[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 42 (Monday, October 22, 2001)]
[Pages 1502-1504]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks to the Community at Travis Air Force Base, California

October 17, 2001

    Thank you all very much. I appreciate such a warm welcome. I'm about 
to cross the Pacific on my favorite Air Force airplane. And there's 
really only one place to leave from--that's called the Gateway to the 
Pacific. Thank you for your hospitality. I can't tell you how proud I am 
to be with the men and women who wear the uniform of the great United 
States of America.
    I want to thank the Air Force and the Army and the Navy troops who 
are here. I'm also proud to be with the husbands and wives and sons and 
daughters, and to the families of those of you whose mom or dad or 
husband or wife have been deployed, I want you to know that they're on a 
noble mission. The cause is just, and we will win.
    I want to thank ``Lone Star'' Lefforge for the introduction--my 
fellow Texan. There may be a few other Texans here, as well. I want to 
thank General Becker and Colonel Rubeor, as well, for your hospitality. 
Thank you, Colonel. Thank you, General, very much.
    And I want to thank the Air Force Band of the Golden West. Thank you 
all for your entertainment. I want to thank the State and

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local officials who have come today. I'm honored that you took time out 
of your day.
    The planes to the left and right of where we stand here represent 
the unmatched air power of the United States. But that's not our real 
strength. Our real strength are the people who fly them and who maintain 
them, the people who make the military go. The real strength of this 
proud Nation are the men and women who wear the uniform. That's the real 
strength of this country.
    You're among the first to be deployed in America's new war against 
terror and against evil, and I want you to know, America is proud, proud 
of your deeds, proud of your talents, proud of your service to our 
country.
    I'm told that one of the pilots here, a fellow named Randy, was 
asked if anyone at Travis had personal connections to any of the victims 
of the attacks on September the 11th. And here's what he said: ``I think 
we all do. They're all Americans. When you strike one American, you 
strike us all.''
    The victims of September 11th were innocent, and this Nation will 
never forget them. The men and women who murdered them were instruments 
of evil, and they have died in vain. This Nation is strong. This Nation 
is united. This Nation is resolved. This Nation will defeat terror 
wherever we find it across the globe.
    And not only will we find the terrorists; we will enforce the 
doctrine that says, if you harbor a terrorist, you're a terrorist. If 
you feed a terrorist, if you fund a terrorist, you're a terrorist. And 
this great, proud Nation of free men and women will hold you just as 
responsible for the actions that take place on American soil.
    And that's what's happening in Afghanistan. I gave the people in 
Afghanistan a choice. I said to the Taliban, ``Turn them over. Destroy 
the camps. Free people you're unjustly holding.'' I said, ``You've got 
time to do it.'' But they didn't listen. They didn't respond, and now 
they're paying a price. They are learning that anyone who strikes 
America will hear from our military, and they're not going to like what 
they hear. In choosing their enemy, the evildoers and those who harbor 
them have chosen their fate.
    We don't quarrel with the innocent folks of Afghanistan; they're not 
our enemy. Nor is any religion the enemy of the United States of 
America. The evil ones have tried to hijack a religion to justify their 
murder. But I want to assure the people of the world that our military 
fights not against Muslims or fights not against the Islam religion. We 
fight against evil people. We fight against people who believe that they 
can harm the United States of America. We fight against people who have 
no country, no ideology; they're motivated by hate.
    And make no mistake about it, this great Nation will do what it 
takes to win. We are determined. We are patient. We are steadfast. We 
are resolved. We will not tire, and we will not fail.
    And we're making progress. We're making progress. The terrorist 
camps are being destroyed. The enemy's air force and air defenses are 
being demolished. We're paving the way for friendly troops on the ground 
to slowly but surely tighten the net to bring them to justice.
    I can't tell you how proud as Commander in Chief I am to know that 
we've got a great United States military backing our Nation. A Commander 
in Chief must know he can count on the skill and resolve of our 
military. And from Secretary Rumsfeld to General Myers to the good 
troops of this base, I have all the confidence in the world that our 
military will fulfill its mission.
    And you must have confidence in this, my commitment that for the 
mission that lies ahead, our military, the men and women who wear our 
uniform, will have everything you need to win, every resource, every 
weapon, every means to assure full victory for the United States and our 
allies and our friends in the cause of freedom.
    There is no question that we're inflicting pain upon the Taliban 
Government. There is also no question that we're a compassionate nation; 
at the same time we do so, we're dropping airlifts of food and medicine 
so the innocent citizens of that country can survive the brutal winter.
    As I walked up, I saw some of the schoolchildren here holding dollar 
bills. We've got

