[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 49 (Monday, December 10, 2001)]
[Pages 1762-1765]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at a Ceremony Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor 
in Norfolk, Virginia

December 7, 2001

    Well, thank you all very much. I'm grateful for this warm welcome on 
the deck of the ``Big E.'' America is proud of this fine carrier, and 
we're really proud of her crew. You're serving at a crucial moment for 
the cause of peace and freedom, and your country thanks you.
    This is a fitting place to mark one of the most fateful days in 
American history. On December the 7th, 1941, the enemy attacked. Today 
is an anniversary of a tragedy for the United States Navy. Yet, out of 
that tragedy, America built the strongest Navy in the world. And there 
is no better symbol of that strength than the U.S.S. Enterprise.
    What happened at Pearl Harbor was the start of a long and terrible 
war for America. Yet, out of that surprise attack grew a steadfast 
resolve that made America freedom's defender. And that mission--our 
great calling--continues to this hour, as the brave men and women of our 
military fight the forces of terror in Afghanistan and around the world.
    We are joined this afternoon by some distinguished guests. The 
Governor of this great Commonwealth is with us, Jim Gilmore. Members of 
the congressional delegation from Virginia are here with us, and I want 
to thank them for coming as well. I want to thank my friend Tony 
Principi, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs who is here, a Naval Academy 
grad who served our country with bravery and distinction during the 
Vietnam era.
    I want to thank Gordon England, the Secretary of the Navy, who is 
doing such a fine job representing the Navy in the Pentagon. I want to 
thank Admiral Natter, the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. 
I always like a good Southern accent up here on the East Coast. 
[Laughter] I thank Sandy Winnefeld, the Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. 
Enterprise. And I want to thank the crew of this fine ship and all your 
families who are here as well. And I thank General Kernan for being here 
as well.
    We are especially honored to share this anniversary with 25 living 
witnesses to Pearl Harbor on December the 7th, 1941. Thank you all for 
being here. They saw the attack and knew its victims by name. They can 
recall the last moments of peace, the first moments of war, and the 
faces of lost friends, forever young in memory. These veterans represent 
the noble history and traditions of the United States military. And I 
ask the Navy of today to please join me in honoring these fine men from 
the military of yesterday.

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    The attack on Pearl Harbor was plotted in secret, waged without 
mercy, taking the lives of 2,403 Americans. The shock and chaos came on 
a quiet Sunday morning. There were acts of great heroism amongst those 
who survived and those who did not. Nine who fell that day had Navy 
ships named after them. In 2 hours' time, for bravery above and beyond 
the call of duty, 15 men earned the Medal of Honor, and 10 of them did 
not live to wear it.
    Young sailors refused to abandon ship, even as waters washed over 
the decks. They chose instead to stay and try to save their friends. A 
mess steward carried his commander to safety and then manned a machine 
gun for the first time in his life. Two pilots ran through heavy fire to 
get into their P-40 fighters. They proceeded to chase and shoot down 
four enemy aircraft.
    Those were among the scenes of December the 7th. On December the 
8th, as the details became known, the Nation's grief turned to 
resolution. During 4 years of war, no one doubted the rightness of our 
cause; no one wavered in the quest of victory. As a result of the 
efforts and sacrifice of the veterans who are with us today and millions 
like them, the world was saved from tyranny.
    Many of you in today's Navy are the children and grandchildren of 
the generation that fought and won the Second World War. Now your 
calling has come. Each one of you is commissioned by history to face 
freedom's enemies.
    When the Enterprise sailed out of Norfolk last April, we were a 
nation at peace. All of that changed on the morning of September the 
11th. You were among the first to fight in the first war of the 21st 
century. You were ready. You performed with skill and honor. And you 
have made your Nation proud.
    On board this ship when you returned to port 4 weeks ago was a young 
man named Ruben Rodriguez. Two days later, Petty Officer Rodriguez lost 
his life in a plane crash. His wife and his family are in our thoughts 
and prayers. One of the last things this sailor did was to visit Ground 
Zero in New York City. He saw what the terrorists did to America, and he 
said to a friend, ``That's why I fought.''
    And that's why we're all fighting. We're fighting to protect 
ourselves and our children from violence and fear. We're fighting for 
the security of our people and the success of liberty. We're fighting 
against men without conscience but full of ambition--to remake the world 
in their own brutal images. For all the reasons, we're fighting to win. 
And win we will.
    There is a great divide in our time, not between religions or 
cultures but between civilization and barbarism. People of all cultures 
wish to live in safety and dignity. The hope of justice and mercy and 
better lives are common to all humanity. Our enemies reject these 
values, and by doing so, they set themselves not against the West but 
against the entire world.
    Our war against terror is not a war against one terrorist leader or 
one terrorist group. Terrorism is a movement, an ideology that respects 
no boundary of nationality or decency. The terrorists despise creative 
societies and individual choice, and thus they bear a special hatred for 
America. They desire to concentrate power in the hands of a few and to 
force every life into grim and joyless conformity. They celebrate death, 
making a mission of murder and a sacrament of suicide. Yet for some 
reason--for some reason--only young followers are ushered down this 
deadly path to paradise, while terrorist leaders run into caves to save 
their own hides.
    We've seen their kind before. The terrorists are the heirs to 
fascism. They have the same will to power, the same disdain for the 
individual, the same mad global ambitions. And they will be dealt with 
in just the same way. Like all fascists, the terrorists cannot be 
appeased. They must be defeated. This struggle will not end in a truce 
or a treaty. It will end in victory for the United States, our friends, 
and for the cause of freedom.
    The Enterprise has been part of this campaign. And when we need you 
again, I know you'll be ready. Our enemies doubt this. They believe that 
free societies are weak societies. But we're going to prove them wrong. 
Just as we were 60 years ago, in a time of war, this great Nation will 
be patient; we'll be determined; and we will be relentless in the 
pursuit of freedom.

