Address by President George W. Bush on Thursday, September 20,
2001
THE SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE UNITED STATES
THE CAPITOL, HOUSE CHAMBER
(Applause.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. Speaker, Mr. President Pro Tempore, members of Congress
and fellow Americans, in the normal course of events, presidents come to this
chamber to report on the state of the Union. Tonight, no such report is needed.
It has already been delivered by the American people.
We have seen it in the courage of passengers who rushed terrorists to save
others on the ground, passengers like an exceptional man named Todd Beamer (ph).
And would you please help me welcome his wife, Lisa Beamer, here tonight.
(Applause.)
We have seen the state of our union in the endurance of rescuers working past
exhaustion. We’ve seen the unfurling of flags, the lighting of candles, the
giving of blood, the saying of prayers in English, Hebrew and Arabic. We’ve seen
the decency of a loving and giving people who have made the grief of strangers
their own.
My fellow citizens, for the last nine days, the entire world has seen for
itself the state of our union, and it is strong.
(Sustained applause.)
Tonight we are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our
grief has turned to anger and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies
to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.
(Applause.)
I thank the Congress for its leadership at such an important time. All of
America was touched on the evening of the tragedy to see Republicans and
Democrats joined together on the steps of this Capitol singing "God Bless
America." And you did more than sing. You acted, by delivering $40 billion to
rebuild our communities and meet the needs of our military.
Speaker Hastert, Minority Leader Gephardt, Majority Leader Daschle, and
Senator Lott, I thank you for your friendship, for your leadership, and for your
service to our country. (Applause.)
And on behalf of the American people, I thank the world for its outpouring of
support. America will never forget the sounds of our national anthem playing at
Buckingham Palace, on the streets of Paris and at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate. We
will not forget South Korean children gathering to pray outside our embassy in
Seoul, or the prayers of sympathy offered at a mosque in Cairo. We will not
forget moments of silence and days of mourning in Australia and Africa and Latin
America.
Nor will we forget the citizens of 80 other nations who died with our own.
Dozens of Pakistanis. More than 130 Israelis. More than 250 citizens of India.
Men and women from El Salvador, Iran, Mexico and Japan, and hundreds of British
citizens. America has no truer friend than Great Britain. (Applause.) Once again
we are joined together in a great cause. I’m so honored the British Prime
Minister has crossed an ocean to show his unity with America. Thank you for
coming, friend. (Applause.)
On September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war
against our country. Americans have known wars, but for the past 136 years they
have been wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941.
Americans have known the casualties of war, but not at the center of a great
city on a peaceful morning. Americans have known surprise attacks, but never
before on thousands of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in single day,
and night fell on a different world; a world where freedom itself is under
attack. Americans have many questions tonight. Americans are asking, "Who
attacked our country?" The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection
of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as al Qaeda. They are
some of the murderers indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and
Kenya, and responsible for bombing the USS Cole. Al Qaeda is to terror what the
Mafia is to crime. But its goal is not making money. Its goal is remaking the
world and imposing its radical beliefs on people everywhere.
The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that has been
rejected by Muslim scholars and the vast majority of Muslim clerics, a fringe
movement that perverts the peaceful teaching of Islam. The terrorist directive
commands them to kill Christian and Jews, to kill all Americans, and make no
distinctions among military and civilians, including women and children.
This group and its leader, a person named Osama bin Laden, are linked to many
other organizations in different countries including the Egyptian Islamic Jihad,
and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan.
There are thousands of these terrorists in more than 60 countries. They are
recruited from their own nations and neighborhoods and brought to camps in
places like Afghanistan where they are trained in the tactics of terror. They
are sent back to their homes or sent to hide in countries around the world to
plot evil and destruction.
The leadership of al Qaeda has great influence in Afghanistan and supports
the Taliban regime in controlling most of that country. In Afghanistan we see al
Qaeda’s vision for the world. Afghanistan’s people have been brutalized. Many
are starving and many have fled. Women are not allowed to attend school. You can
be jailed for owning a television. Religion can be practiced only as their
leaders dictate. A man can be jailed in Afghanistan if his beard is not long
enough.
The United States respects the people of Afghanistan. After all, we are
currently its largest source of humanitarian aid. But we condemn the Taliban
regime.
(Applause.)
