[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2003, Book II)]
[November 24, 2003]
[Pages 1608-1612]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks to Military Personnel at Fort Carson, Colorado
November 24, 2003

    The President. Thank you all.
    Audience members. U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
    The President. Thank you all very much. Thank you for the warm 
welcome. I'm honored to be in the Rocky Mountain State. I'm honored to 
be in Fort Carson. More importantly, I'm honored to be in the presence 
of so many fine Americans, so many great citizens who proudly wear our 
Nation's uniform.
    The soldiers of Fort Carson are now engaged in the largest 
deployment from this

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post since World War II. You reflect tremendous credit to the United 
States Army. You bring great pride to the people of the United States of 
America.
    The people of our Armed Forces are serving at a crucial period for 
America and for all free nations. We're at war with terrorists who hate 
what we stand for, liberty, democracy, tolerance, and the rights and 
dignity of every person. We're a peaceful nation, yet we are prepared to 
confront any danger. We are fighting the terrorists in Iraq and 
Afghanistan and in other parts of the world so we do not have to fight 
them on the streets of our own cities. And we will win.
    In this war, America depends on our people in uniform to protect our 
freedom and to keep our country safe, and all who serve depend every day 
on the support of your families. These are challenging times for 
military families. You in the Pikes Peak community know that very well. 
Military life makes many demands on wives and husbands and sons and 
daughters. You have faced hardships, and you have faced them together. 
And I want you to know, our whole Nation is grateful to our military 
families.
    America is also indebted to the men and women of the Guard and 
Reserve who are serving abroad and to those who are called for homeland 
security assignments. Hundreds of Reserve units across America have been 
activated in this time of war. Our country thanks these fine citizens, 
and we thank their employers for putting duty first.
    I want to thank Major General Bob Wilson 
for his leadership and his strength of character. I want to thank 
General Larry Ellis as well for greeting me 
here today. It's my honor to have met General Lance Lord, Commander of the Air Force Space Command. I appreciate 
Colonels Orr, Terry, Wininger, and Resty for being such strong leaders and for greeting 
me here. It was my privilege to have lunch with Sergeant Major Mac 
McWilliams. He's the kind of guy you 
don't want to cross. [Laughter] He's the kind of guy you want on your 
side. I'm glad he's on my side, and I'm glad you're on my side. I 
appreciate Bill Hybl, who is the Civilian 
Aide to the Secretary of the Army.
    I want to thank the families of the fallen soldiers who are here 
with us today. Our prayers are with you. We ask for God's strength and 
God's guidance.
    I'm honored that the great Governor of the great State of Colorado 
is with us today, Governor Bill Owens. We've got 
some members of the United States Congressional delegation here who are 
strong supporters of our military and our military families, Congressman 
Hefley and McInnis, 
Tancredo, Beauprez, 
and Musgrave. Thank you all for coming. I'm 
honored you're here.
    The speaker of the house is here; Madam Speaker, thank you for coming, Lola Spradley. The mayor of 
Colorado Springs and the mayor of 
Fountain, Mayor Rivera and Mayor Barela, are with 
us as well. Thank you all for coming. I thank all State and local 
officials for being here. But most of all, I want to thank you all for 
coming. It's my honor to be here.
    When I landed, when I got off that magnificent bird, Air Force One, 
I was greeted by a lady named Diane Campbell. 
She brought her family with her. She's an active volunteer with the Army 
Family Team Building program. [Applause] As I said, she brought her 
family with her. [Laughter]
    The reason I bring up Diane Campbell is, 
oftentimes people measure the strength of America based upon the number 
of tanks and airplanes we have or the size of our wallets. No, the 
strength of America lies in the hearts and souls of our citizens. You 
see, people like Diane Campbell are providing training and information 
to military spouses and families to help them adjust to the life in the 
Army. See, they're reaching out. They've heard the universal call to 
love a neighbor just like they would like to be loved themselves. The 
true

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strength of America is the American people, because we're a 
compassionate, decent, caring, loving people, just like Diane Campbell.
    I want to thank Diane and all the Army 
Family Team Building members for your service. I ask you all to reach 
out a hand to somebody who hurts. I ask you to help us change our 
country one lonely soul at a time.
    For more than 60 years, the units of Fort Carson have been known for 
training hard and being prepared at all times. Men and women have gone 
forth from this base to make history, from the Pacific theater in World 
War II to Korea, Vietnam, and Desert Storm. Many thousands who served in 
these causes still live here in this area. I don't blame you. [Laughter] 
It's a beautiful part of our country. Our veterans and military retirees 
played their part in maintaining the greatest fighting force in the 
world. They kept our country free, and we are grateful to the veterans 
who are with us here today.
    Today, a new generation has been called to great challenges. The 
soldiers of the Mountain Post have been called to serve in the first war 
of the 21st century. This war began more than 2 years ago, on September 
the 11th, 2001, when America was attacked and thousands of our fellow 
citizens were murdered. The events of that morning changed our Nation. 
We awakened to new dangers, and we accepted new responsibilities. That 
day we saw the harm that our enemies intend for us. And last week we saw 
their cruelty again, in the murders in Istanbul. Today, America, 
Britain, and Turkey and all responsible nations are united in a great 
cause: We will not rest until we bring these committed killers to 
justice.
    These terrorists will not be stopped by negotiations or by appeals 
to reason or by the least hint of conscience. We have only one option: 
We must and we will continue to take the fight to the enemy.
    We fight this war against terror on many fronts. Terrorists hide and 
strike within free societies, so we're draining their bank accounts, 
disrupting their plans. We're hunting them down one by one until they 
can no longer threaten America and other free peoples.
    Terrorists need places to hide, to plot, and to train, so we're 
holding their allies, the allies of terror, to account. Working with a 
fine coalition, our military went to Afghanistan, destroyed the training 
camps of Al Qaida, and put the Taliban out of business forever.
    In Iraq, where a dictator defied the 
world, cultivated ties to terror, armed with deadly weapons, America led 
a mission to make the world safer and to liberate the Iraqi people, and 
that brutal dictator's regime is no more. Thanks to our great military, 
Iraqi citizens do not have to fear the dictator's secret police or 
ending in a mass grave. Thanks to our military, the torture chambers are 
closed, and the prison cells for children are empty. Thanks to our 
military, we have captured many members of the former regime, and the 
rest of them have a lot to worry about.
    Recently, in Operation Iron Hammer, our coalition worked with the 
Iraqi Civil Defense Corps and police to strike hard against the forces 
of murder and chaos. We countered attacks. We seized weapons. We brought 
coldblooded killers to justice. We're proud of all who participated in 
these forceful and successful operations. And we're sending a clear 
message: Anyone who seeks to harm our soldiers can know that our great 
soldiers are hunting for them.
    Our mission in Iraq and Afghanistan is clear to our servicemembers, 
and it's clear to our enemies. America's military is fighting to secure 
the freedom of more than 50 million people who recently lived under two 
of the cruelest dictatorships on Earth. America's military is fighting 
to help democracy and peace and justice rise in a troubled and violent 
region. And because

