[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2004, Book I)]
[February 5, 2004]
[Pages 184-190]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks at the Port of Charleston, South Carolina
February 5, 2004

    Thank you all very much. Thank you all. I am glad to be back in the 
great State of South Carolina. I appreciate you all coming out. I'm so 
honored to have been invited to one of America's great cities, 
Charleston, South Carolina.
     This is one of the busiest container ports in our country. It's an 
important hub of commerce. And we will work to make sure that not only 
is the port strong for economic reasons; we will make sure that the port 
defends the people, is ready to defend against the threats of a new era, 
that this port is secure and safe for not only the people of South 
Carolina but for the people of the great United States of America.
    I appreciate my friend Tom Ridge for becoming 
the first Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. He's got a 
big job, and he's doing it well.
    I want to thank Governor Mark Sanford for 
greeting me at the airport and for driving with me to the Port of 
Charleston. Mark is doing a great job for the people of South Carolina. 
I know that the Lieutenant Governor is with us today, Lieutenant 
Governor Andre Bauer. I appreciate you 
coming, Andre.
    I flew down on Air Force One with some of the members of the mighty 
South Carolina congressional delegation, starting with Senator Lindsey 
Graham. He was telling me what to do 
during the entire flight. [Laughter] I appreciate so very much 
Congressman Jim DeMint, Congressman Joe 
Wilson, Congressman Gresham 
Barrett, and the Congressman from this 
district, Henry Brown, for joining us as 
well. These are good, honorable citizens. They're working hard in 
Washington, DC, on behalf of the people of South Carolina. I'm proud to 
call

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them friend. I'm proud to work with them for the good of the country.
    I appreciate the mayor, Joe Riley, being here 
today. Mr. Mayor, thank you for coming. You're the mayor of a great 
city. Last time I saw the mayor, he said, ``Need I remind you that your 
mother was educated in this great city.'' 
[Laughter] No, you didn't need to remind me, Mr. Mayor. She reminds me 
all the time. [Laughter]
    I appreciate my friend Speaker David Wilkins, who has joined us. All the members of the statehouse who 
are here, thanks for coming, State and local officials.
    I want to thank the members of the--oh of course, my friend the 
Adjutant General, Stan Spears, is with us 
today. General, it's good to see you again. I appreciate Commander Gary 
Merrick, Captain Jim Tunstall of the mighty Coast Guard. I appreciate their service 
here, and I want to thank the members of the Coast Guard who are with 
us. I'm proud of the men and women of our Coast Guard, who are always 
ready--always ready to protect the American people.
    I want to thank the members of the Air Force 437th Airlift Wing who 
are with us today. I appreciate the members of the United States Navy 
who are with us today. I thank the cadets from the Citadel who have 
joined us today.
    I want to thank the employees of the Department of Homeland 
Security. Thank you for your work. Thank you for your dedication. Thank 
you for what you're doing to make this part of the world as safe and 
secure as you can.
    I want to thank South Carolina's State and local first-responders 
who are with us, the police and the firefighters and the emergency squad 
personnel.
    But most of all, thank you for coming. I've got some things I want 
to talk about. [Laughter] This country is a strong country, and we're 
rising to meet great challenges.
    The first great challenge is to make sure people can find work. The 
first great challenge of this country is to have a progrowth environment 
so people can find a job. Our economy is growing. It's getting better, 
but I want to remind you of where we have come from. See, people say, 
``President Bush is optimistic.'' You bet I'm optimistic. I know where 
we have been, and I know where we're going.
    We have--this country went through a recession. And as we were 
coming out of the recession, we got attacked. And make no mistake about 
it, that attack hurt our country's economy. It also--you'll hear me talk 
about how it affected my view of national security as well. It hurt.
    And as we began to recover from that, we discovered that some of our 
fellow citizens forgot what it meant to be a responsible citizen. In 
other words, they didn't tell the truth. They didn't tell the truth to 
their employees, and they didn't tell the truth to their shareholders. 
And that affected the confidence of our economy. By the way, we passed 
laws to hold those corporate criminals to account. They will understand 
now that there is a consequence for not telling the truth.
    And then, of course, there were the uncertainties of war. That 
affected the economy. Yet we're still strong, in spite of the hurdles. 
And one reason we're strong is because we acted in Washington, DC. We 
passed tax relief. You see, we understand that when somebody has got 
more money in their pocket, they're more likely to demand a good or a 
service. And when they demand that good or a service, somebody is more 
likely to produce the good or a service. And when somebody produces that 
good or a service, someone is more likely to be able to find work. The 
tax relief we passed, the willingness to have people have more money in 
their pocket to spend, to save, or invest, is helping this economy 
recover from tough times.
    We also understand that most new jobs are created by small 
businesses. Most new jobs in the American economy are created by the 
entrepreneurs and small-business owners of America. And so the tax 
relief

