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|  The text of President George W. Bush's addressvor Minuten in English, keine Lesermeinung ...from Thursday night to a joint session of Congress and the nation in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks: Mr. Speaker, Mr. President pro tempore, Members of Congress, andfellow Americans,In the normal course of events, presidents come to this chamber toreport on the state of the Union. Tonight, no such report is needed. It hasalready been delivered by the American people. We have seen it in the courage of passengers, who rushed terrorists tosave others on the ground -- passengers like an exceptional man named ToddBeamer and would you please help me to welcome his wife, Lisa Beamer, heretonight. We have seen the state of our Union in the endurance of rescuers,working past exhaustion. We have seen the unfurling of flags, the lighting ofcandles, the giving of blood, the saying of prayers -- in English, Hebrew andArabic. We have seen the decency of a loving and giving people, who have madethe grief of strangers their own. My fellow citizens, for the last nine days, the entire world has seenfor itself the state of our Union -- and it is strong. Tonight we are a country awakened to danger and called to defendfreedom. Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution. Whether webring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will bedone. I thank the Congress for its leadership at such an important time. Allof America was touched on the evening of the tragedy to see Republicans andDemocrats joined together on the steps of this Capitol, singing "God BlessAmerica." And you did more than sing, you acted, by delivering $40 billion torebuild our communities and meet the needs of our military. Speaker Hastert and Minority Leader Gephardt, Majority Leader Daschleand Sen. Lott, I thank you for your friendship and for your leadership andfor your service to our country. And on behalf of the American people, I thank the world for itsoutpouring of support. America will never forget the sounds of our National Anthemplaying at Buckingham Palace, and on the streets of Paris, and at Berlin'sBrandenburg Gate. We will not forget South Korean children gathering to prayoutside our embassy in Seoul, or the prayers of sympathy offered at a mosque inCairo. We will not forget moments of silence and days of mourning inAustralia and Africa and Latin America. Nor will we forget the citizens of 80 other nations who died with ourown. Dozens of Pakistanis. More than 130 Israelis. More than 250 citizens ofIndia. Men and women from El Salvador, Iran, Mexico and Japan. And hundredsof British citizens. America has no truer friend than Great Britain. Onceagain, we are joined together in a great cause. So British prime minister hascrossed an ocean to show his unity with America. Thank you for coming, friend. On Sept. 11, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against ourcountry. Americans have known wars -- but for the past 136 years, they havebeen wars on foreign soil, except for one Sunday in 1941. Americans have knownthe casualties of war -- but not at the center of a great city on a peacefulmorning. Americans have known surprise attacks -- but never before onthousands of civilians. All of this was brought upon us in a single day -- and nightfell on a different world, a world where freedom itself is under attack. Americans have many questions tonight. Americans are asking: Whoattacked our country? The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of looselyaffiliated terrorist organizations known as al Qaida. They are some of themurderers indicted for bombing American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya, andresponsible for bombing the USS Cole. Al Qaida is to terror what the mafia is to crime. But its goal is notmaking money; its goal is remaking the world -- and imposing its radicalbeliefs on people everywhere. The terrorists practice a fringe form of Islamic extremism that hasbeen rejected by Muslim scholars and the vast majority of Muslim clerics -- afringe movement that perverts the peaceful teachings of Islam. The terrorists'directive commands them to kill Christians and Jews, to kill all Americans,and make no distinctions among military and civilians, including women andchildren. This group and its leader -- a person named Osama bin Laden -- arelinked to many other organizations in different countries, including theEgyptian Islamic Jihad and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. There are thousands of these terrorists in more than 60 countries.They are recruited from their own nations and neighborhoods, and brought tocamps in places like Afghanistan where they are trained in the tactics of terror.They are sent back to their homes or sent to hide in countries around theworld to plot evil and destruction. The leadership of al Qaida has great influence in Afghanistan, andsupports the Taliban regime in controlling most of that country. In Afghanistan,we see al Qaida's vision for the world. Afghanistan's people have been brutalized -- many are starving andmany have fled. Women are not allowed to attend school. You can be jailed forowning a television. Religion can be practiced only as their leaders dictate. Aman can be jailed in Afghanistan if his beard is not long enough. The United States respects the people of Afghanistan -- after all, weare currently its largest source of humanitarian aid -- but we condemn theTaliban regime. It is not only repressing its own people, it is threateningpeople everywhere by sponsoring and sheltering and supplying terrorists. Byaiding and abetting murder, the Taliban regime is committing murder. And