Bush: 'The War Is Not Over'

On 5th Anniversary Of Attacks, President Says U.S. In 'Early Hours' Of War

(CBS/AP)  Five years after the worst terror attack in U.S. history, President Bush said Monday night the war against terrorism is "the calling of our generation" and urged Americans to put aside differences and fight to victory.

"America did not ask for this war, and every American wishes it were over," Mr. Bush said. "The war is not over — and it will not be over until either we or the extremists emerge victorious."

Mr. Bush, in a prime time address from the Oval Office, staunchly defended the war in Iraq even though he acknowledged that Saddam Hussein was not responsible for the 9/11 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people.

He said Saddam's regime, while lacking weapons of mass destruction, was a clear threat that posed "a risk the world could not afford to take." At least 2,600 U.S. servicemen and women have died in Iraq.

"Whatever mistakes have been made in Iraq, the worst mistake would be to think that if we pulled out, the terrorists would leave us alone," the president said. "They will not leave us alone. They will follow us."

---

Read the full text of President Bush's address
The president remembers 9/11
Bush defends his decision on Iraq
'Peace and moderation in the Middle East'
Remembering a fallen firefighter

---

The address was coming at the end of a day in which Mr. Bush honored the memory of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks that rocked his presidency and thrust the United States into a costly and unfinished war against terror. In the speech, Mr. Bush explicitly linked the war in Iraq to the broader war on terror, CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric reports.

"Our nation has endured trials, and we face a difficult road ahead," he said.

"We are now in the early hours of this struggle between tyranny and freedom," Mr. Bush said. "Amid the violence, some question whether the people of the Middle East want their freedom – and whether the forces of moderation can prevail."

It was a day of mourning, remembrance and resolve. Before his address, Mr. Bush visited New York, Shanksville, Pa., and the Pentagon to place wreaths and console relatives of the victims.

At 9:38 a.m. at the Pentagon and at 10:03 a.m. in Shanksville, Pa., everything stopped. The president visited those places and shared moments of silence. He also consoled families, laying wreaths and sharing a moment of silence, CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod reports.

The president made no public remarks at the disaster sites Monday, calling it a "wordless day," Axelrod reports. "We were told it would be a non-political speech, with no distinctions between Democrats and Republicans."

Instead, Axelrod reports, viewers of the speech saw "stark differences made in terms of handling the war on terror. I think what we're seeing here is the bridge to Sept. 12," which starts the "final sprint to the mid-term elections."

Five years ago, the attacks transformed Mr. Bush's presidency and awakened the world to Osama bin Laden — who is still at large — and his band of al Qaeda terrorists. While the public has soured on the war in Iraq, which Mr. Bush calls the central front in the war on terror, the president still gets high marks for his handling of Sept. 11.

Terrorism has been a potent political issue for Republicans, and they hope to capitalize on it in the November elections. GOP lawmakers are anxious about holding control of both houses of Congress.

Congress has approved $432 billion for Iraq and the war on terrorism. At least 2,666 U.S. servicemen and women have died in Iraq. The toll in Afghanistan is 272.

"If we do not defeat these enemies now, we will leave our children to face a Middle East overrun by terrorist states and radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons," Mr. Bush said. "We are in a war that will set the course for this new century and determine the destiny of millions across the world."

White House officials said President Bush's speech was not intended to outline new strategy. Rather, it was portrayed as an appeal for unity and a commitment to win the struggle against terror at a time when the war in Iraq is widely opposed. There was no mention of Iraq in the excerpts of the speech, but officials said Mr. Bush would talk about it in his address.

"This struggle has been called a clash of civilizations," the president said. "In truth it is a struggle for civilization." He said the United States was standing with democratic leaders and reformers, offering a path away from radicalism.

[islandman56]

The only thing I can say is my prayers and thoughts of what happened on 9/11 go out to all who lost someone close to their hearts. We, as Americans, should and will remember that day. God Bless all of you and God Bless America

[rntcastro]

I am writing from Brazil and our prayers are with all, the american people in this moment. We, as the rest of the world, will never forget this sad day.I have been to this country last June .I loved this country and I love my american friends.I am sure America will win this battle through peace and patriotism.God bless you all.Love from Brazil to you, Renata Castro

[tvrvixen]

Rejected But Not Forgotten!

