[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 21 (Monday, May 30, 2005)]
[Pages 854-855]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
The President's Radio Address

May 21, 2005

    Good morning. Today I can report to you that we are making good 
progress in advancing the cause of freedom, defeating the forces of 
terror, and transforming our military so we can meet the emerging 
threats of the 21st century. As I speak, Laura is in the Middle East to 
help advance the freedom agenda, and her message is a powerful one, that 
by working together for liberty, we will create a future of peace and 
opportunity for women and men worldwide.
    On Monday, I will meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the White 
House to discuss freedom's remarkable progress in his nation. 
Afghanistan now has a constitution and an elected President, and its 
citizens will return to the polls this September to elect provincial 
councils in the lower house of the National Assembly. We're helping 
Afghanistan's elected government solidify these democratic gains and 
deliver real change. A nation that once knew only the terror of the 
Taliban is now seeing a rebirth of freedom, and we will help them 
succeed.
    Terrorists know that there is no room for them as freedom takes root 
in the broader Middle East, so they are fighting to stop its progress. 
But in recent weeks, we have dealt them a series of devastating blows. 
In Afghanistan, we have brought to justice dozens of terrorists and 
insurgents. In Pakistan, one of Usama bin Laden's senior terrorist 
leaders, a man named al-Libbi, was brought to justice. In Iraq, we 
captured two deputies of the terrorist Zarqawi, and our forces have 
killed or captured hundreds of terrorists and insurgents near the Syrian 
border.
    Our strategy is clear: We will fight the terrorists abroad so we do 
not have to face them here at home. While some difficult days still lie 
ahead, these recent victories are making America safer and the world 
more secure.
    As we make progress against today's enemies, we are also 
transforming our military to defeat the enemies we might face in the 
decades ahead. On Friday, I will speak to future leaders of our military 
who are graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy about how we are making 
our Armed Forces faster, more agile, and more lethal.
    To deal with the emerging threats of the 21st century, we are 
building a military that can deploy rapidly and deliver more firepower 
with fewer forward-deployed forces. However, much of our military is 
still deployed in ways that reflect the threats of the cold war. So last 
summer, I announced a plan to reposition our forces over the next 
decade. This shift will bring home 60 to 70,000 uniformed personnel, 
while still maintaining a significant overseas presence. It will also 
allow us to reduce the stress on our military

[[Page 855]]

families and make the best overall use of our resources. In the months 
and years ahead, we will continue to do what is necessary to prepare our 
Armed Forces to protect the American people in this new century.
    The war on terror continues, and we are making solid progress, but 
we must not become complacent. We will continue to pursue terrorists 
abroad. We will continue to support democratic change throughout the 
world, including in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the broader Middle East. And 
we will do whatever it takes to support our men and women in uniform and 
give them the tools they need to prevail.
    Thank you for listening.

Note: The address was recorded at 7:35 a.m. on May 20 in the Cabinet 
Room at the White House for broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on May 21. The 
transcript was made available by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
May 20 but was embargoed for release until the broadcast. In his 
remarks, the President referred to President Hamid Karzai of 
Afghanistan; Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist 
organization; Abu Faraj al-Libbi, senior Al Qaida associate arrested in 
Pakistan on April 30; and senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al 
Zarqawi. The Office of the Press Secretary also released a Spanish 
language transcript of this address.