A Day in the Life of President Bush (photos) - 9.6.06

Whitehouse.gov, Yahoo.com; Reuters | 9.6.06 | ohioWfan

[ohioWfan]

This morning President Bush met with his Cabinet and staff in the Cabinet Room at the White House, prior to the President's address to discuss the creation of military commissions to try suspected terrorists.

This afternoon in the East Room, surrounded by Cabinet members, dignitaries, members of Congress and families who lost loved ones on 9/11 the President gave an historic speech, delivered with power and passion, announcing that those al-Qaeda leaders who were responsible for the mass murder of thousands of Americans five years ago would be transferred to Guantanamo and brought to justice, and announcing legislation he was sending to Congress asking them to clarify the rules for our personnel in dealing with terrorists and to create a strong and effective military commission to try suspected terrorists.. He also deliniated the importance of the information gathering program used with terrorist suspects, its absolute necessity, and the fruit it has borne in gleaning information on terrorist cells and activities.

The President's entire speech is a must read for every American who cares about the future of this country and the war we are waging against terrorists.

Enjoy your trip to Sanity Island on the Daily Dose! And be very PROUD of our President!

[ohioWfan]

Quote of the Day: THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thanks for the warm welcome. Welcome to the White House. Mr. Vice President, Secretary Rice, Attorney General Gonzales, Ambassador Negroponte, General Hayden, members of the United States Congress, families who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks on our nation, and my fellow citizens: Thanks for coming.

On the morning of September the 11th, 2001, our nation awoke to a nightmare attack. Nineteen men, armed with box cutters, took control of airplanes and turned them into missiles. They used them to kill nearly 3,000 innocent people. We watched the Twin Towers collapse before our eyes -- and it became instantly clear that we'd entered a new world, and a dangerous new war.

The attacks of September the 11th horrified our nation. And amid the grief came new fears and urgent questions: Who had attacked us? What did they want? And what else were they planning? Americans saw the destruction the terrorists had caused in New York, and Washington, and Pennsylvania, and they wondered if there were other terrorist cells in our midst poised to strike; they wondered if there was a second wave of attacks still to come.

With the Twin Towers and the Pentagon still smoldering, our country on edge, and a stream of intelligence coming in about potential new attacks, my administration faced immediate challenges: We had to respond to the attack on our country. We had to wage an unprecedented war against an enemy unlike any we had fought before. We had to find the terrorists hiding in America and across the world, before they were able to strike our country again. So in the early days and weeks after 9/11, I directed our government's senior national security officials to do everything in their power, within our laws, to prevent another attack.

Nearly five years have passed since these -- those initial days of shock and sadness -- and we are thankful that the terrorists have not succeeded in launching another attack on our soil. This is not for the lack of desire or determination on the part of the enemy. As the recently foiled plot in London shows, the terrorists are still active, and they're still trying to strike America, and they're still trying to kill our people. One reason the terrorists have not succeeded is because of the hard work of thousands of dedicated men and women in our government, who have toiled day and night, along with our allies, to stop the enemy from carrying out their plans. And we are grateful for these hardworking citizens of ours.

Another reason the terrorists have not succeeded is because our government has changed its policies -- and given our military, intelligence, and law enforcement personnel the tools they need to fight this enemy and protect our people and preserve our freedoms.

The terrorists who declared war on America represent no nation, they defend no territory, and they wear no uniform. They do not mass armies on borders, or flotillas of warships on the high seas. They operate in the shadows of society; they send small teams of operatives to infiltrate free nations; they live quietly among their victims; they conspire in secret, and then they strike without warning. In this new war, the most important source of information on where the terrorists are hiding and what they are planning is the terrorists, themselves. Captured terrorists have unique knowledge about how terrorist networks operate. They have knowledge of where their operatives are deployed, and knowledge about what plots are underway. This intelligence -- this is intelligence that cannot be found any other place. And our security depends on getting this kind of information. To win the war on terror, we must be able to detain, question, and, when appropriate, prosecute terrorists captured here in America, and on the battlefields around the world.

After the 9/11 attacks, our coalition launched operations across the world to remove terrorist safe havens, and capture or kill terrorist operatives and leaders. Working with our allies, we've captured and detained thousands of terrorists and enemy fighters in Afghanistan, in Iraq, and other fronts of this war on terror. These enemy -- these are enemy combatants, who were waging war on our nation. We have a right under the laws of war, and we have an obligation to the American people, to detain these enemies and stop them from rejoining the battle.

Most of the enemy combatants we capture are held in Afghanistan or in Iraq, where they're questioned by our military personnel. Many are released after questioning, or turned over to local authorities -- if we determine that they do not pose a continuing threat and no longer have significant intelligence value. Others remain in American custody near the battlefield, to ensure that they don't return to the fight.

In some cases, we determine that individuals we have captured pose a significant threat, or may have intelligence that we and our allies need to have to prevent new attacks. Many are al Qaeda operatives or Taliban fighters trying to conceal their identities, and they withhold information that could save American lives. In these cases, it has been necessary to move these individuals to an environment where they can be held secretly [sic], questioned by experts, and -- when appropriate -- prosecuted for terrorist acts.

Some of these individuals are taken to the United States Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It's important for Americans and others across the world to understand the kind of people held at Guantanamo. These aren't common criminals, or bystanders accidentally swept up on the battlefield -- we have in place a rigorous process to ensure those held at Guantanamo Bay belong at Guantanamo. Those held at Guantanamo include suspected bomb makers, terrorist trainers, recruiters and facilitators, and potential suicide bombers. They are in our custody so they cannot murder our people. One detainee held at Guantanamo told a questioner questioning him -- he said this: "I'll never forget your face. I will kill you, your brothers, your mother, and sisters." .........

(The rest of the speech is linked above. READ IT..........it gets even better!)

Receiving the warm applause of the 9/11 families.......

[ohioWfan]

DOSE PING!!! Please refrain from posting or reposting photos before the ALL CLEAR is given!

THANK you!!

[altura]

That was the craven post to win my first ever toaster.

Well, I was first once before, but it was before the toaster thing.

This is my post to thank you for posting the dose.

[RasterMaster]

Greetings!

[ohioWfan]

At the Cabinet meeting...........

Cute!

[Just A Nobody]

Here!

[Brasil]

And after listing the accomplishments, fat Teddy came out and complained that we haven't got Osama:(
How dreary.

[ohioWfan]

Entering the East Room to make history......

[ilovew]

Thanks, Ohio.

Did anyone miss me? :)

[altura]

Love that tagline and it is so true.

We're gonna miss that guy soooo much. I just can't believe we'll have another president in two shorts years.

Sob.

I hope he's a good conservative, but he'll never be a President G.W. Bush.

[OldFriend]

Bless our President and a special get well wish for our Rummy.

[ohioWfan]

In the East Room...........

[ohioWfan]

Standing strong against terrorism........

Yet in the midst of the ferocity...........a moment of tenderness...........

[OldFriend]

I did I did. How are ya?

[ohioWfan]

Waving as he leaves the room............

With Vice President Cheney..........

[ohioWfan]

And I had to include this one...............Karen Hughes and Karl Rove before the speech.............what a TEAM!

[mystery-ak]

Great speech today....thanks for the Dose.

[ohioWfan]

LOL! Then do not mock me........call me no craven.

You're FIRST altura. BASK in the glory!!

[ilovew]

Yay! :P I'm fine. Everything's unpacked. I thought I was bringing a lot of stuff but now that I'm here, it feels like I brought almost nothing with me. Lol I don't know how that happened. How are you doing? Anything exciting going on?