    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2007, Book I)]
    [March 6, 2007]
    [Pages 237-244]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to the American Legion
    March 6, 2007

        Thank you very much, Paul, for that warm
    welcome. I appreciate the fact that you've given me a chance to come and
    address you. I welcome you to our Nation's Capital. I offer a special
    greeting to members of Post 77 from Houston, Texas. [Laughter] If you're
    here, my advice is, behave yourself. [Laughter] What happens in
    Washington stays in Washington. [Laughter]
        People who know something about the Legion understand firsthand how
    much this organization does for our men and women in uniform, for those
    who have been wounded on the field of battle, and for their remarkable
    families. Our Nation has been able to call upon the Legion in times of
    promise and peril, and our Nation is grateful for your service.
        I thank--not only do I thank your commander, I thank Earl Ruttkofsky. I
    appreciate Beverly, his wife, and JoAnn
    Cronin, who happens to be the president of the
    American Legion Auxiliary. She gets her hair done at the same place my
    mother does. [Laughter] Like, if you're
    listening, Mom, that's a compliment. [Laughter]
        I appreciate so very much Secretary Jim Nicholson, who's in my Cabinet, Department of Veterans Affairs--
    Mr. Secretary. I want to thank the Members of the Congress who have
    joined us, starting with Senator Jim Bunning, Senator Orrin Hatch, and
    Senator Lindsey Graham. I'm honored you
    three men are here. Thanks for your time. And I thank you for your
    articulate defense for the support of our troops. I appreciate so very
    much Congressman Jim Saxton from New
    Jersey, Mike Pence from Indiana, and Joe
    Wilson from South Carolina.
    Welcome, and thank you for coming.
        Since its founding in the aftermath of World War I, the American
    Legion has assumed a sacred obligation: to preserve the traditions of
    our great democracy and to watch over those charged with its defense. In
    every war and in every era, our country's veterans have kept faith with
    the American people. And it's the obligation of the Government to keep
    faith with our veterans.
        The support of our veterans has been a high priority in my
    administration. This year I've asked Congress for more than $86 billion
    for veterans' services. And if Congress approves my request, this would
    amount to a 77-percent increase of the budget since I took office; it
    would be the highest level of support for our veterans in American
    history.
        We share with your concern about making sure our vets have good
    health care. I've talked to your commanders past, and suspect I'll be
    talking to your commanders future--[laughter]--about making sure that
    our veterans have got good, decent, quality health care. Since 2001,
    we've helped over 1 million more veterans--we've added a million
    veterans--take advantage of the VA health care system.
        The 2008 budget proposal will increase the VA health care budget by
    83 percent since I took office. The Department of Defense's health care
    budget has grown from 19 billion to 38 billion. And that's an important
    commitment, and I look forward to working with Congress to say to our
    veterans: We care about you.
        Money is one thing, delivery of services is another. I know I
    share--[applause]--listen, I am as concerned as you are about the
    conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. My decisions have put our
    kids in harm's way, and I'm concerned about the fact that when they come
    back, they don't get the full treatment they deserve. Many people
    working at Walter Reed are fine people. If you've been out there, you
    know what I'm talking about. They're dedicated, honorable healers who
    care deeply about our soldiers. Fine doctors, nurses,

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    and therapists work day and night to help the wounded. Yet some of our
    troops at Walter Reed have experienced bureaucratic delays and living
    conditions that are less than they deserve. It's unacceptable to me,
    it's unacceptable to you, it's unacceptable to our country, and it's not
    going to continue.
        I recently asked Secretary of Defense Bob Gates to assess the situation at Walter Reed firsthand and
    report back to me. He confirmed that there are problems, real problems.
    He has taken action to address those problems and hold people to
    account, including relieving the general
    in charge of the facility and accepting the resignation of the Secretary
    of the Army.
        As we work to improve conditions at Walter Reed, we are also taking
    steps to find out whether similar problems exist at other military and
    veterans hospitals. The best way to do so in a constructive way, in a
    way that will bring forth the truth, is to create a bipartisan
    Presidential Commission. I've asked two distinguished public servants to
    lead the Commission, and they have accepted: Senator Bob Dole and former Secretary of Health and Human Services
    Donna Shalala.
        The Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of the care
    America is providing our wounded service men and women returning from
    the battlefield. This review will examine their treatment from the time
    they leave the battlefield through their return to civilian life as
    veterans, so we can ensure that we're meeting the physical and mental
    health needs of all. As this Commission begins its work and considers
    its recommendations, I have also directed the Secretary of Veterans
    Affairs to lead a Task Force composed of
    seven members of my Cabinet to focus and respond to immediate needs.
