Administration of George W. Bush, 2006 / Sept. 29

Statement on Senate Passage of Military Commissions Legislation September 28, 2006

Today the Senate sent a strong signal Information we have learned from the pro- to the terrorists that we will continue using gram has helped save lives at home and every element of national power to pursue abroad. By authorizing the creation of mili- our enemies and to prevent attacks on tary commissions, the act will also allow America. The ‘‘Military Commissions Act us to prosecute suspected terrorists for war of 2006’’ will allow the continuation of a crimes. CIA program that has been one of Amer- Our most solemn responsibility is pro- ica’s most potent tools in fighting the war tecting America’s security, and I thank the on terror. Under this program, suspected Senate for passing this vital legislation. terrorists have been detained and ques- tioned about threats against our country. NOTE: The statement referred to S. 3930.

Message on the Observance of Yom Kippur, 5767 September 28, 2006

Know therefore that the LORD your God the forgiveness and mercy shown by the is God, the faithful God who keeps cov- Creator of life. enant and steadfast love with those who As the High Holy Days come to an end, love him and keep his commandments, to the Jewish people in America and around a thousand generations... the world remind us of the gift of religious freedom and the blessings of God’s stead- DEUTERONOMY 7:9 fast love. On Yom Kippur and throughout On this most holy day of the Jewish cal- the year, your deep commitment to faith endar, Jews celebrate God’s goodness and helps make the world a more hopeful and reflect on their lives. Yom Kippur is a sol- peaceful place. emn time to express thanksgiving that the Laura and I send our best wishes for Almighty remembers the names of all His a blessed Yom Kippur. children. During this blessed Day of Atone- GEORGE W. BUSH ment, Jewish people gather in synagogues, consider their deeds and actions, and cele- NOTE: An original was not available for brate as the sound of the Shofar proclaims verification of the content of this message.

Remarks to the Reserve Officers Association September 29, 2006

Thanks, Captain Smith, for your kind in- women of the Reserve Officers Association. troduction. Thank you all for being here, For more than 80 years, this organization and thank you for the warm welcome. I has stood up for America and its citizen am honored to stand with the men and soldiers, and I appreciate your contribution

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to our country. We’re safer because you ing you the help you need to recover from stand ready to put on the uniform. I am your wounds. It gives me great comfort grateful for your service, and I am proud to be able to tell the loved ones of those to be your Commander in Chief. who wear our uniform that if you get hurt, I want to speak to you today about the you will receive first-class, compassionate struggle between moderation and extre- care from the United States military. And mism that is unfolding across the broader so to the healers who are here, thank you Middle East. At this moment, terrorists and for doing your duty and providing these extremists are fighting to overthrow mod- brave folks the help they need to recover. erate governments in the region so they Earlier this month, our Nation marked can take control of countries and use them the fifth anniversary of the September the as bases from which to attack America and 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks. We paused on from which to impose their hateful ide- that day to remember the innocent people ology. This is the challenge of our time. who were killed that day. We paused to This is the call of a generation, to stand remember the rescue workers who rushed against the extremists and support mod- into burning towers to save lives. After 9/ erate leaders across the broader Middle 11, I stood in the well of the House of East, to help us all secure a future of Representatives and declared that every na- peace. tion, in every region, had a decision to This week in Washington, I met with make: Either you were with us, or you two courageous leaders who are working stood with the terrorists. Two nations, Af- for peace, President Karzai of Afghanistan ghanistan and Pakistan, made very different and President Musharraf of Pakistan. These decisions with very different results. leaders understand the stakes in the strug- Five years ago, Afghanistan was ruled by gle, in the ideological struggle of the 21st the brutal Taliban regime. Under the century. They understand the stakes from Taliban and Al Qaida, Afghanistan was a a personal perspective as well, since the land where women were imprisoned in extremists have tried to assassinate them. their own homes, where men were beaten They are courageous people. They have for missing prayer meetings, where girls seen the destruction that terrorists have couldn’t even go to school. What a hopeless caused in their own country, and they know society that was, under the rule of these this: That the only way to stop them is hateful men. Afghanistan was the home to to work together and to stay on the offense. terrorist training camps. Under Al Qaida By standing with brave leaders like these, and the Taliban, Afghanistan was a terrorist we are defending civilization itself and safe haven. It was a launching pad for the we’re building a more peaceful world for horrific attacks that killed innocent people our children and grandchildren. in New York City on September the 11th, I appreciate very much the Ambassador 2001. from Afghanistan, Ambassador Jawad, and After 9/11, America gave the leaders of Ambassador Durrani from Pakistan for join- the Taliban a choice. We told them that ing us here today. Thank you all for com- they must turn over all of the leaders of ing. I appreciate members of my adminis- Al Qaida hiding in their land. We told them tration who have joined us. I appreciate they must close every terrorist training people wearing the uniform who have camp and hand over every terrorist to ap- joined us. I appreciate those from Walter propriate authorities. We told them they Reed who have joined us and from Be- must give the United States full access to thesda. I thank you for your sacrifice. the terrorist training camps so they could I also want to thank those from Walter make sure they were no longer operating. Reed who are—and Bethesda who are giv- We told them these demands were not up