It is not only repressing its own people, it is threatening people everywhere
by sponsoring and sheltering and supplying terrorists. By aiding and abetting
murder, the Taliban regime is committing murder. And tonight, the United States
of America makes the following demands on the Taliban:
Deliver to United States authorities all the leaders of al Qaeda who hide in
your land. (Applause.)
Release all foreign nationals, including American citizens you have unjustly
imprisoned.
Protect foreign journalists, diplomats and aid workers in your country.
Close immediately and permanently every terrorist training camp in
Afghanistan, and hand over every terrorist and every person in their support
structure to appropriate authorities. (Applause.)
Give the United States full access to terrorist training camps so we can make
sure they are no longer operating.
These demands are not open to negotiation or discussion. (Applause.)
The Taliban must act and act immediately. They will hand over the terrorists,
or they will share in their fate.
I also want to speak tonight directly to Muslims throughout the world. We
respect your faith. It’s practiced freely by many millions of Americans, and by
millions more in countries that America counts as friends. Its teachings are
good and peaceful, and those who commit evil in the name of Allah blaspheme the
name of Allah. The terrorists -- (applause) -- the terrorists are traitors to
their own faith, trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself. The enemy of America
is not our many Muslim friends. It is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a
radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them.
(Applause.)
Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will
not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and
defeated. (Applause.)
Americans are asking, "Why do they hate us?" They hate what they see right
here in this chamber, a democratically-elected government. Their leaders are
self-appointed. They hate our freedoms: Our freedom of religion, our freedom of
speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other. They want
to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries, such as Egypt, Saudi
Arabia and Jordan. They want to drive Israel out of the Middle East. They want
to drive Christians and Jews out of vast regions of Asia and Africa.
These terrorists kill not merely to end lives but to disrupt and end a way of
life. With every atrocity, they hope that America grows fearful, retreating from
the world and forsaking our friends.
They stand against us because we stand in their way.
We’re not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind
before. They are the heirs of the murderous ideologies of the 20th
century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions, by abandoning
every value except the will to power, they follow in the path of fascism, Nazism
and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all they way to where it
ends: in history's unmarked graves of discarded lies. (Sustained applause.)
Americans are asking, "How will we fight and win this war?" We will direct
every resource at our command, every means of diplomacy, every tool of
intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence,
and every necessary weapon of war to the disruption and to the defeat of the
global terror network.
Now, this war will not be like the war against Iraq a decade ago, with the
decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion.
It will not look like the air war above Kosovo two years ago where no ground
troops were used and not a single American was lost in combat. Our response
involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes. Americans
should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign unlike any other we have
ever seen.
It may include dramatic strikes visible on TV and covert operations, secret
even in success. We will starve terrorists of funding, turn them one against
another, drive them from place to place until there is no refuge or no rest, and
we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation
in every region now has a decision to make: either you are with us or you are
with the terrorists.
(Applause.)
From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support
terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.
Our nation has been put on notice. We’re not immune from attack. We will take
defensive measures against terrorism to protect Americans. Today, dozens of
federal departments and agencies, as well as state and local governments, have
responsibilities affecting homeland security. These efforts must be coordinated
at the highest level. So tonight I announce the creation of a Cabinet-level
position, reporting directly to me -- the Office of Homeland Security. And
tonight I also announce a distinguished American to lead this effort to
strengthen American security, a military veteran, an effective governor, a true
patriot, a trusted friend -- Pennsylvania’s Tom Ridge. (Cheers and applause.) He
will lead, oversee and coordinate a comprehensive national strategy to safeguard
our country against terrorism and respond to any attacks that may come.
These measures are essential. The only way to defeat terrorism as a threat to
our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it and destroy it where it grows.
(Applause.)
Many will be involved in this effort, from FBI agents, to intelligence
operatives to the reservists we have called to active duty. All deserve our
thanks, and all have our prayers. And tonight, a few miles from the damaged
Pentagon, I have a message for our military: Be ready. I’ve called the armed
forces to alert, and there is a reason. The hour is coming when America will
act, and you will make us proud. (Applause.)
This is not, however, just America’s fight. And what is at stake is not just
America’s freedom. This is the world’s fight. This is civilization’s fight. This
is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and
freedom. We ask every nation to join us. We will ask and we will need the help
of police forces, intelligence service and banking systems around the world. The
United States is grateful that many nations and many international organizations
have already responded with sympathy and with support.
