story of our time. In 1945, there were about two dozen lonely
democracies on Earth. Today, there are 122. And we are writing a new
chapter in the story of self-government -- with women lining up to vote
in Afghanistan ... and millions of Iraqis marking their liberty with
purple ink ... and men and women from Lebanon to Egypt debating the
rights of individuals and the necessity of freedom. At the start of
2006, more than half the people of our world live in democratic
nations. And we do not forget the other half -- in places like Syria,
Burma, Zimbabwe, North Korea, and Iran -- because the demands of
justice, and the peace of this world, require their freedom as well.
No one can deny the success of freedom, but some men rage and fight
against it. And one of the main sources of reaction and opposition is
radical Islam -- the perversion by a few of a noble faith into an
ideology of terror and death. Terrorists like bin Laden are serious
about mass murder -- and all of us must take their declared intentions
seriously. They seek to impose a heartless system of totalitarian
control throughout the Middle East, and arm themselves with weapons of
mass murder. Their aim is to seize power in Iraq, and use it as a safe
haven to launch attacks against America and the world. Lacking the
military strength to challenge us directly, the terrorists have chosen
the weapon of fear. When they murder children at a school in Beslan ...
or blow up commuters in London ... or behead a bound captive ... the
terrorists hope these horrors will break our will, allowing the violent
to inherit the Earth. But they have miscalculated: We love our freedom,
and we will fight to keep it.
In a time of testing, we cannot find security by abandoning our
commitments and retreating within our borders. If we were to leave
these vicious attackers alone, they would not leave us alone. They
would simply move the battlefield to our own shores. There is no peace
in retreat. And there is no honor in retreat. By allowing radical Islam
to work its will -- by leaving an assaulted world to fend for itself --
we would signal to all that we no longer believe in our own ideals, or
even in our own courage. But our enemies and our friends can be
certain: The United States will not retreat from the world, and we will
never surrender to evil.
America rejects the false comfort of isolationism. We are the Nation
that saved liberty in Europe, and liberated death camps, and helped
raise up democracies, and faced down an evil empire. Once again, we
accept the call of history to deliver the oppressed, and move this
world toward peace.
We remain on the offensive against terror networks. We have killed or
captured many of their leaders -- and for the others, their day will
come.
We remain on the offensive in Afghanistan -- where a fine president and
national assembly are fighting terror while building the institutions
of a new democracy.
And we are on the offensive in Iraq, with a clear plan for victory.
First, we are helping Iraqis build an inclusive government, so that old
resentments will be eased, and the insurgency marginalized. Second, we
are continuing reconstruction efforts, and helping the Iraqi government
to fight corruption and build a modern economy, so all Iraqis can
experience the benefits of freedom. Third, we are striking terrorist
targets while we train Iraqi forces that are increasingly capable of
defeating the enemy. Iraqis are showing their courage every day, and we
are proud to be their allies in the cause of freedom.
Our work in Iraq is difficult, because our enemy is brutal. But that
brutality has not stopped the dramatic progress of a new democracy. In
less than three years, that nation has gone from dictatorship, to
liberation, to sovereignty, to a constitution, to national elections.
At the same time, our coalition has been relentless in shutting off
terrorist infiltration, clearing out insurgent strongholds, and turning
over territory to Iraqi security forces. I am confident in our plan for
victory ... I am confident in the will of the Iraqi people ... I am
confident in the skill and spirit of our military. Fellow citizens, we
are in this fight to win, and we are winning.
The road of victory is the road that will take our troops home. As we
make progress on the ground, and Iraqi forces increasingly take the
lead, we should be able to further decrease our troop levels -- but
those decisions will be made by our military commanders, not by
politicians in Washington, D.C.
Our coalition has learned from experience in Iraq. We have adjusted our
military tactics and changed our approach to reconstruction. Along the
way, we have benefited from responsible criticism and counsel offered
by Members of Congress of both parties. In the coming year, I will
continue to reach out and seek your good advice.
Yet there is a difference between responsible criticism that aims for
success, and defeatism that refuses to acknowledge anything but
failure. Hindsight alone is not wisdom. And second-guessing is not a
strategy.
With so much in the balance, those of us in public office have a duty
to speak with candor. A sudden withdrawal of our forces from Iraq would
abandon our Iraqi allies to death and prison ... put men like bin Laden
and Zarqawi in charge of a strategic country ... and show that a pledge
from America means little. Members of Congress: however we feel about
the decisions and debates of the past, our Nation has only one option:
We must keep our word, defeat our enemies, and stand behind the
American military in its vital mission.
