Bush: War on Terror will Continue.

LINK: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,171420,00.html

TEXT:

Bush Outlines Global Terror Threats
Thursday, October 06, 2005

WASHINGTON — President Bush on Thursday invoked Sept. 11 and other terror attacks around the world as he pledged to continue the fight against terrorism at home and abroad.
“In this new century, freedom is once again assaulted by enemies determined to roll back generations of democratic progress. Once again, we’re responding to a global campaign of fear with a global campaign of freedom, and once again, we will see freedom’s victory," Bush said.
“We will not tire or rest until the war on terror is won,” Bush said.
Bush Thursday delivered what was described by aides as a major speech on the War on Terror. He was appearing before an audience at the National Endowment for Democracy amid tough questions from critics about the course of the war in Iraq and public opinion that continues to lag.
The most recent FOX News/Opinion Dynamics poll shows Bush’s overall job approval up four points to 45 percent overall job approval by registered voters. The Sept. 27-28 poll found a 47 percent job disapproval rating.
Democrats are calling for an exit strategy from Iraq and are unhappy with the Iraqi constitutional process, saying it doesn't go far enough to represent all religions. Iraqis are scheduled to vote on its draft constitution on Oct. 15.
The White House (search) says the president is sticking to his strategy of taking the fight to the enemy and spreading democracy abroad while improving security at home.
Referring to the endowment's founder, President Ronald Reagan, Bush said freedom has made swift advances since Reagan's vision unfolded.
"Our nation stood guard on tense borders. We spoke for the rights of dissidents and the hopes of exiles. We aided the rise of new democracies on the ruins of tyranny. And all the costs and sacrifice of that struggle has been worth it because from Latin America to Europe to Asia we've gained the peace that freedom brings," he said.
Bush spoke of free peoples as he faces problems at home originating from a poorly perceived hurricane response, continued attacks in Iraq and a controversial Supreme Court nominee. During that time, his public appearances have increased as well, a matter of current events, not public opinion polls, said one Republican supporter.
"It's not very often we see this many big events going on so close together," Republican strategist Cheri Jacobus told FOX News on Thursday. "This is what he's said from the beginning. He wants us to be vigilant. He's not letting up on the war on terror."
The president faces clear dangers with an array of simultaneous challenges, one Democratic pollster said.
"The clear danger is that his policy is failing. I mean, we don't have a strategy to turn the war over to Iraqis. ... Terror incidents, regrettably, are increasing, not decreasing, in Iraq and the president has to offer the American people a plan to get us out of Iraq and, indeed, solve the problems facing our country," Democratic pollster Doug Schoen told FOX News.
Prior to the speech, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Bush "is going to be directly taking on some of those who argue that we should withdraw from the Middle East and those who suggest that taking the fight to the enemy only causes these radicals to launch attacks."
The president gave Americans a new description of the terrorists' strategy for dominating the world with their brand of Islam (search) and continued attacks on democracy. The president also argued that the fight against them is not to be underestimated and can be compared to the lengthy previous battles against ideologies such as communism, McClellan said.
Bush said Wednesday he was pleased with the progress of Iraqi troop training.
"The Iraqis are showing more and more capability of taking the fight to the enemy," the president told reporters. "As they become more capable, we will be able to bring folks home."
The president did not offer a timetable.
Bush also said he expected insurgents to try to derail next week's vote on a constitution.
"We fully understand they intend to disrupt the constitutional process or will try to do so, as well as stop the progress of democracy," Bush said. "Part of the way the Pentagon and the folks on the ground are going to deal with it is to stay on the offense, and that's what's taking place."
Senate Democrats assailed the administration's strategy in Iraq and prodded the president to change it. "We will not accept staying the course," said Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
In a letter to Bush, Senate Democrats said continuing along the same path in Iraq "could lead to a full-blown civil war."
"He has to tell the American people what the plan is," said Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.
As of Wednesday, at least 1,941 members of the U.S. military had died since the Iraq war began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,513 died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers, including five military civilians. Nearly 140,000 U.S. troops are still in Iraq.
The most recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed only 37 percent of Americans approve of Bush's handling of Iraq, with 62 percent disapproving.