[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
[September 26, 2001]
[Pages 1165-1166]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1165]]


Remarks to Central Intelligence Agency Employees in Langley, Virginia
September 26, 2001

    Thank you all very much. Well, George, 
thank you very much, and thanks for inviting me back. [Laughter] There 
is no question that I am in the hall of patriots, and I've come to say a 
couple of things to you.
    First, thanks for your hard work. You know, George and I have been spending a lot of quality time together. 
[Laughter] There's a reason. I've got a lot of confidence in him, and 
I've got a lot of confidence in the CIA, and so should America.
    It's important for America to realize that there are men and women 
who are spending hours on the task of making sure our country remains 
free; men and women of the CIA who are sleeping on the floor, eating 
cold pizza--[laughter]--calling their kids on the phone, saying, ``Well, 
I won't be able to tuck you in tonight,'' because they love America. And 
I'm here to thank everybody who loves America in this building. And I 
want to thank you for what you're doing.
    We are on a mission to make sure that freedom is enduring. We're on 
a mission to say to the rest of the world, ``Come with us--come with us; 
stand by our side to defeat the evildoers who would like to rid the 
world of freedom as we know it.'' There is no better institute to be 
working with than the Central Intelligence Agency, which serves as our 
ears and our eyes all around the world.
    This is a war that is unlike any other war that our Nation is used 
to. It's a war of a series of battles that sometimes we'll see the 
fruits of our labors, and sometimes we won't. It's a war that's going to 
require cooperation with our friends. It is a war that requires the best 
of intelligence. You see, the enemy is sometimes hard to find; they like 
to hide. They think they can hide, but we know better.
    This is a war that not only says to those who believe they can 
disrupt American lives--or for that matter, any society that believes in 
freedom lives--it's also a war that declares a new declaration, that 
says, if you harbor a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorist; 
if you provide safe haven to a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the 
terrorist; if you fund a terrorist, you're just as guilty as a 
terrorist.
    And in order to make sure that we're able to conduct a winning 
victory, we've got to have the best intelligence we can possibly have. 
And my report to the Nation is, we've got the best intelligence we can 
possibly have, thanks to the men and women of the CIA.
    The cooperation with Capitol Hill is unique and, I hope, lasting. I 
can't tell you how much I appreciate the work of Senator 
Daschle and Senator Lott, Speaker Hastert and 
Leader Gephardt. There's deep concern 
amongst Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to do what's right for 
America--is to come together to provide the necessary support for an 
effective war.
    And that includes making sure that the CIA is well funded, well 
staffed, has got the latest in technology. I believe we can work 
together to make sure that that's the case. After all, as America is 
learning, the CIA is on the frontline of making sure our victory will be 
secure.
    I intend to continue to work with Congress to make sure that our law 
enforcement officials at home have got the tools necessary--obviously, 
within the confines of our Constitution--to make sure the homeland is 
secure, to make sure America can live as peacefully as possible, to make 
sure that we run down every threat, take serious every incident. And 
we've got to make sure as well that those who work for the Nation 
overseas have got the best available technologies and the best tools and 
the best funding possible.

[[Page 1166]]

    There is a good spirit in Capitol Hill because Americans want to 
win. They want to win the first war of the 21st century. And win we 
must. We have no choice; we can't relent.
    Now, there's going to be a time, hopefully in the near future, where 
people say, ``Gosh, my life is almost normal. September 11th is a sad 
memory, but it's a memory.'' But those of us on the frontlines of this 
war must never forget September 11th. And that includes the men and 
women of the CIA. We must never forget that this is a long struggle, 
that there are evil people in the world who hate America. And we won't 
relent.
    The folks who conducted the act on our country on September 11th 
made a big mistake. They underestimated America. They underestimated our 
resolve, our determination, our love for freedom. They misunderestimated 
the fact that we love a neighbor in need. They misunderestimated the 
compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and 
determination of the Commander in Chief, too.
    So anyway, I was sitting around having coffee with George and Michael--[laughter]--I said, ``I think I'd like 
to come out to thank people once again. I'd like to come out to the CIA, 
the center of great Americans, to thank you for your work.'' I know how 
hard you're working. And I hope all the Americans who are listening to 
this TV broadcast understand how hard you're working, too. You're giving 
your best shot, long hours, all your brainpower, to win a war that we're 
going to win. And I can't thank you enough on behalf of the American 
people.
    Keep doing it. America relies upon your intelligence and your 
judgment. America relies upon our capacity to work together as a nation 
to do what the American people expect. They expect a 100-percent effort, 
a full-time, no-stop effort, on not only securing our homeland but to 
bringing to justice terrorists, no matter where they live, no matter 
where they hide. And that's exactly what we're going to do.
    Thank you very much. May God bless your work, and may God bless 
America. Go back to work.

Note: The President spoke at 1:23 p.m. in the headquarters building 
lobby at the George Bush Center for Intelligence. In his remarks, he 
referred to George J. Tenet, Director of Central Intelligence. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of these remarks.