[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 14 (Monday, April 7, 2003)]
[Pages 399-400]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

March 29, 2003

    Good morning. This week I welcomed Prime Minister Tony Blair to Camp 
David, where we discussed the progress being made in the war to disarm 
Iraq, end the dictatorship, and liberate the Iraqi people. Thanks to our 
fighting forces, the regime that once terrorized all of Iraq now 
controls a small portion of that country. American and coalition troops 
have continued a steady advance and are now less than 50 miles from 
Baghdad.
    In recent days, we have cleared mines from the water and taken 
control of a key port city, to allow humanitarian aid to begin flowing 
into the country. We have secured more than 600 oil wells and have begun 
putting out the few oil-well fires set by the enemy. Our efforts to 
protect the wealth that belongs to the Iraqi people are paying off.
    And we have prevented the dictator from launching missiles from key 
sites in western Iraq. We are now fighting the most desperate units of 
the dictator's army. The fighting is fierce, and we do not know its 
duration. Yet we know the outcome of this battle: The Iraqi regime will 
be disarmed and removed from power; Iraq will be free.
    In the last week, the world has seen firsthand the cruel nature of a 
dying regime. In areas still under its control, the regime continues its 
rule by terror. Prisoners of war have been brutalized and executed. 
Iraqis who refuse to fight for the regime are being murdered. An Iraqi 
woman was hanged for waving at coalition troops. Some in the Iraqi 
military have pretended to surrender, then opened fire on coalition 
forces that showed them mercy.
    Given the nature of this regime, we expect such war crimes, but we 
will not excuse them. War criminals will be hunted relentlessly and 
judged severely.
    In the last week, the world has also seen the nature of the young 
men and women who fight on our behalf. They are showing kindness and 
respect to the Iraqi people. They are going to extraordinary lengths to 
spare the lives of the innocent. Our forces are delivering food and 
water to grateful Iraqi citizens in Safwan and Umm Qasr. The contrast 
could not be greater between the honorable conduct of our liberating 
force and the criminal acts of the enemy.
    Every atrocity has confirmed the justice and urgency of our cause. 
Against this enemy, we will accept no outcome but complete and final 
victory. To meet this objective, we must give our armed services the 
support and resources they require. I have asked Congress for a nearly 
$75 billion wartime supplemental appropriations bill. This funding would 
provide fuel for ships, aircraft, and tanks, supplies for our troops in 
the theater of operations, and new high-tech munitions to replace the 
ones we have used in the war. The supplemental would also provide funds 
to assist in the reconstruction of Iraq and to help protect the American 
homeland in this time of high alert. I hope the Congress will act 
quickly to pass this essential measure.
    The people who serve in the military are giving their best to this 
country. We have

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the responsibility to give them our full support as they fight for the 
liberty of an oppressed people, for the security of the United States, 
and for the peace of the world.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 10:31 a.m. on March 28 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on March 29. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
March 28 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his 
remarks, the President referred to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The 
Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language 
transcript of this address.