State of the Union

State of the Union

The Project Gutenberg EBook of State of the Union Addresses
by George W. Bush (#40 in our series of US Presidential State of the
Union Addresses)
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Title: State of the Union Addresses of George W. Bush
Author: George W. Bush
Release Date: February, 2004 [EBook #5049] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 11,
2002]

Edition: 10
Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OF
ADDRESSES BY GEORGE W. BUSH ***

This eBook was produced by James Linden.
The addresses are separated by three asterisks: ***
Dates of addresses by George W. Bush in this eBook: January 29, 2002

***
State of the Union Address George W. Bush January 29, 2002
Thank you very much. Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members
of Congress, distinguished guests, fellow citizens: As we gather tonight,
our nation is at war, our economy is in recession, and the civilized
world faces unprecedented dangers. Yet the state of our Union has
never been stronger. (Applause.)
We last met in an hour of shock and suffering. In four short months,
our nation has comforted the victims, begun to rebuild New York and
the Pentagon, rallied a great coalition, captured, arrested, and rid the
world of thousands of terrorists, destroyed Afghanistan's terrorist
training camps, saved a people from starvation, and freed a country
from brutal oppression. (Applause.)
The American flag flies again over our embassy in Kabul. Terrorists
who once occupied Afghanistan now occupy cells at Guantanamo Bay.
(Applause.) And terrorist leaders who urged followers to sacrifice their
lives are running for their own. (Applause.)
America and Afghanistan are now allies against terror. We'll be
partners in rebuilding that country. And this evening we welcome the
distinguished interim leader of a liberated Afghanistan: Chairman
Hamid Karzai. (Applause.)
The last time we met in this chamber, the mothers and daughters of
Afghanistan were captives in their own homes, forbidden from working

or going to school. Today women are free, and are part of Afghanistan's
new government. And we welcome the new Minister of Women's
Affairs, Doctor Sima Samar. (Applause.)
Our progress is a tribute to the spirit of the Afghan people, to the
resolve of our coalition, and to the might of the United States military.
(Applause.) When I called our troops into action, I did so with
complete confidence in their courage and skill. And tonight, thanks to
them, we are winning the war on terror. (Applause.) The men and
women of our Armed Forces have delivered a message now clear to
every enemy of the United States: Even 7,000 miles away, across
oceans and continents, on mountaintops and in caves -- you will not
escape the justice of this nation. (Applause.)
For many Americans, these four months have brought sorrow, and pain
that will never completely go away. Every day a retired firefighter
returns to Ground Zero, to feel closer to his two sons who died there.
At a memorial in New York, a little boy left his football with a note for
his lost father: Dear Daddy, please take this to heaven. I don't want to
play football until I can play with you again some day.
Last month, at the grave of her husband, Michael, a CIA officer and
Marine who died in Mazur-e-Sharif, Shannon Spann said these words
of farewell: "Semper Fi, my love." Shannon is with us tonight.
(Applause.)
Shannon, I assure you and all who have lost a loved one that our cause
is just, and our country will never forget the debt we owe Michael and
all who gave their lives for freedom.
Our cause is just, and it continues. Our discoveries in Afghanistan
confirmed our worst fears, and showed us the true scope of the task
ahead. We have seen the depth of our enemies' hatred in videos, where
they laugh about the loss of innocent