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we passed not only helped individuals and helped families raise 
children, but it was also directed at the small-business sector of our 
economy. We must never forget the vital role that small businesses play 
in the United States economy.
    Things are looking good across the country. New home construction in 
2003 was the highest in 25 years. Homeownership rates are the highest 
ever. And for the first time, most minority households own their own 
homes. We're closing the housing gap in America. Manufacturing activity 
is increasing. Inflation is low. Interest rates are low. Exports are 
growing. Productivity is high. Jobs are on the rise. The tax relief we 
passed has made a difference.
    One of the things I know about your great State--I've spent some 
quality time in South Carolina in the past--one of the things I know 
about your great State is this is a State full of decent, hard-working, 
honorable people. You've got a great workforce in the State of South 
Carolina. Many foreign companies and companies from other States move 
here because South Carolina workers are dependable, good people.
    Yet, the State has got economic challenges. Even though the 
unemployment rate is down, it's still too high. Many factory workers in 
textiles and apparel have faced layoffs. But there are new jobs being 
created, and the challenge at all levels of government is to make sure 
that people are trained for jobs which actually exist.
    I laid out what's called the Jobs for the 21st Century program, 
which says to States and local communities, ``We want to help you. We 
want to help you make sure the hard-working people who are looking for 
work have got the skills necessary to take advantage of a changing 
economy.'' The numbers aren't as good as they can be, but they will be 
with focused efforts. They will be so long as Washington promotes a pro-
entrepreneur, pro-growth agenda. They will be if the Congress makes sure 
the tax cuts we passed are permanent.
    I'm optimistic about our economy's future because the numbers look 
good, but that's not the true reason I'm optimistic. I'm optimistic 
because I understand the entrepreneurial spirit of America. I'm 
optimistic because I know the type of worker we have in this country. 
I'm optimistic because I trust the American people.
    The second great challenge is to fight and win the war on terror. 
After we were attacked in 2001, I said time would pass and people would 
assume that the threats to our country had gone away. That's false 
comfort. The terrorists continue to plot against us. They still want to 
harm us. This Nation will not tire; we will not rest until this threat 
to civilization is removed.
    Part of doing our duty in the war on terror is to protect the 
homeland. That's part of our solemn responsibility, and we are taking 
unprecedented steps to protect the homeland. In the 2005 budget, as the 
Secretary mentioned, we proposed increases in homeland security 
spending, and some of those increases are measures to protect our 
seaports. And that's why I've come to this vital seaport, to remind 
people--to remind the American people, as they pay attention to the 
debates in the Halls of Congress, that we have a solemn duty to protect 
our homeland, including the seaports of America.
    Our National Targeting Center in Northern Virginia, where I'll be 
going tomorrow with the Secretary, is analyzing cargo manifest 
information and focusing frontline inspection on high-risk shipments. 
We're looking at things differently now in America. We're adjusting our 
strategies to better protect the American people.
    We've got a Container Security Initiative, which means we're posting 
officers at foreign ports to identify and inspect high-risk shipments 
before they're loaded and shipped to America. We've extended the reach 
out to make sure America is more secure. We're doing things more wise in 
order to protect our country. We're not waiting for ships and planes to 
arrive.