Like so many of us, my life forever changed on September 11th, 2001. After days of anguishing and searching for an answer, it suddenly came to me. That is, to erect a free monument to the thousands of lives lost.
So the next day, I went around to area companies for their support and help. And to my jubilant surprise, they too were anxious to get involved.
An area steel company offered to construct, erect, and even maintain forever the towers. Their workers even volunteered to come in on their days off to hand build the structures. "After all," they said, "we are steel workers and it was steel workers who built these buildings, and it was steel workers who came out voluntarily to clear the rubble and look for survivors. It's the least we can do."
A local stone company readily donated all the limestone materials and other companies offered their assistance. I really thought our message to the fallen would finally succeed. I was so wrong. I had no idea that this simple and quiet symbol and act of remembrance would solicit so many objections from civic, community, religious, government, and institutional groups as "inappropriate", "offensive to Moslems", and even, "out-of-character" by one community.
"Offensive," I asked, "to whom?" "Out-of-character? Inappropriate?" I wondered, "How's it possible?"

[nserrano1-2009]

The events of Sept 11 are extremely painful for me because I had interviewed the men that drove these planes and attacked the twin towers. I was working at a College in tampa, when I was called to the front desk. I saw a young, husky Arab-looking man with glasses and another young, serious guy with jet-black hair. I shook their hands and I gave a Questionaire to Marwann Al-shehi. I recall giving these men a tour of the College. There were three of them. I noticed that they were intimidating and there faces were stoic and without reaction. I also sensed a foreboding of evil in the presence of these young men.They seemed very interested in plane simulation. They gathered all of the information and asked me if I knew of any other schools that offered flight training. Weeks later, they tragedy occurred and I was interviewed by the FBI. For many months after 9/11 I felt as if I had interviewed a couple of "Lee H. Oswalds" I will never forget this experience.

[waterwhenwet]

Let's get real. I know it was a horrific thing that happened to us, but lets leave the greiving to the families. Let's not start showing the planes hitting the the Trade Center over and over again; we all saw it live on TV and we saw it for weeks on end. It is marked into our memories forever. Let's stop using this day as a political instrument, and please never make this a National Holiday before we make Pearl Harbor one..

[ronniehm]

It does seem like each anniversary is a bigger TV event than the one before. I would probably just broadcast the ceremonies and leave out the history lesson. News networks should be showing news, not managing our grief.

[beauford11]

My prayers and thoughts go out to all those that were touched by 9/11. However, it is time to let those wounds heal and start to rebuild. Five years have gone by and still, we are hearing reports as if it happened yesterday i.e the resent 911 tapes made available. That is private and families of those that lost their lives should have been the only ones to have been given the opportunity to listen and not the public. Let the families heal those wounds. Why do we need to reopen those scares!!! The other night, a competitor aired a 9/11 special about the children of those taken that day. I think they summed it up by basically saying "...leave us alone to rebuild our lives..." Out of the mouth of babes. I feel we need to contiune to go after those responsible for that terrible day, but let the nation heal and stop resurrecting that terrible day. We all remember it and always will, we don't need to be constantly reminded.

[grazinggoat]

All my condoloscences to all lost, maimed lives, and relatives in Ground Zero New York.

Tomorrow 12 septembre 2006, exactly TWO MONTHS ago, the Israeli Defense Forces has had started a TERROR attack on the land of Lebanon. ONE THOUSAND innocent victims unwillingly paid with their lives. There has been 15,000 (fifteen thousand) residential units destroyed, LEBANESE infrastructure: roads, bridges, hospitals, highrises, dairy manufactures, etc...

Total loss: more than fifteen billion dollars (15,000,000,000$) as per estimates of United Nations and Lebanese governement experts damage assessors.

Lebanese citizens are sharing the sorrow of the USA lost citizens, and adding up their fresh sorrow to the tragic human experience. The problem they are facing now is defining the ONE GROUND ZERO of their own. One tends to think there are as many as 15,000 of them on Tiny Lebanon land.

