The Associated Press
President Bush said Tuesday night that tens of thousands of terrorists still threaten the United States, and he promised to stalk them around the world.

'War against terror is only beginning'

Bush sets agenda for fighting war, recession

BRIAN TUMULTY AND FREDREKA SCHOUTEN, GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

Originally published Wednesday, January 30, 2002

WASHINGTON -- A determined President Bush declared Tuesday that "the state of our union has never been stronger," but urged Americans to wield their newfound patriotism to confront "unprecedented dangers."

Bush played hard on his sky-high popularity, calling for the creation of a new community-based USA Freedom Corps for civilian defense and urging volunteers to double the size of the Peace Corps to 15,000 overseas.

"For too long our culture has said, 'If it feels good, do it.' Now America is embracing a new ethic and a new creed: 'Let's roll,' " Bush said.

'A decisive decade'

The president pleaded for support for the next phase in the war on terrorism unleashed after the Sept. 11 attacks, saying: "In a single instant, we realized that this will be a decisive decade in the history of liberty; that we have been called to a unique role in human events. Rarely has the world faced a choice more clear or consequential."

It was a 47-minute call to action punctuated by applause 76 times by members of Congress.

Bush warned of "an axis of evil" composed of terrorists and countries supporting them, singling out Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

Bush outlined military action to shut down a terrorist underworld operating in countries ranging from the Philippines to Bosnia and the training camps that still exist in at least a dozen countries.

"Thousands of dangerous killers, schooled in the methods of murder, often supported by outlaw regimes, are now spread throughout the world like ticking time bombs, set to go off without warning," he warned.

"What we have found in Afghanistan confirms that -- far from ending there -- our war against terror is only beginning," the commander in chief said.

Bush's cautionary note continued when he advised Americans that the battle could outlive his presidency.

"This campaign may not be finished on our watch, yet it must be and will be waged on our watch," he said. "We cannot stop short. If we stopped now -- leaving terror camps intact and terror states unchecked -- our sense of security would be false and temporary."

Call to service

Bush's call to service drew upon the imagery of soldiers, firefighters and ordinary citizens that provided a glimpse of "what a new culture of responsibility could look like." He asked every American to commit at least two years to public service over their lifetime.

One vehicle for that service would be a new USA Freedom Corps that would include utility workers, retired doctors and nurses, and others, for homeland security. He asked for 200,000 volunteers to serve in this program or existing ones such as AmeriCorps and the Senior Corps.

The Peace Corps, meanwhile, would have the added mission to "encourage development and education and opportunity" in Islamic countries.

The economy

With his favorable job rating at 84 percent in the latest USA Today-CNN-Gallup Poll released Tuesday, Bush also used his first official State of the Union to address the challenges of a nation beset by a recession. The president's approval ratings have hovered above 80 percent for more than four months, since the country rallied around the war effort that followed the Sept. 11 attacks.

On the economic front, Bush renewed his call for fast-track trade negotiating authority, final action on the administration's energy plan and congressional passage of economic stimulus legislation. He received applause and cheers for asking that last year's $1.35 trillion tax cut, which expires in 2011, be made permanent by Congress.

He summed up his economic policies in traditionally Republican pro-growth terms: "When America works, America prospers, so my economic security plan can be summed up in one word: jobs."

Security

On homeland security, Bush called for a "sustained strategy" focusing on four areas: bioterrorism, emergency response, airport and border security and improved intelligence.

Bush said he would request greater spending on both homeland security and the military -- from a federal budget already squeezed by recession and tax cuts. He already has proposed to boost military spending by 15 percent, or $48 billion, including a "war reserve" for the next phase of the fight against terrorism.

Corporations

And without specifically mentioning the growing scandal surrounding the bankruptcy of giant energy trader Enron Corp., Bush called for greater corporate responsibility.

"Through stricter accounting standards and tougher disclosure requirements, corporate America must be made more accountable to employees and shareholders and held to the highest standards of conduct," Bush said.

Earlier themes

Tuesday's speech melded the themes Bush focused on separately in his two earlier addresses to joint sessions of Congress.

The administration was still finding its political sea legs Feb. 27 when Bush shunned the official imprimatur of a State of the Union speech and gave his first speech to Congress.

On Sept. 20, Bush took on an international perspective when he addressed Congress to demand that the Taliban surrender Osama bin Laden and members of his terrorist network -- or face attack.

Bush is scheduled to leave today for two days of speaking engagements in Winston-Salem, N.C., Daytona Beach, Fla., and Atlanta.

KEY POINTS

- Security: Double spending on anti-terrorism measures at home with a total of $37.7 billion devoted to homeland security.

- Budget: Make largest increase in military spending in 20 years, $48 billion.

- Economy: Call for passage of economic stimulus legislation.

- Health care: Provide $9.2 billion over the next three years to help states expand their Medicaid prescription drug coverage.

- Volunteerism: Create USA Freedom Corps to fund 200,000 more volunteers for national service programs.

On the Web:

- White House

- Text of President Bush's State of the Union address

- Sound Off at TheOlympian.com: State of the Union topics

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