    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
    [May 18, 2004]
    [Pages 894-899]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee
    May 18, 2004

        Thank you all very much. Thank you all. Please be seated. Go ahead.
    Finally, AIPAC elected a president I could
    kiss. [Laughter]
        I'm honored to be here at AIPAC. Thank you for such a warm welcome.
    It's good to be with so many friends, friends of mine and friends of
    Israel. For more than 50 years, the United States and Israel have been
    steadfast allies. AIPAC is one of the reasons why. You've worked
    tirelessly to strengthen the ties that bind our nations, our shared
    values, our strong commitment to freedom.
        By defending the freedom and prosperity and security of Israel,
    you're also serving the cause of America. Our Nation is stronger and
    safer because we have a true and dependable ally in Israel. I
    appreciate--[applause]--I'm just getting warmed up. [Laughter]
        I want to thank Amy for her leadership. I
    appreciate you taking time to serve a cause that--in which you believe
    deeply. I want to thank Bernice for her
    willingness to serve as well. I've known Howard
    for a long time. He's effective. [Laughter] I want to thank the AIPAC
    board members for their friendship and leadership.
        I'm honored to be in the presence of my friend the Ambassador from
    Israel, Danny Ayalon. I appreciate you being
    here, Danny.
        Ehud Olmert is with us. Ehud, it's good to
    see you again. Thank you, sir. I

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    remember the first time we visited in 1998. I had just been reelected as
    the Governor of Texas. I went to Israel, and Ehud welcomed me and three
    other Governors to, I guess, your office. You were the mayor, if I'm not
    mistaken, at that point in time. And you were focused on filling
    potholes and emptying the garbage of the people. [Laughter] But we
    struck up a good relationship then, and it's great to see you again.
        I appreciate the other ministers who are here, some of whom I have
    met before, some of whom I have had not the honor of meeting. I know I
    met Tommy before. Appreciate you all
    being here. Welcome to America. Thank you, Tommy.
        I'd like to also recognize many people this morning who are learning
    to participate in democracy. I'm told there are over 850 students here
    from 50 States. Make sure the Texas students behave well. [Laughter]
    Your mothers are watching. [Laughter] I know there are buses outside
    waiting to take you to Capitol Hill. I'm told--Howard told me there's over 500 meetings scheduled with
    Members of the Senate and the House. That is good news. I'm sure you're
    going to pass this message on to them: A free, prosperous, and secure
    Israel is in this Nation's national interest.
        AIPAC is doing important work. I hope you know that. In Washington
    and beyond, AIPAC is calling attention to the great security challenges
    of our time. You're educating Congress and the American people on the
    growing dangers of proliferation. You've spoken out on the threat posed
    by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. You've always understood and
    warned against the evil ambition of terrorism and their networks. In a
    dangerous new century, your work is more vital than ever. I thank you
    for doing your part in the cause of freedom.
        Our Nation and the nation of Israel have much in common. We're both
    relatively young nations, born of struggle and sacrifice. We're both
    founded by immigrants escaping religious persecution in other lands. We
    have both built vibrant democracies, built on the rule of law and market
    economies. And we're both countries founded on certain basic beliefs,
    that God watches over the affairs of men and values every life. These
    ties have made us natural allies, and these ties will never be broken.
        In the past, however, there was one great difference in the
    experience of our two nations: The United States, through most of our
    history, has been protected by vast oceans to our east and west and
    blessed with friendly neighbors to our north and south. Israel has faced
    a different situation as a small country in a tough neighborhood. The
    Israeli people have always had enemies at their borders and terrorists
    close at hand. Again and again, Israel has defended itself with skill
    and heroism. And as a result of the courage of the Israeli people,
    Israel has earned the respect of the American people.
        On September the 11th, 2001, Americans saw that we are no longer
    protected by geography from the dangers of the world. We experienced the
    horror of being attacked in our homeland, on our streets, and in places
    of work. And from that experience came an even stronger determination, a
    fierce determination to defeat terrorism and to eliminate the threat it
    poses to free people everywhere.
        Not all terrorist networks answer to the same orders and same
    leaders, but all terrorists burn with the same hatred. They hate all who
    reject their grim vision of tyranny. They hate people who love freedom.
    They kill without mercy. They kill without shame, and they count their
    victories in the death of the innocent.
        We saw the nature of this enemy again in recent days when terrorists
    in Iraq beheaded an American citizen, Nicholas Berg. The message that accompanied the videotape of this
    brutal slaying promised more such atrocities. Here's what the
    killer said: ``We will send you coffin
    after coffin, box after box, slaughtered in this way.'' The