GOOD WILLS AND PEACE ON ALL OF US UNTILL ETERNITY COMES, UNTILL ETERNITY COME; WE ARE AND SHOULD STAY ONE EARTH NATION.

[salemwriter]

The war on terror should include our effort to heal our nation from the effects of terrorism. In other words, we should fight terror in the way that FDR said that we should fight fear. The constant bombardment of 9/11 stories to me tends more to memorialize terror than to heal. If anything I would rather see some shows on how we as a country can heal from being victimized by our own media machine through a steady stream of horrific images and cowboy talk.

[fmventures]

Almost 3000 of us died in one day on 9.11
We went after them in Iraq and Afganistan.
In Iraq alone, 45000 civilians died in a three years period. Will they have a day to remember, or an eternity to hate us?
And in Iraq alone another 3000 of our sons and daughters died. Will they also have a day to remember?
Was it worth the price? Are we better now than we were then?

[terminalman1-2009]

The man that killed over 3 thousand people on 9/11 visits the scene of the crime and lays a wreath where he killed all those people. Wow!!! I thought O.J. Simpson got away with murder. George Bush has no conscience, to be able to go to the scene of the crime and lay a wreath I'm still stunned. Then the same man starts a war for no reason at all and kills thousands more innocent people. He's a mass murderer in every sense of the word. God see's everything. He will pay one way or the other.

[brit4578]

I have never seen the Twin Towers but I know that ereryone in New York City had loved them and if I had lived in New York City I would of them to very much and I would of cared about the people who had tryed to get all the people out of the Twin Towers.

[ronniehm]

terminalman, I know there are people who think Bush planned and executed the destruction of the towers, but I haven't been able to find a single one of you who can explain why the terrorists were receiving flight training years before Bush ran for president. Can you explain that? You see, it's not a valid theory unless it fits 100% of the evidence. If even one piece doesn't fit, you must be wrong.

[rlpace1]

What unbelieveable BS.
This is the same speach he gives constantly, for the past months and years. Where has he been?

[kwlambi]

Why does the media want to turn W's speech into a political blog for a bloody election? The whole political agenda is boring, old and the SOS. I am beginning to believe the war on terror is going down the same road as the war on drugs. The gOVT IS SPENDING OR WASTING ALOT OF MONEY ON IT. Its unlikely that 9/11 will ever happen again here in this country because there has been progress in communications. I dont think we will be training terroists too soon in anything, like we did before. However all the effort over there in the peasants fields hasn't achieved very much. They are still there, and growing in numbers. What we need to do is break their will, we are far from doing that. But so were the *** long ago....

[savoy066]

The President's speech was quite apolitical. I dont need Couric or other commentators to tell me otherwise. The speech offered prospective and focus on the fact that regardless of which party holds Congress after this November - or the White House two years from now, we fight against an enemy that makes no distinction in our political differences.

More of the same. this wasn't a healing apolitical talk to the country on the 9/11 Anniversary. this was the administration ta=lking points repeated in case we missed cheney on meet the press or condi rice spouting company line of face the Nation. the world felt for us after 9/11 and bush squandered those good feelings by invading iraq. Today, after a day of memories across the country, the healer in chief once again turned toi his private agenda and his political advisors. the speech was undeserving of this day, and had no place on the national day of healing. the man is consumate politician, a liar, a hack and no, I will not unify behind the choices he has made. no daughteres in the service, no tax increases to pay for these attacks. and no clear policy in the failure to win the peace.

[vwescott2]

911 would not have happened if Mr. Bush had listened to Bill Clinton. He tried to tell him what was coming but of course a Republican was not going to listen to a democratic. As far as I am concerned Mr. Bush is responsible for all of the deaths of 911 and all of our troops being killed right now. His speech tonight was only an election thing. How does he sleep at night. Well his kids won't go to war so that is how he does it. He does not care.

