Bush Addresses Nation on Terror War
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By SONYA ROSS, Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA (AP) - President Bush (news - web sites) assured an uneasy nation Thursday night that the United States will prevail against terrorists and said Americans should not ``give in to exaggerated fears or passing rumors'' of future attacks.
In a prime-time address about ``our great national challenge,'' the president told Americans to turn their fears into action: Volunteer in hospitals, schools, homeless shelters and at military facilities or train for emergency service work and join a new national civil defense force.
``We have entered a new era. This new era requires new responsibilities - both for the government and our people,'' the president told a crowd of 5,000, most of whom were police, postal workers, firefighters and other uniformed public servants. ``Become a September 11th volunteer.''
He was interrupted by applause more than 25 times in his 32-minute speech.
Nearly two months after the hijacker attacks in New York and Washington, Bush conceded that his administration does not know who unleashed anthrax in the U.S. mail. Nor did he offer hope that U.S. troops would soon find Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) and unravel his Afghanistan (news - web sites)-based terrorist network.
But he confidently predicted eventual victory abroad - ``We will persevere in this struggle, no matter how long it takes to prevail'' - and lauded Americans for their actions at home.
``We are a different country than we were on September 10th: sadder and less innocent; stronger and more united; and in the face of ongoing threats, determined and courageous,'' the president said.
Bush asked Americans to ``add your eyes and ears to our efforts'' to prevent terrorism. ``A terrorism alert is not a signal to stop your life,'' Bush said. ``It is a call to be vigilant.''
The audience's loudest applause came at the end, when he praised the actions of passengers who fought with hijackers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 before it crashed into a Pennsylvania field. Bush recalled the words of Todd Beamer, a 32-year-old businessman and Sunday school teacher, who was overheard on a cell phone to say, ``Let's roll'' as passengers charged the terrorists.
``We cannot know every turn this battle will take. Yet we know our cause is just and our ultimate victory is assured,'' Bush said. ``We will no doubt face new challenges. But we have our marching orders: My fellow Americans, let's roll.''
The address was billed as an update on the war in Afghanistan, the anthrax scares at home and the new responsibilities of government and all Americans. He also outlined actions the government has taken to strengthen homeland security, including deploying National Guard troops to airports and giving law enforcement authorities more powers.
On Friday, Bush was announcing an increase in the use of National Guard personnel for airport security, possibly including the stationing of guardsmen at airport boarding gates.
``We are a nation awakened to danger,'' Bush said.
``There is a difference between being alert and being intimidated,'' Bush said. ``This nation will not be intimidated.''
The president heightened his anti-Taliban rhetoric, saying a desire to ``kill all Americans, kill all Jews, and kill all Christians'' - while mistreating its own people - is a central goal of the ruling militia in Afghanistan.
``When the terrorists and their supporters are gone, the people of Afghanistan will say with the rest of the world: 'Good riddance,''' Bush said.
He spoke in Atlanta, chosen because it is home to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites), which has been at the forefront of the fight against the anthrax outbreak.
Recognizing in polls a desire by Americans to get involved in the struggle against terrorism, the president suggested ways people can serve their country. He urged people to head into ``careers of service,'' such as firefighting or police work.
Bush announced that the national service groups created by former President Clinton (news - web sites) in 1993, AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, would provide more than 20,000 government-subsidized volunteers to help police, fire and public health departments and ``free up'' the professionals for work on the front lines of homeland defense.
Bush also created a task force on citizen preparedness, which will have 40 days to give him recommendations on helping Americans protect their homes, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces from future attacks.
``One way to defeat terrorism is to show the world the true values of America through the gathering momentum of millions of acts of responsibility and decency and service,'' he said.
Bush asked states to help develop a modern civil defense service. The program would be modeled after volunteer firefighter programs, which provide trained, equipped firefighters.
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Only someone who disagrees witht he goals of this war would think it was staged. 93% of Americans agree 100% with the goals. And I think that number is too low. |
