[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 50 (Monday, December 13, 2004)]
[Pages 2918-2922]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks at Camp Pendleton, California

December 7, 2004

    Thank you all. Thank you for the warm welcome. It was getting a 
little quiet back at the White House--[laughter]--so I decided to drop 
in on the Devil Dogs. Thank you for coming out to say hello. I've been 
looking forward to this for quite a while. It's a pleasure to be with so 
many squared-away, gung-ho United States Marines.
    I'm here to thank you for serving our country in a time when we need 
you. In a season where Americans stop to count their blessings, I want 
you to know one of America's greatest blessings is the men and women who 
wear our Nation's uniform. And many of you are blessed by having a 
husband or wife or a son and daughter who stand with you during this 
time of sacrifice. Our Nation is blessed because of our military 
families. Your

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fellow citizens are proud of you, and so is your Commander in Chief.
    I appreciate Secretary of the Navy Gordon England for joining us 
today. I want to thank Major General Tim Donovan for his leadership. I 
want to thank Brigadier General James Williams for being here as well. I 
want to thank all the State and local officials. I want to thank the 
military families. But most of all, I want to thank the United States 
Marine Corps.
    Last month, marines across the world broke out their dress blues to 
celebrate the 229th birthday of the Corps. But the men and women of Camp 
Pendleton's 1st Marine Expeditionary Force marked the occasion a little 
differently, by fighting the enemies in Iraq. As one Pendleton marine 
near the frontlines put it, ``This is what we, as marines, do. It is 
where the American people expect us to be.'' The marines of Camp 
Pendleton are serving our Nation with valor and integrity.
    This is the home of the 1st Marine Division, one of America's oldest 
and most decorated units. In Korea, the marines of the 1st Division were 
surrounded at the Chosin Reservoir by 10 divisions of Chinese troops. 
When Colonel Chesty Puller heard the news, he said, ``They've got us 
right where we want them. We can shoot in every direction now.'' He 
wasn't bluffing.
    The 1st Marine Division made it out, destroying seven enemy 
divisions and upholding the great tradition of the Corps. That courage, 
determination, and devotion to duty have made the United States Marines 
one of the most feared and respected fighting forces in the world. And 
in these dangerous times, when terrorists seek to harm our families and 
murder free citizens, Americans are thankful that the Marines are on the 
frontline, taking the fight to the enemy.
    Since I took office almost 4 years ago, I have visited our troops 
around the world, and one of my first stops as the Commander in Chief 
was right here in Camp Pendleton. It was in the summer of 2001. I told 
you that day, because you're marines, you would be asked to perform our 
Nation's most difficult and dangerous missions. Since that day, you have 
performed every mission with honor and with courage and with commitment.
    In the war on terror, you have fought enemies' freedom--freedom's 
enemies from the caves and mountains of Afghanistan to the deserts and 
cities of Iraq. Marines of Camp Pendleton's 15th Marine Expeditionary 
Unit were the first conventional forces to fight in Operation Enduring 
Freedom. They deployed hundreds of miles into a landlocked country to 
help seize the Kandahar Airport, hunted down the Taliban and Al Qaida 
fighters, and helped to liberate more than 28 million people from one of 
the world's most brutal regimes.
    If any of you were in that 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I want 
you to hear what's happening today. Today the Vice President of the 
United States and the Secretary of Defense are in Kabul for the 
inauguration of Afghanistan's first democratically elected President. 
Afghanistan has been transformed from a haven for terrorists to a 
steadfast ally in the war on terror, and the American people are safer 
because of your courage.
    When America led a coalition to enforce the demands of the free 
world and to end the regime of Saddam Hussein, the marines of Camp 
Pendleton made us proud once again. When the appointed hour came, the 
1st Marine Division rolled across the border, pressing more than 500 
miles over the Iraqi desert in less than one month. Backed by the 1st 
Force Service Support Group and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, you helped 
liberate the Iraqi capital, pulled down the statues of the dictator, and 
pushed north to secure the homeland of Tikrit. You drove Saddam Hussein 
from his palace into a spider hole. And now he sits in an Iraqi prison 
awaiting justice. Because of your bravery, because of your skill, 
America and the world are a safer place.
    In recent days, the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force has once again 
shown America's purpose and resolve, this time in Fallujah. Block by 
block, building by building, marines and soldiers and Iraqi security 
forces took that city back from the terrorists and the insurgents, and 
when the smoke is cleared, we saw once again the true nature of the 
enemy. We found bloodstained torture chambers where hostages had been 
executed. We found videos of beheadings and