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    faces of the terrorists were cloaked, but we have seen their kind
    before.
        Followers of the terrorist ideology executed an elderly man in a
    wheelchair, Leon Klinghoffer, and pushed his body off the side of a ship
    into the sea. They kidnaped the journalist Daniel Pearl and cut his
    throat, because he was a Jew. This enemy has left blood on the streets
    of Jakarta and Jerusalem, Casablanca and Riyadh, Mombasa and Istanbul,
    Bali, Baghdad, and Madrid. They have declared war on the civilized
    world, and war is what they got.
        Freedom-loving people did not seek this conflict. It has come to us
    by the choices of violent men, hateful men. See, we seek peace. We long
    for peace. Israel longs for peace. America longs for peace. Yet, there
    can be no peace without defending our security. There is only one path
    to peace and safety. America will use every resource we have to fight
    and defeat these enemies of freedom.
        The lesson of September the 11th is clear and must never be
    forgotten. Emerging terrorist threats must be confronted before they can
    reach our country and harm our people. Every terrorist is at war with
    civilization, and every group or nation that aids them is equally
    responsible for the murders that the terrorists commit.
        So America has led a relentless global campaign against terrorists
    and their supporters. We're chasing them down one by one in caves and in
    shadows where they try to hide. We have uncovered terrorist cells on
    several continents. We've prevented a number of terrorist attacks. We've
    removed the Taliban regime, which sheltered the plotters of September
    the 11th. We have stopped shipments of chemical precursors and nuclear-
    related--weapons-related components bound for states that sponsor
    terror. By speaking clearly and by meaning what we say, countries like
    Libya have gotten the message and have renounced their weapons programs.
        And for the sake of peace and security, we ended the regime of
    Saddam Hussein. That regime cast a shadow, a
    dark shadow of aggression over the Middle East for decades. They invaded
    both Iran and Kuwait. The regime built and used weapons of mass
    destruction against its neighbors and its own people. The regime
    sponsored terror and paid rewards of up to $25,000 to the families of
    Palestinian homicide bombers. That regime filled mass graves with
    innocent men, innocent women, and innocent children. That regime defied
    the demands of the free world and America for more than a decade. And
    America is more secure and the world is better off because that regime
    is no more.
        America is on the offensive, and we will stay on the offensive until
    the terrorists are stopped and our people are safe. I will use every
    asset at our disposal to do our most important job, which is to protect
    the American people. And that includes the United States military.
        We have come to know the skill and the courage of the men and women
    of the United States military. They have fulfilled every mission their
    country has given to them. They and their families have endured long
    deployments and uncertainty. Our men and women in uniform have fought in
    mountain passes and desert sands in the remotest part of the world.
    They've lost brave friends and comrades, who will always be remembered
    and honored by a grateful nation. They have done all this to defend our
    country and to advance the cause of freedom and peace. And their loved
    ones and those who wear our uniform must know that America is very
    grateful to their service.
        The peace we seek depends on defeating the violent. Yet, we also
    have a larger mission in the world. In the long term, we must end
    terrorist violence at its source by undermining the terrorist ideology
    of hatred and fear. Terrorists find influence and recruits in societies
    where bitterness and resentment are common and hope and opportunity are
    rare. The world's best hope for lasting security and stability across
    the

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    Middle East is the establishment of just and free societies.
        And so across that vital region, America is standing for the
    expansion of human liberty. This historic task is not easy in a part of
    the world that has known so much oppression and stagnation and violence.
    It's hard work. Yet we must be strong in our firm belief that every
    human heart desires to be free. We must be strong in our belief that
    free societies are hopeful societies and peaceful societies.
        We have made progress that few would have predicted or expected just
    3 years ago. In Afghanistan, our coalition is working with President
    Karzai to help the people of Afghanistan build
    a modern, peaceful, and democratic government. In January, Afghans
    approved a new constitution that protects the right of all Afghan
    citizens, including women. Through weeks of negotiation and compromise,
    they agreed upon a fundamental law that respects tradition and
    establishes a foundation of modern political rights, including free
    speech, due process, and a vote for every citizen. We're making
    progress.
        In Iraq, Saddam's brutal dictatorship is
    gone, and in its place an Iraqi democracy is emerging. Iraqi leaders
    have signed a transitional administrative law that will guarantee basic
    freedoms. Iraq now has an independent judiciary, a free market, a new
    currency, more than 200 newspapers in circulation, and schools free of
    hateful propaganda.
        It's hard work in Iraq. Our efforts are approaching a crucial
    moment. On June 30th, our coalition will transfer its authority to a
    sovereign Iraqi Government. With the assistance of the United Nations
    and our coalition, Iraqi citizens are currently making important
    decisions about the nature and scope of the interim government. In time,
    Iraq will be a free and democratic nation at the heart of the Middle
    East. This will send a message, a powerful message, from Damascus to
    Tehran that democracy can bring hope to lives in every culture. And this
    advance of freedom will bring greater security to America and to the
    world. These are historic times. It's an historic opportunity.
        Yet, as June 30th approaches, the enemies of freedom grow even more
    desperate to prevent the rise of democracy in Iraq. That's what you're
    seeing on your TV screens, desperation by a hateful few, people who
    cannot stand the thought of free societies in their midst. They're
    targeting brave Iraqis who are leading toward democracy, such as Izz al-
    Din al-Salim, who was assassinated in
    Baghdad yesterday. They're murdering Iraqi policemen who stand as
    symbols of order. They're killing foreign aid workers who are helping to
    rebuild Iraq. They're attacking our military. Their goal is to undermine
    the will of our coalition and the will of America and to drive us out
    before our mission is complete. They're not going to succeed. They will
    not shake the will of America.
        My resolve is firm. The resolve of the American people is solid. Our
    military is skilled; spirits are high. They are determined to succeed.
    We understand the stakes are high for America and for the world. We will
    not be intimidated by thugs and assassins. We will win this essential,
    important victory in the war on terror.
        This is an historic moment. The world watches for weakness in our
    resolve. They will see no weakness. We will answer every challenge. U.S.
    Army soldiers and Iraqi security forces are systematically destroying
    the illegal militia in the south of Iraq. Coalition forces are working
    with Iraqis in Fallujah to end control by Saddam loyalists and foreign
    fighters. We're building up Iraqi security forces so they can safeguard
    their own country. We're flexible in our methods, but our goal is
    unchanging. Iraq will be free, and Iraq will be a democratic nation.
        Freedom is also at the heart of our approach to bringing peace
    between Israel and the Palestinian people. The United States is strongly
    committed, and I am

