[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
[September 29, 2001]
[Pages 1176-1177]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1176]]


The President's Radio Address
September 29, 2001

    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 coastguardmen 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 of 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

[[Page 1177]]

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.

Note: The address was recorded at 12:04 p.m. on September 28 in the 
Cabinet Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on September 
29. The transcript was made available by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on September 28 but was embargoed for release until the 
broadcast. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.