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We've got what we call a Proliferation Security Initiative, fancy words 
which means America is working with other governments to track and stop 
the shipments of dangerous weapons and dangerous cargo. We're determined 
to keep lethal weapons and materials out of the hands of our enemies and 
away from our shores.
    We have a duty to protect the American people, a solemn duty. And 
there's a lot of people in this crowd who have heard that duty, and I 
appreciate your service. I appreciate your willingness to sacrifice on 
behalf of the people.
    Another vital tool in the homeland security is for Congress to pass 
laws that enable us to do our job. I'm referring to the PATRIOT Act. The 
PATRIOT Act gives Federal law enforcement the tools they need to seize 
terrorists' assets and disrupt their cells. It removes--the PATRIOT Act 
removed legal barriers that prevented the FBI and the CIA from sharing 
information, information that is vitally needed to uncover terrorist 
plots before they are carried out in America. Imagine a system that 
would not allow people who collect information to share information. It 
makes it awfully hard to protect the homeland if the FBI and the CIA 
can't share data in order to protect us. The PATRIOT Act made that 
possible.
    The PATRIOT Act imposes tougher penalties on terrorists and their 
supporters. We want to send a clear message to people that there will be 
a consequence. For years, we've used similar provisions, provisions that 
are now in the act, to catch embezzlers and drug traffickers. What's in 
the PATRIOT Act today is nothing new. We've been using these provisions 
in the past. If the methods are good enough for hunting criminals, 
they're even more important for hunting terrorists. The Congress needs 
to extend the PATRIOT Act.
    We'll do everything in our power to defend the homeland. Yet, we 
understand this, that the best way to defend the homeland is to stay on 
the offensive. The best way to protect America is to find the killers 
and bring them to justice before they ever harm another American, and 
that's exactly what this administration will continue to do.
    There are thousands of our troops and troops of our friends on an 
international manhunt. We're running down Al Qaida. We're finding them 
where they hide. For our own security, we're bringing them to justice. 
Nearly two-thirds of the Al Qaida leaders have been captured or killed. 
And we're chasing the rest of them. There is no hole deep enough to hide 
from America.
    Part of this new war, this different kind of war, is to confront 
regimes that harbor terrorists, that support terrorists, that could 
supply them with weapons of mass murder. This is an essential part of 
the war on terror. When America speaks, we better mean what we say. And 
I said right after September the 11th, ``If you harbor a terrorist, if 
you feed a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorists,'' and the 
Taliban found out exactly what we meant.
    It wasn't all that long ago that Afghanistan was a haven for 
terrorists. This is where many terrorists learned to kill. There were 
training camps, places for them to hide. Thanks to the United States and 
our friends, thanks to the bravery of many of our fellow citizens, 
Afghanistan is no longer a haven for terror. Afghanistan is a free 
country.
    America also confronted a gathering threat in Iraq. The dictatorship 
of Saddam Hussein was one of the most brutal, 
corrupt, and dangerous regimes in the world. For years, the dictator 
funded terrorists and gave reward money for suicide bombings. For years, 
he threatened and he invaded his neighbors. For years, he murdered 
innocent Iraqis by the hundreds of thousands. For years, he made a 
mockery of United Nations demands that he account for his weapons. For 
years, Saddam Hussein did all these things. But he won't be doing any of 
them this year. Instead, he's sitting

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in a prison cell, and he will be sitting in a courtroom to answer for 
his crimes.
    The liberation of Iraq was an act of justice, delivering an 
oppressed people from an evil regime. The liberation of Iraq removed a 
source of violence and instability from the Middle East, and the 
liberation of Iraq removed an enemy of this country and made America 
more secure.
    America and our friends have shown the world that we are serious 
about removing the threats of weapons of mass destruction, and the facts 
are becoming clearer. In Iraq, our Survey Group is on the ground, 
looking for the truth. We will compare what the intelligence indicated 
before the war with what we have learned afterwards. As the chief 
weapons inspector said, ``We have not yet found 
the stockpiles of weapons that we thought were there.'' Yet, the Survey 
Group has uncovered some of what the dictator 
was up to.
    We know Saddam Hussein had the capability 
to produce weapons of mass destruction. He had the scientists and 
technology in place to make those weapons. We know he had the necessary 
infrastructure to produce weapons of mass destruction because we found 
the labs and dual use facilities that could be used to produce chemical 
and biological weapons. We know he was developing the delivery systems, 
ballistic missiles that the United Nations had prohibited. We know 
Saddam Hussein had the intent to arm his regime with weapons of mass 
destruction, because he hid all those activities from the world until 
the last day of his regime.
    And Saddam Hussein had something else; he 
had a record of using weapons of mass destruction against his enemies 
and against innocent Iraqi citizens. Knowing what I knew then and 
knowing what I know today, America did the right thing in Iraq.
    We had a choice: Either take the word of a madman, or take action to 
defend the American people. Faced with that choice, I will defend 
America every time. September the 11th, 2001, was a lesson for America, 
a lesson I will never forget and a lesson this Nation must never forget. 
We cannot wait to confront the threats of the world, the threats of 
terror networks and terror states, until those threats arrive in our own 
cities. I made a pledge to this country; I will not stand by and hope 
for the best while dangers gather. I will not take risks with the lives 
and security of the American people. I will protect and defend this 
country by taking the fight to the enemy.
    When you're the Commander in Chief, you have to be willing to make 
the tough calls and to see your decisions through. America is safer when 
our commitments are clear, our word is good, and our will is strong. And 
that is the only way I know how to lead.
    If some politicians in Washington had their way, Saddam 
Hussein would still be in power. All of the 
Security Council resolutions and condemnations would still be issued and 
still be ignored, scraps of paper amounting to nothing. Other regimes 
and terror networks, had we not acted, would have concluded that America 
backs down when things get tough. Saddam would still have his weapons 
capabilities, and life would sure be different for the Iraqi people. The 
secret police would still be making arrests in the middle of the night. 
Prisons and torture chambers would still be filled with victims. More 
innocent Iraqis would have been sent to mass graves. Because we acted, 
Iraq's nightmare is over. Their country, our country, and the entire 
world are better off because the regime of Saddam Hussein is gone and 
gone forever.
    Because of American leadership, the world is changing for the 
better. Other dictators have seen and noted our resolve. Colonel 
Qadhafi in Libya got the 
message and is now voluntarily disclosing and eliminating his weapons of 
mass destruction programs.

