    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
    [August 14, 2003]
    [Pages 1004-1008]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California
    August 14, 2003

        Thank you all. Thank you all very much. Thanks for coming out to say
    hello. It's getting a little quiet on the ranch--[laughter]--so I
    decided to pay a visit to the ``devil dogs.''
        I'm honored to be in the presence of the men and women who wear our
    Nation's

    [[Page 1005]]

    uniform. I'm proud of you, and I want to thank you for your service to
    our great country. Each of you serves in a crucial time in our Nation's
    history. And this Nation is grateful for the sacrifice and service you
    make.
        Many of you have recently returned from Iraq, and it seems like
    you're happy to be home. More than 70,000 men and women from bases in
    southern California were deployed in Iraq. You served with honor; you
    served with skill; and you were successful.
        Before you went in, Iraqis were an oppressed people, and the
    dictator threatened his neighbors, the Middle
    East, and the world. Today, the Iraqis are liberated people; the former
    regime is gone; and our Nation and the world is more secure.
        This Nation is at war with people who hate what we stand for. We
    love freedom, and we're not going to change. Our country depends on you
    to protect our freedom, and every day, you depend on your families. This
    has been a challenging time for military families; I know that. During
    the last year, our families and our military have met hardships and met
    them together. You've supported and looked out for one another. You've
    been strong and faithful to the people you love. Military families make
    tremendous sacrifices for America, and our Nation is grateful for your
    service to our country.
        I appreciate General Conway. This isn't
    the first time I met him. He looks you right in the eye. He's the kind
    of commander I'd like to serve under--it's just that, he just serves
    under me. [Laughter] I appreciate General Amos, General Gallinetti. I
    appreciate all those who are in command of forces here. I want to thank
    you for what you do.
        We've got members of the California congressional delegation here.
    These are stalwarts when it comes to understanding the need to provide
    you the resources necessary to do your job. There's no finer Congressman
    when it comes to military affairs than Congressman Duncan
    Hunter. With him, the Congressman from
    southern California as well; I call him ``The Ace,'' because he was an
    ace in Vietnam, a great fighter pilot, Randy ``Duke''
    Cunningham. Two other members of
    the delegation are here who are friends of mine, people who serve with
    distinction, Congressman Ed Royce and
    Congressman Darrell Issa. I'm honored you
    all are here. Thank you for coming.
        The Marine Corps Air Station and the military bases of southern
    California have long, long been crucial to the defense of this country.
    We intend to keep it that way. Generations of marines and sailors and
    pilots have trained and served here. And for the veterans who are with
    us today, I thank you for your service to our country.
        Now you have been called. This group of marines and sailors have
    been called to serve in the first war of the 21st century. The war began
    almost 2 years ago, on September the 11th, 2001, when this Nation was
    brutally attacked and thousands of our fellow citizens died. We were
    awakened to new dangers on that day.
        On that morning, the threats that had gathered far across the world
    appeared suddenly in our own cities. The world changed on that day. The
    enemies of the United States showed the harm they can do and the evil
    they intend. Since that September morning, our enemies have also seen
    something: They have seen the will and the might of the United States
    military, and they are meeting the fate they chose for themselves.
        Our Nation is waging a broad and unrelenting campaign against the
    global terror network, and we're winning. Wherever Al Qaida terrorists
    try to hide--from the caves and mountains of central Asia to the islands
    of the Philippines to the cities in Pakistan--we are finding them, and
    we are bringing them to justice.
        In the last 2 days, we captured a major terrorist named
    Hambali. He's a known
    killer who was a close associate of September the 11th mastermind Khalid
    Sheikh

    [[Page 1006]]

    Mohammed. Hambali was one of the
    world's most lethal terrorists, who is suspected of planning major
    terrorist operations, including that which occurred in Bali, Indonesia,
    and other recent attacks. He is no longer a problem to those of us who
    love freedom, and neither are nearly two-thirds of known senior Al Qaida
    leaders, operational managers, and key facilitators who have been
    captured or have been killed.
        Now, we're making progress. Slowly but surely, we're doing our duty
    to our fellow citizens. Now, Al Qaida is still active, and they're still
    recruiting, and they're still a threat because we won't cower. Its
    leaders and foot soldiers continue to plot against the American people.
    But every terrorist can be certain of this: Wherever they are, we will
    hunt them down one by one until they are no longer a threat to the
    people who live in the United States of America.
        Many of you served in Operation Enduring Freedom, and we thank you
    for your service. You can be proud of help--to liberate the good people
    of Afghanistan from the thugs who turned that country into a training
    camp for Al Qaida terrorists. You enforced the doctrine which said, ``If
    you harbor a terrorist, if you hide a terrorist, if you feed a
    terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorists.'' And the Taliban
    found out what we meant.
        Afghanistan today is a friend of the United States of America. It is
    not a haven for America's terrorist enemies. As NATO assumes a leading
    role in keeping Afghanistan secure, we're helping with the
    reconstruction and the founding of a democratic government. We're making
    steady progress in Afghanistan. New roads are being built. Medical
    clinics are opening. There are new schools in Afghanistan where many
    young girls are now going to school for the first time, thanks to the
    United States of America.
        We've also helped to build an Afghan national army. We want the
    Afghan people to defend themselves at some point in time. This army
    launched its first major operation, called Warrior Sweep, which are
    hunting down the terrorists along with the help of the United States of
    America. Now, thanks to the United States and our fine allies,
    Afghanistan is no longer a haven for terror. The Taliban is history, and
    the Afghan people are free.
        The war on terror also continues in Iraq. Make no mistake about it:
    Iraq is part of the war on terror. Our coalition forces are still
    engaged in an essential mission. We met the major combat objectives in
    Operation Iraqi Freedom by removing a regime that persecuted Iraqis,
    that supported terrorists, and that was armed to threaten the peace of
    the world. All the world is now seeing just how badly the Iraqi people
    suffered under this brutal dictator. The
    Iraqi people themselves are seeing a new day, thanks to the brave men
    and women who came to liberate them.
        Thanks to our military, Iraqi citizens do not have to fear a secret
    police, arbitrary arrests, or loved ones lost forever in mass graves.
    Thanks to our military, the torture chambers of a dictator are closed; the prison cells for children are empty.
    Thanks to our military, Saddam Hussein will never threaten anybody with
    a weapon of mass destruction.
        Many members of the former regime challenged our military and had
    their day of reckoning, and the other ones still in there have a lot to
    worry about. Parts of Iraq are still dangerous because freedom has
    enemies inside of Iraq. Men loyal to the fallen regime, some joined by
    foreign terrorists, are trying to prevent order and stability.
        We're on the offensive against these killers. We're going after
    them. We'll raid their hiding places, and we'll find them. The brave
    Americans who carry out these missions can know they will have every
    tool and every resource they need to defend themselves and to do the job
    they were sent to do.

