    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
    [February 9, 2006]
    [Pages 217-225]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the National Guard Association of the United States
    February 9, 2006

        Please be seated. Thanks for that warm welcome. I'm delighted to be
    here with the men and women of the National Guard Association of the
    United States. For 128 years, the National Guard Association has been
    fighting for the citizen soldiers who fight for America. I appreciate
    your service, and I appreciate you supporting those that America depends
    on in times of crisis. Our Nation is safer because citizens are willing
    to put on the uniform and defend our freedom.
        The first thing I want to tell you is America is grateful for the
    service of our guards men and women, and I'm proud to be their Commander
    in Chief.
        I thank Brigadier General Bob Taylor
    for his service and for his introduction. I appreciate Congressman Jim
    Gibbons, who is with us today, from the
    great State of Nevada. Thanks for coming, Congressman. I'm proud you're
    here. Thanks for supporting the Guard.
        I thank Brigadier General Steve Koper,
    retired president of the National Guard Association of the United
    States. General, thank you for greeting me. I'm proud to be here with
    Major General Roger Lempke, the president of
    the Adjutants General Association. I thank my friend Lieutenant General
    Danny James. One of the interesting things
    about my life, I've been the Commander in Chief twice: today and when I
    was the Governor of Texas. And Danny and I worked together for the good
    of our State. Thanks for coming, Danny; glad to see you brought your
    beautiful wife too.
        I want to thank Lewis King; he's the Chief
    Warrant Officer, retired. He helped raise the money for this box, and I
    appreciate it very much, Lewis, and all those who contributed to it. I
    want to thank Charles Parks, the sculptor.
    Charles caught me before my hair went gray. [Laughter]
        I also want to thank Lanny McNeely for
    joining us today; he's the head of the 147th Wing Guard at Ellington,
    where I used to serve. And I appreciate you coming, Colonel. Thanks for
    being here. Thanks for greeting me when I arrived there, on Air Force
    One there at Ellington--checking on my mother
    and father on a regular basis. I also want
    to thank Chuck Rodriguez, who's the TAG
    of Texas. When you're a Texan, you always got to make sure you pay
    attention to your fellow Texans.
        And thank you all for having me. I want to share with you some
    thoughts about the war on terror. Before I do, I want to remind our
    country that the Guard has been fighting for America since before
    America was a nation. From the First Muster in 1636 to today's global
    war on terror, Americans have counted on the Guard to protect our land
    and defend our way of life. The role of the Guard in our military is
    unique. It's the only part of the Armed Forces that serves both the
    State and the Nation. And in the past year, Americans have witnessed the
    courage of our guards men and women at home and abroad.
        When Hurricane Katrina struck the gulf coast last year, more than
    40,000 guards men and women rushed to the impact zone; it was the
    largest stateside deployment in National Guard history. They conducted
    search and rescue operations, distributed food and water, provided
    emergency medical care, protected communities from criminality, and
    worked around the clock to repair homes and restore power. Guard units
    from all 50 States, three U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia
    provided assistance. And together, they saved lives and helped evacuate
    over 175,000 people stranded by the storm.
        When the Pennsylvania National Guard came to repair the roof of a
    Louisiana woman, she said this to the soldiers: ``That's

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    a long way to come to help us. We're really grateful. You boys are going
    to heaven, I tell you.'' [Laughter] When tragedy strikes, Americans know
    they can count on the men and women of the National Guard.
        As you protect your neighbors from natural disasters, you're also
    protecting the American people from terrorist dangers. Since September
    the 11th, 2001, more than 260,000 members of the National Guard have
    been mobilized for various missions in the war on terror. At this
    moment, guards men and women are training the Afghan National Army,
    standing watch over the world's most dangerous terrorists in Guantanamo
    Bay, Cuba, and taking the fight to the enemy in Iraq. Across the world
    and on every front, the men and women of the Guard are serving with
    courage and determination. And they're bringing us to victory in the
    global war on terror.
        Your service is vital to the security of the country and the peace
    of the world, and that service would not be possible without the support
    of the Guard families. Guard loved ones miss their husband and wife or
    son and daughter; they worry when our guardspeople are deployed
    overseas. By standing behind our guards men and women, the families of
    the Guard serve our country as well, and America appreciates their
    service.
