nor is any religion the enemy of the
United States of America. The evil ones have tried to hijack a
religion to justify their murder. But I want to assure the people of
the world that our military fights not against Muslims or fights not
against the Islam religion; we fight against evil people. We fight
against people who believe that they can harm the United States of
America. We fight against people who have no country, no ideology;
they're motivated by hate.
"And make no mistake about it; this great nation will do what it takes
to win. We are determined. We are patient. We are steadfast. We are
resolved. We will not tire and we will not fail."
Following is a transcript of the President's remarks:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Sacramento, California)
October 17, 2001
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO MILITARY PERSONNEL
Travis Air Force Base California
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. I appreciate such a warm
welcome. I'm about to cross the Pacific on my favorite Air Force
airplane. (Applause.) And there's really only one place to leave from
-- that's called the Gateway to the Pacific. (Applause.) Thank you for
your hospitality. I can't tell you how proud I am to be with the men
and women who wear the uniform of the great United States of America.
(Applause.)
I want to thank the Air Force and the Army and the Navy troops who are
here. I'm also proud to be with the husbands and wives and sons and
daughters -- (applause.) And to the families of those of you whose mom
or dad or husband or wife have been deployed, I want you to know that
they're on a noble mission. The cause is just, and we will win.
(Applause.)
I want to thank "Lone Star" Lefforge for the introduction. (Applause.)
My fellow Texan. (Applause.) There may be a few other Texans here, as
well. (Applause.) I want to thank General Becker and Colonel Rubeor,
as well, for your hospitality. Thank you, Colonel. Thank you, General,
very much.
And I want to thank the Air Force Band of the Golden West. Thank you
all for your entertainment. (Applause.) I want to thank the state and
local officials who have come today. I'm honored that you took time
out of your day.
The planes to the left and right of where we stand here represent the
unmatched air power of the United States. (Applause.) But that's not
our real strength. Our real strength are the people who fly them, and
who maintain them, the people who make the military go. (Applause.)
The real strength of this proud nation are the men and women who wear
the uniform. That's the real strength of this country. (Applause.)
You're among the first to be deployed in America's new war against
terror and against evil, and I want you to know, America is proud --
proud of your deeds, proud of your talents, proud of your service to
our country.
I'm told that one of the pilots here, a fellow named Randy, was asked
if anyone at Travis had personal connections to any of the victims of
the attacks on September the 11th. And here's what he said: I think we
all do; they're all Americans. (Applause.) When you strike one
American, you strike us all. (Applause.)
The victims of September 11th were innocent, and this nation will
never forget them. The men and women who murdered them were
instruments of evil, and they have died in vain. This nation is
strong. This nation is united. This nation is resolved. This nation
will defeat terror wherever we find it across the globe. (Applause.)
And not only will we find the terrorists, we will enforce the doctrine
that says if you harbor a terrorist, you're a terrorist. (Applause.)
If you feed a terrorist, if you fund a terrorist, you're a terrorist.
And this great, proud nation of free men and women will hold you just
as responsible for the actions that take place on American soil.
(Applause.)
And that's what's happening in Afghanistan. I gave the people in
Afghanistan a choice. I said to the Taliban, turn them over, destroy
the camps, free people you're unjustly holding. I said, you've got
time to do it. But they didn't listen. They didn't respond, and now
they're paying a price. (Applause.) They are learning that anyone who
strikes America will hear from our military, and they're not going to
like what they hear. (Applause.) In choosing their enemy, the
evildoers and those who harbor them have chosen their fate.
We don't quarrel with the innocent folks of Afghanistan; they're not
our enemy. Nor is any religion the enemy of the United States of
America. The evil ones have tried to hijack a religion to justify
their murder. But I want to assure the people of the world that our
military fights not against Muslims or fights not against the Islam
religion; we fight against evil people. We fight against people who
believe that they can harm the United States of America. We fight
against people who have no country, no ideology; they're motivated by
hate.