[sharncedar]

Hooray for the US where we can call this stuff BS like it really is. In Nazi Germany, where they had a similar group of "neo-conservatives" seizing power, I'm sure after 5 years of senseless war and hate-mongering the people there were sick to death of the BS speeches by their leaders, but couldn't speak, couldn't even laugh about it. There is hope for America! Even in our darkest hour, when our nation has been seized by small-minded paranoid fascists, we have the light of democracy that can bring us to our senses. The irony is that the people killed on 9/11 were many of them capitalists engaged in free pursuit of their dreams and now we can best live on by being free, being our best which is the happy, tolerant, free-speaking, positive America. That light truly can light the world.

No healing speech here, no i feel your pain. this was yet another attempt by Bush speak to frame the discussion re; his unjustified invasion of Iraq. It was more Bush talking points in case we missed his hack VP cheney on meet the press or condi Rice and her bushspeak on Face the Nation. 9/11 was not about husein, or iraq, bush again has chosen to make that the battle. And he's asking for unity behind illegal secret prisions, pushing the defintion of torture or simply ignoring the laws inn place, illegal wiretapping, and a failed policy about unsupportable invasion of a country that never attacked us. I will not unify behind these illegal if not immoral actions. Once again, a chance for world support on this special day squandered by the panderer in chief.

[tomflint69]

Thats great! its one of the many signs of a good politician to use whatever the situation has been or had been. President Bush is a great president because he has been wisely using the Tower episodes. We agree that it was the most horrible incident and we will surely catch those who are responsible, but Mr president has cashed it to its maximum and he will continue; excellent politics.

[vwescott2]

The president does not care about us people all he cares about is his riches that he has. He does not care about our kids being killed every day over in Irag. He pretends to like he did today. And what was that speech? A campaign thing right. How many in congress plus his children are fighting this senseless war. None of them. Why should he care. He has a good bed to sleep in and plenty of food what does our troops have???

[mykittie06]

My thoughts our with the victims of 9/11

A peom






A Thoughtful Prayer

Through Words We Can Not Feel
Through Our Soul We Can Touch
To A PlaceSo Real
To The People We Love So Much

Though We Can Not See
For Whom We So Much Think Of
For Whom Is Alive, Is Now Free
Is Now In The Heaven Above

Though You Are Not Here
Here In My Arms
Within A Thoughtful Prayer
You'll Always Be Here In My Heart

Love Is Here For Always
For The Love That We Had Shared
I Hold So Dear
For Within A Thoughtful Prayer
I Hold So Sincere

Memeories Of You That Lasts
No Matter Where You Are
You'll Stay Forever
Here In My Heart

Written By Tracy Rogers

[mykittie06]

Bush just like his father a lot of talk and no action. I think it is more of his own power that he embraces than anything else than taking care of the problems we face here in America!

[cmuller37]

On the headline on Google News for this article, they include the terrorists in the number of lives we're remembering today.

The headline is this:
Five Years On: 2,992 Lives Remembered

Make your own conclusion.

[peacemaker2k]

Some of you guys don't understand the big picture.

Lets take a look at this aproval ratings: 89% at start of war 36% or so now. I am tired of all this anti Bush talk. You think the man is that supid to drive are nation into the muck? You think he is trying his best to protect us and not just us but the rest of the world? Hmm? The world needs leaders, and fewer people who think this war is not right. Oh no we should with draw and stay at home. Well may seem good idea at the moment, but what about the terrorist, what they doing? They planning to hurt more people... No attacks on our lands for 5 years, think Bush is trying to protect us? Yes.

Yes I feel bad about our armed services dying everyday, my cousin just went into the Navy. Every now and then he tells his mom that they stopped a drug boat in the ocean. Is that not protecting our nation? Hmm. Evil will win if you do not take action, staying at home will not work. War is sacrifice rather we like it or not. Only way to fix some peoples view ideas is to get ride of them, wish there was a peaceful way, but there is not, people have to die.

Put you self in Bush's shoes, what would you do? Think about that. Think Bush wants to live the rest of his life thinking he was a very bad President?

Americans need to suck it up and be strong. Show honor for our nation, lead the world to peace.

So see the big picture not bits and pieces.