        Our Nation also depends on the commitments of the employers of the
    guards men and women. In offices and schools and factories across
    America, organizations do without the talents of some really fine people
    that have been called upon to protect our Nation. Businesses that are
    putting patriotism ahead of profit deserve the gratitude of all
    Americans.
        Each of the guards men and women have stepped forward to defend our
    country, and our country owes them something in return. We've taken a
    number of steps to improve the callup process so it's more respectful to
    the guards men and women and their families. In most cases, we're now
    giving you at least 30 days notification before mobilization so that you
    and your families have time to make arrangements. We're working to give
    you as much certainty as possible about the length of mobilizations so
    you can know when you will be able to resume civilian life. We're
    working to minimize the number of extensions and repeat mobilizations.
    We're working to ensure that you and your families are treated with the
    dignity they deserve.
        We're also taking steps to improve the quality of life. We've
    expanded health care benefits for Guard and Reserve forces and their
    families, giving you access to the military's TRICARE system. We're also
    expanding access to education for America's citizen soldiers. I was
    proud to sign legislation providing our Guard and Reserve forces between
    40 to 80 percent of education benefits available to Active-Duty Forces--
    depending on the length of their mobilization in the war on terror.
    We've also tripled the amount that can be paid for re-enlisting in the
    National Guard or Reserve. The last month, I signed into law a new
    retention bonus for guardsmen and reservists with critical skills needed
    in this war on terror. Our guardsmen and reservists are standing up for
    America, and you need to know that this administration supports you in
    your efforts.
        We're working to give you the tools and resources you need to
    prevail in the war on terror and meet State and homeland security
    missions as well. Our 2007 budget that I just submitted to the Congress
    increases funding for our men and women of Armed Forces by $28.5
    billion. That includes vital funds to help the National Guard meet its
    responsibilities during this war.
        The Army National Guard currently has about 330,000 soldiers, and my
    2007 budget funds the Guard at that level. As the Guard recruits above
    that level, we'll make certain that there is funding in place for every
    citizen who steps forward to wear the uniform. And to ensure that the
    Army and our Air National Guard are ready for

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    any challenge, my budget more than doubles funding for equipment and
    modernization over the next 5 years. Any time we've got folks in harm's
    way, they deserve the best: the best pay possible, the best training
    possible, and the best equipment possible. It's a commitment this
    administration has made since I've been the Commander in Chief, and it's
    a commitment we will keep.
        We remain a nation at war. I wish I could report, you know, a
    different sentence to you. But my job as the President of the United
    States is to keep the American people fully informed of the world in
    which we live. In recent months, I've spoken extensively about our
    strategy for victory in Iraq. Today I'm going to give you an update on
    the progress that we're making in the broader war on terror, the actions
    of our global coalition to break up terrorist networks across the world,
    plots we've disrupted that have saved American lives, and how the rise
    of freedom is leading millions to reject the dark ideology of the
    terrorists and laying the foundation of peace for generations to come.
        On September the 11th, 2001, our Nation saw that vast oceans and
    great distances could no longer keep us safe. I made a decision that day
    that America will not wait to be attacked again. And since that day,
    we've taken decisive action to protect our citizens against new dangers.
    We're hunting down the terrorists using every element of our national
    power: military, intelligence, law enforcement, diplomatic, and
    financial. We're clarifying the choice facing every nation: In this
    struggle between freedom and terror, every nation has responsibilities,
    and no one can remain neutral.
        Since September the 11th, we've led a broad coalition to confront
    the terrorist threat. Four weeks after the attacks, America and our
    allies launched military operations to eliminate the terrorists'
    principal sanctuary in the nation of Afghanistan. I told the world that
    if you harbor a terrorist, you're equally as guilty as the terrorists.
    And when an American President says something, he better mean what he
    said; I meant what I said.
        We removed a cruel regime that oppressed its people, brutalized
    women and girls, and gave safe haven to the terrorists who attacked
    America. Because we acted, the terror camps in Afghanistan have been
    shut down and 25 million people have tasted freedom, many for the first
    time in their lives. Afghanistan now has a democratically elected
    President, a new National Assembly, and the
    beginnings of a market economy. Women are working and starting their own
    businesses. Boys and girls are back in school. The Afghan people are
    building the institutions of a lasting democracy and the foundations of
    a hopeful future for their children and their grandchildren.