And make no mistake about it; this great nation will do what it takes
to win. We are determined. We are patient. We are steadfast. We are
resolved. We will not tire and we will not fail. (Applause.)
And we're making progress. We're making progress. The terrorist camps
are being destroyed. The enemy's air force and air defenses are being
demolished. We're paving the way for friendly troops on the ground to
slowly, but surely, tighten the net to bring them to justice.
I can't tell you how proud as Commander-in-Chief I am to know that
we've got a great United States military backing our nation.
(Applause.) A Commander-in-Chief must know he can count on the skill
and resolve of our military. And from Secretary Rumsfeld to General
Myers to the good troops of this base, I have all the confidence in
the world that our military will fulfill its mission. (Applause.)
And you must have confidence in this, my commitment: that for the
mission that lies ahead, our military, the men and women who wear our
uniform, will have everything you need to win -- (applause) -- every
resource, every weapon, every means to assure full victory for the
United States and our allies and our friends in the cause of freedom.
(Applause.)
There is no question that we're inflicting pain upon the Taliban
government. There is also no question that we're a compassionate
nation; at the same time we do so, we're dropping airlifts of food and
medicine, so the innocent citizens of that country can survive the
brutal winter.
As I walked up, I saw some of the schoolchildren here holding dollar
bills. We've got schoolchildren all across the country out raising a
dollar to send to the children of Afghanistan. We've got boys and
girls from all religions and all walks of life who have heard the call
to love a neighbor just as they'd like to be loved themselves.
The evildoers have struck our nation, but out of evil comes good. We
are a good, kind-hearted, decent people, and we're showing the world
just that in our compassion and our resolve. (Applause.)
And one thing I fully understand is that when American forces answer
the call of duty, they count on their families for support and
encouragement. Every deployment brings uncertainty and, I know, every
deployment brings worry and concern. Our military is made up of brave
men and women, and brave families, as well.
Recently, a four-year-old son of a cargo specialist said good-bye to
his Dad here at Travis. And according to his Mom, the boy has been
telling the neighbors that "Daddy is saving the world." (Applause.)
The boy is right. The boy is right. The future of the world is at
stake. Freedom is at stake. But I want to tell that boy his Daddy has
got plenty of help. There are a lot of people like his Daddy fighting
this war. We fight it overseas and we fight it at home, as well.
We must be steadfast. We must be resolved. We must not let the
terrorists cause our nation to stop traveling, to stop buying, to stop
living ordinary lives. We can be alert and we will be alert, but we
must show them that they cannot terrorize the greatest nation on the
face of the Earth. And we won't. We will not be terrorized, we will
not be cowed.
We've got a homeland security that's strong. I want to tell the moms
and dads here that we're doing everything we can to find them and
disrupt them and stop them, if they happen to try to strike on
American soil. We're strong at home. We're active at home. But make no
mistake about it; the best homeland defense is to find them and bring
them to justice -- and that's exactly what our nation will do.
(Applause.)
Now that they got the plane fueled up, I'm heading over to China. Of
course, we'll talk about economics and trade. But the main thing that
will be on my mind is to continue to rally the world against
terrorists; is to remind people that it happened to us, sure, but it
could happen to them, as well; is to remind them that evil knows no
borders, no boundaries, and to remind them that we must take a stand;
that those of us who have been given the responsibility of high office
must not shirk from our duty; that now is the time to claim freedom
for future generations.
The people have struck us. They've tested our mettle and tested our
character. But they are going to find that this nation understands
we've reached a pivotal moment in history, where we will plant our
flag on the ground -- a flag that stands for freedom -- and say to
anybody who wants to harm us or our friends or allies, you will pay a
serious price, because we're a nation that is strong and resolved and
united. (Applause.)
You all are here to serve your country, and your country is grateful.
You have confidence in America. But make no mistake about it; America
has confidence in you.
Thank you all for such a warm greeting. May God bless -- (applause) --
may God bless the men and women who wear our uniform. May God protect
this great land. And may God bless America. Thank you all very much.
(Applause.)
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)