    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [December 7, 2001]
    [Pages 1492-1494]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1492]]

    Remarks at a Ceremony Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor
    in Norfolk, Virginia
    December 7, 2001

        Well, thank you all very much. I'm grateful for this warm welcome on
    the deck of the ``Big E.'' America is proud of this fine carrier, and
    we're really proud of her crew. You're serving at a crucial moment for
    the cause of peace and freedom, and your country thanks you.
        This is a fitting place to mark one of the most fateful days in
    American history. On December the 7th, 1941, the enemy attacked. Today
    is an anniversary of a tragedy for the United States Navy. Yet, out of
    that tragedy, America built the strongest Navy in the world. And there
    is no better symbol of that strength than the U.S.S. Enterprise.
        What happened at Pearl Harbor was the start of a long and terrible
    war for America. Yet, out of that surprise attack grew a steadfast
    resolve that made America freedom's defender. And that mission--our
    great calling--continues to this hour, as the brave men and women of our
    military fight the forces of terror in Afghanistan and around the world.
        We are joined this afternoon by some distinguished guests. The
    Governor of this great Commonwealth is with us, Jim Gilmore. Members of the congressional delegation from
    Virginia are here with us, and I want to thank them for coming as well.
    I want to thank my friend Tony Principi,
    the Secretary of Veterans Affairs who is here, a Naval Academy grad who
    served our country with bravery and distinction during the Vietnam era.
        I want to thank Gordon England, the
    Secretary of the Navy, who is doing such a fine job representing the
    Navy in the Pentagon. I want to thank Admiral Natter, the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. I
    always like a good Southern accent up here on the East Coast. [Laughter]
    I thank Sandy Winnefeld, the
    Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise. And I want to thank the
    crew of this fine ship and all your families who are here as well. And I
    thank General Kernan for being here as
    well.
        We are especially honored to share this anniversary with 25 living
    witnesses to Pearl Harbor on December the 7th, 1941. Thank you all for
    being here. They saw the attack and knew its victims by name. They can
    recall the last moments of peace, the first moments of war, and the
    faces of lost friends, forever young in memory. These veterans represent
    the noble history and traditions of the United States military. And I
    ask the Navy of today to please join me in honoring these fine men from
    the military of yesterday.
        The attack on Pearl Harbor was plotted in secret, waged without
    mercy, taking the lives of 2,403 Americans. The shock and chaos came on
    a quiet Sunday morning. There were acts of great heroism amongst those
    who survived and those who did not. Nine who fell that day had Navy
    ships named after them. In 2 hours' time, for bravery above and beyond
    the call of duty, 15 men earned the Medal of Honor, and 10 of them did
    not live to wear it.
        Young sailors refused to abandon ship, even as waters washed over
    the decks. They chose instead to stay and try to save their friends. A
    mess steward carried his commander to safety and then manned a machine
    gun for the first time in his life. Two pilots ran through heavy fire to
    get into their P-40 fighters. They proceeded to chase and shoot down
    four enemy aircraft.
        Those were among the scenes of December the 7th. On December the
    8th, as the details became known, the Nation's grief turned to
    resolution. During 4 years of war, no one doubted the rightness of our
    cause;

    [[Page 1493]]

