    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book I)]
    [May 17, 2003]
    [Pages 502-503]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    May 17, 2003

        Good morning. May 17th is Armed Forces Day, when America honors the
    men and women who serve in every branch of the service. Here in the Oval
    Office, I'm joined by some distinguished Americans, eight members of the
    military who fought bravely during the battle of Iraq. All of them were
    wounded in battle and are recovering from their injuries. All of them
    have earned the respect and the gratitude of our Nation.
        Americans are proud of every man and woman who has faced the risks
    of war in the cause of freedom. Many still face dangerous duty in Iraq
    and Afghanistan as they provide order and stability in liberated
    countries. Many are fighting on other fronts in the war against terror,
    and some brave Americans have given their lives to protect our country
    and to keep the peace. Our whole Nation honors their memory, and our
    thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones they left behind.
        The world has seen the tremendous capabilities of the United States
    military. With fine allies at their side, American soldiers and sailors,
    airmen, and marines used advanced technology to gain historic victories
    in Iraq and Afghanistan. Unmanned Predator aircraft carried out bombing
    missions deep behind enemy lines, keeping more of our pilots out of
    harm's way. Satellites high above the Earth, at any time of day or
    night, provided detailed images of individual targets and whole
    battlefields. At least two-thirds of the bombs used by coalition forces
    in Iraq were precision-guided by lasers or global positioning
    satellites, compared with just 13 percent of the bombs we used in the
    1991 Gulf war.
        For all the contributions of technology, however, the battles of
    Iraq and Afghanistan were won by the skill and courage of well-trained,
    highly motivated men and women. In the recent fighting, marines and
    soldiers charged to Baghdad across 350 miles of hostile ground in one of
    the swiftest advances of heavy arms in history. Pilots flew through
    blinding sandstorms; soldiers and marines ran into the face of gunfire,
    at times ignoring their own injuries to save wounded comrades. Special
    Operations forces conducted daring raids to seize airfields and missile
    launch sites. Every branch of the service worked in united purpose and
    displayed the highest standards of professionalism and honor.
        With the liberation of Iraq and Afghanistan, we have removed allies
    of Al Qaida, cut off sources of terrorist funding, and made certain that
    no terrorist network will gain weapons of mass destruction from Saddam
    Hussein's regime.
        These two battles were important victories in the larger war on
    terror. Yet the terrorist attacks this week in Saudi Arabia, which
    killed innocent civilians from more than half a dozen countries,
    including our own, provide a stark reminder that the war on terror
    continues.
        The enemies of freedom are not idle, and neither are we. Our
    Government is

    [[Page 503]]

    taking unprecedented measures to defend the homeland. And from Pakistan
    to the Philippines to the Horn of Africa, we are hunting down Al Qaida
    killers. So far, nearly one-half of Al Qaida's senior operatives have
    been captured or killed. And we will remain on the hunt until they are
    all brought to justice.
        This Nation accepts the responsibilities of keeping the peace. And
    the best way to keep the peace is to make sure that our military remains
    second to none. On this Armed Forces Day, we are grateful to all who
    serve and sacrifice as members of the United States Army, Navy, Coast
    Guard, Air Force, and Marines.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The address was recorded at 1:55 p.m. on May 16 in the Cabinet
    Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 17. The
    transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    May 16 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his
    remarks, the President referred to former President Saddam Hussein of
    Iraq. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language
    transcript of this address.