tonight,the United States of America makes the following demands on the Taliban: Deliver to the United States authorities all the leaders of al Qaidawho hide in your land. Release all foreign nationals -- including American citizens -- youhave unjustly imprisoned, and protect foreign journalists, diplomats and aidworkers in your country. Close immediately and permanently every terrorist training camp inAfghanistan and hand over every terrorist, and every person in their supportstructure, to appropriate authorities. Give the United States full access to terrorist training camps, so wecan make sure they are no longer operating. These demands are not open to negotiation or discussion. The Talibanmust act and act immediately. They will hand over the terrorists, or they willshare in their fate. I also want to speak tonight directly to Muslims throughout the world: We respect your faith. It is practiced freely by many millions of Americans,and by millions more in countries that America counts as friends. Itsteachings are good and peaceful, and those who commit evil in the name of Allahblaspheme the name of Allah. The terrorists are traitors to their own faith,trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself. The enemy of America is not our manyMuslim friends; it is not our many Arab friends. Our enemy is a radicalnetwork of terrorists, and every government that supports them. Our war on terror begins with al Qaida, but it does not end there. Itwill not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found,stopped and defeated. Americans are asking: Why do they hate us? They hate what we see right here in this chamber -- a democraticallyelected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms-- our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote andassemble and -- disagree with each other. They want to overthrow existing governments in many Muslim countries,such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. They want to drive Israel out of theMiddle East. They want to drive Christians and Jews out of vast regions ofAsia and Africa. These terrorists kill not merely to end lives, but to disrupt and enda way of life. With every atrocity, they hope that America grows fearful,retreating from the world and forsaking our friends. They stand against us,because we stand in their way. We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen theirkind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20thcentury. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions -- byabandoning every value except the will to power -- they follow in the path offascism, Nazism and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way, towhere it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies. Americans are asking: How will we fight and win this war? We will direct every resource at our command -- every means ofdiplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, everyfinancial influence, and every necessary weapon of war -- to the disruption andto the defeat of the global terror network. Now This war will not be like the war against Iraq a decade ago, withthe decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion. It will not looklike the air war above Kosovo two years ago, where no ground troops wereused and not a single American was lost in combat. Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolatedstrikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign,unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes, visible on TVand covert operations, secret even in success. We will starve terrorists offunding, turn them one against another, drive them from place to place, untilthere is no refuge or no rest. And we will pursue nations that provide aidor safe haven to terrorism. Every nation, in every region, now has a decisionto make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this dayforward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will beregarded by the United States as a hostile regime. Our nation has been put on notice: We are not immune from attack. Wewill take defensive measures against terrorism to protect Americans. Today, dozens of federal departments and agencies, as well as stateand local governments, have responsibilities affecting homeland security. Theseefforts must be coordinated at the highest level. So tonight I announce thecreation of a Cabinet-level position reporting directly to me -- the Officeof Homeland Security. (The president departed from his prepared text and announced that Gov.Tom Ridge would head the office.) These measures are essential. But the only way to defeat terrorism asa threat to our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it, and destroy it whereit grows. Many will be involved in this effort, from FBI agents to intelligenceoperatives to the reservists we have called to active duty. All deserve ourthanks, and all have our prayers. And tonight, a few miles from the damagedPentagon, I have a message for our military: Be ready. I have called the armedforces to alert, and there is a reason. The hour is coming when America willact, and you will make us proud. This is not, however, just America's fight. And what is at stake isnot just America's freedom. This is the world's fight. This is civilization'sfight. This is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism,tolerance and freedom. We ask every nation to join us. We will ask, and we will need, thehelp of police forces, intelligence services, and banking systems around theworld. The United States is grateful that many nations and many internationalorganizations have already responded -- with sympathy and with support. Nationsfrom Latin America, to Asia, to Africa, to Europe, to