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we're fighting terrorist enemies thousands of miles away, in the heart 
and center of their power, we are making the United States of America 
more secure.
    Units from this base have been vital to our campaigns in Afghanistan 
and Iraq. The 7th Infantry Division has done fine work preparing Guard 
brigades for combat duty overseas, with one battalion in Iraq from the 
start of Operation Iraqi Freedom; preparing a brigade to deploy and a 
brigade now in Afghanistan; helping to train the Afghan National Army. 
We're grateful for the 3d Brigade Combat Team, the 3d Armored Calvary 
Regiment, the 10th Special Forces Group, the 43d Area Support Group. 
These and other units are showing the skill and the discipline that 
define Fort Carson, and you're showing the courage that defines the 
United States Army.
    Today, American forces in Iraq are joined by about 24,000 troops 
from 32 other countries. Together, we're helping the Iraqi people move 
steadily toward a free and democratic society. Economic life is being 
restored to cities of Iraq. A new Iraqi currency is circulating. Local 
governments are up and running. Iraq will soon begin the process of 
drafting a constitution, with free elections to follow. As Iraq rejoins 
the world, it will demonstrate the power of freedom and hope to overcome 
resentment and hatred. And this transformation will help make America 
more secure.
    The work we are in is not easy, yet it is essential. The failure of 
democracy in Iraq would provide new bases for the terrorist network and 
embolden terrorists and their allies around the world. The failure of 
democracy in those countries would convince terrorists that America 
backs down under attack. Yet democracy will succeed in Iraq, because our 
will is firm and our word is good. Democracy will succeed because every 
month, more and more Iraqis are fighting for their own country. People 
we have liberated will not surrender their freedom. Democracy will 
succeed because the United States of America will not be intimidated by 
a bunch of thugs.
    This community knows firsthand that the mission in Iraq is difficult 
and the enemy is dangerous. Saddam loyalists 
and foreign terrorists are attacking the symbols of order and freedom, 
from international aid workers to coalition forces to innocent Iraqi 
citizens. Terrorists have chosen to make a stand and test our resolve. 
Our resolve will not be shaken.
    It is the nature of terrorism that a small number of people can 
inflict terrible grief, and here, you felt loss. Every person who dies 
in the line of duty leaves a family that lives in sorrow and comrades 
who must go on without them. The Fort Carson community said farewell to 
some of your best. One of them was Staff Sergeant Daniel Bader. This good man left behind his wife, Tiffany, and their 14-month-old daughter. Tiffany Bader said this to a reporter recently: ``I'm 
going to wait until she is old enough to realize what happened, and I 
will tell her exactly what her daddy did for her. He died serving his 
country so that my little girl could grow up free.''
    The courage of that soldier and the courage 
of that wife show the spirit of this country 
in the face of great adversity. And all our military families that mourn 
can know this: Our Nation will never forget the sacrifice their loved 
one made to protect us all.
    By the unselfish dedication of Americans in uniform, children in our 
own country and in lands far away will be able to live in freedom and 
know the peace that freedom brings. As Americans, we believe that 
freedom is not America's gift to the world; freedom is the Almighty 
God's gift to every person who lives in the world.
    As men and women who serve the cause of freedom, each one of you has 
answered a great calling. You 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

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I'm proud to be the Commander in Chief of the greatest military, full of 
the finest people on the face of this earth.
    God bless you all. God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 1:28 p.m. in a hangar at Butts Army 
Airfield. In his remarks, he referred to Maj. Gen. Robert Wilson, USA, 
commander, Fort Carson; Gen. Larry R. Ellis, USA, commanding general, 
U.S. Army Forces Command; General Lance W. Lord, USAF, commander, Air 
Force Space Command; Col. Joseph E. Orr, USA, deputy commanding general, 
and Col. Michael J. Terry, USA, assistant division commander for 
support, 7th Infantry Division (Light) and Fort Carson; Col. Walter 
Wininger, USA, chief of staff, 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson; 
Col. Michael Resty, Jr., USA, garrison commander, Fort Carson; Command 
Sgt. Maj. Terrance McWilliams, USA, Fort Carson; Lola Spradley, speaker 
of the Colorado House of Representatives; Mayor Lionel Rivera of 
Colorado Springs, CO; Mayor Ken Barela of Fountain, CO; and former 
President Saddam Hussein of Iraq.