    no one wavered in the quest of victory. As a result of the efforts and
    sacrifice of the veterans who are with us today and millions like them,
    the world was saved from tyranny.
        Many of you in today's Navy are the children and grandchildren of
    the generation that fought and won the Second World War. Now your
    calling has come. Each one of you is commissioned by history to face
    freedom's enemies.
        When the Enterprise sailed out of Norfolk last April, we were a
    nation at peace. All of that changed on the morning of September the
    11th. You were among the first to fight in the first war of the 21st
    century. You were ready. You performed with skill and honor. And you
    have made your Nation proud.
        On board this ship when you returned to port 4 weeks ago was a young
    man named Ruben Rodriguez. Two days later, Petty Officer Rodriguez lost
    his life in a plane crash. His wife and his family are in our thoughts
    and prayers. One of the last things this sailor did was to visit Ground
    Zero in New York City. He saw what the terrorists did to America, and he
    said to a friend, ``That's why I fought.''
        And that's why we're all fighting. We're fighting to protect
    ourselves and our children from violence and fear. We're fighting for
    the security of our people and the success of liberty. We're fighting
    against men without conscience but full of ambition--to remake the world
    in their own brutal images. For all the reasons, we're fighting to win.
    And win we will.
        There is a great divide in our time, not between religions or
    cultures but between civilization and barbarism. People of all cultures
    wish to live in safety and dignity. The hope of justice and mercy and
    better lives are common to all humanity. Our enemies reject these
    values, and by doing so, they set themselves not against the West but
    against the entire world.
        Our war against terror is not a war against one terrorist leader or
    one terrorist group. Terrorism is a movement, an ideology that respects
    no boundary of nationality or decency. The terrorists despise creative
    societies and individual choice, and thus they bear a special hatred for
    America. They desire to concentrate power in the hands of a few and to
    force every life into grim and joyless conformity. They celebrate death,
    making a mission of murder and a sacrament of suicide. Yet for some
    reason--for some reason--only young followers are ushered down this
    deadly path to paradise, while terrorist leaders run into caves to save
    their own hides.
        We've seen their kind before. The terrorists are the heirs to
    fascism. They have the same will to power, the same disdain for the
    individual, the same mad global ambitions. And they will be dealt with
    in just the same way. Like all fascists, the terrorists cannot be
    appeased. They must be defeated. This struggle will not end in a truce
    or a treaty. It will end in victory for the United States, our friends,
    and for the cause of freedom.
        The Enterprise has been part of this campaign. And when we need you
    again, I know you'll be ready. Our enemies doubt this. They believe that
    free societies are weak societies. But we're going to prove them wrong.
    Just as we were 60 years ago, in a time of war, this great Nation will
    be patient; we'll be determined; and we will be relentless in the
    pursuit of freedom.
        This is becoming clear to Al Qaida terrorists and the Taliban. Not
    long ago, that regime controlled most of Afghanistan. Today, they
    control not much more than a few caves. [Laughter] Not long ago, Al
    Qaida's leader dismissed America as a paper tiger. That was before the
    tiger roared. Throughout history, other armies have sought to conquer
    Afghanistan, and they failed. Our military was sent to liberate
    Afghanistan, and you are succeeding.
        We're a long way from finished in Afghanistan. Much difficult and
    dangerous work is yet to come. Many terrorists are still hiding in
    heavily fortified bunkers in

    [[Page 1494]]

    very rugged territory. They are said to be prepared for a long stay
    underground. [Laughter] But they are in for a sudden change of plans--
    [laughter]--because one by one, we're going to find them. And piece by
    piece, we'll tear their terrorist network apart.
        As we fight the terrorists, we are also helping the people they have
    persecuted. We have brought tons of food and medicine to the Afghan
    people. They will need more help as winter comes, and we'll provide it.
    Most of all, that country needs a just and stable government. America is
    working with all concerned parties to help form such a government. After
    years of oppression, the Afghan people, including women, deserve a
    government that protects the rights and dignity of all its people.
    America is pleased by the Afghan progress in creating an interim
    government, and we're encouraged by the inclusion of women in positions
    of authority.
        And the war on terror continues beyond Afghanistan, with the closing
    of bank accounts and the arrests of known terrorists. We've put the
    terrorists and the nations in the world on notice: We will not rest
    until we stop all terrorists of global reach. And for every nation that
    harbors or supports terrorists, there will be a day of reckoning.
        A few days from now, I will go to a great American institution, the
    Citadel, to describe the new capabilities and technologies we will need
    to wage this broad war on terrorism for years to come. We will need the
    intelligence to find the enemy where he dwells and the means to strike
    swiftly across the world. We must have a military organized for decisive
    and total victory. And to you, the men and women of our military, I make
    this pledge: You will have every resource, every weapon, every tool you
    need to win the long battle that lies ahead.
        This war came oh so suddenly, but it has brought out the best in our
    Nation. We have learned a lot about ourselves and about our friends in
    the world. Nations stand with us, because this is civilization's fight.
    Today we take special pride that one of our former enemies is now among
    America's finest friends: We're grateful to our ally, Japan, and to its
    good people. Today, our two Navies are working side by side in the fight
    against terror.
        The bitterness of 60 years ago has passed away. The struggles of our
    war in the Pacific now belong to history. For Americans who fought it
    and suffered its losses, what remains is the lasting honor of service in
    a great cause and the memory of ones who fell.
        Today at Pearl Harbor, veterans are gathering to pay tribute to the
    young men they remember who never escaped the sunken ships. And over the
    years, some Pearl Harbor veterans have made a last request. They asked
    that their ashes be brought down and placed inside the U.S.S. Arizona.
    After the long lives given them, they wanted to rest besides the best
    men they ever knew. Such loyalty and love remain the greatest strength
    of the United States Navy.
        And the might of our Navy is needed again. When America looks at
    you, the young men and women who defend us today, we're very grateful.
    On behalf of the people of the United States, I thank you for your
    commitment, your dedication, and your courage.
        May God bless you, and may God bless America.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:57 p.m. on the flight deck of the U.S.S.
    Enterprise. In his remarks, he referred to Adm. Robert J. Natter, USN,
    Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Capt. James A. Winnefeld, USN,
    Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Enterprise; and Gen. William F. Kernan, USA,
    Commander, Joint Forces Command. The National Pearl Harbor Remembrance
    Day proclamation of December 5 is listed in Appendix D at the end of
    this volume.