        We have an obligation--we have a moral obligation to provide the
    best possible care and treatment to the men and women who have served
    our country. They deserve it, and they're going to get it.
        My administration appreciates your strong support of the flag. The
    flag is emblazoned on the uniforms of brave men and women who serve our
    country. It is draped on the coffins of those who fall on the field of
    battle. It is a symbol of a noble nation and of a higher calling. I join
    with you and the elected legislatures of all 50 States in urging
    Congress to provide the flag with the constitutional protection it
    deserves.
        My administration also shares your determination to keep faith with
    our prisoners of war and those missing in action. We cannot rest and
    must not rest until we have accounted for every member of our Armed
    Forces, from every war and every corner of the globe.
        American Legion halls have been mainstays of our communities and
    neighborhoods for generations. You have taught millions of young people
    the importance of good citizenship and the values of ``God and
    country.'' And I appreciate these valuable lessons in America. I saw
    them firsthand when I was the Governor of Texas. After all, you sponsor
    Boys State and Girls State. They're great programs. I found it very
    interesting how the executive director describes the programs. He says,
    quote, ``The programs don't''--the programs, quote--the program, quote,
    ``does not emphasize''--he has a little trouble with the English--
    [laughter]--and so do I--[laughter]--describes this as an initiative
    that, quote, ``does not emphasize classroom and textbook learning.''
    That's my kind of program. [Laughter]
        Your example of service offers invaluable lessons for future
    generations. In times of peace, you counsel vigilance. In times of war,
    you counsel resolve. More than 5 years have passed since the attacks of
    September the 11th, 2001, and we find ourselves debating the causes of
    this conflict and the course we have followed. Yet even among our
    differences, there are a few questions that surely have been settled.
    One is that September the 11th was not only a crime

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    but an act of war--a war waged by fanatics who believe it is their duty
    to kill Americans and impose their hateful ideology as far as they can
    spread it.
        Since 9/11, they have continued to try to attack us here at home.
    They're relentless, and they're determined. We stopped an Al Qaida plot
    to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the west coast.
    We stopped a Southeast Asian terror cell grooming operatives for attacks
    inside the United States. We stopped an Al Qaida cell developing anthrax
    to be used in attacks against America. For each life saved, we owe a
    debt of gratitude to our military and intelligence and law enforcement
    personnel who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping
    and protect--stopping them and protecting the American people.
        Our most solemn duty is to protect you. The most solemn duty of this
    Government is to protect the American people from further harm, and the
    best way to do so is to stay on the offense. So we pursued the enemy
    aggressively around the world--degrading their ability to organize and
    coordinate new attacks here at home. In the wake of 9/11, Americans made
    a choice: Instead of waiting for the enemy to strike on their terms, we
    would fight the enemy on our terms.
        And we fight this war on many fronts. In Afghanistan and Iraq, we
    removed two of the world's most brutal regimes. And now we are
    undertaking the complex work of helping the people of these two
    countries establish functioning democracies that can protect their own
    people and be allies in this global war on terror. Sometimes we lose
    sight of the importance of this work in the midst of heated debates, and
    this is especially true when it comes to Iraq. The fight in Iraq is more
    than a conflict in one country, it is part of a larger struggle against
    extremism that is unfolding across the broader Middle East. The
    extremists are fighting to take control of Iraq so they can establish it
    as a base from which to overthrow moderate governments in the region and
    plan new attacks on the American people. If we fail in Iraq, the enemy
    will follow us home. Their success in Iraq would bring danger to
    America, and that is why America must prevail in Iraq.
        I appreciate your strong support for those who have volunteered to
    wear our uniform. Thousands of courageous men and women have stepped
    forward to protect us. And they're not alone. Since this war began,
    nearly 120,000 Iraqis have volunteered to serve in their army. More than
    8,000 Iraqis in uniform have died in the defense of their new nation.
    Recently in Anbar Province, where Al Qaida terrorists have gathered,
    1,000 Sunnis volunteered for the police force in a period of 2 weeks.
    Last month in Hillah, an Iraqi police officer threw himself onto a
    suicide bomber, a final, heroic act that saved an untold number of
    Iraqis gathered outside a local mosque.
