22 Jan. 2 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2003 terrorist related, but if we get a hint, a whiff The President. And I’m proud to wear that some of them are, we’ll deal with them. it in my home State of Texas. Laura and I All right, let’s go get some coffee. are honored to kick off the new year with the soldiers and families of Fort Hood. Situation in Iraq Audience members. Hooah! Q. One more. Are you satisfied that the The President. All Texans are proud that inspectors are getting to Saddam’s weapon our State is the home to so many fine military scientists? units, including the great 1st Cavalry Divi- The President. He is a man who likes to sion—— play games and charades. The question is, Audience members. Hooah! will Saddam Hussein disarm? The world has The President. ——and the mighty 4th asked him to disarm from weapons of mass Infantry Division—— destruction. The first indication isn’t very Audience members. Hooah! positive that he will voluntarily disarm. After The President. ——the key ingredients to all, he put out a declaration that the world the home of America’s hammer. realized was false. And the inspectors are Audience members. Hooah! there to verify whether or not he is dis- The President. On Christmas Eve I had arming. You hear these reports about Iraqi the honor of calling some of our troops who scientists being interviewed, but there’s a are around the world, service members, men ‘‘minder’’ in the room. and women from many bases, including Fort You know, Saddam Hussein—hopefully he realizes we’re serious, and hopefully he dis- Hood. I thanked them for serving America arms peacefully. He’s a danger to the Amer- so far from home and far away from their ican people. He’s a danger to our friends and families. allies. For 11 long years, the world has dealt Today it’s my honor to come here to Fort with him. And now he’s got to understand, Hood to thank each and every one of you his day of reckoning is coming. And there- for the work you do to make sure that our fore, he must disarm voluntarily. I hope he United States Army is second to none. does. Audience members. Hooah! All right, let’s go get a coffee. The President. We’ve got more than 1,300 troops from Fort Hood that are serving NOTE: The exchange began at 12:14 p.m. during abroad and defending our country and keep- a walking tour of the Bush Ranch. In the ex- ing the peace from Cuba to Kuwait to Korea. change, the President referred to President Jiang Another 1,600 are preparing to deploy Zemin of China; Chairman Kim Chong-il of North abroad. In the months ahead, more soldiers Korea; and President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. A from Fort Hood may be giving—given other tape was not available for verification of the con- essential missions. But wherever you serve tent of this exchange. or wherever you may be sent, you can know that America is grateful and your Com- Remarks to the Troops at Fort Hood mander in Chief is confident in your abilities in Killeen, Texas and proud of your service. January 3, 2003 Audience members. Hooah! The President. I want to thank General The President. Thank you very much. Wilson and his wife, Lynn, for receiving Thank you all. Thank you all very much. Gen- Laura and me. I want to thank Larry Ellis eral, thanks a lot for that kind introduction. and Jean, General Ellis. I appreciate so much I always like a short introduction. [Laughter] General Joe Peterson. I want to thank Ser- Thank you for your warm welcome, and geant Major Gravens and his wife, Deborah, thank you for this jacket. for joining us here today. I appreciate my Audience members. Hooah! friend, the Governor of the great State of The President. I’m proud to wear it. Texas, Rick Perry, for joining us today. I want Audience members. Hooah! Administration of George W. Bush, 2003 / Jan. 3 23 to thank members of the congressional dele- the first war of the 21st century. For this gation who are here, Joe Barton, Congress- country and for our friends around the world man Chet Edwards. I appreciate you all com- who love freedom like we do, the stakes are ing. great. The terrorists have shown what they I want to thank some of the State and local intend for us, and we’re not going to forget. officials. I know my friend Dianne White We’re not going to forget the fact that they Delisi is here. I want to thank Suzanna Hupp kill without regard for the rules of war. They and Sid Miller as well. I want to thank the don’t value innocent life like we do. In Amer- mayor of Killeen; haven’t seen the mayor in ica, we say everybody is precious. Everybody a while. It’s good to be in your presence, counts. Everybody is equal in the eyes of the Mayor. Appreciate all the local officials, my Almighty. fellow Texans, military families, veterans, and That’s not the way the enemy thinks. They all the community leaders who have come don’t value innocent life. They’re nothing but out today. Thanks for being here. a bunch of cold-blooded killers, and that’s I know we’ve got some of the many vet- the way we’re going to treat them. erans who live in this area with us today. The Audience members. Hooah! men and women of Fort Hood follow in the The President. They reach across oceans great traditions that you passed on to them. to target the innocent. They seek weapons You each wear a proud title, veteran of the of