NEW YORK, Sept. 11, 2006
Bush: 'The War Is Not Over'
On 5th Anniversary Of Attacks, President Says U.S. In 'Early Hours' Of War
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Play CBS Video Video Fallen Heroes CBS News RAW: Kevin Dowdell was one of the 343 firefighters killed in the September 11th terrorist attacks. President Bush discusses why America is blessed to have heroes like Dowdell.
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Video 9/11 Remembered Jim Axelrod reports on the 9/11 remembrance ceremonies in New York, Shanksville, Pa., and the Pentagon.
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Video Bush Defends Iraq CBS News RAW: President Bush explained why he went to war in Iraq even though Saddam Hussein was not responsible for the 9/11 attacks.
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President Bush said, in an address from the Oval Office on the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks: "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." (CBS)
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President Bush participates in a moment of silence at the Fort Pitt Firehouse in New York,, Sept. 11, 2006. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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First responders who were on the scene of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon salute above a large U.S. flag draped on the building's side during a memorial ceremony, Sept. 11, 2006 (Getty Images/Mandel Ngan)
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Retired fireman Capt. Jim McDermott, of Ladder 52 in the Bronx, N.Y., looks at photos of victims on the outside of a bus parked near ground zero in Lower Manhattan, Sept. 11 2006. (Getty Images/Don Emmert)
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Dan Hatlestad, center, his son, Erik, 13, left, and wife Lesia, of Littleton, Colo., pause to remember their neighbor, Capt. Jason M. Dahl, the captain of United Flight 93 on Sept. 11, 2001, at the memorial to Flight 93 victims in Shanksville, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
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Photos Images: Five Years Later Remembering the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the heroes who perished trying to save them.
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Timeline In Terror's Wake A look at the major developments following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
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Interactive Virtual Tour Models, maps, audio reports and a 360-degree view show the changes at Ground Zero five years later.
"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."
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.Read the full text of President Bush's address
The president remembers 9/11
"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.
©MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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See all 95 CommentsThis Saint GWL Bush is continuously induced in error. He needs to be liberated from his fellows inducers... Yeah RonnieHisMajesty, show me some wisdom, and for once blame this administration for duping its constituents. The damage has been done. The panel has duped the highest office of elected american delegates (Congress), all resulting in unfair political decision toward another nation... whatever it is.
Let's re-examin what has been declared in this report:
The agency noted five major errors in the committee's 29-page report, which said Iran's nuclear capabilities are more advanced than either the IAEA or U.S. intelligence has shown
This panel has not even considered the accuracy of US intelligence. What does this Panel know more than the US intelligence?
Since you have nothing to say about wider views of a situation, you just make personal attacks in order to discredit the writer. This is not a fair discussion.
We have a monkey at the white house who is faking being a president of the most powerful state of the world.
In reality, he is part of the Axis of evil. This is the worst one ever. Any reasonable person would agree on those views. Systematically lying about everything. Should be named GWL-Bush for George Walking-Liar Bush.
What do you have to say about the letter sent by Vilmos Scerveny, the guy from UN-IAEA, regarding the lies printed in the Intelligence Paper on Iranian Nuclear Aims? Answer this and tell everyone here what you think of this adminstration. Do you think Bush will retract and apologize for this other misleading...
This is an extract of the article: '
The agency noted five major errors in the committee's 29-page report, which said Iran's nuclear capabilities are more advanced than either the IAEA or U.S. intelligence has shown.
Let's wait n see...
The fact Roosevelt knew about it all doesn't give us the right (but our president seems to take it at will) to lie about our intents. Liar is again trying to dupe his nationals, who voted for him... (be sure I did not) in order to drag us into another war inthe Middle_East. Nobody wants war. Do you?
It's incredible how cowards and liars make it to the top and become heroes. If that is the case with FDR, well I'm really not proud of that guy either.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/documents/document091406.pdf
Same old way liar, as per the UNited Nations IAEA agent Vilmos Scerveny
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/13/AR2006091302052_pf.html
The same way he did lie at the face the face of the world that SadDam has Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) previous to his saint Invasion of Iraq, and creating Hell there. You still like your father?
At least I can count on clestes to make a point every now and then.
Absolutely, but the thought is what counts!
People who think they have to support him just because he is president are the same ones who kill a civilian just because a superior officer orders it and then expects to have the defense of "I was ordered to."
This is not George Orwell's 1984 and in this country our leaders are expected to be accountable. You think that blindly supporting Bush is what makes this country great? You cound not be more wrong. If that is what you think go live in a dicatatorship cause you have no idea of what this country was founded on.
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See all 95 Comments