[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
[May 21, 2005]
[Pages 843-845]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



The President's Radio Address
May 21, 2005

    Good morning. Today I can report to you that we are making good 
progress in advancing the cause of freedom, defeating the forces of 
terror, and transforming our military so we can meet the emerging 
threats of the 21st century. As I speak,

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Laura is in the Middle East to help advance the 
freedom agenda, and her message is a powerful one, that by working 
together for liberty, we will create a future of peace and opportunity 
for women and men worldwide.
    On Monday, I will meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White House to discuss freedom's remarkable 
progress in his nation. Afghanistan now has a constitution and an 
elected President, and its citizens will return to the polls this 
September to elect provincial councils in the lower house of the 
National Assembly. We're helping Afghanistan's elected government 
solidify these democratic gains and deliver real change. A nation that 
once knew only the terror of the Taliban is now seeing a rebirth of 
freedom, and we will help them succeed.
    Terrorists know that there is no room for them as freedom takes root 
in the broader Middle East, so they are fighting to stop its progress. 
But in recent weeks, we have dealt them a series of devastating blows. 
In Afghanistan, we have brought to justice dozens of terrorists and 
insurgents. In Pakistan, one of Usama bin Laden's senior terrorist leaders, a man named al-Libbi, was brought to justice. In Iraq, we captured 
two deputies of the terrorist Zarqawi, and our forces have killed or captured hundreds of 
terrorists and insurgents near the Syrian border.
    Our strategy is clear: We will fight the terrorists abroad so we do 
not have to face them here at home. While some difficult days still lie 
ahead, these recent victories are making America safer and the world 
more secure.
    As we make progress against today's enemies, we are also 
transforming our military to defeat the enemies we might face in the 
decades ahead. On Friday, I will speak to future leaders of our military 
who are graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy about how we are making 
our Armed Forces faster, more agile, and more lethal.
    To deal with the emerging threats of the 21st century, we are 
building a military that can deploy rapidly and deliver more firepower 
with fewer forward-deployed forces. However, much of our military is 
still deployed in ways that reflect the threats of the cold war. So last 
summer, I announced a plan to reposition our forces over the next 
decade. This shift will bring home 60 to 70,000 uniformed personnel, 
while still maintaining a significant overseas presence. It will also 
allow us to reduce the stress on our military families and make the best 
overall use of our resources. In the months and years ahead, we will 
continue to do what is necessary to prepare our Armed Forces to protect 
the American people in this new century.
    The war on terror continues, and we are making solid progress, but 
we must not become complacent. We will continue to pursue terrorists 
abroad. We will continue to support democratic change throughout the 
world, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the broader Middle East. And 
we will do whatever it takes to support our men and women in uniform and 
give them the tools they need to prevail.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:35 a.m. on May 20 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 21. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
May 20 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his 
address, the President referred to President Hamid Karzai of 
Afghanistan; Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist 
organization; Abu Faraj al-Libbi, senior Al Qaida associate arrested in 
Pakistan on April 30; and senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al 
Zarqawi. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.

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