mass murder on a massive scale. The ter- United States military, and I want to thank rorists will not be stopped by mercy or by you for the example you have set and the conscience, but they will be stopped. service you gave to our country. Audience members. Hooah! Audience members. Hooah! The President. And they will be stopped The President. And I appreciate and by the will and the might of the United States America appreciates the sacrifices of our of America. military families. I signed the largest increase Audience members. Hooah! in defense spending in a generation. The President. Our country is in a great Audience members. Hooah! contest of will and purpose. We’re being test- The President. I wanted to make sure that ed. In times of crisis, we will act decisively. our soldiers had the best possible pay—— And in times of calm, we’ll be focused and Audience members. Hooah! patient and relentless in our pursuit of the The President. ——the best possible enemy. That’s what we owe the American training—— people. Audience members. Hooah! We’re not waiting for another attack. We The President. ——and to make sure the can’t wait for another attack to employ the housing was the best possible for our fami- full power of America in this cause. We’re lies, military families. That’s the least we owe acting now to protect the American people the husbands and wives of those who wear and to shape a future of peace. the uniform. This war, like others, is not going to be Each one of you knows that Army life can won on the defensive. So we’re going to take be rewarding. And you know it can be dan- this fight to the enemy. gerous and difficult. Every day, our military Audience members. Hooah! families are putting America’s interests first, The President. And we’re making good and America thanks you as well as those who progress. We’re making good progress. wear the uniform. Working with our friends and allies, we have Fort Hood and the units that call it home freed the people of Afghanistan from one of have a special place in our country’s military the most brutal regimes in the history of history. For decades, soldiers from the First mankind. We enforced a clear doctrine that Team and the Iron Horse Division and from said, ‘‘If you harbor a terrorist, if you feed other units have fought America’s battles a terrorist, if you hide a terrorist, you’re just with distinction and courage. as guilty as the terrorists,’’ and the Taliban Now you’re called again into action, to de- knows what we meant. fend America and the cause of freedom in Audience members. Hooah! 24 Jan. 3 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2003

The President. We’ve destroyed camps people and our friends and allies from cata- where terrorists train. There used to be strophic violence, wherever the source, what- camps. The United States military showed ever the threat. up. There are not any camps in Afghanistan. In the case of North Korea, the world must Audience members. Hooah! continue to speak with one voice, to turn that The President. We’ve emptied caves regime away from its nuclear ambitions. where they hid. See, they used to think they In the case of Iraq, the world has already could hide. But you can’t hide from the spoken with one voice. The Iraqi regime has United States of America. You may hide for a duty under Security Council resolutions to a brief period of time, but pretty soon we’re declare and destroy all of its weapons of mass going to put the spotlight on you, and we’ll destruction. That’s what the world has said. bring you to justice. That’s what the United States expects from We’ve cut off millions of dollars that the Saddam Hussein. enemy was using to fund operations. We’re The Iraqi regime is a grave threat to the working with friends and allies around the United States. The Iraqi regime is a threat world, and we’re hauling them in, one by to any American and to threats who are one. Some have met their fate by sudden jus- friends of America. Why do I say that? Well, tice. Some are now answering questions at first of all, the leader in Iraq has publicly Guantanamo Bay. In either case, they’re no proclaimed his hatred for our country and longer a problem to the United States of what we stand for. America and our friends. The Iraqi regime has a record—a record Audience members. Hooah! of torturing their own people, a brutal The President. We do not yet have all record, and a record of reckless aggression the terrorists, but they’re all on the run. And against those in their neighborhood. if they listen carefully, they will hear behind The Iraqi regime has used weapons of them the mighty footsteps of the United mass destruction. They not only had weapons States of America. of mass destruction; they used weapons of Audience members. Hooah! mass destruction. They used weapons of The President. And we’re not quitting. mass destruction on people in other coun- We’ll fight this war on many fronts, with tries; they have used weapons of mass de- many tools. Our intelligence operations are struction on their own people. That’s why I tracking the terrorists. We’re sharing intel- say Iraq is a threat, a real threat. ligence with other countries that share our Four years ago, U.N. inspectors concluded desire for peace. Our allies are keeping the that Iraq had failed to amount—account for peace and helping us keep