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    strongly committed, to the security of Israel as a vibrant Jewish state.
    Israel is a democracy and a friend and has every right to defend itself
    from terror.
        For the sake of peace, this country is committed to helping the
    Palestinian people establish a democratic and viable state of their own.
    Israel needs a truly responsible partner in achieving peace. The
    Palestinian people deserve democratic institutions and responsible
    leaders. Progress towards this vision creates responsibilities for
    Israel, the Palestinian people, and Arab nations. Before these two
    states--before there can be two states, all parties must renounce
    violence and fight terror.
        Security is the foundation for peace. All parties must embrace
    democracy and reform and take the necessary steps for peace. The
    unfolding violence in the Gaza Strip is troubling and underscores the
    need for all parties to seize every opportunity for peace. I supported
    the plan announced by Prime Minister Sharon to
    withdraw military installations and settlements from Gaza and parts of
    the West Bank. As I said in my statement on April 14, 2004, the Prime
    Minister's plan is a bold, courageous step that can bring us closer to
    the goal of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in
    peace and security.
        The Prime Minister's decision has given the
    Palestinian people and the free world a chance to take bold steps of
    their own toward peace. First, the Palestinian people must reject
    corrupt and failed leaders and insist on a leadership committed to
    reform and progress and peace. Second, they must renounce terror and
    violence that frustrate their aspirations and take so many innocent
    lives. And finally, by taking these steps, they will have an
    opportunity, a fantastic opportunity, to build a modern economy and
    create the institutions and habits of liberty. The Palestinian people
    deserve a better future, and that future can be achieved through
    democracy.
        Many in this room have worked and waited a lifetime for peace in the
    Holy Land. I hear that deep concern for peace. Our vision is a Middle
    East where young Israelis and Palestinians can play and learn and grow
    without living in the shadow of death. Our vision is a Middle East where
    borders are crossed for purposes of trade and commerce, not crossed for
    the purposes of murder and war. This vision is within our grasp if we
    have the faith and the courage and the resolve to achieve it.
        Perhaps the deepest obstacle to peace is found in the hearts of men
    and women. The Jewish people have seen, over the years and over the
    centuries, that hate prepares the way for violence. The refusal to
    expose and confront intolerance can lead to crimes beyond imagining. So
    we have a duty to expose and confront anti-Semitism wherever it is
    found.
        Some of you attended a very important event in Berlin last month,
    the International Conference on Anti-Semitism. You understand that anti-
    Semitism is not a problem of the past. The hatred of Jews did not die in
    a Berlin bunker. In its cruder forms, it can be found in some Arab
    media, and this Government will continue to call upon Arab governments
    to end libels and incitements. Such hatred can also take subtler forms.
    The demonization of Israel, the most extreme anti-Zionist rhetoric can
    be a flimsy cover for anti-Semitism and contribute to an atmosphere of
    fear in which synagogues are desecrated, people are slandered, folks are
    threatened. I will continue to call upon our friends in Europe to
    renounce and fight any sign of anti-Semitism in their midst.
        We are living through historic times. We are called to do important
    work in the world. We will stand together against bigotry in every land
    and every language. We will answer violent men with patient, determined
    justice. We will expand human freedom and the peace that freedom brings.
    And by our resolve and by our courage, we will prevail.
        I want to thank you for your dedication to the security of America
    and to the safety

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    of Israel. I want to thank you for your warm hospitality today. May God
    bless America. May God bless Israel. Thank you for coming. Thank you all
    for your time. Thank you all.

    Note: The President spoke at 8:53 a.m. at the Washington Convention
    Center. In his remarks, he referred to Amy Friedkin, president, board of
    directors, Bernice Manocherian, president-elect, and Howard Kohr,
    executive director, American Israel Public Affairs Committee; Acting
    Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade Ehud Olmert, Deputy
    Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Yosef ``Tommy'' Lapid, and Prime
    Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel; American hostage Nicholas Berg, who was
    killed in Iraq in early May by senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al
    Zarqawi; President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan; and Iraqi Governing
    Council President Izz al-Din al-Salim, who was killed in a suicide car
    bomb attack on May 17 in Baghdad.