State of the Union | Page 2

life. And the depth of their hatred
is equaled by the madness of the destruction they design. We have
found diagrams of American nuclear power plants and public water
facilities, detailed instructions for making chemical weapons,
surveillance maps of American cities, and thorough descriptions of
landmarks in America and throughout the world.
What we have found in Afghanistan confirms that, far from ending
there, our war against terror is only beginning. Most of the 19 men who
hijacked planes on September the 11th were trained in Afghanistan's

camps, and so were tens of thousands of others. Thousands of
dangerous killers, schooled in the methods of murder, often supported
by outlaw regimes, are now spread throughout the world like ticking
time bombs, set to go off without warning.
Thanks to the work of our law enforcement officials and coalition
partners, hundreds of terrorists have been arrested. Yet, tens of
thousands of trained terrorists are still at large. These enemies view the
entire world as a battlefield, and we must pursue them wherever they
are. (Applause.) So long as training camps operate, so long as nations
harbor terrorists, freedom is at risk. And America and our allies must
not, and will not, allow it. (Applause.)
Our nation will continue to be steadfast and patient and persistent in the
pursuit of two great objectives. First, we will shut down terrorist camps,
disrupt terrorist plans, and bring terrorists to justice. And, second, we
must prevent the terrorists and regimes who seek chemical, biological
or nuclear weapons from threatening the United States and the world.
(Applause.)
Our military has put the terror training camps of Afghanistan out of
business, yet camps still exist in at least a dozen countries. A terrorist
underworld -- including groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad,
Jaish-i-Mohammed -- operates in remote jungles and deserts, and hides
in the centers of large cities.
While the most visible military action is in Afghanistan, America is
acting elsewhere. We now have troops in the Philippines, helping to
train that country's armed forces to go after terrorist cells that have
executed an American, and still hold hostages. Our soldiers, working
with the Bosnian government, seized terrorists who were plotting to
bomb our embassy. Our Navy is patrolling the coast of Africa to block
the shipment of weapons and the establishment of terrorist camps in
Somalia.
My hope is that all nations will heed our call, and eliminate the terrorist
parasites who threaten their countries and our own. Many nations are
acting forcefully. Pakistan is now cracking down on terror, and I
admire the strong leadership of President Musharraf. (Applause.)
But some governments will be timid in the face of terror. And make no
mistake about it: If they do not act, America will. (Applause.)
Our second goal is to prevent regimes that sponsor terror from

threatening America or our friends and allies with weapons of mass
destruction. Some of these regimes have been pretty quiet since
September the 11th. But we know their true nature. North Korea is a
regime arming with missiles and weapons of mass destruction, while
starving its citizens.
Iran aggressively pursues these weapons and exports terror, while an
unelected few repress the Iranian people's hope for freedom.
Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support
terror. The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax, and nerve gas,
and nuclear weapons for over a decade. This is a regime that has
already used poison gas to murder thousands of its own citizens --
leaving the bodies of mothers huddled over their dead children. This is
a regime that agreed to international inspections -- then kicked out the
inspectors. This is a regime that has something to hide from the
civilized world.
States like these, and their terrorist allies, constitute an axis of evil,
arming to threaten the peace of the world. By seeking weapons of mass
destruction, these regimes pose a grave and growing danger. They
could provide these arms to terrorists, giving them the means to match
their hatred. They could attack our allies or attempt to blackmail the
United States. In any of these cases, the price of indifference would be
catastrophic.
We will work closely with our coalition to deny terrorists and their
state sponsors the materials, technology, and expertise to make and
deliver weapons of mass destruction. We will develop and deploy
effective missile defenses to protect America and our allies from
sudden attack. (Applause.) And all nations should know: America will
do what is necessary to ensure our nation's security.
We'll be deliberate, yet time is not on our side. I will not wait on events,
while dangers gather. I will not stand by, as peril draws closer and
closer. The United States of America will not permit the world's most
dangerous regimes to threaten us