For Immediate Release
May 21, 2005
President's Radio Address
Audio
THE PRESIDENT: 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.
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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, 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 Osama 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 fire power
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 60,000 to 70,000 uniformed
personnel, while still maintaining a significant overseas presence. It
will also allow us to reduce the stress on our military 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.
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