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for negotiation, and that if they did not elections, more than 6 million Afghans de- comply immediately and hand over the ter- fied terrorist threats and cast their ballots. rorists, they would share in the same fate They made it clear they wanted to live in as the terrorists. a free society. As I travel around the coun- I felt these were reasonable demands. try, I tell people that I’m not surprised The Taliban regime chose unwisely, so when people say, ‘‘I want to live in liberty.’’ within weeks after the 9/11 attacks, our co- I believe liberty is universal. I believe deep alition launched Operation Enduring Free- within the soul of every man, woman, and dom. By December 2001, the Taliban re- child on the face of the Earth is a desire gime had been removed from power, hun- to live in freedom. And when we free peo- dreds of Taliban and Al Qaida fighters had ple, we not only do our duty to ourselves, been captured or killed, and the terrorist but we help the rise of decent human camps where the enemy had planned the beings. 9/11 attacks were shut down. We did what As Afghans have braved the terrorists we said we were going to do. We made and claimed their freedom, we’ve helped our intentions clear. We gave the Taliban them, and we will continue to help them. a chance to make the right decision. They It’s in our interests that we help this young made the wrong decision, and we liberated democracy survive and grow strong. We Afghanistan. helped them build security forces they need The liberation of Afghanistan was a great to defend their democratic gains. In the achievement, and for those of you who past 5 years, our coalition has trained and served in that effort, thank you. I thank you on behalf of America, and the Afghan equipped more than 30,000 soldiers in the people thank you. But we knew that it was Afghan National Army, and at this moment, only the beginning of our mission in Af- several thousand more are in training at ghanistan. See, the liberation was only the a Kabul Military Training Center. These start of an important mission to make this Afghan soldiers are on the frontlines with world a more peaceful place. We learned coalition troops. Some have suffered ter- the lesson of the 1980s, when the United rible wounds in battle; others have given States had helped the Afghan people drive their lives in the fight against the terrorists. the Soviet Red army from Kabul and then Afghans in uniform are determined to pro- decided our work was finished and left the tect their nation and fight our common en- Afghans to fend for themselves. emies, and we’re proud to fight alongside The Taliban came to power and provided such brave allies. a sanctuary for bin Laden and Al Qaida, Our coalition has also trained about and we paid the price when the terrorists 46,000 members of the Afghan National struck our Nation and killed nearly 3,000 Police. The training of the Afghan police people in our midst. So after liberating Af- has not gone as smoothly as that of the ghanistan, we began the difficult work of army. The police have faced problems with helping the Afghan people rebuild their corruption and substandard leadership, and country and establish a free nation on the we’ve made our concerns known to our rubble of the Taliban’s tyranny. friends in the Afghan Government. When With the help of the United Nations and we see a problem, we adjust; we change. coalition countries, Afghan leaders chose an And so this year President Karzai’s Govern- interim Government. They wrote and ap- ment announced a new team to lead the proved a democratic Constitution. They National Police. As the police become more held elections to choose a new President, capable and better led and more dis- and they elected leaders to represent them ciplined, they will gain legitimacy and they in a new parliament. In those parliamentary will earn the respect of the Afghan people.

