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President Bush’s first State of the Union
address on 29 Jan 2002 was his most important speech yet. His naming of Iran, Iraq and North Korea as an “Axis
of Evil”, like Reagan’s characterisation of communist Russia as an “Evil
Empire” will define his foreign policy.
Here is the full text. “Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of
Congress, distinguished guests, fellow citizens, as we gather tonight, our
nation is at war, our economy is in recession and the civilized world faces
unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our union has never been stronger. We last met in an hour of shock and suffering. In
four short months, our nation has comforted the victims, begun to rebuild New
York and the Pentagon, rallied a great coalition, captured, arrested and rid the
world of thousands of terrorists, destroyed Afghanistan's terrorist training
camps, saved a people from starvation and freed a country from brutal
oppression. The American flag flies again over our embassy in
Kabul. Terrorists who once occupied Afghanistan now occupy cells at Guantanamo
Bay. And terrorist leaders who urged followers to sacrifice their lives are
running for their own. America and Afghanistan are now allies against
terror. We will be partners in rebuilding that country. And this evening we
welcome the distinguished interim leader of a liberated Afghanistan: Chairman
Hamid Karzai. The last time we met in this chamber, the mothers
and daughters of Afghanistan were captives in their own homes, forbidden from
working or going to school. Today women are free, and are part of Afghanistan's
new government. And we welcome the new minister of women's affairs, Dr. Sima
Samar. Our progress is a tribute to the spirit of the
Afghan people, to the resolve of our coalition and to the might of the United
States military. When I called our troops into action, I did so with
complete confidence in their courage and skill. And tonight, thanks to them, we
are winning the war on terror. The men and women of our armed forces have
delivered a message now clear to every enemy of the United States: Even 7,000
miles away, across oceans and continents, on mountaintops and in caves you will
not escape the justice of this nation. For many Americans, these four months have brought
sorrow and pain that will never completely go away. Every day a retired
firefighter returns to Ground Zero to feel closer to his two sons who died
there. At a memorial in New York, a little boy left his football with a note for
his lost father: "Dear Daddy, please take this to Heaven. I don't want to
play football until I can play with you again someday." Last month, at the
grave of her husband, Michael, a CIA officer and Marine who died in Mazar-e
Sharif, Shannon Spann said these words of farewell: "Semper fi, my
love." Shannon is with us tonight. Shannon, I assure you and all who have lost a loved
one that our cause is just, and our country will never forget the debt we owe Michael and all who gave their lives for freedom. Our cause is just, and it continues. Our
discoveries in Afghanistan confirmed our worst fears and showed us the true
scope of the task ahead. We have seen the depth of our enemies' hatred in videos
where they laugh about the loss of innocent life. And the depth of their hatred is equaled by the
madness of the destruction they design. We have found diagrams of American
nuclear power plants and public water facilities, detailed instructions for
making chemical weapons, surveillance maps of American cities, and thorough
descriptions of landmarks in America and throughout the world. What we have found in Afghanistan confirms that,
far from ending there, our war against terror is only beginning. Most of the 19
men who hijacked planes on September the 11th were trained in Afghanistan's
camps. And so were tens of thousands of others. Thousands of dangerous killers,
schooled in the methods of murder, often supported by outlaw regimes, are now
spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs, set to go off without
warning. Thanks to the work of our law enforcement officials
and coalition partners, hundreds of terrorists have been arrested, yet tens of
thousands of trained terrorists are still at large. These enemies view the
entire world as a battlefield, and we must pursue them wherever they are. So
long as training camps operate, so long as nations harbor terrorists, freedom is
at risk and America and our allies must not, and will not, allow it. Our nation will continue to be steadfast, and
patient and persistent in the pursuit of two great objectives. First, we will
shut down terrorist camps, disrupt terrorist plans and bring terrorists to
justice. And second, we must prevent the terrorists and regimes who seek
chemical, biological or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and
the world. Our military has put the terror training camps of
Afghanistan out of business, yet camps still exist in at least a dozen
countries. A terrorist underworld -- including groups like Hamas, Hezbollah,
Islamic Jihad and Jaish-i-Mohammed -- operates in remote jungles and deserts,
and hides in the centers of large cities. While the most visible military action is in
Afghanistan, America is acting elsewhere. We now have troops in the Philippines helping to
train that country's armed forces to go after terrorist cells that have executed
an American and still hold hostages. Our soldiers, working with the Bosnian
