    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [October 17, 2001]
    [Pages 1257-1259]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the Community at Travis Air Force Base, California
    October 17, 2001

        Thank you all very much. I appreciate such a warm welcome. I'm about
    to cross the Pacific on my favorite Air Force airplane. And there's
    really only one place to leave from--that's called the Gateway to the
    Pacific. 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.
        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. 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.
        I want to thank ``Lone Star'' Lefforge
    for the introduction, my fellow Texan. [Applause] There may be a few
    other Texans here as well. 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. 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. 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. The real strength of this
    proud Nation are the men and women who wear the uniform. That's the real
    strength of this country.
        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. When you strike one American, you
    strike us all.''
        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.
        And not only will we find the terrorists; we will enforce the
    doctrine that says, if you harbor a terrorist, you're a terrorist. 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.
        And that's what's happening in Afghanistan. I gave the people in
    Afghanistan a

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    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. They are learning that anyone who strikes America will hear from
    our military, and they're not going to like what they hear. 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.
        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. 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.
        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, 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.
        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.
        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 4-year-old son of a cargo specialist said goodbye to his
    dad here at Travis. And according to his mom, the boy has been telling
    the neighbors that ``Daddy is saving the world.'' 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

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    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.
        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.''
        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. 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.

    Note: The President spoke at 1:35 p.m. on the ramp of the base's flight
    line. In his remarks, he referred to Brig. Gen. (s) David Lefforge,
    USAF, commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing; Maj. Gen. John Becker, USAF,
    commander, 15th Air Force; and Col. James Rubeor, USAF, commander, 349th
    Air Mobility Wing.