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Listen, the Afghan people want to live So the Taliban massed an estimated 800 in a peaceful world. It’s important for the to 900 fighters near Kandahar to face the American citizens to understand, an Afghan NATO force head on, and that was a mis- mother wants the same thing for her child take. Earlier this month, NATO launched that our mothers want for our children: Operation Medusa. Together with the Af- the chance to grow up and realize dreams; ghan National Army, troops from Canada the chance to live in peace. And it’s impor- and Denmark and the Netherlands and tant for the Afghan Government to provide Britain and the United States engaged the the kind of security so the citizens have enemy, with operational support from Ro- trust that their Government can enable the manian and Portuguese and Estonian peace to evolve in that strife-ridden part Forces. According to NATO Commanders, of the world. NATO forces killed hundreds of Taliban The army and police are good fighters. fighters. NATO’s Supreme Allied Com- At this moment, more than 21,000 Amer- mander, General Jones, a United States ican troops and more than 20,000 personnel Marine, says this about the NATO oper- from 40 countries are deployed in Afghani- ation in southern Afghanistan: ‘‘The Taliban stan. In the summer of 2003, NATO took decided to make a test case of this region, over the International Security Assistance and they paid a very heavy price for it. Force—it’s called ISAF—in Afghanistan, The operation sent a signal to the insur- NATO’s first mission outside the Euro-At- gents that NATO forces would not back lantic area. Other nations besides the down.’’ The operation also sent a clear mes- United States understand the importance sage to the Afghan people, that NATO is of helping this young democracy survive standing with you. and thrive and grow. I appreciate the courage of the NATO Since then, NATO has expanded ISAF forces. I appreciate the governments of our from a small force that was operating only allies in NATO understanding the impor- in Kabul into a robust force that has taken tance of helping the Afghan people achieve responsibility for security in nearly 60 per- their dream, and that is a stable country. cent of the country. And this week, NATO The people from NATO must understand announced that it would take over security that they’re helping a young democracy de- operations in all of Afghanistan in the com- fend itself and protect its people. And in ing weeks. Under the plan, the U.S. will so doing, they’re helping to lay the founda- transfer 12,000 of our troops that are now tion of peace in the ideological struggle serving in the country to the NATO force, of the 21st century. while the rest will remain under coalition The NATO deployment has begun to command and continue antiterrorist oper- bring security and reconstruction to a re- ations across the country. gion that had previously had little and has We saw the effectiveness of NATO allowed the United States and Afghan forces this summer when NATO took re- forces to stay on the offense. And so we sponsibility from the United States for se- launched another major offensive in the curity operations in southern Afghanistan. east called Operation Mountain Fury. The The Taliban saw the transfer of the region operation is ongoing. It’s aimed at clearing from the United States to NATO control out enemy safe havens in five Afghan Prov- as a window of opportunity. They saw it inces, including three Provinces bordering as an opportunity to test the will of nations Pakistan. The operation is being led by other than the United States. See, they’ve about 4,000 Afghan forces and supported been testing our will. And they understand by about 3,000 of our finest. And Afghan it’s strong, and they need to understand and coalition forces clear out the enemy— it will remain strong. then we will follow up with reconstruction

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assistance—so we can improve the quality In order to bring a better life to the of life for local Afghans and help extend Afghan people, our coalition and NATO the authority of the central Government to forces have deployed 23 Provincial Recon- distant areas of the country. struction Teams across Afghanistan. These See, the enemy understands what we’re teams are important because we’re talking doing, and they don’t like it. That’s why about a country that has been torn apart they’re reacting the way they’re reacting. because of war over the years. The teams They understand that the arrival of Afghan are led by Sweden and Norway and Ger- and coalition forces in the region means many and Hungary and Italy and Spain and that the Government is beginning to win Lithuania and Canada and Britain and the the hearts of the people. In many of these Netherlands and the United States. And regions, the Taliban and Al Qaida fighters these teams are bringing security and re- and drug traffickers and criminal elements construction assistance to distant regions of have had—enjoyed free reign. There hasn’t the country. And to link the distant regions been any countervailing force to their pres- to the capital, we’ve got a strategy—it’s ence. And you can imagine how that makes called building roads. This is a country that innocent people feel, you know, when is in dire need for transportation. And since you’ve got these killers in your midst. It the liberation of Afghanistan, we’ve pro- creates an atmosphere of fear. As a matter vided more than $4.5 billion for reconstruc- of fact, people like Al Qaida, whose ide- tion throughout the country. We’re helping ology is hateful, have got one major tool with electricity and irrigation and water and at their disposal. They kill innocent life to sanitation and other necessities. create fear. And what a contrast it is to Our coalition is working with President the United States of America and coalition Karzai to strengthen the institutions of Af- partners and decent Afghans who believe ghans—Afghanistan’s young democracy. We in hope. understand that the institutions must be These haters of humanity know that strengthened and reformed for democracy when the Government in Kabul can reach to survive. And one of the areas most in out and improve the lives of local Afghans need of reform is the nation’s legal system. in distant parts of the country, the popu- Recently President Karzai took important lation will gain confidence in Afghanistan’s steps to strengthen the rule of law when democracy. That’s part of the struggle, this he appointed a new Attorney General and ideological struggle we’re engaged in. And judges to serve on Afghanistan’s Supreme so they are going to try to do everything Court. Our coalition is helping his Govern- they can to stop the progress. And they’ll ment institutionalize these changes. Italy, fight Afghan and coalition forces, and that’s for example, is helping to train Afghan what you’re seeing today. judges and prosecutors and public defend- But they do more than just fight our ers and court administrators so all Afghans forces. They destroy schools, and they de- can receive equal justice under the law. stroy clinics. They do everything in their And from the beginning, our actions in power to intimidate local folks. The en- Afghanistan have had a clear purpose—in emies of a free Afghanistan are brutal, and other words, our goals are clear for people they’re determined, and we’re not going to to understand—and that is to rid the coun- let them succeed. NATO and coalition and try of the Taliban and the terrorists and Afghan forces will continue to fight the build a lasting free society that will be an enemy. We will stay on the offense, and ally in the war on terror. And from the we’re going to help this Government of beginning, the American people have heard President Karzai bring a better life to his the critics say we’re failing, but their rea- people. sons keep changing. In the first days of