Our men and women in uniform are making sacrifices -- and showing a
sense of duty stronger than all fear. They know what it is like to
fight house to house in a maze of streets ... to wear heavy gear in the
desert heat ... to see a comrade killed by a roadside bomb. And those who
know the costs also know the stakes. Marine Staff Sergeant Dan Clay was
killed last month fighting the enemy in Fallujah. He left behind a
letter to his family, but his words could just as well be addressed to
every American. Here is what Dan wrote: "I know what honor is. It has
been an honor to protect and serve all of you. I faced death with the
secure knowledge that you would not have to.... Never falter! Don't
hesitate to honor and support those of us who have the honor of
protecting that which is worth protecting."
Staff Sergeant Dan Clay's wife, Lisa, and his mom and dad, Sara Jo and
Bud, are with us this evening. Our Nation is grateful to the fallen,
who live in the memory of our country. We are grateful to all who
volunteer to wear our Nation's uniform -- and as we honor our brave
troops, let us never forget the sacrifices of America's military
families.
Our offensive against terror involves more than military action.
Ultimately, the only way to defeat the terrorists is to defeat their
dark vision of hatred and fear by offering the hopeful alternative of
political freedom and peaceful change. So the United States of America
supports democratic reform across the broader Middle East. Elections
are vital -- but they are only the beginning. Raising up a democracy
requires the rule of law, protection of minorities, and strong,
accountable institutions that last longer than a single vote. The great
people of Egypt have voted in a multi-party presidential election -- and
now their government should open paths of peaceful opposition that will
reduce the appeal of radicalism. The Palestinian people have voted in
elections -- now the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm,
reject terrorism, and work for lasting peace. Saudi Arabia has taken
the first steps of reform -- now it can offer its people a better future
by pressing forward with those efforts. Democracies in the Middle East
will not look like our own, because they will reflect the traditions of
their own citizens. Yet liberty is the future of every nation in the
Middle East, because liberty is the right and hope of all humanity.
The same is true of Iran, a nation now held hostage by a small clerical
elite that is isolating and repressing its people. The regime in that
country sponsors terrorists in the Palestinian territories and in
Lebanon -- and that must come to an end. The Iranian government is
defying the world with its nuclear ambitions -- and the nations of the
world must not permit the Iranian regime to gain nuclear weapons.
America will continue to rally the world to confront these threats. And
tonight, let me speak directly to the citizens of Iran: America
respects you, and we respect your country. We respect your right to
choose your own future and win your own freedom. And our Nation hopes
one day to be the closest of friends with a free and democratic Iran.
To overcome dangers in our world, we must also take the offensive by
encouraging economic progress, fighting disease, and spreading hope in
hopeless lands. Isolationism would not only tie our hands in fighting
enemies, it would keep us from helping our friends in desperate need.
We show compassion abroad because Americans believe in the God-given
dignity and worth of a villager with HIV/AIDS, or an infant with
malaria, or a refugee fleeing genocide, or a young girl sold into
slavery. We also show compassion abroad because regions overwhelmed by
poverty, corruption, and despair are sources of terrorism, organized
crime, human trafficking, and the drug trade.
In recent years, you and I have taken unprecedented action to fight
AIDS and malaria, expand the education of girls, and reward developing
nations that are moving forward with economic and political reform. For
people everywhere, the United States is a partner for a better life.
Short-changing these efforts would increase the suffering and chaos of
our world, undercut our long-term security, and dull the conscience of
our country. I urge Members of Congress to serve the interests of
America by showing the compassion of America.
Our country must also remain on the offensive against terrorism here at
home. The enemy has not lost the desire or capability to attack us.
Fortunately, this Nation has superb professionals in law enforcement,
intelligence, the military, and homeland security. These men and women
are dedicating their lives to protecting us all, and they deserve our
support and our thanks. They also deserve the same tools they already
use to fight drug trafficking and organized crime -- so I ask you to
reauthorize the Patriot Act.
It is said that prior to the attacks of September 11th, our government
failed to connect the dots of the conspiracy. We now know that two of
the hijackers in the United States placed telephone calls to al-Qaida
operatives overseas. But we did not know about their plans until it was
too late. So to prevent another attack -- based on authority given to me
by the Constitution and by statute -- I have authorized a terrorist
surveillance program to aggressively pursue the international
communications of suspected al-Qaida operatives and affiliates to and
from America. Previous presidents have used the same constitutional
authority I have -- and Federal courts have approved the use of that
authority. Appropriate Members of Congress have been kept informed.
This terrorist surveillance program has helped prevent terrorist
attacks. It remains essential to the security of America. If there are
people inside our country who are talking with al-Qaida, we want to
know about it -- because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again.