[peacemaker2k]

Forgot to add my prays out to all those who lost someone during the attacks.

[thgdriver]

Ok, president Bush goes to camp David, September 10 and says he will be away for two weeks, he completly egnors 9/11 and has nothing to say. The papers print nothing, nothing about 9/11 is on radio or tv eather. If this realy happened most Americans would be outraged. Most of us would ask ,why are they trying to make us forget 9/11?, what are they up to? Why is the worst attack on America being forgotten about and egnored? It seems the media and our President is damned if they do and damned if they don't.If more Americans asked "Mr.President, what can I do to help help you make America better today?" insted of damning everything he says and does we would all be far better off!!

[grazinggoat]

...Continued 2
This is a good plan and the 911 was a good starting point. Unfortunately those who are paying for it are the real American citizens. The sorrow is sincere for the real victims%u2019 relatives who lost sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, father, mothers, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, friends, partners and neighbors. It%u2019s not the case for the hypocrite president or his vice-president. Ask GW Bush and *** Cheney to send their immediate kin and relatives to the front in IRAQ or Afghanistan, and see how they%u2019ll behave. He himself never wanted to make it to the War when he was due.

So RonnieHM, hope you'll find this kind of standing right, but still eager to hear from you that other insignificant question.

[grazinggoat]

...Cntd 1
Of course SADDAM was a common threat to Kuwait (which he invaded), to Israel (which he bombed with Scud missiles), and a direct threat to SA Kingdom (was next Saddam target after Kuwait). Altogether with the will of establishing the newly reshaped Middle East dreamt by the Neo-Cons for better insertion and conversion to Christianity, and the establishing of Greater Israel Kingdom from the Sea to the Euphrates and ... As long as Ben-Laden was hiding in Tora Bora and not threatening, it%u2019s fine. The way is wide open for the plan.

The American people EMOTIONS become a simple good for sale, and trade. The GW Bush tricky acting is the type of Ronald Reagan with more sophistication. He is endowed with a cold depressed face when solemn situation is needed. He is dubbing a great writers team of public opinion modulators. The later write speeches that can instill the fright in the hearts of American who are like sheep and goats, and who tend to agree on everything their president and leaders say.
Please Read Contd 2

[grazinggoat]

RonnieHM, you are a bright fellow. You know very well that anything that goes by the phone/email, blogs etc are well looked at by the government services agents. Big brother is there and you know that... so be it.

Why Saudi families have been shipped immediately on the next if not the same day outside the USA on the day of 911, when ALL other flights have been suspended. Why their plane has not been shot down by fighter jets as per orders given by high authorities.

One of the theories is that Saudis and CIA have fomented the coup altogether, because of the fundamental Islamic threat that was growing stronger and harder with the O. Ben-Laden-likes... So is it plausible with the knowledge of Jewish organizations (so little of them have died that day), the Saudis have prepared (flights-trained) and paid the suicidals, under cover of Islamic charities, to commit this atrocity, under the blessing of CIA and GW Bush immediate entourage.

It's cool to say well no fricking way we did it nor did we know of it. Of course they did not do, but no one could prove they didn%u2019t know of it. And it looks much on purpose, they didn't prevent it from happening either, despite previous knowledge.

Please read Ctnd 1...

[nynative1340]

On a day when Bush's speech should have paid homage to those who died, and to all those heros who tried to save them, it turned out to be just another political speech. A 9/11 speech with spin. What would you expect from a man who:

- was an alcoholic for the first half of his adult life;
- never ran a successful business in his life;
- was a mediocre student at Yale (the only reason he got in was because of his family's prominence and money);
- is so inept at being president that Cheney, Rumsfeld, and the Bush neo-cons are calling the shots;
- has been lying to us since before he became president;
- and on, and on and on...

The neo-cons are so fearful of losing their one-party control of this country that they will do absolutely anything to stay in power. Right now they are stooping pretty low.

[alphaa10-2009]

When bad news reaches Bush from his "War on Terror", such as a soaring death toll from an entrenched and growing insurgency, he is rarely to be found. Understandably, Bush doesn't want to remind Americans he produced a debacle for which they pay upwards of $326 million each day.