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schoolchildren all across the country out raising a dollar to send to 
the children of Afghanistan. We've got boys and girls from all religions 
and all walks of life who have heard the call to love a neighbor just as 
they'd like to be loved themselves.
    The evildoers have struck our Nation, but out of evil comes good. We 
are a good, kind-hearted, decent people, and we're showing the world 
just that in our compassion and our resolve.
    And one thing I fully understand is that when American forces answer 
the call of duty, they count on their families for support and 
encouragement. Every deployment brings uncertainty, and I know every 
deployment brings worry and concern. Our military is made up of brave 
men and women, and brave families, as well.
    Recently, a 4-year-old son of a cargo specialist said goodbye to his 
dad here at Travis. And according to his mom, the boy has been telling 
the neighbors that ``Daddy is saving the world.''
    The boy is right. The boy is right. The future of the world is at 
stake. Freedom is at stake. But I want to tell that boy his daddy has 
got plenty of help. There are a lot of people like his daddy fighting 
this war. We fight it overseas, and we fight it at home, as well.
    We must be steadfast. We must be resolved. We must not let the 
terrorists cause our Nation to stop traveling, to stop buying, to stop 
living ordinary lives. We can be alert, and we will be alert, but we 
must show them that they cannot terrorize the greatest Nation on the 
face of the Earth. And we won't. We will not be terrorized. We will not 
be cowed.
    We've got a homeland security that's strong. I want to tell the moms 
and dads here that we're doing everything we can to find them and 
disrupt them and stop them, if they happen to try to strike on American 
soil. We're strong at home. We're active at home. But make no mistake 
about it; the best homeland defense is to find them and bring them to 
justice, and that's exactly what our Nation will do.
    Now that they got the plane fueled up, I'm heading over to China. Of 
course, we'll talk about economics and trade. But the main thing that 
will be on my mind is to continue to rally the world against terrorists; 
is to remind people that it happened to us, sure, but it could happen to 
them, as well; is to remind them that evil knows no borders, no 
boundaries, and to remind them that we must take a stand; that those of 
us who have been given the responsibility of high office must not shirk 
from our duty; that now is the time to claim freedom for future 
generations.
    The people have struck us. They've tested our mettle and tested our 
character. But they are going to find that this Nation understands we've 
reached a pivotal moment in history, where we will plant our flag on the 
ground, a flag that stands for freedom, and say to anybody who wants to 
harm us or our friends or allies, ``You will pay a serious price, 
because we're a nation that is strong and resolved and united.''
    You all are here to serve your country, and your country is 
grateful. You have confidence in America. But make no mistake about it; 
America has confidence in you.
    Thank you all for such a warm greeting. May God bless. May God bless 
the men and women who wear our uniform. May God protect this great land. 
And may God bless America. Thank you all very much.

Note: The President spoke at 1:35 p.m. on the ramp of the base's flight 
line. In his remarks, he referred to Brig. Gen. (s) David Lefforge, 
USAF, commander, 60th Air Mobility Wing; Maj. Gen. John Becker, USAF, 
commander, 15th Air Force; and Col. James Rubeor, USAF, commander, 349th 
Air Mobility Wing.