        Afghanistan still faces serious challenges, from illicit drug
    trafficking to continued violence from Al Qaida and the remnants of the
    Taliban regime. So the international community is working together to
    help Afghanistan's young democracy succeed. Earlier this month, Prime
    Minister Tony Blair hosted over 40 nations and 9
    international organizations for a conference in London, where they
    pledged $10.5 billion in aid to Afghanistan. With the help of 35
    nations, NATO is leading the International Security Assistance Force in
    Afghanistan.
        The United States, Britain, Norway, Germany, Italy, Spain,
    Lithuania, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand are all leading
    Provincial Reconstruction Teams. These teams are helping the Afghan
    Government extend its authority and provide security in provinces all
    across the country. Our coalition has trained nearly 27,000 Afghan
    soldiers and more than 56,000 Afghan police, so they can take the fight
    to the terrorists and eventually provide security for this new
    democracy. Afghan forces are risking their lives to fight our common
    enemy, and coalition forces are proud to serve along with such
    courageous and bold and determined allies.
        Our coalition is also working to root out and destroy terrorist
    networks all around

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    the world. More than 90 nations--nearly half the world--are now
    cooperating in the global campaign to dry up terrorist financing, hunt
    down terrorist operatives, and bring terrorist leaders to justice.
        Some said that an aggressive strategy of bringing the war to the
    terrorists would cost us international support; it would drive nations
    from our coalition. The opposite has happened. Today, more governments
    are cooperating in the fight against terror than ever before. And in one
    of the most significant developments of this war, many nations that once
    turned a blind eye to terror are now helping lead the fight against it.
        A little over 4 years ago, Pakistan was only one of three countries
    in the world that recognized the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Today,
    Pakistan forces are risking their lives in the hunt for Al Qaida.
    President Musharraf has faced several
    attempts on his life since his courageous decision to join the war on
    terror. Before September the 11th, terrorist supporters were operating
    with relative ease in Saudi Arabia, where fundraisers and facilitators
    were providing money and logistical support to Al Qaida. Since the
    Riyadh bombings in May of 2003, the Saudi Government has recognized that
    it is a prime target of the terrorists. And in the past 2\1/2\ years,
    Saudi forces have killed or captured nearly all of the terrorists on
    their most-wanted list. They've reduced the flow of money to terror
    groups and arrested hundreds of radical fighters bound for Iraq.
        These governments are taking important steps to confront terror, and
    as they do, we will continue to encourage them to take the path of
    political reform. By respecting the rights and choices of their own
    people, these nations can marginalize the extremists, strengthen their
    societies, and eliminate the conditions that feed radicalism.
        These and other governments around the world are stepping forward to
    fight the terrorists because they know the lives of their citizens are
    at stake. President Musharraf said
    something interesting: ``Terrorism threatens to destabilize all modern
    societies. It cannot be condoned for any reason or cause. The people of
    Pakistan have suffered from terrorism, and we are making our
    contribution to the fight against terrorism.'' President Musharraf is
    right. In the war against terror, there is no separate peace, and no
    nation can stand on the sidelines.
        By standing together, the United States and our partners are
    striking real blows against the enemy. Since September the 11th, 2001,
    our coalition has captured or killed Al Qaida managers and operatives in
    over two dozen countries. That includes many of Al Qaida's operational
    commanders, the senior leaders responsible for day-to-day planning of
    terrorist activities across the globe. In November 2001, our coalition
    forces killed Muhammad Atif with an air strike in Afghanistan. In March
    2003, his replacement, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was captured in Pakistan. In May 2005, the man who
    took over for him, a terrorist named al-Libbi, was captured in South Asia.
        The terrorists are living under constant pressure, and this adds to
    our security. When terrorists spend their days working to avoid death or
    capture, it's harder for them to plan and execute new attacks on our
    country. By striking the terrorists where they live, we are protecting
    the American homeland.
        Since September the 11th, the United States and our coalition
    partners have disrupted a number of serious Al Qaida terrorist plots,
    including plots to attack targets inside the United States. Let me give
    you an example. In the weeks after September the 11th, while Americans
    were still recovering from an unprecedented strike on our homeland, Al
    Qaida was already busy planning its next attack. We now know that in
    October 2001, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed--the mastermind of the September the 11th attacks--had
    already set in motion a plan to have terrorist operatives hijack

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    an airplane, using shoe bombs to breach the cockpit door, and fly the
    plane into the tallest building on the west coast. We believe the
    intended target was Liberty [Library]* Tower in Los Angeles, California.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        *White House correction.