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brutal terrorist attacks. We found travel documents of foreign 
terrorists and equipment of forging Iraqi passports to make the foreign 
fighters appear to be Iraqi insurgents. We found more than 600 
improvised explosive devices, including an ice cream truck that had been 
loaded with bombs for a terrorist attack.
    In the battle for Fallujah, the terrorists hid weapons in the 
cemetery. They hid ammunition in private homes. They hid bombs in 
mosques, but they could not hide from the United States Marines.
    We have dealt the enemy a severe blow. The terrorist Zarqawi has 
lost his main sanctuary in Iraq. The Ba'athist insurgents have lost one 
of their main bases of operation. We seized tons of weapons and shut 
down terrorist bombmaking factories, killed more than 2,000 enemy 
fighters, and captured thousands more. The enemies of freedom in Iraq 
have been wounded, but they're not yet defeated. They'll keep on 
fighting, and so will the Marine Corps.
    Next month, Iraqis will vote in free and democratic elections. As 
election day approaches, we can expect further violence from the 
terrorists. You see, the terrorists understand what is at stake. They 
know they have no future in a free Iraq, because free people never 
choose their own enslavement. They know democracy will give Iraqis a 
stake in the future of their country. When Iraqis choose their leaders 
in free elections, it will destroy the myth that the terrorists are 
fighting a foreign occupation and make clear that what the terrorists 
are really fighting is the will of the Iraqi people.
    The success of democracy in Iraq will also inspire others across the 
Middle East to defend their own freedom and to expose the terrorists for 
what they are, violent extremists on the fringe of society with no 
agenda for the future except tyranny and death.
    So the terrorists will do all they can to delay and disrupt free 
elections in Iraq, and they will fail. As Iraqi President al-Yawr said 
in the Oval Office yesterday, the Iraqi people are anxious to go and 
cast their votes and practice, for the first time in 45 years, their 
right and duty of voting. Free elections will proceed as planned.
    The United States has a vital interest in the success of a free 
Iraq. A free Iraq will be a major victory in the war on terror. Free 
nations do not export terror. Free nations listen to the hopes and 
aspirations of their people. Free nations are peaceful nations. And a 
free Iraq will make America more secure and the world a peaceful place.
    America and our coalition have a strategy in place to aid the rise 
of a stable democracy in Iraq. To help the Iraqi Government provide 
security during the election period, we will increase U.S. troop 
strength by about 12,000 personnel for a total of 150,000 troops. As the 
election approaches, coalition forces will continue hunting the 
terrorists and the insurgents. We'll help the people of Fallujah and 
other cities to rebuild and to move forward. We'll continue training 
Iraqi security forces so the Iraqi people can eventually take 
responsibility for their own security.
    Some Iraqi units have performed better than others, as you know. 
Some Iraqis have been intimidated enough by the insurgents to leave the 
service to their country. But a great many are standing firm. In 
Fallujah, Iraqis fought alongside our soldiers and marines with valor 
and determination. One American soldier who saw them up close in combat 
said, ``They really excelled, kicking in the doors, clearing the houses, 
running out into fire to pick up wounded marines.'' The Iraqi security 
forces made up about 20 percent of the forces in Fallujah. They're 
killing the terrorists, blocking the escape routes, and saving American 
lives. These brave Iraqis are fighting for their freedom, and we are 
proud to stand by their side.
    Our coalition is determined to help them succeed. We're working to 
develop a core of well-trained senior mid-level Iraqi officers. After 
all, Iraqi soldiers want to be led by Iraqis. NATO trainers are already 
in Iraq, and the Alliance will soon develop a new training center for 
the Iraqi security forces and a military academy outside of Baghdad. We 
will help the Iraqi Government build a force that no longer needs 
coalition support so they can defend their own Nation. And then American 
soldiers and marines can come home with the honor they have earned.

[[Page 2921]]

