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Posted on 09/14/2001 11:30:06 PM PDT by Don'tMessWithTexas

PRESIDENT George W Bush was mobbed by rescuers chanting “USA, USA, USA!” as he visited the carnage of the World Trade Center last night.

And in a stirring speech, he sent out a clear message that he was preparing to strike back strongly at those responsible.

The President, clutching a small Stars and Stripes, used a megaphone to address hundreds of rescue workers combing the vast mountain of rubble.

As his voice was drowned out by cheers and chants of patriotism, somebody shouted: “We can’t hear you.”

Mr Bush replied: “Well, I can hear you. The whole world can hear you. And the people who knocked down these buildings, they will hear all of us soon.”

The uncompromising remark was seen as yet another indication that he intends to wage war on the terrorists.

Nineteen knife-wielding hijackers took over four commercial airliners on Tuesday and turned them into guided missiles that destroyed the Center’s 1,300ft twin towers and set the Pentagon on fire.

The President, who had earlier led the nation in remembering the 5,000 victims, was given a hero’s welcome at “Ground Zero” — the site of the collapsed towers.

His visit came hours after millions of people in Britain, across Europe and round the world observed a three-minute silence in memory of the dead.

Swamped by a sea of hard hats and fire helmets but bare-headed himself, he personally thanked many of the rescue workers.

The leader, wearing a raincoat with a tiny metal lapel pin in the shape of the US flag, told them: “The nation sends its love to everyone here. Thank you for your hard work, thank you for making the nation proud — and may God bless America.”

Mr Bush looked visibly shocked as he walked round the devastated streets of lower Manhattan. He was accompanied by New York’s Mayor Rudy Giuliani and State Governor George Pataki.

The President had flown to an airbase in New Jersey on his jet Air Force One after attending a prayer service in Washington. Fighters escorted the presidential aircraft on the hour-long flight.

Mr Bush was whisked by helicopter to New York and and driven in a motorcade to the wrecked financial district.

As he mingled with the firefighters, cops, medics and other workers he paused often to shake hands.

He gave the thumbs-up and frequently offered words of comfort and encouragement.

At one point he stood with his arm around Bob Beckwith, a 69-year-old retired firefighter.

Flapping gently in the breeze above them was a soot-faded American flag hanging from a blackened flagpole.

Mr Bush got another roar of approval when he waved a flag before stepping down from his perch in the rubble.

Some rescuers, who had spent three agonising days looking for survivors, were seeking revenge for the attacks. Worker Brian McGuire said: “It seems he is going to do something about this. I hope so.”

And firefighter John Conway said: “I hope he responds strongly. We lost a lot of good people here.”

The President said he had been reluctant to come to the site sooner because he was concerned he might get in the way of the rescue operation.

Mayor Giuliani assured the President that his visit was an important morale-booster.

Mr Bush was also expected to visit some of the survivors of the catastrophe and families at the missing persons’ bureau who were clinging to the faint hope their loved ones might still be alive.

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