Sept. 6 / Administration of George W. Bush, 2006

to impose the darkness of tyranny and ter- leader responsible for planning the Sep- ror upon the entire world. And we’re fight- tember 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, who was ing for a peaceful future for our children captured in on March 1, 2003; and our grandchildren. Ramzi bin al-Shibh, an Al Qaida operative May God bless you all. suspected of helping to plan the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, who was captured NOTE: The President spoke at 1:45 p.m. in in Karachi, Pakistan, on September 11, 2002; the East Room at the White House. In his and Nurjaman Riduan Isamuddin (also remarks, he referred to Usama bin Laden, known as Hambali), Al Qaida’s chief oper- leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organization; ational planner in Southeast , who was , senior Al Qaida captured in on , 2003.

Message to the Congress Transmitting Draft Legislation on Military Commissions September 6, 2006

To the Congress of the : missions that tracks the courts-martial pro- I transmit for the consideration of the cedures of the Uniform Code of Military Congress draft legislation entitled the Justice, but that departs from those proce- ‘‘Military Commissions Act of 2006.’’ This dures where they would be impracticable draft legislation responds to the Supreme or inappropriate for the trial of unlawful Court of the United States decision in enemy combatants captured in the midst Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 126 S. Ct. 2749 of an ongoing armed conflict, under cir- (2006), by establishing for the first time cumstances far different from those typi- in our Nation’s history a comprehensive cally encountered by military prosecutors. statutory structure for military commissions Five years after the mass murders of 9/ that would allow for the fair and effective 11, it is time for the United States to begin prosecution of captured members of al to prosecute captured al Qaeda members Qaeda and other unlawful enemy combat- for the serious crimes that many of them ants. The Act also addresses the Supreme have committed against United States citi- Court’s holding that Common Article 3 of zens and our allies abroad. As we provide the applies to the con- terrorists the justice and due process that flict with al Qaeda by providing definitions they denied their victims, we demonstrate rooted in United States law for the stand- that our Nation remains committed to the ards of conduct prescribed by Common Ar- rule of law. ticle 3. I ask that the Congress carefully consider The military commission procedures con- this legislation and respectfully urge its tained in this draft legislation reflect the speedy passage for enactment into law. result of an extended deliberation both within the executive branch and between GEORGE W. BUSH representatives of my Administration and The White House, Members of Congress. The draft legislation September 6, 2006. would establish a Code of Military Com-

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Remarks to the Georgia Public Policy Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia September 7, 2006

Thank you all very much. Please be seat- thank the board of governors for your kind ed. Thank you. Sonny, thanks for the intro- invitation. I appreciate very much being duction. Thanks for your leadership. It’s al- with Major General Terry Nesbitt. He’s the ways a pleasure to be in Georgia. I appre- director of the Georgia office of Homeland ciate you coming, and I appreciate this Security. chance to speak here before the Georgia Joining us today is a man I got to know Public Policy Foundation. And I thank you quite well under trying circumstances, and for what you do. For 15 years, you’ve been that would be Lieutenant General Russ researching and writing on issues that mat- Honore of the United States Army— ter. You take on tough questions; you apply Honore. He issued one of the great lines innovative thinking; you push for action; I’ve ever heard, and you’re welcome to use and you do it all without regard to politics. it: ‘‘Don’t get stuck on stupid.’’ It’s good Come on up to Washington. [Laughter] advice for people in Washington, DC. I have come here to Atlanta to continue [Laughter] a series of speeches marking the fifth anni- I welcome the other State and local offi- versary of the September the 11th, 2001, cials here. Thank you all for letting me attacks. Last week at the American Legion come by. Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, I out- In Atlanta, you know the pain of ter- lined the ideological struggle between the rorism firsthand. This summer, you marked forces of moderation and liberty and the the 10th anniversary of the bombing in forces of extremism across the Middle East. Centennial Olympic Park. That was the act On Tuesday in Washington, I described our of one madman. Next Monday is the fifth enemies in their own words and set forward anniversary of an attack on our Nation, and a strategy to defeat them. Yesterday I an- on that day, we awoke to a new kind of nounced that the men we believe orches- . Instead of a localized strike, we trated the 9/11 attacks have been trans- faced multiple attacks by a network of so- ferred to Guantanamo Bay, and I called phisticated and suicidal extremists. In the on the United States Congress to pass legis- years since, we’ve come to learn more lation creating military commissions to about our enemies. We’ve learned more bring these people to justice. about their dark and distorted vision of Today I’ll deliver a progress report on . We’ve learned about their plan to the steps we have taken since 9/11 to pro- build a radical Islamic empire stretching tect the American people, steps we’ve taken from to . We learned about to go on the offense against the enemy, their dreams to kill more Americans on an and steps we are taking to win this war even more devastating scale. That’s what on terror. they have told us. As President, I took an Today I traveled with two United States oath to protect this country, and I will con- Senators who clearly see the issues before tinue using every element of national power us, and I appreciate and I’m proud to be to pursue our enemies and to prevent at- associated and friends with Senator Saxby tacks on the United States of America. Chambliss and Senator Johnny Isakson. Over the past 5 years, we have waged I do thank Brenda Fitzgerald for encour- an unprecedented campaign against terror aging the board of governors to invite me at home and abroad, and that campaign and for taking the lead for the Georgia has succeeded in protecting the homeland. Public Policy Foundation. And I want to At the same time, we’ve seen our enemies

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