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Operation Enduring Freedom, the critics States to give our folks on the frontline warned that we were headed toward a of terror the tools necessary to protect us, quagmire. And then when the Taliban fell including listening to phone calls from Al and operations began in Iraq, the critics Qaida coming into the country—so we held up the multinational coalition in Af- know what they’re getting ready to attack— ghanistan as a model and said it showed or questioning people we capture on the that everything we were doing in Iraq was battlefield. That’s what it’s going to include. wrong. And now some of the critics who But it also means helping the millions praised the multinational coalition we built who want to live in liberty to do so. In in Afghanistan claim that the country is in the long term, we will help our children danger of failing because we don’t have and grandchildren live in a peaceful world enough American troops there. by encouraging the spread of liberty. Look, in order to win war, in order to Five years ago, another country that win the ideological struggle of the 21st cen- faced a choice was Pakistan. At the time tury, it is important for this country to have of 9/11, Pakistan was only one of three a clear strategy and change tactics to meet nations that recognized the Taliban regime the conditions on the ground, not try to in Afghanistan. Al Qaida had a large pres- constantly respond to the critics who ence in Pakistan. There was a strong radical change their positions. And so I listen to Islamic movement in that country. Some the advice of those who matter in Afghani- of the 9/11 hijackers were housed and stan, and that is President Karzai and our trained in Pakistan. Pakistan’s future was commanders. We will continue to help Af- in doubt, and President Musharraf under- ghanistan’s Government defeat our com- stood that he had to make a fundamental mon enemies. choice for his people. He could turn a blind I’ve constantly told the American people, eye and leave the people hostage to the we must defeat the enemy overseas so we extremists, or he could join the free world do not have to face them here at home. in fighting the extremists and the terrorists. I will continue to remind the American President Musharraf made the choice to people that is—you deal with threats before fight for freedom, and the United States they materialize. In this war that we’re in, of America is grateful for his leadership. it is too late to respond to a threat after Within 2 days of the September the 11th the—after we’ve been attacked. I’m not attacks, the Pakistani Government com- going to forget the lessons of September mitted itself to stop Al Qaida operatives the 11th, 2001, and I know you won’t ei- at its border, to share intelligence on ter- ther. We must take threats seriously now rorist activities and movements, and to in order to protect the American people. break off all ties with the Taliban govern- So we’re going to help the people of ment if it refused to hand over bin Laden Afghanistan, and we’re going to help them and the Al Qaida. President Musharraf’s build a free nation. We’re going to help decision to fight the terrorists was made them be a successful part of defeating an at great personal risk. They have tried to ideology of hate with an ideology of hope. kill him as a result of his decision because And think what that will mean for reform- they know he has chosen to side with the ers and moderate people in a region that forces of peace and moderation and that has been full of turmoil. Imagine the effect he stands in the way of their hateful vision it will have when they see a thriving de- for his country. mocracy in their midst. President Musharraf’s courageous choice No, this ideological struggle of the 21st to join the struggle against extremism has century will require tough military action, saved American lives. His Government has good intelligence. It will require the United helped capture or kill many senior terrorist