        Every month, Iraqis risk reprisals from the terrorists and
    extremists to provide thousands of tips to coalition and Iraqi
    authorities. One recent tip from an Iraqi led to the discovery of a
    factory where insurgents developed sophisticated roadside bombs to kill
    our troops. With these acts of bravery, the Iraqis are standing up for
    the democratic future that 12 million of them voted for. The vast
    majority of Iraq's citizens want to live in peace, and they're showing
    their courage every day. And the United States of America will not
    abandon them in their hour of need.
        To reach our goals and to prevail, we must recognize that the nature
    of the war in Iraq has changed. In 2005, the terrorists tried and failed
    to stop the Iraqi people as they held three national elections. They
    chose a transitional government, as they adopted the most progressive,
    democratic Constitution in the Arab world, and then they elected a
    Government under that Constitution.
        So a thinking enemy adjusted their tactics, and in 2006, they
    struck. Last February, Al Qaida and other Sunni extremists

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    blew up the Golden Mosque of Samarra. This atrocity was designed to
    provoke retaliation from the Iraqi Shi'a, and it succeeded. Radical
    Shi'a elements, some of whom receive support from Iran, formed death
    squads. And the result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and
    reprisal.
        This changed the nature of the conflict in Iraq. We still faced the
    threat from Al Qaida, but the sectarian violence was getting out of hand
    and threatened to destroy this young democracy before it had a chance to
    succeed. So last fall, I ordered my national security team to conduct a
    comprehensive review of our strategy in Iraq. We devised an approach
    that is markedly different from previous efforts. This approach demands
    more from Iraq's elected Government, makes bringing security to Baghdad
    our top priority, and gives our troops the reinforcements they need to
    carry out their missions. And to carry out this strategy, I put in place
    a highly regarded commander, an expert on counterinsurgency, General
    David Petraeus.
        General Petraeus's mission is to help
    Iraq's leaders implement the plan that they developed to secure Baghdad.
    Today, they can't do this on their own, so I have ordered reinforcements
    of more than 20,000 additional combat soldiers and marines to Iraq. The
    majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear
    and secure neighborhoods, and where they will partner with Iraqi units.
    The Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing
    down the terrorists and insurgents and murderers and roaming death
    squads.
        We're fixing one of the major problems with our previous approach in
    Baghdad. In the past, our forces would help Iraqis clear out
    neighborhoods during the day and then go back to their bases at night,
    and often the enemy returned as soon as American forces left. This time,
    we will hold the neighborhoods we have cleared by establishing over 30
    joint security stations throughout Baghdad. These will be neighborhood
    outposts where Iraqi forces, with U.S. help, will be deployed 24 hours a
    day to secure the population, provide emergency aid to the communities,
    and gather information to rout out extremist networks throughout the
    capital. At the same time, our forces will continue to train Iraqi Army
    and Police, so that we can help ensure that the Iraqi forces left behind
    are capable of providing security that Baghdad needs.
        It's too early to judge the success of this operation. General
    Petraeus recently arrived in the Iraqi
    capital. The plan he is executing is in its early stages. This strategy
    is going to take time, and we can expect Al Qaida and other extremists
    to try to derail the strategy by launching spectacular attacks.
        Yet even at this early hour, there are some encouraging signs. The
    Iraqi Government has completed the deployment of three additional Iraqi
    Army brigades to the capital. They said they were going to employ three
    brigades, and they did. Iraq's leaders have lifted restrictions on Iraqi
    and coalition forces that prevented them from going into certain areas.
    Already, about half of the joint security stations have been established
    in neighborhoods across Baghdad. Iraqi and U.S. forces have rounded up
    more than 700 people affiliated with Shi'a extremists. They have
    recovered large weapons caches, including mortar weapons systems and
    rocket-propelled grenades.
        Iraqi and American forces have also launched successful operations
    against the Sunni extremists. U.S. and Iraqi forces recently killed Al
    Qaida terrorists in Baghdad who were responsible for some of those bomb
    attacks that you're seeing on your TV screens. And in the past 2 weeks,
    U.S. and Iraqi forces have also uncovered large stockpiles of
    explosively formed projectiles, or EFPs, which are used by extremist
    groups to attack our troops. Iraqi and U.S. forces are making gradual
    but important progress almost every day, and we will remain steadfast
    until our objectives are achieved.

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        In addition to the steps they are taking to secure their capital,
    Iraq's leaders are also taking steps to achieve political
    reconciliation, reconciliation that is necessary after years of brutal
    tyranny. They have committed themselves to a series of benchmarks to
    advance this reconciliation: to share oil revenues amongst all Iraq's
    citizens, to put the wealth of Iraq into rebuilding of Iraq, to allow
    more Iraqis to reenter their nation's civic life, to hold local
    elections, and to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi
    Province.