    Our success in Iraq will make America safer for us and for future 
generations. As one Marine sergeant put it, ``I never want my children 
to experience what we saw in New York, at the Pentagon, and in 
Pennsylvania.'' He said, ``If we can eliminate the threat on foreign 
soil, I would rather do it there than have it come home to us.'' That's 
why we're on the offensive today in Fallujah and Mosul, Ramadi and north 
Babil. We're getting after the terrorists. We're disrupting their plans. 
We're holding the state sponsors of terror equally responsible for 
terrorist acts. We're working to prevent outlaw regimes from gaining 
weapons of mass murder and providing them to terrorists. We'll stay at 
these efforts with patience and resolve, and we will prevail.
    A time of war is a time for sacrifice, especially for our military 
families. Being left behind when a loved one goes to war is one of the 
hardest jobs in the military. It is especially hard during the holidays. 
Families here at Camp Pendleton endure long separation. Carrying these 
burdens, you serve our country. America is grateful for your service.
    Our Nation also honors the men and women who've been injured in the 
line of duty. I met some of these Americans. This Saturday, I'll be 
going to Bethesda to meet more. Many face a hard road ahead. They've 
inspired their comrades with their strength of will. General Sattler 
recently visited with some of the wounded in the Fallujah campaign. One 
marine was pretty beat up, but when he saw the general, he lifted his 
hand and said, ``Sir, I've still got my trigger finger. I can get back 
out there.'' That is the spirit of the Corps. And America will show the 
same sense of duty. We will provide the best possible medical care for 
every American servicemember wounded in action.
    And some of you have lost comrades and family members in the war on 
terror. Words can only go so far in capturing the grief and sense of 
loss for the families of those who have died, but you can know this: 
They gave their lives for a cause that is just. And as in other 
generations, their sacrifice will have spared millions from the lives of 
tyranny and sorrow. America prays for the families of the fallen, and we 
stand with the families of the fallen, and their sacrifice will always 
be remembered.
    In the last 4 years, I've seen and the world has seen the courage 
and the skill and the decency of the United States military. You are a 
great force for good in this world. The American people know it, and 
they are behind you. Your service and sacrifice has touched the hearts 
of our people and inspired millions to show their gratitude.
    Last month, I met a 15-year-old from California named Shauna 
Fleming, who collected a million thank you letters for our military 
personnel. In Washington, DC, veterans--Vietnam vet Steve Cobb and his 
wife, Tanya, have been coming out regularly to Andrews Air Force Base to 
meet wounded servicemembers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Those 
two good folks welcome the troops home, and they offer whatever help 
they can provide. Steve earned four Purple Hearts and the Silver Star in 
Vietnam, but this is what he said. He said, ``When I came home, there 
was nobody but demonstrators to meet our troops. I never wanted to see 
another generation of troops come home without being welcomed and 
appreciated.''
    In Massachusetts, a contractor named John Gonsalves says--heard 
about a soldier who had lost both legs in an RPG attack in Iraq. So he 
started Homes for Our Troops, a nonprofit dedicated to building and 
adapting homes for disabled veterans with special needs. John says, 
``The war on terror is something the American people should all be a 
part of, not just the people on the frontlines in Afghanistan and in 
Iraq.'' He says, ``We have a responsibility to do more for our veterans 
who are out there fighting every day and putting their lives on the 
line.''
    Here at Camp Pendleton, a nurse named Karen Guenther saw the 
financial strain on the families of the injured sailors and marines. 
Many spent weeks, even months away from home, standing by their loved 
ones recovering at a military hospital. They struggle with the cost of 
food and lodging and travel and lost income. So she and other Marine 
spouses started the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund to raise money for 
those struggling military families. Since its founding here 6 months 
ago, it has grown into a national organization that has helped over 300 
military

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families across the United States, with more than $400,000 in grants.
    As a wife of a wounded marine recently put it, ``There was no 
redtape. They just helped. Had it not been for the Injured Marine Semper 
Fi Fund, I would not have been able to pay my bills for the past 3 
months or stay at my husband's bedside.''
    These examples represent the true strength of the country, the heart 
and souls of your fellow citizens, and they make America proud. Across 
our country, Americans are coming together to surround our deployed 
forces and wounded warriors with love and support. We should be doing 
more, so I want to speak to our fellow citizens who might be listening 
today. I urge every American to find some way to thank our military and 
to help out the military family down the street. The Department of 
Defense has set up a web site: AmericaSupportsYou.mil. If you're 
interested in finding out how you can help, go to 
AmericaSupportsYou.mil. You can go there to learn about efforts in your 
own community to say you support our troops. In this season of giving, 
let us stand with the men and women who stand up for America, our 
military.
    Every man and woman who serves at Camp Pendleton and all who wear 
the Marine Corps uniform are part of a great history. The General 
mentioned, 63 years ago today, our Nation was attacked at Pearl Harbor. 
And soon, the United States Marines were storming beaches and engaging 
the enemy in distant lands. In places like Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima, our 
fathers and our grandfathers struggled and sacrificed to defend freedom. 
And today, in places like Fallujah and north Babil, this generation of 
Marines is fighting to extend freedom.
    Today's war on terror will not end with a ceremony, a surrender 
ceremony on a deck of a battleship. But it will end with victory. Just 
as we defeated the threats of fascism and imperial communism in the 20th 
century, we will defeat the threat of global terrorism. And we will help 
the people of liberated countries to rebuild and to secure a future of 
freedom and peace.
    I have confidence in our country, and I have faith in our cause. 
There's still important work ahead, yet the outcome is assured. History 
moves toward freedom because the desire for freedom is written in every 
human heart. And the cause of freedom is in the best of hands. It's in 
the hands of people like the United States Marine Corps.
    The United States Marines will fight, in the words of the Rifleman's 
Creed, ``until victory is America's and there is no enemy.''
    May God bless you, and may God continue to bless the United States 
of America.

Note: The President spoke at 9:34 a.m. In his remarks, he referred to 
Maj. Gen. Timothy E. Donovan, USMC, commanding general, Marine Corps 
Base Camp Pendleton; Brig. Gen. James L. Williams, USMC, acting 
commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Marine Corps Base Camp 
Pendleton; President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan; senior Al Qaida 
associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; President Ghazi al-Ujayl al-Yawr of the 
Iraqi Interim Government; and Lt. Gen. John F. Sattler, commanding 
general, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Fallujah, Iraq. The Office 
of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish language transcript of 
these remarks.