‘This Is a Different Kind of War’

Here is President Bush’s opening statement at his White House news conference Thursday night:

Good evening. I would like to report to the American people on the state of our war against terror, and then I’ll be happy to take questions from the White House press corps.

One month ago today, innocent citizens from more than 80 nations were attacked and killed without warning or provocation in an act that horrified not only every American, but every person of every faith and every nation who values human life.

The attack took place on American soil, but it was an attack on the heart and soul of the civilized world. And the world has come together to fight a new and different war: the first--and we hope the only--one of the 21st century; a war against all those who seek to export terror; and a war against those governments that support or shelter them.

We’ve accomplished a great deal in one month. Our staunch friend, Great Britain, our neighbors, Canada and Mexico, our NATO allies, our allies in Asia, Russia, and nations from every continent on the Earth have offered help of one kind or of another, from military assistance to intelligence information to crackdown on terrorist financial networks.

This week, 56 Islamic nations issued a statement strongly condemning the savage acts of terror and emphasizing that those acts contradict the peaceful teachings of Islam. All is strong and united on the diplomatic front.

The men and women of the United States military are doing their duty with scale and success. We have ruined terrorist training camps, disrupted their communications, weakened the Taliban military and destroyed most of their air defenses.

We’re mounting a sustained campaign to drive the terrorists out of their hidden caves and to bring them to justice. All missions are being executed according to plan on the military front.

At the same time, we are showing the compassion of America by delivering food and medicine to the Afghan people, who are themselves the victims of a repressive regime.

On the law enforcement front, terrorists are being swept up in an international dragnet. Several hundred have been arrested. Thousands of FBI agents are on the trail of other suspects here and abroad. Working with countries around the world, we have frozen more than $24 million in Al Qaeda or Taliban assets.

We are aggressively pursuing the agents of terror around the world, and we are aggressively strengthening our protections here at home. This week, we established America’s new Office of Homeland Security, directed by former Gov. Tom Ridge. Americans tonight can know that while the threat is ongoing, we are taking every possible step to protect our country from danger.

Your government is doing everything we can to recover from these attacks and to try to prevent others. We’re acting to make planes and airports safer, rebuild New York and the Pentagon.

We must act to stimulate a slow economy, to help laid-off workers. And we must fund our military.

This is a time of testing; this time of testing has revealed the true character of the American people. We’re angry at the evil that was done to us, yet patient and just in our response.

Before Sept. 11, my administration was planning an initiative called Communities of Character. It was designed to help parents develop good character in their children and to strengthen the spirit of citizenship and service in our communities. The acts of Sept. 11 have prompted that initiative to occur on its own in ways far greater than I could have ever imagined.

We have shown great love for our country and great tolerance and respect for all our countrymen.

I was struck by this that in many cities when Christian and Jewish women learned that Muslim women, women of cover, were afraid of going out of their homes alone, that they went shopping with them, that they showed true friendship and support, an act that shows the world the true nature of America.

Our war on terrorism has nothing to do with differences in faith. It has everything to do with people of all faiths coming together to condemn hate and evil and murder and prejudice.

One month after great suffering and sorrow, America is strong and determined and generous. I am honored to lead such a country, and I know we are ready for the challenges ahead.

And now I welcome your questions.

(Here are excerpts from the news conference followed by Bush’s closing statement:)

“The American people--obviously if they see something that is suspicious, something out of the norm that looks suspicious--they ought to notify local law authorities. But in the meantime, they ought to take comfort in knowing our government is doing everything we possibly can.”

“People often ask me, ‘How long will this last?’ This particular battle front will last as long as it takes to bring Al Qaeda to justice. It may happen tomorrow, it may happen a month from now, it may take a year or two, but we will prevail.”

“It’s not the kind of war we’re used to in America. The ‘greatest generation’ was used to storming beachheads. Baby boomers such as myself was used to getting caught in a quagmire of Vietnam where politics made decisions more than the military sometimes. Generation X was able to watch technology right in front of their TV screens, you know, burrow into concrete bunkers in Iraq and blow them up. This is a different kind of war that requires a different type of approach and a different type of mentality.”

“I am confident that the Al Qaeda organization is moving around Afghanistan. They think they might find safe haven? Not if we think they’re there. And we got them on the run.”

“All I ask is for results. If you say you want to join us to cut off money, show us the money. If you say you want to join us militarily like Great Britain does, do so. . . . If you’re interested in sharing intelligence, share intelligence. . . . I appreciated diplomatic talk, but I’m more interested in action and results.”

“If you cough him up and his people today--that we’ll reconsider what we’re doing to your country. You still have a second chance. Just bring him in, and bring his leaders and lieutenants and other thugs and criminals with him.”

“One of the things that we’ve got [to] make sure of is that all parties--all interested parties have an opportunity to be a part of a new government, that we shouldn’t play favorites between one group or another within Afghanistan. Secondly, we’ve got [to] work for a stable Afghanistan so that her neighbors don’t fear terrorist activity again coming out [of] that country.”

“I’m amazed that there’s such misunderstanding of what our country is about that people would hate us. I am--like most Americans, I just can’t believe it because I know how good we are. And we’ve got to do a better job of making our case.”

“The case is more strong today than it was on September the 10th that the ABM [Antiballistic Missile Treaty] is outmoded, outdated, reflects a different time. And I am more than anxious to continue making my case . . . “

Here is part of Bush’s closing statement:

Before we leave, I want to make a special request to the children of America. I ask you to join in a special effort to help the children of Afghanistan. Their country has been through a great deal of war and suffering. Many children there are starving and are severely malnourished. One in three Afghan children is an orphan, almost half suffer chronic malnutrition, and we can and must help them.

We’ve created a special relief effort that will be supervised by the Red Cross.

We are asking every child in America to earn or give a dollar that will be used to provide food and medical help for the children of Afghanistan. You can send your dollar in an envelope marked “America’s Fund for Afghan Children” right here to the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.

This is an opportunity to help others while teaching our own children a valuable lesson about service and character. I hope school classes or Boys and Girl Scout troops, other youth organizations will participate in any way to raise the money to send to the children. Wash a car. Do a yard for a neighbor. And I hope the adults will help them as well.

Ultimately, one of the best weapons, one of the truest weapons that we have against terrorism is to show the world the true strength of character and kindness of the American people.

Americans are united in this fight against terrorism. We’re also united in our concern for the innocent people of Afghanistan.

Winter is coming, and by acting today we can help the children survive.

Thank you for your questions.

May God bless America.