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Rather than use Arab hijackers as he had on September the 11th,
    Khalid Sheikh Mohammed sought out
    young men from Southeast Asia, whom he believed would not arouse as much
    suspicion. To help carry out this plan, he tapped a terrorist named
    Hambali, one of the
    leaders of an Al Qaida affiliated group in Southeast Asia called JI. JI
    terrorists were responsible for a series of deadly attacks in Southeast
    Asia, and members of the group had trained with Al Qaida. Hambali
    recruited several key operatives who had been training in Afghanistan.
    Once the operatives were recruited, they met with Usama bin Laden, and then began preparations for the west coast
    attack.
        Their plot was derailed in early 2002 when a Southeast Asian nation
    arrested a key Al Qaida operative. Subsequent debriefings and other
    intelligence operations made clear the intended target and how Al Qaida
    hoped to execute it. This critical intelligence helped other allies
    capture the ringleaders and other known operatives who had been
    recruited for this plot. The west coast plot had been thwarted. Our
    efforts did not end there. In the summer of 2003, our partners in
    Southeast Asia conducted another successful manhunt that led to the
    capture of the terrorist Hambali.
        As the west coast plot shows, in the war on terror, we face a
    relentless and determined enemy that operates in many nations, so
    protecting our citizens requires unprecedented cooperation from many
    nations as well. It took the combined efforts of several countries to
    break up this plot. By working together, we took dangerous terrorists
    off the streets; by working together, we stopped a catastrophic attack
    on our homeland.
        Across the world, our coalition is pursuing the enemy with
    relentless determination. And because of these efforts, the terrorists
    are weakened and fractured, yet they're still lethal. We cannot let the
    fact that America hasn't been attacked in 4\1/2\ years, since September
    the 11th, lull us into an illusion that the threats to our Nation have
    disappeared. They have not. Just last month, we heard Usama bin
    Laden declare his intention to attack
    America again. Our military, law enforcement, homeland security, and
    intelligence professionals take those threats very seriously, and
    they're working around the clock, day and night, to protect us. We are
    safer for their efforts, but we're not yet safe. America remains at
    risk, so we must remain vigilant. We will stay on the offensive. We will
    hunt down the terrorists, and we will never rest until this threat to
    the American people is removed.
        We will continue to take the fight to the enemy. Yet we must also
    recognize in the long run, victory will require more than military means
    alone. Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists is to defeat
    their dark vision of hatred and fear by spreading the hope of freedom to
    troubled regions of the world. The terrorists have an ideology. They
    share a hateful vision that rejects tolerance and crushes all dissent, a
    world where women are oppressed and children are indoctrinated and those
    who reject their ideology of violence and extremists are threatened and
    often murdered.
        The terrorists have aims. They seek to impose their heartless
    ideology of totalitarian control throughout the Middle East and arm
    themselves with weapons of mass murder. Their stated goal is to
    overthrow moderate governments, take control of countries, and use them
    as safe havens to launch attacks against America. When an enemy states a
    goal and a strategy and tactics, we must take their word seriously.

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        To achieve their aims, the terrorists need popular support. We know
    this from the terrorists' own words. In a letter to his chief of
    operations in Iraq, the terrorist Zawahiri wrote that popular support is, quote, ``a decisive factor
    between victory and defeat. In the absence of this popular support, the
    movement would be crushed in the shadows.'' He went on to say,
    ``Therefore, our planning must strive to involve the Muslim masses in
    the battle.''
        So a key part of the terrorists' strategy is to feed public
    resentment by convincing people across the Muslim world that the future
    holds just two choices: one of Islam and holiness and virtue; and one of
    Western decadence, immorality, and imperialism. They use every
    opportunity to promote this false choice. Sometimes they spread blatant
    lies about America. Other times, it is American mistakes--like the
    abuses of Abu Ghraib--that give them ammunition in their campaign to
    foment anti-Western sentiment and rally Muslims to support their dark
    ideology.
        The problem for the terrorists is they cannot hide the inhumanity of
    their ideology. Because they lack the military strength to challenge us
    directly, they have turned to the weapon of fear. They seek to break our
    will with stunning acts of violence. They don't understand America. They
    cannot shake our will. We will stay on the hunt. We will never give in,
    and we will win this war on terror.