government, seized terrorists who were plotting to bomb our embassy. Our Navy is
patrolling the coast of Africa to block the shipment of weapons and the
establishment of terrorist camps in Somalia. My hope is that all nations will heed our call and
eliminate the terrorist parasites who threaten their countries and our own. Many nations are acting forcefully. Pakistan is now
cracking down on terror, and I admire the strong leadership of President
Musharraf. But some governments will be timid in the face of terror. And make no
mistake about it: If they do not act, America will. Our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor
terror from threatening America or our friends and allies with weapons of mass
destruction. Some of these regimes have been pretty quiet since
September 11, but we know their true nature. North Korea is a regime arming with
missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while starving its citizens. Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports
terror, while an unelected few repress the Iranian people's hope for freedom. Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward
America and to support terror. The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax
and nerve gas and nuclear weapons for over a decade. This is a regime that has
already used poison gas to murder thousands of its own citizens, leaving the
bodies of mothers huddled over their dead children. This is a regime that agreed
to international inspections then kicked out the inspectors. This is a regime
that has something to hide from the civilized world. States like these, and their terrorist allies,
constitute an axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world. By
seeking weapons of mass destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing
danger. They could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to
match their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the
United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be
catastrophic. We will work closely with our coalition to deny
terrorists and their state sponsors the materials, technology and expertise to
make and deliver weapons of mass destruction. We will develop and deploy effective missile
defenses to protect America and our allies from sudden attack. And all nations should know: America will do what
is necessary to ensure our nation's security. We'll be deliberate, yet time is not on our side. I
will not wait on events while dangers gather. I will not stand by as peril draws
closer and closer. The United States of America will not permit the world's most
dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons. Our war on terror is well begun, but it is only
begun. This campaign may not be finished on our watch, yet it must be and it
will be waged on our watch. We can't stop short. If we stopped now, leaving
terror camps intact and terror states unchecked, our sense of security would be
false and temporary. History has called America and our allies to action, and it
is both our responsibility and our privilege to fight freedom's fight. Our first priority must always be the security of
our nation, and that will be reflected in the budget I send to Congress. My
budget supports three great goals for America: We will win this war, we will
protect our homeland, and we will revive our economy. September 11 brought out the best in America and
the best in this Congress, and I join the American people in applauding your
unity and resolve. Now Americans deserve to have this same spirit directed
toward addressing problems here at home. I am a proud member of my party. Yet as we act to
win the war, protect our people and create jobs in America, we must act first
and foremost not as Republicans, not as Democrats, but as Americans. It costs a lot to fight this war. We have spent
more than a billion dollars a month -- over $30 million a day -- and we must be
prepared for future operations. Afghanistan proved that expensive precision
weapons defeat the enemy and spare innocent lives, and we need more of them. We
need to replace aging aircraft and make our military more agile to put our
troops anywhere in the world quickly and safely. Our men and women in uniform deserve the best
weapons, the best equipment and the best training and they also deserve another
pay raise. My budget includes the largest increase in defense spending in two
decades, because while the price of freedom and security is high, it is never
too high. Whatever it costs to defend our country, we will pay. The next priority of my budget is to do everything
possible to protect our citizens and strengthen our nation against the ongoing
threat of another attack. Time and distance from the events of September the
11th will not make us safer unless we act on its lessons. America is no longer
protected by vast oceans. We are protected from attack only by vigorous action
abroad and increased vigilance at home. My budget nearly doubles funding for a sustained
strategy of homeland security, focused on four key areas: bioterrorism;
emergency response; airport and border security; and improved intelligence. We will develop vaccines to fight anthrax and other
deadly diseases. We'll increase funding to help states and communities train and
equip our heroic police and firefighters. We will improve intelligence collection and
sharing, expand patrols at our borders, strengthen the security of air travel,
and use technology to track the arrivals and departures of visitors to the