    [[Page 1007]]

        The terrorists will meet their end, and in the meantime, the Iraqi
    people are making steady progress in building a stable society and
    beginning to form a democratic government. Iraq's new Governing Council
    represents the Nation's diverse groups. In the months ahead, Iraqis will
    begin drafting a new constitution, and this will prepare the way for
    elections. America and our coalition are training Iraqi civil defense
    and police forces so they can patrol their own cities and their own
    villages. We're training a new army, an army that defends the people
    instead of terrorizes them.
        Life is returning to normal for a lot of citizens in Iraq. Hospitals
    and universities have opened. In many places, water and other utility
    services are reaching pre-war levels. For the first time, a free press
    is operating in Iraq. Across Iraq, nearly all schoolchildren have
    completed their exams. And now those children are receiving a real
    education without the hateful propaganda of Saddam Hussein.
        By the hard efforts of our military, we are keeping our word to the
    world and to the Iraqi people. The illegal weapons hidden by the former
    regime will be found. The free and representative government Iraqis are
    building is there to stay.
        A free and peaceful Iraq is an important part of winning the war on
    terror. A free Iraq will no longer be a training ground for terrorists,
    will no longer supply them with money or weapons. A free Iraq will help
    to rid the Middle East of resentment and violence and radicalism. A free
    Iraq will show all nations of the region that human freedom brings
    progress and prosperity. By working for peace and stability in the
    Middle East, we're making America and future generations of Americans
    more secure.
        Our actions in Iraq are part of a duty we have accepted across the
    world. We're keeping our resolve, and we will stay focused on the war on
    terror. The United States will not stand by and wait for another attack.
    We will not trust the restraint or good intentions of evil people. We
    will oppose terrorists and all who support them. We will not permit any
    terrorist group or outlaw regime to threaten us with weapons of mass
    destruction. And when necessary, we will act decisively to protect the
    lives of our fellow citizens.
        As our Nation confronts great challenges, we rely, as always, on the
    goodness and courage of the men and women of our military. Like all our
    men and women who continue to serve in Iraq, you've done hard duty far
    from home and family, and I know you'll never forget the people who
    fought at your side. As a major from Miramar said of his fellow marines
    who served in Iraq, ``They are my brothers and sisters.'' Each of you
    recalls especially the ones who gave their lives for freedom of others.
    The United States will always honor their memory. And today we ask the
    Almighty's blessings on those who grieve here on Earth for their loved
    ones.
        I know you're proud to wear the same uniform they wore. Each of you
    has chosen--you have made the choice to fill a great calling, to live by
    a code of honor, in service to your Nation, for the safety and security
    of your fellow citizens. You and I have taken an oath to defend America.
    We're meeting that duty together, and I am proud to be the Commander in
    Chief of such a fabulous group of men and women who wear our uniform.
        May God bless you. May God bless you and your families. May God
    continue to bless the United States of America. Semper fi.

    Note: The President spoke at 12:23 p.m. In his remarks, he referred to
    Lt. Gen. James T. Conway, USMC, commanding general, I Marine
    Expeditionary Force; Maj. Gen. James F. Amos, USMC, commanding general,
    3d Marine Aircraft Wing; Maj. Gen. (Select) Jon A. Gallinetti, USMC,
    commander, Marine Corps Air Bases Western Area, and commanding general,
    Marine Corps Air Station Miramar; Nurjaman

    [[Page 1008]]

    Riduan Isamuddin (known as Hambali), Al Qaida's chief operational
    planner in Southeast Asia; Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, senior Al Qaida
    leader responsible for planning the September 11, 2001, terrorist
    attack, who was captured in Pakistan on March 1; and former President
    Saddam Hussein of Iraq.