Perhaps the NATO charter reflects best the attitude of the world: An attack
on one is an attack on all.
The civilized world is rallying to America’s side. They understand that if
this terror goes unpunished, their own cities, their own citizens may be next.
Terror unanswered can not only bring down buildings, it can threaten the
stability of legitimate governments. And you know what? We’re not going to allow
it.
(Applause.)
Americans are asking, "What is expected of us?" I ask you to live your lives
and hug your children. I know many citizens have fears tonight, and I ask you to
be calm and resolute, even in the face of a continuing threat. I ask you to
uphold the values of America and remember why so many have come here. We are in
a fight for our principles, and our first responsibility is to live by them. No
one should be singled out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their
ethnic background or religious faith.
(Applause.)
I ask you to continue to support the victims of this tragedy with your
contributions. Those who want to give can go to a central source of information, LibertyUnites.org, to find the names of groups providing
direct help in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The thousands of FBI agents who are now at work in this investigation may
need your cooperation. And I ask you to give it. I ask for your patience with
the delays and inconveniences that may accompany tighter security. And for your
patience in what will be a long struggle.
I ask your continued participation and confidence in the American economy.
Terrorists attacked a symbol of American prosperity. They did not touch its
source. America’s successful because of the hard work and creativity and
enterprise of our people. These were the true strengths of our economy before
September 11th, and they are our strengths today. (Applause.)
And finally, please continue praying for the victims of terror and their
families, for those in uniform, and for our great country. Prayer has comforted
us in sorrow and will help strengthen us for the journey ahead.
Tonight I thank my fellow Americans for what you have already done and for
what you will do. And ladies and gentlemen of the Congress, I thank you, their
representatives, for what you have already done and for what we will do
together.
Tonight we face new and sudden national challenges. We will come together to
improve air safety, to dramatically expand the number of air marshals on
domestic flights, and take new measures to prevent hijacking. We will come
together to promote stability and keep our airlines flying with direct
assistance during this emergency. (Applause.) We will come together to live—to
give law enforcement the additional tools it needs to track down terror here at
home. (Applause.) We will come together to strengthen our intelligence
capabilities to know the plans of terrorists before they act, and to find them
before they strike. (Applause.)
We will come together to take active steps that strengthen America’s economy
and put our people back to work.
Tonight we welcome two leaders who embody the extraordinary spirit of all New
Yorkers: Governor George Pataki and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. (Cheers; applause.)
As a symbol of America’s resolve, my administration will work with Congress and
these two leaders to show the world that we will rebuild New York City.
(Applause.)
After all that has just passed, all the lives taken and all the possibilities
and hopes that died with them, it is natural to wonder if America’s future is
one of fear. Some speak of an age of terror. I know there are struggles ahead
and dangers to face, but this country will define our times, not be defined by
them. As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this
will not be an age of terror. This will be an age of liberty here and across the
world.
(Applause.)
Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great loss. In our grief and
anger, we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fear are at war.
The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time and the great
hope of every time now depends on us. Our nation, this generation will lift the
dark threat of violence from our people and our future.
We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will
not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. (Applause.)
It is my hope that in the months and years ahead, life will return almost to
normal. We’ll go back to our lives and routines, and that is good. Even grief
recedes with time and grace. But our resolve must not pass.
Each of us will remember what happened that day and to whom it happened,
remember the moment the news came, where we were and what we were doing. Some
will remember an image of a fire or a story of rescue. Some will carry memories
of a face and a voice gone forever. And I will carry this. It is the police
shield of a man named George Howard, who died at the World Trade Center trying
to save others. It was given to me by his mom, Arlene, as a proud memorial to
her son. It is my reminder of lives that ended and a task that does not end.
(Applause.)
I will not forget the wound to our country and those who inflicted it. I will
not yield. I will not rest. I will not relent in waging this struggle for
freedom and security for the American people. The course of this conflict is not
known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have
always been at war, and we know that God is not neutral between them.
Fellow citizens -- (applause) -- fellow citizens, we’ll meet violence with
patient justice, assured of the rightness of our cause and confident of the
victories to come.
In all that lies before us, may God grant us wisdom, and may He watch over
the United States of America.
Thank you.
Pope Sends Condolences on American
Tragedy
Bishops' Statement on
American Tragedy
Commentary by Fr.
Frank: We Will Not Live in Fear