United States. Homeland security will make America not only
stronger but in many ways better. Knowledge gained from bioterrorism research
will improve public health. Stronger police and fire departments will mean safer
neighborhoods. Stricter border enforcement will help combat illegal drugs. And as government works to better secure our
homeland, America will continue to depend on the eyes and ears of alert
citizens. A few days before Christmas, an airline flight attendant spotted a
passenger lighting a match. The crew and passengers quickly subdued the man, who
had been trained by al Qaeda and was armed with explosives. The people on that
airplane were alert, and as a result likely saved nearly 200 lives. And tonight
we welcome and thank flight attendants Hermis Moutardier and Christina Jones. Once we have funded our national security and our
homeland security, the final great priority of my budget is economic security
for the American people. To achieve these great national objectives -- to win
the war, protect the homeland and revitalize our economy -- our budget will run
a deficit that will be small and short term so long as Congress restrains
spending and acts in a fiscally responsible way. Americans who have lost their jobs need our help,
and I support extending unemployment benefits and direct assistance for health
care coverage. Yet American workers want more than unemployment checks. They
want a steady paycheck. When America works, America prospers, so my
economic security plan can be summed up in one word: jobs. Good jobs begin with
good schools, and here we've made a fine start. Republicans and Democrats worked
together to achieve historic education reform so that no child is left behind. I
was proud to work with members of both parties, Chairman John Boehner and
Congressman George Miller, Senator Judd Gregg. And I was so proud of our work I
even had nice things to say about my friend Ted Kennedy. There's more to do. We need to prepare our children
to read and succeed in school with improved Head Start and early childhood
development programs. We must upgrade our teacher colleges and teacher training
and launch a major recruiting drive with a great goal for America: a quality
teacher in every classroom. Good jobs also depend on reliable and affordable
energy. This Congress must act to encourage conservation, promote technology,
build infrastructure, and it must act to increase energy production at home so
America is less dependent on foreign oil. Good jobs depend on expanded trade. Selling into
new markets creates new jobs, so I ask Congress to finally approve trade
promotion authority. On these two key issues, trade and energy, the
House of Representatives has acted to create jobs and I urge the Senate to pass
this legislation. Good jobs depend on sound tax policy. Last year,
some in this hall thought my tax relief plan was too small, some thought it was
too big. But when those checks arrived in the mail, most Americans thought tax
relief was just about right. Congress listened to the people and responded by
reducing tax rates, doubling the child credit and ending the death tax. For the
sake of long-term growth, and to help Americans plan for the future, let's make
these tax cuts permanent. The way out of this recession, the way to create
jobs, is to grow the economy by encouraging investment in factories and
equipment, and by speeding up tax relief so people have more money to spend. For
the sake of American workers, let's pass a stimulus package. Good jobs must be
the aim of welfare reform. As we reauthorize these important reforms, we must
always remember: The goal is to reduce dependency on government and offer every
American the dignity of a job. Americans know economic security can vanish in an
instant without health security. I ask Congress to join me this year to enact a
Patients' Bill of Rights to give uninsured workers credits to help buy health
coverage, to approve an historic increase in spending for veterans' health and
to give seniors a sound and modern Medicare system that includes coverage for
prescription drugs. A good job job should lto security in retirement. I
ask Congress to enact new safeguards for 401(k) and pension plans. Employees who
have worked hard and saved all their lives should not have to risk losing
everything if their company fails. Through stricter accounting standards and tougher
disclosure requirements, corporate America must be made more accountable to
employees and shareholders and held to the highest standards of conduct. Retirement security also depends upon keeping the
commitments of Social Security, and we will. We must make Social Security
financially stable and allow personal retirement accounts for younger workers
who choose them. Members, you and I will work together in the months
ahead on other issues: productive farm policy, a cleaner environment, broader
home ownership, especially among minorities and ways to encourage the good work
of charities and faith-based groups. I ask you to join me on these important domestic
issues in the same spirit of cooperation we have applied to our war against
terrorism. During these last few months, I've been humbled and
privileged to see the true character of this country in a time of testing. Our
enemies believed America was weak and materialistic, that we would splinter in
fear and selfishness. They were as wrong as they are evil. The American people
have responded magnificently, with courage and compassion, strength and resolve.