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    These are historic times, times of change. In Afghanistan and Iraq, 
more than 50 million people once lived under tyranny. And now they live 
in free societies, societies that are moving toward democracy, societies 
that will set an example for all of the Middle East. And that's 
important. That's important for our own security. Free societies do not 
attack their neighbors. Free societies do not develop weapons of mass 
terror. Freedom and peace go hand in hand. These are great and hopeful 
events, and they came about because America and our allies acted bravely 
in the cause of freedom.
    We know there are challenges ahead. We know that freedom still has 
enemies in Iraq and Afghanistan, surviving Ba'athists, the Taliban, 
suicide bombers, and foreign terrorists. All these enemies have one 
goal: They want to stop the advance of freedom and to shake the will of 
the United States of America. But they don't understand us. They don't 
understand the nature of the American people. We will never be 
intimidated by thugs or assassins. The killers will fail, and the people 
of Iraq and Afghanistan will live in freedom. And that's important to us 
in America, because we understand freedom is not America's gift to the 
world. We understand freedom is the Almighty God's gift to each man and 
woman in this world.
    South Carolina is a State that is really proud of the people who 
wear the uniform. Over 5,000 reservists and National Guardsmen are 
currently deploying in Iraq and Afghanistan and Kosovo and for the 
defense of the homeland. Hundreds of officers from the Citadel are 
serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere in the war on terror. Like 
everyone who serves in uniform today, these fine citizens of your State 
are protecting this Nation from danger, and they're making us proud.
    I made a commitment to the men and women of our military: America is 
asking a lot of you, and you deserve a lot in return. You deserve our 
praise and our thanks, and we will give you the resources you need to 
fight and win the war on terror.
    So we depend on our military; our people in uniform depend on their 
families. These are challenging times for military families. Some of 
them have experienced great loss. We ask for God's blessings. We ask God 
to give them strength in their time of grief. Our Nation will never take 
their sacrifice for granted. All of us are grateful to the families of 
the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States.
    By the unselfish dedication of Americans in uniform, people in our 
own country and in lands far away can live in freedom and know that--the 
peace that freedom brings. America has been given great 
responsibilities, and those responsibilities have come to the right 
country. By our actions, we have shown what kind of nation we are, a 
good and just and generous people. We don't shrink from any challenge. 
We're rising to the call of history. Now and in the future, this great 
land will lead the cause of freedom and peace.
    May God bless you all. Thank you for coming. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 11:12 a.m. at the Union Pier Terminal. In 
his remarks, he referred to Gov. Mark Sanford and Lt. Gov. R. Andre 
Bauer of South Carolina; Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., of Charleston, SC; 
David H. Wilkins, speaker, South Carolina House of Representatives; Maj. 
Gen. Stanhope S. Spears, Adjutant General of South Carolina; Comdr. Gary 
W. Merrick, USCG, commanding officer, Coast Guard Marine Safety Office, 
Charleston, SC; Capt. Jim Tunstall, USCG, commander, USCG Group 
Charleston; David Kay, former CIA Special Advisor for Strategy Regarding 
Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction Programs; and Col. Muammar Abu Minyar 
al-Qadhafi, leader of Libya.

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