[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 39 (Monday, October 1, 2001)]
[Pages 1379-1380]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
<R04>
Remarks to Central Intelligence Agency Employees in Langley, Virginia
September 26, 2001
Thank you all very much. Well, George, thank you very much, and
thanks for inviting me back. [Laughter] There is no question that I am
in the hall of patriots, and I've come to say a couple of things to you.
First, thanks for your hard work. You know, George and I have been
spending a lot of quality time together. [Laughter] There's a reason.
I've got a lot of confidence in him, and I've got a lot of confidence in
the CIA, and so should America.
It's important for America to realize that there are men and women
who are spending hours on the task of making sure our country remains
free; men and women of the CIA who are sleeping on the floor, eating
cold pizza--[laughter]--calling their kids on the phone, saying, ``Well,
I won't be able to tuck you in tonight,'' because they love America. And
I'm here to thank everybody who loves America in this building. And I
want to thank you for what you're doing.
We are on a mission to make sure that freedom is enduring. We're on
a mission to say to the rest of the world, ``Come with us--come with us;
stand by our side to defeat the evildoers who would like to rid the
world of freedom as we know it.'' There is no better institute to be
working with than the Central Intelligence Agency, which serves as our
ears and our eyes all around the world.
This is a war that is unlike any other war that our Nation is used
to. It's a war of a series of battles that sometimes we'll see the
fruits of our labors, and sometimes we won't. It's a war that's going to
require cooperation with our friends. It is a war that requires the best
of intelligence. You see, the enemy is sometimes hard to find; they like
to hide. They think they can hide, but we know better.
This is a war that not only says to those who believe they can
disrupt American lives--or for that matter, any society that believes in
freedom lives--it's also a war that declares a new declaration, that
says, if you harbor a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the terrorist;
if you provide safe haven to a terrorist, you're just as guilty as the
terrorist; if you fund a terrorist, you're just as guilty as a
terrorist.
And in order to make sure that we're able to conduct a winning
victory, we've got to have the best intelligence we can possibly have.
And my report to the Nation is, we've got the best intelligence we can
possibly have, thanks to the men and women of the CIA.
The cooperation with Capitol Hill is unique and, I hope, lasting. I
can't tell you how much I appreciate the work of Senator Daschle and
Senator Lott, Speaker Hastert and Leader Gephardt. There's deep concern
amongst Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill to do what's right for
America--is to come together to provide the necessary support for an
effective war.
And that includes making sure that the CIA is well funded, well
staffed, has got the latest in technology. I believe we can work
together to make sure that that's the case. After all, as America is
learning, the CIA is on the frontline of making sure our victory will be
secure.
I intend to continue to work with Congress to make sure that our law
enforcement officials at home have got the tools necessary--obviously,
within the confines of our Constitution--to make sure the homeland is
secure; to make sure America can live as peacefully as possible; to make
sure that we run down every threat, take serious every incident. And
we've got to make sure, as well, that those who work for the Nation
overseas have got the best available technologies and the best tools and
the best funding possible.
There is a good spirit in Capitol Hill because Americans want to
win. They want to win the first war of the 21st century. And win we
must. We have no choice; we can't relent.
Now, there's going to be a time, hopefully in the near future, where
people say, ``Gosh, my life is almost normal. September 11th is
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a sad memory, but it's a memory.'' But those of us on the frontlines of
this war must never forget September 11th. And that includes the men and
women of the CIA. We must never forget that this is a long struggle,
that there are evil people in the world who hate America. And we won't
relent.
The folks who conducted the act on our country on September 11th
made a big mistake. They underestimated America. They underestimated our
resolve, our determination, our love for freedom. They misunderestimated
the fact that we love a neighbor in need. They misunderestimated the
compassion of our country. I think they misunderestimated the will and
determination of the Commander in Chief, too.
So anyway, I was sitting around having coffee with George and
Michael. [Laughter] I said, ``I think I'd like to come out to thank
people once again. I'd like to come out to the CIA, the center of great
Americans, to thank you for your work.''
I know how hard you're working. And I hope all the Americans who are
listening to this TV broadcast understand how hard you're working, too.
You're giving your best shot, long hours, all your brainpower, to win a
war that we're going to win. And I can't thank you enough on behalf of
the American people.
Keep doing it. America relies upon your intelligence and your
judgment. America relies upon our capacity to work together as a nation
to do what the American people expect. They expect a 100 percent effort,
a full-time, no-stop effort on not only securing our homeland but to
bringing to justice terrorists, no matter where they live, no matter
where they hide. And that's exactly what we're going to do.
Thank you very much. May God bless your work, and may God bless
America. Go back to work.
Note: The President spoke at 1:23 p.m. in the headquarters building
lobby at the George Bush Center for Intelligence. In his remarks, he
referred to George J. Tenet, Director of Central Intelligence.