the Islamic world.Perhaps the NATO Charter reflects best the attitude of the world: an attack onone is an attack on all. The civilized world is rallying to America's side. They understandthat if this terror goes unpunished, their own cities, their own citizens may benext. Terror, unanswered, can not only bring down buildings, it can threatenthe stability of legitimate governments. And you know what, we're not goingto allow it. Americans are asking: What is expected of us? I ask you to live your lives and hug your children. I know manycitizens have fears tonight, and I ask you to be calm and resolute, even in theface of a continuing threat. I ask you to uphold the values of America, and remember why so manyhave come here. We are in a fight for our principles, and our firstresponsibility is to live by them. No one should be singled out for unfair treatment orunkind words because of their ethnic background or religious faith. I ask you to continue to support the victims of this tragedy with yourcontributions. Those who want to give can go to a central source ofinformation, libertyunites.org, to find the names of groups providing direct help inNew York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. The thousands of FBI agents who are now at work in this investigationmay need your cooperation, and I ask you to give it. I ask for your patience, with the delays and inconveniences that mayaccompany tighter security -- and for your patience in what will be a longstruggle. I ask your continued participation and confidence in the Americaneconomy. Terrorists attacked a symbol of American prosperity. They did not touchits source. America is successful because of the hard work, and creativity,and enterprise of our people. These were the true strengths of our economybefore Sept. 11, and they are our strengths today. And finally, please continue praying for the victims of terror andtheir families, for those in uniform, and for our great country. Prayer hascomforted us in sorrow, and will help strengthen us for the journey ahead. Tonight I thank my fellow Americans for what you have already done andfor what you will do. And ladies and gentlemen of the Congress, I thank you,their representatives, for what you have already done, and for what we willdo together. Tonight, we face new and sudden national challenges. We will cometogether to improve air safety, to dramatically expand the number of air marshalson domestic flights, and take new measures to prevent hijacking. We willcome together to promote stability and keep our airlines flying with directassistance during this emergency. We will come together to give law enforcement the additional tools itneeds to track down terror here at home. We will come together to strengthenour intelligence capabilities to know the plans of terrorists before theyact, and find them before they strike. We will come together to take active steps that strengthen America'seconomy, and put our people back to work. Tonight we welcome two leaders who embody the extraordinary spirit ofall New Yorkers: Gov. George Pataki, and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. As a symbolof America's resolve, my Administration will work with the Congress, andthese two leaders, to show the world that we will rebuild New York City. After all that has just passed -- all the lives taken, and all thepossibilities and hopes that died with them -- it is natural to wonder ifAmerica's future is one of fear. Some speak of an age of terror. I know there arestruggles ahead, and dangers to face. But this country will define our times,not be defined by them. As long as the United States of America is determinedand strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age ofliberty, here and across the world. Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great loss. And inour grief and anger we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fearare at war. The advance of human freedom -- the great achievement of ourtime, and the great hope of every time -- now depends on us. Our nation -- thisgeneration -- will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and ourfuture. We will rally the world to this cause, by our efforts and by our courage.We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. It is my hope that in the months and years ahead, life will returnalmost to normal. We'll go back to our lives and routines, and that is good.Even grief recedes with time and grace. But our resolve must not pass. Each ofus will remember what happened that day, and to whom it happened. We willremember the moment the news came -- where we were and what we were doing. Somewill remember an image of fire, or a story of rescue. Some will carry memoriesof a face and a voice gone forever. And I will carry this. It is the police shield of a man named GeorgeHoward, who died at the World Trade Center trying to save others. It was givento me by his mom, Arlene, as a proud memorial to her son. It is my reminderof lives that ended, and a task that does not end. I will not forget the wound to our country, and those who inflictedit. I will not yield -- I will not rest -- I will not relent in waging thisstruggle for freedom and security of the American people. The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain. Freedom and fear, justice and cruelty, have always been at war, and weknow that God is not neutral between them. Fellow citizens, we will meet violence with patient justice -- assuredof the rightness of our cause, and confident of the victories to come. Inall that lies before us, may God grant us wisdom, and may He watch over theUnited States of America. Thank you.
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