As I have met the heroes, hugged the families and looked into the tired faces of
rescuers, I have stood in awe of the American people. And I hope you will join me in expressing thanks to
one American for the strength and calm and comfort she brings to our nation in
crisis: our first lady, Laura Bush. None of us would ever wish the evil that was done
on September 11th, yet after America was attacked, it was as if our entire
country looked into a mirror and saw our better selves. We were reminded that we
are citizens, with obligations to each other, to our country and to history. We
began to think less of the goods we can accumulate and more about the good we
can do. For too long our culture has said, "If it
feels good, do it." Now America is embracing a new ethic and a new creed:
"Let's roll." In the sacrifice of soldiers, the fierce brotherhood of
firefighters, and the bravery and generosity of ordinary citizens, we have
glimpsed what a new culture of responsibility could look like. We want to be a
Nation that serves goals larger than self. We have been offered a unique
opportunity, and we must not let this moment pass. My call tonight is for every American to commit at
least two years, 4,000 hours over the rest of your lifetime, to the service of
your neighbors and your nation. Many are already serving and I thank you. If you
aren't sure how to help, I've got a good place to start. To sustain and extend
the best that has emerged in America, I invite you to join the new USA Freedom
Corps. The Freedom Corps will focus on three areas of
need: responding in case of crisis at home, rebuilding our communities, and
extending American compassion throughout the world. One purpose of the USA
Freedom Corps will be homeland security. America needs retired doctors and
nurses who can be mobilized in major emergencies ... volunteers to help police
and fire departments, transportation and utility workers well-trained in
spotting danger. Our country also needs citizens working to rebuild
our communities. We need mentors to love children, especially children whose
parents are in prison, and we need more talented teachers in troubled schools.
USA Freedom Corps will expand and improve the good efforts of AmeriCorps and
Senior Corps to recruit more than 200,000 new volunteers. And America needs citizens to extend the compassion
of our country to every part of the world. So we will renew the promise of the
Peace Corps, double its volunteers over the next five years, and ask it to join
a new effort to encourage development, and education, and opportunity in the
Islamic world. This time of adversity offers a unique moment of
opportunity, a moment we must seize to change our culture. Through the gathering
momentum of millions of acts of service and decency and kindness, I know: We can
overcome evil with greater good. And we have a great opportunity during this time of
war to lead the world toward the values that will bring lasting peace. All
fathers and mothers, in all societies, want their children to be educated and
live free from poverty and violence. No people on Earth yearn to be oppressed,
or aspire to servitude, or eagerly await the midnight knock of the secret
police. If anyone doubts this, let them look to
Afghanistan, where the Islamic "street" greeted the fall of tyranny
with song and celebration. Let the skeptics look to Islam's own rich history --
with its centuries of learning, and tolerance, and progress. America will lead by defending liberty and justice
because they are right and true and unchanging for all people everywhere. No
nation owns these aspirations, and no nation is exempt from them. We have no
intention of imposing our culture -- but America will always stand firm for the
non-negotiable demands of human dignity: the rule of law ... limits on the power
of the state ... respect for women ... private property ... free speech ...
equal justice ... and religious tolerance. America will take the side of brave men and women
who advocate these values around the world -- including the Islamic world --
because we have a greater objective than eliminating threats and containing
resentment. We seek a just and peaceful world beyond the war on terror. In this moment of opportunity, a common danger is
erasing old rivalries. America is working with Russia, China, and India in ways
we never have before to achieve peace and prosperity. In every region, free
markets and free trade and free societies are proving their power to lift lives.
Together with friends and allies from Europe to Asia, from Africa to Latin
America, we will demonstrate that the forces of terror cannot stop the momentum
of freedom. The last time I spoke here, I expressed the hope
that life would return to normal. In some ways, it has. In others, it never
will. Those of us who have lived through these challenging times have been
changed by them. We've come to know truths that we will never question: Evil is
real, and it must be opposed. Beyond all differences of race or creed, we are one
country, mourning together and facing danger together. Deep in the American
character, there is honor, and it is stronger than cynicism. Many have
discovered again that even in tragedy, especially in tragedy, God is near. In a single instant, we realized that this will be
a decisive decade in the history of liberty -- that we have been called to a
unique role in human events. Rarely has the world faced a choice more clear or
consequential. Our enemies send other people's children on
missions of suicide and murder. They embrace tyranny and death as a cause and a
creed. We stand for a different choice -- made long ago, on the day of our
founding. We affirm it again today. We choose freedom and the dignity of every
life. Steadfast in our purpose, we now press on. We have
known freedom's price. We have shown freedom's power. And in this great
conflict, my fellow Americans, we will see freedom's victory. Thank you, thank you all, and may God bless.” |
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