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US President George W. Bush
| | THE PRESIDENT:
Good morning.
Today we face two issues of vital importance for all Americans: growing
our economy and protecting our citizens from those who wish to do us harm.
So in the weeks ahead, I will continue to focus on ways to ensure that our
government takes the side of working families, and that America prevails
in the war on terror. As we take the steps necessary to achieve these
goals, we will make our future one of peace and prosperity.
Today
we have good reason to be optimistic about our economy. More Americans are
working today than at any time in our history. More Americans own their
homes than at any time in our history. More Americans are going to college
and own their own businesses than at any time in our history -- and a new
economic report shows that inflation is in check. Our policies have put us
on the track to growth, but leaders in Washington must not become
complacent. We need to work together to ensure that opportunity reaches
every corner of our great country.
Delivering opportunity means allowing families to keep more of the
money they earn. So we enacted the largest tax relief in a generation.
That is only a beginning. You need a reformed tax code that is simple,
fair, and easy to understand, and rewards your hard work and
entrepreneurial spirit. And Congress needs to do its part by making the
tax relief we passed permanent and burying the death tax forever.
Delivering opportunity also means adapting to the needs of a new
century. In this new century, American prosperity will increasingly depend
on our ability to sell our goods and services overseas, so we need to pass
initiatives like the Central American Dominican Republic Free Trade
Agreement to create a level playing field for American farmers and small
businesses. In this new century, Americans require a reliable and
affordable supply of energy. I proposed a comprehensive energy policy to
reduce our dependence on foreign oil. In this new century, Americans need
to know that if they work hard their whole lives, they will retire with
dignity, so we're working to save Social Security to ensure that the next
generation of retirees will be as secure in their retirement as today's
generation.
As we work to deliver opportunity at home, we're also keeping you safe
from threats from abroad. We went to war because we were attacked, and we
are at war today because there are still people out there who want to harm
our country and hurt our citizens. Some may disagree with my decision to
remove Saddam Hussein from power, but all of us can agree that the world's
terrorists have now made Iraq a central front in the war on terror. These
foreign terrorists violently oppose the rise of a free and democratic
Iraq, because they know that when we replace despair and hatred with
liberty and hope, they lose their recruiting grounds for terror.
Our troops are fighting these terrorists in Iraq so you will not have
to face them here at home. We mourn every one of these brave men and women
who have given his or her life for our liberty. The terrorists know they
cannot defeat our troops, so they seek to weaken our nation's resolve.
They know there is no room for them in a free and democratic Middle East,
so the terrorists and insurgents are trying to get us to retreat. Their
goal is to get us to leave before Iraqis have had a chance to show the
region what a government that is elected and truly accountable to its
citizens can do for its people.
Time and again, the Iraqi people have defied the skeptics who claim
they are not up to the job of building a free society. Nearly a year ago,
Iraqis showed they were ready to resume sovereignty. A few months ago,
Iraqis showed they could hold free elections. This week, Iraqis have
worked on an agreement to expand their constitutional drafting committee
to ensure that all communities are represented in the process. I am
confident that Iraqis will continue to defy the skeptics as they build a
new Iraq that represents the diversity of their nation and assumes greater
responsibility for their own security. And when they do, our troops can
come home with the honor they have earned.
This mission isn't easy, and it will not be accomplished overnight.
We're fighting a ruthless enemy that relishes the killing of innocent men,
women, and children. By making their stand in Iraq, the terrorists have
made Iraq a vital test for the future security of our country and the free
world. We will settle for nothing less than victory.
I'll continue to act to keep our people safe from harm and our future
bright. Together we will do what Americans have always done: build a
better and more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren.
Thank you for listening. | 
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