        In the terrorists' campaign of violence and destruction, the
    majority of their victims since 9/11 have been innocent Muslims. When
    the people in the Arab world see Al Qaida murdering Iraqi children or
    blowing up mourners in an Iraqi mosque, their outrage grows. And as the
    terrorists spread violence in places like Riyadh and Istanbul and Sharm
    el-Sheikh and Jakarta and Bali, the people of those countries are
    starting to turn against the terrorists.
        After terrorists bombed a Palestinian wedding at a hotel in Amman
    last November, thousands of Jordanians took to the street and rallied
    against Al Qaida. One protester carried a sign that read, ``Jordan's
    Nine-Eleven.'' Others chanted, ``This is not Islamic; this is
    terrorism!'' The outrage even reached the Jordanian town of Zarqa,
    birthplace of the terrorist Zarqawi,
    who heads Al Qaida in Iraq and who was the mastermind of the Jordan
    bombing. A cousin standing outside the Al Qaida leader family home said
    this: ``We hate him even more than other people do now.'' Zarqawi was
    even expelled by his own tribesmen, hundreds of whom declared in a
    letter to a Jordanian newspaper, quote, ``We renounce his actions,
    pronouncements, or whatever he approves of. We disown him until judgment
    day.''
        Before the bombings, most Jordanians reportedly sympathized with Al
    Qaida. Today, only a minority sympathize with Al Qaida, and most
    Jordanians say its activities are not in conformity with the teachings
    of Islam. Similar shifts in public opinion are beginning to appear in
    other parts of the Muslim world. From Pakistan to Indonesia to Al
    Qaida's former home base of Afghanistan, more people now say they oppose
    the terrorists and their tactics.
        These are positive signs, but we still have a long way to go. So
    we'll continue to oppose the terrorists' ideology by offering the
    hopeful alternative of political freedom and peaceful change. We're
    working to spread the hope of liberty across the broader Middle East,
    because we've learned the lessons of history: Free nations don't wage
    wars of aggression; they don't give safe haven to terrorists to attack
    other democracies. Free nations are peaceful nations. And when democracy
    takes hold, nations replace resentment with hope, respect the rights of
    their citizens and their neighbors, and join the fight against the
    terrorists. Every step toward freedom in the world makes this country
    safer, so across the world, the United States of America is acting
    boldly in freedom's cause.
        We're standing with the brave people of Iraq as they risk their
    lives to build a strong

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    democracy in the heart of the Middle East. And their courage is changing
    their country, and it's changing the region, and it's changing the
    world. Before January 2005 elections, the terrorists threatened anybody
    who voted with death. The Iraqi people defied the threats and went to
    the polls in that election and two other elections last year, each with
    larger and broader participation than the one that came before. Iraqis
    are rejecting terror; they're rejecting the violence. And they want to
    replace terror and violence with openness and democracy. They have made
    their decision, and the world saw their decision. They're showing the
    world that the terrorists' ideology cannot compete on a level playing
    field with the ideology of freedom.
        Iraqis still face challenges, and they're serious. The terrorists
    and Saddamists continue to sow violence and terror, and they will
    continue fighting freedom's progress with all the hateful determination
    they can muster. The Iraqis still have to overcome long-standing ethnic
    and religious tensions, and they must build the institutions of a free
    society that will serve all the people, not narrow political or
    religious interests. These challenges ahead are complex and difficult,
    yet the Iraqis are determined to overcome them, and our coalition is
    determined to help the Iraqi people succeed.
        We're carrying out a clear strategy for victory in Iraq. First,
    we're helping the Iraqis build an inclusive government, so that old
    resentments will be eased and the insurgency marginalized. Second, we're
    continuing reconstruction efforts and helping Iraqis build a modern
    economy, so all Iraqi citizens can experience the benefits of freedom.
    And third, we're striking the terrorist targets. We're after the
    terrorists, and at the same time, we're training Iraqi forces, which are
    becoming increasingly capable of defeating the enemy. The Iraqi forces
    show courage every day. We are proud to be the allies in the cause of
    freedom. As Iraqis stand up, America and our coalition will stand down.
        Many of you are concerned about troop levels in Iraq. Those
    decisions will be made based upon conditions on the ground, based upon
    the recommendations of our military commanders, not based upon politics
    in Washington, DC.
        The courage of Iraqis is inspiring others across the broader Middle
    East to claim their freedom as well. And the message is going forth,
    from Damascus to Tehran, that the future of the Middle East belongs to
    freedom. As liberty spreads in this vital region and freedom produces
    opportunity and hope for those who have not known it, the terrorist
    temptation will start to fall away. And as more nations claim their
    freedom, we will gain new allies in the war on terror and new partners
    in the battle for peace and moderation in the Muslim world.