In all these areas -- from the disruption of terror networks, to victory
in Iraq, to the spread of freedom and hope in troubled regions -- we
need the support of friends and allies. To draw that support, we must
always be clear in our principles and willing to act. The only
alternative to American leadership is a dramatically more dangerous and
anxious world. Yet we also choose to lead because it is a privilege to
serve the values that gave us birth. American leaders -- from Roosevelt
to Truman to Kennedy to Reagan -- rejected isolation and retreat,
because they knew that America is always more secure when freedom is on
the march. Our own generation is in a long war against a determined
enemy -- a war that will be fought by Presidents of both parties, who
will need steady bipartisan support from the Congress. And tonight I
ask for yours. Together, let us protect our country, support the men
and women who defend us, and lead this world toward freedom.
Here at home, America also has a great opportunity: We will build the
prosperity of our country by strengthening our economic leadership in
the world.
Our economy is healthy, and vigorous, and growing faster than other
major industrialized nations. In the last two-and-a-half years, America
has created 4.6 million new jobs -- more than Japan and the European
Union combined. Even in the face of higher energy prices and natural
disasters, the American people have turned in an economic performance
that is the envy of the world.
The American economy is pre-eminent -- but we cannot afford to be
complacent. In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new competitors
like China and India. This creates uncertainty, which makes it easier
to feed people's fears. And so we are seeing some old temptations
return. Protectionists want to escape competition, pretending that we
can keep our high standard of living while walling off our economy.
Others say that the government needs to take a larger role in directing
the economy, centralizing more power in Washington and increasing
taxes. We hear claims that immigrants are somehow bad for the economy --
even though this economy could not function without them. All these are
forms of economic retreat, and they lead in the same direction -- toward
a stagnant and second-rate economy.
Tonight I will set out a better path -- an agenda for a Nation that
competes with confidence -- an agenda that will raise standards of
living and generate new jobs. Americans should not fear our economic
future, because we intend to shape it.
Keeping America competitive begins with keeping our economy growing.
And our economy grows when Americans have more of their own money to
spend, save, and invest. In the last five years, the tax relief you
passed has left 880 billion dollars in the hands of American workers,
investors, small businesses, and families -- and they have used it to
help produce more than four years of uninterrupted economic growth. Yet
the tax relief is set to expire in the next few years. If we do
nothing, American families will face a massive tax increase they do not
expect and will not welcome.
Because America needs more than a temporary expansion, we need more
than temporary tax relief. I urge the Congress to act responsibly, and
make the tax cuts permanent.
Keeping America competitive requires us to be good stewards of tax
dollars. Every year of my presidency, we have reduced the growth of
non-security discretionary spending -- and last year you passed bills
that cut this spending. This year my budget will cut it again, and
reduce or eliminate more than 140 programs that are performing poorly
or not fulfilling essential priorities. By passing these reforms, we
will save the American taxpayer another 14 billion dollars next year --
and stay on track to cut the deficit in half by 2009. I am pleased that
Members of Congress are working on earmark reform -- because the Federal
budget has too many special interest projects. And we can tackle this
problem together, if you pass the line-item veto.
We must also confront the larger challenge of mandatory spending, or
entitlements. This year, the first of about 78 million Baby Boomers
turn 60, including two of my Dad's favorite people -- me, and President
Bill Clinton. This milestone is more than a personal crisis -- it is a
national challenge. The retirement of the Baby Boom generation will put
unprecedented strains on the Federal government. By 2030, spending for
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid alone will be almost 60 percent
of the entire Federal budget. And that will present future Congresses
with impossible choices -- staggering tax increases, immense deficits,
or deep cuts in every category of spending.
Congress did not act last year on my proposal to save Social Security,
yet the rising cost of entitlements is a problem that is not going away
-- and with every year we fail to act, the situation gets worse. So
tonight, I ask you to join me in creating a commission to examine the
full impact of Baby Boom retirements on Social Security, Medicare, and
Medicaid. This commission should include Members of Congress of both
parties, and offer bipartisan answers. We need to put aside partisan
politics, work together, and get this problem solved.
Keeping America competitive requires us to open more markets for all
that Americans make and grow. One out of every five factory jobs in
America is related to global trade, and we want people everywhere to
buy American. With open markets and a level playing field, no one can
out-produce or out-compete the American worker.
Keeping America competitive requires an immigration system that upholds
our laws, reflects our values, and serves the interests of our economy.
Our Nation needs orderly and secure borders. To meet this goal, we must
have stronger immigration enforcement and border protection. And we
must have a rational, humane guest worker program that rejects amnesty
... allows temporary jobs for people who seek them legally ... and reduces
smuggling and crime at the border.