        Iraqis have already begun to deliver on some of these promises. For
    example, Iraq's Council of Ministers recently agreed on legislation they
    will submit to their Parliament on the development of Iraq's oil
    resources and the sharing of revenues. Last month, the Iraqi Government
    approved a budget that includes $10 billion for reconstruction and
    capital investment. These are encouraging signs, and now Iraq's leaders
    must meet the other pledges they have made.
        To succeed, Iraq's leaders also need the help of the international
    community. So the United States supports the Iraqi Government as it
    pursues an international initiative to build diplomatic, economic, and
    security support for its young democracy. Last week, the Iraqis
    announced that they will hold a conference in Baghdad that will include
    officials from Iraq's neighboring countries, as well as the permanent
    members of the U.N. Security Council, the Arab League, and the
    Organization of Islamic Conference.
        It's going to be followed next month by a second conference that
    includes Secretary Rice and her
    counterparts from around the world. These meetings will be an important
    test. They'll be a test of whether Iran and Syria are truly interested
    in being constructive forces in Iraq. It will be a test for the
    international community to express its support for this young democracy,
    to support a nation that will be at peace with its neighbors.
        Diplomacy is going to play an important part of securing Iraq's
    future. Yet diplomacy will fail without a robust military strategy. The
    goal of the enemies in Iraq is power, and they're willing to kill
    themselves and innocent men, women, and children to achieve that goal.
    People like these can't be satisfied by negotiations or diplomatic
    concessions. Our strategy recognizes the hard truth. So we're going to
    continue to pursue our enemies in Iraq relentlessly, and at the same
    time, we'll work with moderate forces to achieve reconciliation between
    sectarian factions.
        Here in Washington, we have important decisions on Iraq ahead of us.
    And the most pivotal question is whether the United States Congress will
    stand behind General Petraeus and our
    troops as they work to secure Baghdad. General Petraeus has my
    confidence, and he also has the confidence of the United States Senate.
    In fact, he was recently confirmed to his post without one single vote
    against him. Yet almost immediately, the House passed a resolution that
    disapproved of his strategy for success in Iraq. I know you find that
    puzzling--[laughter]--you're not the only one. [Laughter] This may be
    the first time in the history of the United States Congress that voted
    to send a new commander into battle and then voted to oppose the plan he
    said was critical in winning that battle. [Laughter]
        Members of Congress have every right to express their opinion. They
    have every right. They also have a responsibility to fund our war
    fighters. Some in Congress have called for cutting off funds for our
    troops, only to find opposition from their colleagues on Capitol Hill.
    Now others in Congress are planning to use an emergency war spending
    bill that will provide funds for the war on terror as an opportunity to
    add on billions of dollars for unrelated domestic programs. Tacking
    extra domestic spending to an emergency war spending bill only will
    complicate Congress's ability

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    to provide the support that our troops urgently need. I ask the Congress
    to approve the funds we requested, and our troops are counting on,
    without strings and without delay.
        Equally important to funding our troops is giving our commanders the
    flexibility to carry out their missions without undue interference from
    politicians in Washington. Some Members of Congress say that we can
    succeed in Iraq without providing the reinforcements that our forces
    have been promised and are expecting. I disagree. More importantly, our
    commanders disagree. Other Members of Congress seem to believe that we
    can have it all, that we can fight Al Qaida, pursue national
    reconciliation, initiate aggressive diplomacy, and deter Iran's
    ambitions in Iraq, all while withdrawing from Baghdad and reducing our
    force levels. That sounds good in theory, but doing so at this moment
    would undermine everything our troops have worked for.
        There are no shortcuts in Iraq. Our intelligence and military
    experts agree that given the current situation, Iraq will not be a
    stable nation until its capital is more secure. Political reconciliation
    is difficult when a country's seat of government is under constant
    siege. Economic improvements cannot take root when Baghdad's
    neighborhoods are the scene of daily sectarian violence and reprisals.
    And you cannot effectively battle Al Qaida by ignoring the sectarian
    violence they are inciting, especially in the capital.
        If American forces were to step back from Baghdad now, before it is
    more secure, the scale and scope of attacks would increase and the
    intensity would increase. A contagion of violence could spill out across
    the entire country and, in time, the entire region. The enemy would
    emerge from the chaos emboldened, with new safe havens and new recruits
    and new resources and an even greater determination to harm America.
