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CNN Live Event/Special
President Bush Delivers Weekly Radio Address
Aired September 29, 2001 - 10:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Now let's listen in to the weekly radio address.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to report to you on the progress being made on many fronts in our war against terrorism. This is a different kind of war, which we will wage aggressively and methodically to disrupt and destroy terrorist activity.
In recent days, many members of our military have left their homes and families, and begun moving into a place for mission to come. Thousands of reservists have been called to active duty. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guard-men are being deployed to points around the globe, ready to answer when their country calls. Our military families have accepted many hardships. And our nation is grateful for their willing service. The men and women of the armed force are united in their dedication to freedom and they will make us proud in the struggle against terrorism.
International cooperation is gaining momentum. This week I met with the prime ministers of the two of America's closest friends, Canada and Japan. Other countries from Russia to Indonesia, are giving strong support as the war against terrorism moves forward. America is grateful to the nations that have cut off diplomatic ties with the Taliban regimen in Afghanistan, which is sheltering terrorist.
The United States respects the people of Afghanistan, and we are their largest provider of humanitarian aid. But we condemn the Taliban and welcome the support of other nations in isolating that regimen. We have also launched a strike against the financial foundation of the global terror network. Our goal is to deny terrorist the money they need to carry out their plans. We began by identifying 27 terrorist organization, terrorist leaders, and foreign businesses and charities that support or front for terrorism.
We froze whatever assets they had here in the United States, and we blocked them from doing business with people, companies or banks in our country. Many governments and financial institutions around the world are joining in this effort, to starve terrorist of funding.
This week I visited the headquarters of the FBI and the CIA. Their agents and analysts have been on the case around the clock, uncovering and pursuing the enemy. In the long campaign ahead, they will need our continued support and every necessary tool to do their work. I am asking Congress for new law enforcement authority to better track the communication of terrorist and to detain suspected terrorists until the moment they are deported. I will also seek more funding and better technology for our countries intelligence community.
This week, we also took strong steps to improve security on planes and in airport and to restore confidence in air travel. We are providing airlines with federal grants to make cockpits more secure, through measures including fortified doors and stronger locks, and we are dramatically increasing the number of federal air marshals on our planes. Americans will have the confidence of knowing that fully equipped officers of the law are flying with them in far greater numbers.
I am also working with Congress to put federal law enforcement in charge of all bag and passenger screening at our airports. Standards will be tougher and enforced by highly trained professionals who know exactly what they are looking for. To enhance safety immediately, I have asked Governors to place National Guardsmen at security check points in airports.
As all of these action make clear, our war on terror will be much broader than the battlefields beachheads of the past. This war will be fought wherever terrorist hide or run or plan. Some victories will be won outside of public view, in tragedies avoided and threats eliminated. Other victories will be clear to all. Our weapons are military and diplomatic, financial and legal. And in this struggle, our greatest advantages are the patience and resolve of the American people.
We did not seek this conflict. But we will win it. America will act deliberately and decisively. And the cause of freedom will prevail.
Thank you for listening.
KING: The president, his weekly radio broadcast this weekend from Camp David. Major Garrett, my colleague at the White House, standing by near by.
Major, we condemn the Taliban and we welcome the support of other nations in isolating that regimen. Some believe the goal here might go a little further than isolation.
MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, key verb choice there, John. Isolate. The administration does not want at least to signal publicly that it wants to replace or topple the Taliban regimen. That would create diplomatic problems as it tries to build this international coalition.
A couple of other things worth picking out from that radio address. The specific praise of Russia and Indonesia for their help in building this collision. Russia, this week providing substantial aid to the United States in allowing overflight rights, also signaling that to its former client state Tajikistan, that it would be alright for U.S. to place, if it so chose, support and air personnel in that form Soviet Union client state, as a place to preposition, preplace military troops. That would be helpful geographically in the area.
Also talking about Indonesia, the most populous Muslim country. The administration hoping that Indonesia will stand with the United States in this coalition. Also mentioning Canada, as far as the visit of the prime minister this week. There had been some sense that the Canadians had not been as cooperative, the United States hadn't bee as appreciative of their support; mentioned there. Crucial as well. John.
KING: Major Garrett, standing by, covering the president this weekend up at Camp David, Maryland.
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