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leaders. For example, Pakistani forces of the country’s western border. We’re pro- helped capture Abu Zubaydah, a man we viding high-tech equipment to help Paki- believe to be a trusted associate of Usama stani forces better locate terrorists attempt- bin Laden. Pakistani forces helped capture ing to cross the border. We are funding another individual believed to be one of an air wing with helicopters and fixed-wing the key plotters of the 9/11 attacks, Ramzi aircraft to give Pakistan better security and bin al-Shibh. Pakistani forces helped cap- surveillance capabilities. ture the man our intelligence community And as we work with President believes masterminded the 9/11 attacks, Musharraf to bring security to his own Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. country, we’re also supporting him as he Once captured, these men were taken takes steps to build a modern and moderate into custody of the Central Intelligence nation that will hold free and fair elections Agency. The questioning of these and other next year. In an address to his fellow citi- suspected terrorists provided information zens earlier this year, President Musharraf that helped us protect the American peo- declared this: ‘‘We have to eliminate extre- ple. They helped us break up a cell of mism in our society. It will eat us up from Southeast Asian terrorist operatives that within. So it is my appeal to all of you had been groomed for attacks inside the to shun extremism. Adopt the path of mod- United States. They helped us disrupt an eration. We will eliminate this extremism Al Qaida operation to develop anthrax for in our society, and then Pakistan will be terrorist attacks. They helped us stop a considered a moderate, developed country.’’ planned strike on a U.S. Marine camp in President Musharraf has a clear vision for Djibouti and to prevent a planned attack his country as a nation growing in freedom on the U.S. consulate in Karachi and to and prosperity and peace. And as he stands foil a plot to hijack passenger planes and against the terrorists and for the free future to fly them into Heathrow Airport and Lon- don’s Canary Wharf. of his country, the United States of Amer- Were it not for the information gained ica will stand with him. from the terrorists captured with the help In both Pakistan and Afghanistan, Amer- of Pakistan, our intelligence community be- ica has strong allies who are committed to lieves that Al Qaida and its allies would rooting out the terrorists in their midst. have succeeded in launching another attack And with their help, we’ve killed or cap- against the American homeland. Our close tured hundreds of Al Qaida leaders and cooperation with the Government of Paki- operatives, and we put the others on the stan has saved American lives, and America run. Usama bin Laden and other terrorists is grateful to have a strong and steadfast are still in hiding. Our message to them ally in the war against these terrorists. is clear: No matter how long it takes, we President Musharraf understands that the will find you, and we’re going to bring you terrorists hide in remote regions and travel to justice. back and forth across the border between On Wednesday night, I had dinner with Afghanistan and Pakistan. And so we’re Presidents Musharraf and Karzai at the helping his Government establish stronger White House. We had a long—and we had control over these border areas. We are a frank conversation about the challenges helping him to equip the nation’s para- we face in defeating the extremists and the military Frontier Corps that is policing the terrorists in their countries and providing border regions. The United States is fund- the people of these two nations an alter- ing the construction of more than 100 bor- native to the dark ideology of the enemy. der outposts, which will provide Pakistani We discussed the best ways to improve in- forces with better access to remote areas telligence sharing so that we can target and