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    This is becoming clear to Al Qaida terrorists and the Taliban. Not 
long ago, that regime controlled most of Afghanistan. Today, they 
control not much more than a few caves. [Laughter] Not long ago, Al 
Qaida's leader dismissed America as a paper tiger. That was before the 
tiger roared. Throughout history, other armies have sought to conquer 
Afghanistan, and they failed. Our military was sent to liberate 
Afghanistan, and you are succeeding.
    We're a long way from finished in Afghanistan. Much difficult and 
dangerous work is yet to come. Many terrorists are still hiding in 
heavily fortified bunkers in very rugged territory. They are said to be 
prepared for a long stay underground. [Laughter] But they are in for a 
sudden change of plans--[laughter]--because one by one, we're going to 
find them. And piece by piece, we'll tear their terrorist network apart.
    As we fight the terrorists, we are also helping the people they have 
persecuted. We have brought tons of food and medicine to the Afghan 
people. They will need more help as winter comes, and we'll provide it. 
Most of all, that country needs a just and stable government. America is 
working with all concerned parties to help form such a government. After 
years of oppression, the Afghan people, including women, deserve a 
government that protects the rights and dignity of all its people. 
America is pleased by the Afghan progress in creating an interim 
government, and we're encouraged by the inclusion of women in positions 
of authority.
    And the war on terror continues beyond Afghanistan, with the closing 
of bank accounts and the arrests of known terrorists. We've put the 
terrorists and the nations in the world on notice: We will not rest 
until we stop all terrorists of global reach. And for every nation that 
harbors or supports terrorists, there will be a day of reckoning.
    A few days from now, I will go to a great American institution, the 
Citadel, to describe the new capabilities and technologies we will need 
to wage this broad war on terrorism for years to come. We will need the 
intelligence to find the enemy where he dwells and the means to strike 
swiftly across the world. We must have a military organized for decisive 
and total victory. And to you, the men and women of our military, I make 
this pledge: You will have every resource, every weapon, every tool you 
need to win the long battle that lies ahead.
    This war came oh so suddenly, but it has brought out the best in our 
Nation. We have learned a lot about ourselves and about our friends in 
the world. Nations stand with us, because this is civilization's fight. 
Today we take special pride that one of our former enemies is now among 
America's finest friends: We're grateful to our ally, Japan, and to its 
good people. Today, our two Navies are working side by side in the fight 
against terror.
    The bitterness of 60 years ago has passed away. The struggles of our 
war in the Pacific now belong to history. For Americans who fought it 
and suffered its losses, what remains is the lasting honor of service in 
a great cause and the memory of ones who fell.
    Today at Pearl Harbor, veterans are gathering to pay tribute to the 
young men they remember who never escaped the sunken ships. And over the 
years, some Pearl Harbor veterans have made a last request. They asked 
that their ashes be brought down and placed inside the U.S.S. Arizona. 
After the long lives given them, they wanted to rest besides the best 
men they ever knew. Such loyalty and love remain the greatest strength 
of the United States Navy.
    And the might of our Navy is needed again. When America looks at 
you, the young men and women who defend us today, we're very grateful. 
On behalf of the people of the United States, I thank you for your 
commitment, your dedication, and your courage.
    May God bless you, and may God bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 2:57 p.m. on the flight deck of the U.S.S. 
Enterprise. In his remarks, he referred to Adm. Robert J. Natter, USN, 
Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet; Capt. James A. Winnefeld, USN, 
Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Enterprise; and Gen. William F. Kernan, USA, 
Commander, Joint Forces Command.

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