the peace in Af- large stockpiles of chemical and biological ghanistan. We’re hunting the terrorists on weapons, weapons capable of killing millions. every continent. See, they’re in over 60 dif- In last month’s declaration, Iraq again failed ferent countries. to account for those weapons. We’ve got a vast coalition of people bound The Iraqi dictator did not even attempt by this principle: Either you’re with us, or to submit a credible declaration. We can now you’re with the enemy; either you’re with be certain that he holds the United Nations those who love freedom, or you’re with those and the U.N. Security Council and its resolu- who hate innocent life. Our coalition is tions in contempt. He really doesn’t care strong, and we’re keeping it strong. And about the opinion of mankind. Saddam Hus- we’re on the hunt. We’re chasing them down sein was given a path to peace. Thus far, he one by one. has chosen the path of defiance. And as well, we’re confronting the threat The fate of the Iraqi regime is being deter- of outlaw regimes who seek weapons of mass mined by its own decisions. Saddam Hussein destruction. Different circumstances require knows precisely what he can and must do different strategies, from the pressure of di- to avoid conflict. We have made that clear. plomacy to the prospect of force. Yet in every The world has spoken with one voice. case, the resolve of our Nation is the same: And even now, he could end his defiance We must and we will protect the American and dramatically change directions. He has Administration of George W. Bush, 2003 25 that choice to make. We certainly prefer vol- Thank you for your service. May God bless untary compliance by Iraq. You see, the use you. May God bless your families, and may of military force is this Nation’s last option, God bless America. its last choice. NOTE: The President spoke at 10:55 a.m. at the Yet, if force becomes necessary to disarm Abrams Physical Fitness Center. In his remarks, Iraq of weapons of mass destruction and en- he referred to Gen. Robert Wilson, USA, Acting force the will of the United Nations, if force Commanding General, III Corps and Fort Hood, becomes necessary to secure our country and and his wife, Lynn; Gen. Larry Ellis, USA, Com- to keep the peace, America will act delib- manding General, Army Forces Command, and erately, America will act decisively, and his wife, Jean; Gen. Joe Peterson, USA, Com- America will prevail because we’ve got the manding General, 1st Cavalry Division; Command finest military in the world. Sgt. Maj. Michael Gravens, USA, Corps Sergeant Major, III Corps and Fort Hood, and his wife, Audience members. Hooah! Deborah; Texas State Representatives Dianne The President. We are ready. We’re pre- White Delisi, Suzanna Hupp, and Sid Miller; pared. And should the United States be com- Mayor Maureen J. Jouett of Killeen, TX; and pelled to act, our troops will be acting in the President Saddam Hussein of Iraq. The Office of finest traditions of America—should we be the Press Secretary also released a Spanish lan- forced to act. Should Saddam Hussein seals guage transcript of these remarks. his fate by refusing to disarm, by ignoring the opinion of the world, you will be fighting not to conquer anybody but to liberate peo- ple. Digest of Other See, we believe in freedom. No matter White House Announcements what their oppressors may say, the people of Iraq have no love for tyranny. Like all human beings, they desire and they deserve The following list includes the President’s public schedule and other items of general interest an- to live in liberty and to live in dignity. Amer- nounced by the Office of the Press Secretary and ica seeks more than the defeat of terror. We not included elsewhere in this issue. seek the advance of human freedom in a world at peace. That is the charge history has given us, and that is the charge we will December 28 keep. In the morning, at the Bush Ranch in In crucial hours, the success of our cause Crawford, TX, the President had an intel- will depend upon you. As members of our ligence briefing. military, you serve this Nation’s ideals, and December 30 you demonstrate those ideals in your code In the morning, the President had an intel- and in your character. As Commander in ligence briefing. Chief, I have come to know the men and The President announced the designation women who wear America’s uniform. I have of the following individuals to represent the seen your love of country and your devotion United States at the inauguration of Presi- to a cause larger than yourself. I have seen dent-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil your discipline, your idealism, and your sense on January 1, 2003: Robert B. Zoellick, who of honor. I know that every order I give can will lead the delegation; Donna J. Hrinak; bring a cost. I also know without a doubt Michael B. Enzi; and John F. Maisto. that every order I give will be carried out with skill and unselfish courage. December 31 Some crucial hours may lie ahead. We In the morning, the President had an intel- know the challenges and the dangers we face. ligence briefing. If this generation of Americans is ready, we accept the burden of leadership. We act in January 1 the cause of peace and freedom, and in that In the morning, the President had an intel- cause, we will prevail. ligence briefing.