[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
[September 10, 2002]
[Pages 1567-1569]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Remarks at the Embassy of Afghanistan and an Exchange With Reporters
September 10, 2002
The President. Thank you all very much. Thank you for coming. I
just--please, be seated. I had the opportunity of meeting with
distinguished members of the Arab American and Muslim American
communities, and I want to thank you all so very much for coming to
share with me your thoughts.
Like all Americans, they're proud of our country; they're proud of
our military; they're proud of our allies for working together to free
Afghanistan. They will never forget the joy of the Afghan people who
were liberated. They appreciate the fact that we work in concert to
destroy terrorist training camps in Afghanistan so that those terrorists
might not hurt others. They wanted to come with me to show their
solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and to show that America has a
vibrant and important and dynamic Muslim faith tradition.
I appreciate so very much Ziad, the president
of the American Arab Anti-Defamation League, for being here.
Mr. Ambassador, thank you and your sweet
wife for having us here. The Ambassador has
a fabulous story. He's an American citizen, renounced his citizenship in
order to become the Ambassador of Afghanistan, to serve this nation. I
appreciate that, appreciate your leadership.
I want to thank Andrew Natsios, who is
with us today, who is doing a fine job of helping people in need around
the world. I want to thank--where's Zal? There he is. Zal, thanks for
coming. Zal Khalilzad is a member of the
National Security Council and very much involved with our efforts to
help Afghanistan.
It's important for our fellow Americans to understand that Americans
of Muslim faith share the same grief that we all share from what
happened to our country, that they're just as proud of America as I am
proud of America, that they love our country as much as I love our
country. They share my profound belief that no American should be judged
by appearance, by ethnic background, or by religious faith. I believe
that strongly, and so do they.
Bigotry is not a part of our soul. It's not going to be a part of
our future. Sure, there may be some, but that's not the American way,
and we must reject bigotry of all kinds in this great land. In order for
us to reject the evil done to America on September the 11th, we must
reject bigotry in all its forms. George Washington says, ``America gives
to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.'' And that is true
today. We treasure our friendship with Muslims and Arabs around the
world.
One year ago, the people of Afghanistan lived under oppression.
Their country was a haven for terror. Today, they're an emergency
democracy--an emerging democracy and building a better future. And we
are proud to continue to stand by them and
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to stand with them. Americans are helping the people of Afghanistan in
their time of hardship and need, and we will continue to do so. The
United States has committed more than $700 million in aid to Afghanistan
for food and seeds and roads and bridges, water and sanitation systems.
I was most proud of the fact that American children from all walks of
life contributed to the America's Fund for Afghan Children. It was such
a strong statement, of children uniting to help people in need.
All Americans must recognize that the face of terror is not the true
faith--face of Islam. Islam is a faith that brings comfort to a billion
people around the world. It's a faith that has made brothers and sisters
of every race. It's a faith based upon love, not hate.
As we mourn tomorrow, we must remember that our enemy is a radical
network of terrorists, not a religion; that governments which support
them are our enemies, not faithful Muslims who love their families, who
yearn for a more peaceful and safe world for their children.
Tomorrow Americans of all faiths will come together in a spirit of
unity and remembrance and resolve. I call on every American to uphold
the values of America and remember why many have come here. In our war
against terror, we must never lose sight of the values that makes our
country so strong, the values of respect and tolerance, the value that
we believe that everybody ought to worship the Almighty, however they so
choose.
Mr. Ambassador, thank you for letting me
come by on the eve of this important day for our country. I'm honored to
be here at your Embassy.
Ambassador Ishaq Shahryar. Thank you very
much, Mr. President.
The President. May God bless you; may God bless Afghanistan. May God
continue to bless America.
I'll answer a few questions. Jennifer [Jennifer Loven, Associated
Press].
Homeland Security Alert
Q. Yes, Mr. President, with this increased threat level, can you say
what your level of concern is that Americans will be attacked again? And
what is your advice to Americans in this time?
The President. Well, we are--we take every threat seriously. The
threats that we have heard recently remind us of the pattern of threats
we heard prior to September the 11th. We have no specific threat to
America, but we're taking everything seriously, obviously. And so,
therefore, we have gone to a different level of concern, a different
threat level, which means our Government will be providing extra
security at key facilities and that we'll be increasing surveillance.
We'll do everything we can to protect the American people. And
Americans need to go about their lives. They just need to know that
their Government, at the Federal and State and local level, will be on
an extra level of alert to protect us.
Heidi [Heidi Przybyla, Bloomberg]. You haven't asked a question in a
while.
President's Upcoming United Nations Address
Q. Thank you. I appreciate it. What do you think of French President
Chirac's idea to give Hussein a 3-week deadline to comply with weapons
inspections or face----
The President. I think--Heidi, I think it's important that, so that
you will pay attention to my speech on Thursday, that I reserve judgment
about what may or may not be in my speech. [Applause] Even got
applause--you finally got a question and applause. [Laughter]
I do--I'll have something to say, obviously, and I look forward to
speaking to that international body about--about how best we can work
together to keep the peace, how best to make the world a more peaceful
place. And so I hope you understand that I'll not reveal my speech ahead
of time. I know that many are trying to find out what it is, and that's
your job.
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But my job is not to answer you. [Laughter]
Katie [Katie Textor], ABC.
Q. Sir, if you decide on a military solution to Saddam Hussein, have
you resigned to go through the U.N. Security Council? Or are you
determined to go it alone?
The President. Katie, thank you for asking me about what's going to
be in my speech tomorrow. [Laughter]
Let me get to the U.N. and give what is an important speech for me.
I'll make the case of how I think we ought to proceed, on how we work
together to keep the peace. I'm going to the United Nations to give this
speech for a reason, because I believe this is an international problem
and that we must work together to deal with the problem.
And I am also very mindful of my job as the American President to do
everything we can to protect the American people from future attack. And
I'm deeply concerned about a leader who has
ignored all--who ignored the United Nations for all these years, has
refused to conform to resolution after resolution after resolution, who
has weapons of mass destruction. And the battlefield has now shifted to
America, so there's a different dynamic than we've ever faced before.
And I take these threats seriously. The thing I take most seriously is
my job to protect innocent life here on the homeland, and I will respond
to this threat starting Thursday. And I look forward to the chance to do
so.
In the meantime, tomorrow is going to be a hard day for a lot of
Americans. It's going to be a day of tears and a day of prayer and a day
of national resolve. It also needs to be a day in which we confirm the
values which make us unique and great. And that's one of the reasons I
came here today, to be with friends to assure all Americans that we will
embrace those values.
So thank you all for coming. God bless.
Note: The President spoke at 2:15 p.m. outside the Embassy. In his
remarks, he referred to Ziad Asali, president, American-Arab Anti-
Discrimination Committee; and Afghan Ambassador to the U.S. Ishaq
Shahryar and his wife, Hafizah. A reporter referred to President Jacques
Chirac of France and President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.