By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
President Bush today used Veterans Day, a day originally designated to commemorate victory in World War I, as an opportunity to reaffirm the United States' commitment to seeing the war on terror through to victory.
| It'll be ignored as just another speech, most likely... |
"The nation has made a clear choice," the president told a gathering of servicemembers, veterans and family members at Tobyhanna Army Depot, Pa. "We will not tire or rest until the war on terror is won."
| Some parts of the nation won't tire or rest. Other parts of the nation have long since done so, and still other parts of the nation wanted no part of it to start with, though, assuming we win, they'll be standing in line to take credit when it's over. |
Bush condemned terrorists who attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, and have continued to spread violence around the world, using what he called "a litany of excuses" to justify it. The United States did not invite the attacks it suffered, the president said, dismissing claims that the U.S. presence in Iraq has fueled the terrorists' efforts. "We were not in Iraq on Sept. 11, 2001," the president reminded the group. "The hatred of the radicals existed before Iraq was an issue, and it will exist after Iraq is no longer an excuse. No act of ours invited the rage of killers and no concession, bribe or act of appeasement would change or limit their plans for murder."
| That's because they intend to rule the world. We're the biggest obstacle. The wonderful world of turbans is at least partly on their side, with a significant fifth column in place. The non-Muslim Far East and the Hispanic world are trying to ignore the danger. Africa's inconsequential. And Europe's inconsequential in a different manner. |
Rather, he said, terrorists will prey on any indication of weakness or loss of will among Americans and the coalition. He cited an intercepted letter from Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, intended to reach Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, al Qaeda's leader in Iraq, that referred to the U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam in the 1970s as a model for a future retreat from Iraq. Toward that end and terrorists' ultimate political goals, he said, there's little doubt that they will carry out future attacks, as evidenced by deadly bombings this week in Baghdad and Amman, Jordan.
| They have no ideas other than attack. They're pure, distilled malevolence. |
He cited success of the strategy aimed at preventing those attacks by eliminating terrorist networks and their ability to inflict violence. "This progress has reduced the danger to free nations, but it has not removed it," he said.
| Of course not. We're in the middle of it, and it's particularly hard on the Iraqis. But Afghanistan is free, Libya's thrown in the towel, and even the Pak krazed killers have dropped off to next to nothing, at least for Pakland. |
Meanwhile, Bush said, another kind of attack is under way in the United States -- what he called "baseless attacks" about the rationale that led to U.S. operations in Iraq.
| That's the part that disgusts me. It's pure politix, and the same campaign is under way in Britain and until recently in Australia. |
The president acknowledged the right of all Americans to voice opinions about what led to the war or how that war is being carried out. But he called it "deeply irresponsible to rewrite the history of how that war began."
| It's also deeply irresponsible to be on the other side, but many of those who've been loudest in their denunciations have been against both the Afghan and Iraq wars. |
"The stakes in the global war on terror are too high and the national interest is too important for politicians to throw out false charges," he said.
| A certain kind of political hack confuses his party's advantage with the national interest. Much of the congressional opposition includes that kind of hack. Yet another kind of hack does most anything to get along and protect his seat. A certain proportion of what you'd expect to be loyalists in Congress are that kind of hack. I think it's a law of nature. |
Political attacks send the wrong message to U.S. troops fighting the war on terror and mixed messages to enemies judging America's will to stay the course, the president said. U.S. troops deserve a clear understanding that their nation is behind them and that this support won't bow to political winds, he said. "As our troops fight a ruthless enemy determined to destroy your way of life, they deserve to know that their elected leaders who voted to send them to war continue to stand behind them," he said.
| Some are standing so far behind them as to be out of sight, though not out of earshot... |
"Our troops deserve to know that this support will remain firm when the going gets tough. And our troops deserve to know that whatever our differences in Washington, our will is strong, our nation is united, and we will settle for nothing less than victory."
| Unfortunately, for some of us our will is strong and for others of us the will is weak as water, and for still others they're trying to ignore the whole thing in the hope it'll go away. |
Bush acknowledged that the road ahead won't be easy but said the coalition strategy in Iraq is working. Iraq is showing solid progress on the political and security fronts, paving the way for the United States to ultimately bring its troops home, he said. "As Iraqis stand up, the United States will stand down," he said.
| That's the way it's supposed to be. What's gonna happen is that when we do start standing down, the opposition will bitch as loud as they can that it's not fast enough. As we actually conduct an orderly withdrawl, hopefully not to zero troop strength, they'll be trying to turn it into a rout. That's because they've Learned the Lessons of Vietnam™ and they know that's the way wars end. |
Meanwhile, Bush said, the best way the United States can honor its troops, particularly those who have died in the war, is to stay the course to achieve the goals for which they sacrificed. "The best way to honor the sacrifice of our fallen troops is to complete the mission and to lay the foundation of peace for generations to come," he said. |