Yet, people like Karl Rove are understandably anxious Americans might wonder about the long silences between speeches about the "light at the end of the tunnel", or a "darkness before the dawn", etc. That's old rhetoric, and most Americans now think Iraq is a mistake.

The GOP has to devise a new routine, a series of snappy one-liners for radio and TV spots-- "Hey, Joe, How do ya tell a military disaster from a Vietnam-style quagmire?" "Gee, I dunno, Bob." "Ya dummy! You can't-- It's an official secret!"

Or this one-- "Hey, Joe! When are American troops coming back home? They've been there almost as long as WW2." "Gee, I dunno, Bob." "Ya dummy! Not while I'm president!" "But you're not president, Bob!" "Exactly!"

[agnim]

Thank the stars that the day of American unwitting contribution to maniac muslim celebration has passed.
Let's see if we can wake the hell up before the next 'anniversary' rolls around again.

If our leaders had an sense about them, they would be encouraging Americans to remember their loved ones on their BIRTHDAY instead of on 911.

911 is a day of celebrating American sorrow and maniac muslim 'success', of sorts, over Americans.

We should seek to make this day as insignificant as possible. Celebrate the dearly departed on their day of birth.

In this way, the loved ones will be remembered without simultaneously giving maniac muslims the pleasure to gloat at American grief!

[alphaa10-2009]

On the anniversary of 911, Bush said-- "<b>America did not ask for this war... </b>"

Haven't we been through this before? Which war? After his public denial that he linked the cause of 911 with Iraq, Bush once again equates 911 with Iraq. Like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar of deceit, Bush is caught flat-footed once again in his favorite lie to the American people.

The only war Americans believe Bush is fighting is Iraq-- Afghanistan recedes into irrelevance, considering the emphasis Bush has given the campaign. Matters are not going splendidly there, either, perhaps explaining the lack of official news.

No, America did not ask for 911, but it did charge Bush to exterminate bin Laden in his lair in Afghanistan. Instead, Bush asked for Iraq.

[momtodrdog]

You go, peacemaker2k!! I am standing behind our president because at least he has backbone enough to stand up to Iran and other components of the "axis of evil"! Where would we be if some tenderhearted wimp was in there? Pres. Bush barely had a chance to get his presidency started before we were enveloped in this quagmire. It seems the man can't make a right move to please the American public. Catch 22. I say, let's stand behind our President and rally forth to fight those evil devils and show them true democracy at work! God bless America and President George W. Bush!

[momtodrdog]

I also agree with thgdriver. That famous quote applies here very aptly, "Ask not what your country can do for you but rather what you can do for your country"!!!

[juliehg-2009]

Don Quijote -- chasing windmills. He did not catch all them either.

[jlumpkins-2009]

I'm trying to come up with a way to say what I really want to say about bush without violating the rules.

Let me just say that hearing that dull witted, inarticulate, morally bankrupt piece of garbage that has waged war on my deepest held beliefs from day one of his administration begging for unity makes me want to puke.

That about sums it up.

[doctordonut-2009]

Same old song and, same old song and dance.

Our official reply:

http://www.theweeklydonut.org/index.php/2006/09/11/take-a-nice-big-bite-america/

[clestes-2009]

Hey momtodrdog, don't confuse backbone with stupidity and then too stubborn to acknowledge mistakes. Bush was a moron when he attacked Iraq knowing they had nothing to do with Osama Bin Laden (you read that report they released yesterday, right? The one that said there never was any doubt about it, NO ALQUEDA TIES)

He then betrayed every American and most espcially the ones who suffered losses on 9-11 by claiming he was chasing Osama Bin Laden in Iraq. He had lost all interest in Osama by then.-11 was only an excuse he used.

This man is without conscious, morals, integrety, honesty any of the qualities we need in a leader. How he can sleep at night is beyond me. Maybe that is why he looks like death warmed over. All those dead souls he has killed by his lies must come to haunt him at night.

The best thing he can do right now is get out of Iraq and join with the UN as a peace maker. The UN works better if the USA is with them instead of off on some cowboy mission of Bush's doing.