        Before that day comes, there will be more days of testing. The
    terrorists remain brutal and determined, and they still have some
    resources at their disposal. The attacks in London and Madrid and other
    cities are grim reminders of how lethal Al Qaida remains. Money is still
    flowing to radical mosques and madrassas, which are still turning out
    new terrorist recruits. Some countries, like Syria and Iran, still
    provide terrorists with support and sanctuary. And the terrorists are
    sophisticated at spreading propaganda and using spectacular attacks to
    dominate our evening news.
        Yet from the vantage point of a terrorist sitting in a cave, the
    future seems increasingly bleak. Consider how the world looks 4\1/2\
    years into the war on terror: The terrorists have lost their home base
    in Afghanistan and no longer have control of a country where they can
    train recruits and plot new attacks; many of their leaders are dead or
    in custody, and the rest of them are on the run; they've been reduced to
    using messengers to communicate; they're running low on funds and have
    been forced to beg the terrorists in Iraq to send money; countries that
    once allowed them free reign are now on the hunt.

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        Their efforts to divide the West have largely failed, and the vast
    majority of the world's governments are standing firm and working
    together in the fight against those terrorists. Iraqis are forming a
    unity government instead of giving into disunity, instead of fighting
    the civil war that the terrorists hoped to foment. Iraqi Sunnis are
    joining the political process. The success of democracy in Iraq and
    Afghanistan is inspiring calls for change across the region. And the
    terrorists' strategy of attacking innocent Muslims is beginning to
    backfire and expose them for what they are: murderers with no respect
    for human life and human dignity.
        Despite the violence and the suffering the terrorists are wreaking,
    we're winning the war on terror. Yet victory will require more courage
    and sacrifice. In this war, we have said farewell to some very good men
    and women, including more than 360 heroes of the National Guard. We hold
    their loved ones in our hearts, and we lift them up in our prayers.
    These brave Americans gave their lives for a cause that is just and
    necessary for the security of our country. And their sacrifice is
    sparing millions from lives of tyranny and sorrow.
        And now we will honor their sacrifice by completing the mission. And
    in this long run, we can be confident in the outcome of this struggle,
    because we've seen the power of freedom to defeat tyranny and terror
    before, and because we have on our side the greatest force for freedom
    in the history of the world: the men and women of the United States
    Armed Forces.
        One of the great strengths of our military is that it's an all-
    volunteer army and all-volunteer force. And since the attacks of
    September the 11th, 2001, nearly 1.5 million Americans has stepped
    forward to put on our Nation's uniform, including nearly 290,000 who
    have joined the National Guard. Nearly 1.3 million more American troops
    have made the courageous decision to re-enlist and stay in the fight,
    including more than 350,000 members of the National Guard.
        These brave Americans saw the future the terrorists intend for us,
    and they said, ``Not on my watch.'' Four-and-a-half years into the
    fight, America's Armed Forces are determined, experienced, and ready for
    any challenge, and our Nation is blessed to have such brave defenders.
    All of you are bringing honor to the uniform and pride to our country
    and security to the American people. America will always be grateful for
    your service in the cause of freedom.
        Thank you for letting me come today. God bless you and your
    families, and may God continue to bless our country.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:03 a.m. at the National Guard Memorial
    Building. In his remarks, he referred to Brig. Gen. Robert V. Taylor,
    USA, assistant adjutant general, Michigan Army National Guard--Army, and
    chairman, National Guard Association of the United States; Lt. Gen.
    Daniel James, USAF, director, Air National Guard, and his wife, Dana;
    Maj. Gen. Charles G. Rodriguez, USA, adjutant general, Texas National
    Guard; President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan; Prime Minister Tony Blair
    of the United Kingdom; President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan; Abu Faraj
    al-Libbi, senior Al Qaida associate arrested in Pakistan on April 30,
    2005; Nurjaman Riduan Isamuddin (also known as Hambali), Al Qaida's
    chief operational planner in Southeast Asia, who was captured in
    Thailand on August 11, 2003; Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida
    terrorist organization; and Ayman Al-Zawahiri, founder of the Egyptian
    Islamic Jihad and senior Al Qaida associate. The Office of the Press
    Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.

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