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eliminate the leaders of Al Qaida and the becomes the mindset of the policymakers Taliban. in Washington, it means we’ll go back to We resolved to strengthen the institu- the old days of waiting to be attacked and tions of civil society in both countries. We then respond. Our most important duty is agreed on the need to support tribal lead- to protect the American people from a fu- ers on both sides of the border. By helping ture attack, and the way to do so is to these local leaders build schools and roads stay on the offense against the terrorists. and health clinics, we will help them build Iraq is not the reason the terrorists are a better life for their communities and at war against us. They are at war against strengthen their hand against—the fight us because they hate everything America against the extremists. It was clear from stands for. And we stand for freedom. We our conversation that our three nations stand for people to worship freely. One of share the same goals: We will defeat the the great things about America is you’re Taliban; we will defeat Al Qaida; and the equally American if you’re a Jew, a Muslim, only way to do it is by working together. a Christian, an agnostic, or an atheist. What Our meeting took place at a time when a powerful statement to the world about there is a debate raging in Washington the compassion of the American people— about how best to fight the war on terror. that you’re free to choose the religion you Recently parts of a classified document want in our country. They can’t stand the called the National Intelligence Estimate thought that people can go into the public was leaked to the press. As I said yesterday square in America and express their dif- in Alabama, it’s an indication that we’re ferences with government. They can’t stand getting close to an election. [Laughter] The the thought that the people get to decide NIE is a document that analyzes the threat the future of our country by voting. Free- we face from terrorists and extremists. And dom bothers them because their ideology its unauthorized disclosure has set off a is the opposite of liberty; it is the opposite heated debate here in the United States, of freedom. And they don’t like it because particularly in Washington. we know they know we stand in their way Some have selectively quoted from this of their ambitions in the Middle East, their document to make the case that by fighting ambitions to spread their hateful ideology the terrorists—by fighting them in Iraq, we as a caliphate from Spain to Indonesia. are making our people less secure here at We’ll defeat the terrorists in Iraq. We’ll home. This argument buys into the enemy’s deny them the safe haven to replace the propaganda that the terrorists attack us be- one they lost in Afghanistan. We’re going cause we’re provoking them. I want to re- to make it harder for them to recruit a mind the American citizens that we were new generation of terrorists. And we’re not in Iraq on September the 11th, 2001. going to help the Iraqis build a free society, And this argument was powerfully an- a hopeful country that sends a powerful swered this week by Prime Minister Tony message across the broader Middle East Blair. Here is what he said. He said, ‘‘I and serves with those of us who believe believe passionately that we will not win in moderation and hope as an ally in the until we shake ourselves free of the wretch- war against these extremists. ed capitulation to the propaganda of the We can have confidence in the outcome enemy that somehow we are the ones re- of the war on terror because our Nation sponsible.’’ He went on to say, ‘‘This ter- is determined. We’ve done this kind of rorism is not our fault. We didn’t cause hard work before, and we have succeeded. it, and it is not the consequence of foreign And we can be confident because we’ve policy.’’ He’s right. You do not create ter- got incredible men and women who wear rorism by fighting terrorism. If that ever our Nation’s uniform. I am constantly

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amazed at the incredible courage that our evil and ran forward and gave their last fellow citizens who wear the uniform show breath.’’ on a regular basis. We live in freedom because of the cour- I think of two Navy SEALs named Mat- age of men like Matthew and Danny, and thew Axelson and Danny Dietz. In June we will honor their sacrifice by completing of 2005, they were part of a SEAL team the mission. From Afghanistan and Iraq to operating deep in the mountains of Afghan- Africa and Southeast Asia, we are engaged istan on a mission to kill or capture a in a struggle against violent extremists, a Taliban leader. They were discovered, and struggle which will help determine the des- they were soon surrounded in a mountain tiny of the civilized world. We’ve borne ravine by 30 to 40 Taliban fighters. During these responsibilities before, and we have the firefight that ensued, Axelson urged an seen our faith in freedom vindicated by history. In this young century, a new gen- injured teammate to escape, and he pro- eration of Americans is being called to de- vided cover before suffering a mortal fend liberty, and once again, the cause of wound. Fighting nearby, his partner, Dietz, liberty and peace will prevail. was also mortally wounded, but he stood Thank you for coming. God bless. his ground and kept firing until finally— he finally died. NOTE: The President spoke at 9:36 a.m. at Because of the courage of Petty Officers the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel. In his re- Axelson and Dietz, their wounded team- marks, he referred to Capt. Michael P. mate made it out alive. For their heroism, Smith, USN (Ret.), national president, Re- these two petty officers were awarded the serve Officers Association; Usama bin Laden, Navy Cross. But I want you to hear what leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organization; Petty Officer Dietz’s wife said about her Attorney General Abdul Jabbar Sabbit of Af- husband and his comrades in arms. She ghanistan; and Prime Minister Tony Blair of said, ‘‘Danny and his brothers went toward the United Kingdom.

Remarks Following Discussions With President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan September 29, 2006

President Bush. Mr. President, thank you I thank very much the President for his for coming. It’s been my honor to welcome concerns about Afghanistan’s democracy the President of Kazakhstan back to the and his willingness to help in Afghanistan. Oval Office. He informed me that the first We talked about our mutual—our bilateral time he was here was when my dad was relations and our mutual desire to—for the President. And I welcome you back. Kazakhstan to join the WTO. We talked We’ve just had a very important and in- about our commitment to institutions that teresting discussion. We discussed our de- will enable liberty to flourish. sire to defeat extremism and our mutual I have watched very carefully the devel- desire to support the forces of moderation opment of this important country from one throughout the world. I thanked the Presi- that was in the Soviet sphere to one that dent for his contribution to helping a new now is a free nation. And I appreciate your democracy in Iraq survive and thrive and leadership, Mr. President. And I welcome grow. you here to the White House, and I’m

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