Fighting a Global War on Terror

"The terrorists want to attack our country and harm our citizens. They believe that the world's democracies are weak, and that by killing innocent civilians they can break our will. They're mistaken. America will not retreat in the face of terrorists and murderers. And neither will the free world. As Prime Minister Blair said after the attacks in London, 'Our determination to defend our values and our way of life is greater than their determination to cause death and destruction to innocent people.' The attack in London was an attack on the civilized world. And the civilized world is united in its resolve: We will not yield. We will defend our freedom."

-- President George W. Bush
FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia
July 11, 2005

America Has A Clear Strategy For Victory In The War On Terror.

• America Must Fight The Enemy Abroad, So We Do Not Have To Face Them Here At Home. By using every available tool to keep the enemy on the run, America's Armed Forces can ensure that terrorists spend their days trying to avoid capture, not planning their next attack.

• The United States Must Deny Terrorists Sanctuary And The Support Of States. By helping friendly governments control their territory and by making it clear to outlaw regimes that providing safe haven to terrorists will not be tolerated, the United States can limit the infrastructure terrorists have at their disposal to plan and carry out attacks.

• Mass Murderers Must Not Obtain Weapons Of Mass Destruction. The United States must prevent terrorists from obtaining nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. This must be a global effort involving many countries.

• Freedom And Hope Will Defeat An Ideology Of Hate. Through the spread of democracy, the United States can help deny terrorists the ideological victories they seek. Free nations do not support terrorists or invade their neighbors. By advancing the cause of liberty across the world, we will make the world more peaceful and America more secure.

Since September 11th, America Has Made Great Strides In Winning The War On Terror.

• The United States Has Removed Brutal Regimes In Afghanistan And Iraq That Harbored Terrorists And Threatened America. Fifty million people were liberated in the process, and both Afghanistan and Iraq have chosen leaders in free elections.

• Across The World, Liberty Is On The March. In the last 18 months, we have witnessed a Purple Revolution in Iraq, an Orange Revolution in Ukraine, a Rose Revolution in Georgia, a Tulip Revolution in Kyrgyzstan, and a Cedar Revolution in Lebanon.

• The World's Most Dangerous Nuclear Trading Network Has Been Shut Down. The United States has launched the Proliferation Security Initiative, a global effort involving 60 countries to stop shipments of weapons of mass destruction. The black-market network that supplied nuclear weapons technology to North Korea, Libya, and Iran has been shut down, and the government of Libya has even agreed to abandon its nuclear weapons program and rejoin a community of nations.

• In The Last Few Weeks, U.S. Forces Have Captured A Number Of Key Terrorists. In Pakistan, one of Osama Bin Laden’s senior terrorist leaders, al-Libbi, was brought to justice. Earlier this week, in Iraq, U.S. forces captured two senior operatives of the terrorist Zarqawi. America has also killed or captured hundreds of terrorists and insurgents near the Syrian border and in a series of raids throughout Baghdad.

The United States Must Transform The Military With New Technologies That Will Make Our Armed Forces Faster, Lighter, And More Lethal. The President will ensure the U.S. military has the best equipment and everything it needs to protect the American people.

• The Key To Future Victories Is Transformational Military Capabilities. Since taking office, the Bush Administration has invested $16 billion in these innovative efforts and will add $78 billion over the next four years.

• Research And Development Will Make Our Armed Forces The Strongest In The World. So the United States can build even more advanced capabilities in the decades ahead, the Bush Administration has invested $240 billion in these efforts and has requested an additional $275 billion over the next four years.

The United States Must Transform The Military By Repositioning Forces At Home And Abroad. To be able to quickly meet unexpected threats, our Armed Forces must undertake the biggest transformation of our global force since the end of the Second World War.

• The United States Will Bring Home Many Uniformed Personnel Currently Stationed Overseas. By bringing home between 60,000 to 70,000 troops from abroad and deploying them rapidly when needed, America can become a more effective fighting force. This will not only reduce the stress on military families, it will help our Armed Forced raise the pressure on our enemies.

• Closing And Realigning Military Bases Will Free Up Funds To Support Our Troops. Each branch of the military services has completed a review of their requirements and has concluded that there are more military bases than are needed. The President will help communities affected by base closings, providing them development aid and job training. The process will produce a net savings of $48 billion over the next 20 years and will make the military more efficient and better prepared to protect the American people.

The United States Must, Above All, Transform The Way We Think About War. All the advanced technology in the world will not transform our military, if we do not transform our thinking.

• Transformation Means Using Old Capabilities In New Ways. In Afghanistan, U.S. troops rode into battle on horseback – but they did it while using GPS and advanced satellite communications to call in air strikes on enemy positions. They combined a staple of 19th-century warfare with the most advanced 21st-century technology in the American arsenal.

• The President Advised Recent Military Academy Graduates To Pursue The Possibilities Others Tell You Do Not Exist. By bringing the spirit of creativity and innovation to work, the U.S. military can accomplish what conventional wisdom says is impossible.