Keeping America competitive requires affordable health care. Our
government has a responsibility to help provide health care for the
poor and the elderly, and we are meeting that responsibility. For all
Americans, we must confront the rising cost of care ... strengthen the
doctor-patient relationship ... and help people afford the insurance
coverage they need. We will make wider use of electronic records and
other health information technology, to help control costs and reduce
dangerous medical errors. We will strengthen Health Savings Accounts --
by making sure individuals and small business employees can buy
insurance with the same advantages that people working for big
businesses now get. We will do more to make this coverage portable, so
workers can switch jobs without having to worry about losing their
health insurance. And because lawsuits are driving many good doctors
out of practice -- leaving women in nearly 1,500 American counties
without a single OB-GYN -- I ask the Congress to pass medical liability
reform this year.
Keeping America competitive requires affordable energy. Here we have a
serious problem: America is addicted to oil, which is often imported
from unstable parts of the world.
The best way to break this addiction is through technology. Since 2001,
we have spent nearly 10 billion dollars to develop cleaner, cheaper,
more reliable alternative energy sources -- and we are on the threshold
of incredible advances. So tonight, I announce the Advanced Energy
Initiative -- a 22-percent increase in clean-energy research at the
Department of Energy, to push for breakthroughs in two vital areas. To
change how we power our homes and offices, we will invest more in
zero-emission coal-fired plants; revolutionary solar and wind
technologies; and clean, safe nuclear energy.
We must also change how we power our automobiles. We will increase our
research in better batteries for hybrid and electric cars, and in
pollution-free cars that run on hydrogen. We will also fund additional
research in cutting-edge methods of producing ethanol, not just from
corn but from wood chips, stalks, or switch grass. Our goal is to make
this new kind of ethanol practical and competitive within six years.
Breakthroughs on this and other new technologies will help us reach
another great goal: to replace more than 75 percent of our oil imports
from the Middle East by 2025. By applying the talent and technology of
America, this country can dramatically improve our environment ... move
beyond a petroleum-based economy ... and make our dependence on Middle
Eastern oil a thing of the past.
And to keep America competitive, one commitment is necessary above all:
We must continue to lead the world in human talent and creativity. Our
greatest advantage in the world has always been our educated,
hard-working, ambitious people -- and we are going to keep that edge.
Tonight I announce the American Competitiveness Initiative, to
encourage innovation throughout our economy, and to give our Nation's
children a firm grounding in math and science.
First: I propose to double the Federal commitment to the most critical
basic research programs in the physical sciences over the next ten
years. This funding will support the work of America's most creative
minds as they explore promising areas such as nanotechnology,
supercomputing, and alternative energy sources.
Second: I propose to make permanent the research and development tax
credit, to encourage bolder private-sector investment in technology.
With more research in both the public and private sectors, we will
improve our quality of life -- and ensure that America will lead the
world in opportunity and innovation for decades to come.
Third: We need to encourage children to take more math and science, and
make sure those courses are rigorous enough to compete with other
nations. We have made a good start in the early grades with the No
Child Left Behind Act, which is raising standards and lifting test
scores across our country. Tonight I propose to train 70,000 high
school teachers, to lead advanced-placement courses in math and science
... bring 30,000 math and science professionals to teach in classrooms ...
and give early help to students who struggle with math, so they have a
better chance at good, high-wage jobs. If we ensure that America's
children succeed in life, they will ensure that America succeeds in the
world.
Preparing our Nation to compete in the world is a goal that all of us
can share. I urge you to support the American Competitiveness
Initiative ... and together we will show the world what the American
people can achieve.
America is a great force for freedom and prosperity. Yet our greatness
is not measured in power or luxuries, but by who we are and how we
treat one another. So we strive to be a compassionate, decent, hopeful
society.
In recent years, America has become a more hopeful Nation. Violent
crime rates have fallen to their lowest levels since the 1970s. Welfare
cases have dropped by more than half over the past decade. Drug use
among youth is down 19 percent since 2001. There are fewer abortions in
America than at any point in the last three decades, and the number of
children born to teenage mothers has been falling for a dozen years in
a row.
These gains are evidence of a quiet transformation -- a revolution of
conscience, in which a rising generation is finding that a life of
personal responsibility is a life of fulfillment. Government has played
a role. Wise policies such as welfare reform, drug education, and
support for abstinence and adoption have made a difference in the
character of our country. And everyone here tonight, Democrat and
Republican, has a right to be proud of this record.
Yet many Americans, especially parents, still have deep concerns about
the direction of our culture, and the health of our most basic
institutions. They are concerned about unethical conduct by public
officials, and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine
marriage. And they worry about children in our society who need
direction and love ... and about fellow citizens still displaced by
natural disaster ... and about suffering caused by treatable diseases.
As we look at these challenges, we must never give in to the belief
that America is in decline, or that our culture is doomed to unravel.
The American people know better than that. We have proven the
pessimists wrong before -- and we will do it again.