        For our country, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, it's
    their plan. They're not debating whether the war in Iraq is worth it.
    Hear the words of bin Laden in a message to
    the American people just last year. He says of Iraq: ``The war is for
    you or for us to win. If we win it, it means your defeat and disgrace
    forever.'' In the face of such a determined enemy, the idea of pulling
    back from the fight and hoping for the best is not a reasonable
    position. America did not drive Al Qaida out of their safe haven in
    Afghanistan only to let them set up a shop in a free Iraq.
        Now that the battle for Baghdad is underway, our country is best
    served by standing behind our troops and doing everything we can to aid
    in their success. The outcome of this conflict involves more than the
    fortunes of any one President or any political party. Our mission is
    America's mission, and our failure would be America's failure.
        Our country is fortunate that our mission is in the hands of
    America's finest citizens, the men and women who wear our uniform.
    They've been on the battlefield. They have seen this war up close. They
    know the consequences of failure. And they appreciate something larger:
    the consequences of success. We know what a free Iraq could mean for the
    region and the world, because we know how your sacrifices half a century
    ago helped create a free Germany that transformed Europe and a free
    Japan that sparked a wave of democracy and prosperity throughout much of
    Asia. We know that a free Iraq has the potential to spark a similar
    transformation in the Middle East and bring us closer to the day when
    moms and dads in the Arab world see a future of hope for their children.
    And we know that the sacrifices that our troops are making in Iraq today
    will lay the foundation of peace for generations of Americans to come.
        Last year, I received a letter from a Navy Seabee named Andy
    Clements. He was

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    serving in Iraq. He says he worked alongside Iraqis on a daily basis and
    that they appreciate what America is doing for their country. He told me
    this story: ``I was at Baghdad International Airport several weeks ago
    and had a small Iraqi boy, near the same age as my own son, run up to me
    and salute. He kept repeating `thank you' in broken English and wanted
    to shake my hand. I will remember that chance meeting forever. And that,
    to me, is what being done--here is all about.''
        In the brief history of our Nation, we've seen freedom remake the
    world many times, and yet we always seem surprised by the quiet power of
    our ideals. It's in our power to show those who hunger for liberty the
    path away from tyranny and terror. Throughout our history, we have gone
    through tough moments, and we have come out stronger on the other side.
    We've been guided by our belief that freedom is not an American
    privilege but a value that belongs to all mankind.
        The struggle in Iraq may be hard, but this should not be a time for
    despair. We can have confidence in the final outcome of this struggle,
    because we have men on our side like Tommy Tardif. The 25-year-old marine was in an Iraqi town when his squad
    came under heavy fire. He was engaged in combat so intense that Marine
    Corps Commandant General Mike Hagee
    described it as a ``hand grenade-throwing contest.'' In that combat,
    Sergeant Tardif was seriously wounded by grenade fragments, yet he
    refused medical attention until the battle had been won. Later, when he
    was evacuated, he called his wife from the transit hospital in Germany,
    and he said this: ``Honey, I could come home right now, but I feel I
    have responsibilities, and I'm going back to Iraq.'' He borrowed a
    uniform; he convinced his doctor to let him out of the hospital; and the
    man returned to his squad.
        A lot of you can tell stories like this. Each of you knows a fellow
    patriot whose name is carried in your heart or who sits proudly beside
    you in this hall today. I want to thank you for the sacrifices you have
    made. I thank you for the example you have set. And I thank you for the
    steadfast support of the men and women who wear our uniform.
        You know that America can overcome any challenge or any difficulty.
    You know America's brightest days are still ahead. And you know that
    nothing we say here--no speech or vote or resolution in the United
    States Congress--means more to the future of our country than the men
    and women who wake up every morning and put on the uniform of our
    country and defend the United States of America.
        I thank you for your time. God bless.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:05 a.m. at the Renaissance Hotel. In his
    remarks, he referred to Paul A. Morin, national commander, American
    Legion; Earl Ruttkofsky, national commander, Sons of the American
    Legion; Maj. Gen. George W. Weightman, USA, former commander, Walter
    Reed Army Medical Center; former Secretary of the Army Francis J.
    Harvey; Gen. David H. Petraeus, USA, commanding general, Multi-National
    Force--Iraq; Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist
    organization; and Sgt. Timothy C. Tardif, USMC, who was awarded the
    Silver Star on May 3, 2004.

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