But, Bush has already said that he won't leave Iraq while he is president. No, he is going to leave the big mess he has made for his successor. He a coward and well as stupid he is.

[beliverinusa]

If you don't like the way things are run and one in USA, GET OUT!!!

You have that chose. You can leave. I'm so sick of the blame game that everyone is playing. It wouldn't matter if someone else was president instead of Bush. They would blame him, our government and however else they can think of.

I regret that so many people lost their lives and alot of our military have died.

Stand tall America!!!

[bobgee_1999]

Hey, "believer in USA": One of the fundamental principles this country was founded upon is the right to disagree with the government and to protest. That's the way it is, and has always been, and was intended to be. If YOU don't like it, maybe YOU should get out. Morons that say Love It Or Leave It are generally the ones who need to be packing their bags, because in reality, THEY don't like it here. So, have a nice trip.

[getcentered]

The "war" is not over Mr. President?
Which war, Iraq or "the war on terrorism"?
If you%u2019re talking about Iraq then I hope your wrong Mr. President. I hope it all ends soon there, and family of mine can come home before they get killed. I put the blame solely in your hands for the cursory war in Iraq, which you and your cursory administration led us into.
As far as the "war on terror" goes, well it didn%u2019t start with your office and it's not going to end with your office. I don't even think you understand what a "war on terror" is. It's not really a "war". It's a LAGRE scale criminal investigation won mostly by surveillance, intelligence and the ability to respond quickly to in coming threats. Terrorism has always been there, and Americans have often been the targets, but there isn't just ONE enemy. There area many terrorist groups and they all have there own goals. One of the goals of our terrorist enemies is to gain clout through attacking us. YOU GAVE IT TO THEM! WHY? You are the cause for thousands of new terrorists recruits. You are making the problem bigger by including Iraq in your so vague "war on terror". Mr. President you and your talking point robots of a constituency have lost my confidence. My vote is not going to be aligned with the GOP. Your party shows no willingness to show individuality, intelligence, and a freewill.
Mr. President, you and the GOP have failed us. WE WILL REMEMBER.

[beliverinusa]

Hey Bob!

I love my country and I do stand behind what our government is doing. Yes, this country was founded on being able to voice your opinion. But it's always the people who are against EVERYTHING that you always hear from. They are never satisfied. No matter who is in office. Your also given a right at the age of 18, that's the right to vote. If you don't like the way the country is run, GO VOTE! It's your civic RIGHT!

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!!!

[peacemaker2k]

Why does America have to do everything, and police the world? Because someone has to be the leader!...did you read my post? We need more leaders not fallowers. Go read my post: See the big picture. And why don't you post about more then one idea, things are complicated not easy to always see. The right thing is rarely the easy one.

We should be honored...honored to fight for freedom.

[clestes-2009]

Thank you jh6379.

[ccmm002]

I find it funny and sad at the same time that people are more willing to bash our own Pres before they even mention something bad against Saddam or Osama. why is that? Attacking our pres before you attack the evil people of this world is what being un-American is all about. I hated John Kerry, but I would never create division like the dems do. Debate is good, division is bad. But I'm sure you all know that right. A unified country is more important to you than your own point right. I would hope so.

[ronniehm]

ccmm, it's politics. They know Clinton would have done the same thing after 9/11. He would have gone into Afghanistan. And based on his wife's vote to authorize force, he would have gone into Iraq too. And don't even try to tell me that Bill Clinton, who had access to intelligence on Iraq for eight years, allowed Hillary to vote for a war that was based on a lie. A ton of that intelligence was gathered during Clinton's term, so if Bush saw it, Clinton saw it. Hillary Clinton is the best evidence that Democrats are full of it. It's politics.

[ronniehm]

from CNN (2004):

The lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq contradicts years of intelligence indicating Saddam had such weapons, which also was the conclusion of officials in the Clinton administration.

"The consensus was the same, from the Clinton administration to the Bush administration," she (Hillary Clinton) said. "It was the same intelligence belief that our allies and friends around the world shared.