We knew
of his long history of pursuing, even using, weapons of mass destruction, and
we know that September the 11th requires our country to think differently. They will now draft a new
constitution for a free and democratic Iraq.
Today we're seeing hopeful signs across the broader Middle East. For the
others, their day will come.
First, the Coalition is helping Iraqis build an inclusive government,
so that old resentments will be eased and the insurgency will be
marginalized. Second , the Coalition is continuing reconstruction
efforts and helping the Iraqi government fight corruption and build a
modern economy. The Palestinian people have voted in elections -
now the leaders of Hamas must recognize Israel, disarm, reject terrorism and
work for a lasting peace . 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.

America Still Has More To Do To Strengthen Our Culture And Our
Institutions.
The President called for a nationwide effort , working closely with
African-American churches and faith-based groups, to deliver rapid HIV
tests to millions, end the stigma of AIDS, and come closer to the day
when there are no new infections in America.

Following Kuwait's liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow UN verification inspections .

mountainous marshes

We
must, and we will, confront threats to America before they fully materialize. Another election is
planned for December to choose a permanent constitutional government. Only the fire of liberty can purge the ideologies of murder by
offering hope to those who yearn to live free. America rejects the false comfort of isolationism. Third, Coalition forces are striking terrorist targets
and training Iraqi forces.

The Offensive Against Terrorism Must Continue At Home. It remains essential to the security of
America. 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 Advanced Energy Initiative will deliver a 22 percent increase in
clean-energy research to push for breakthroughs in two vital areas:

-- New Energy Sources For Homes And Businesses. 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. The President
proposed making 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. Welfare cases have dropped by more
than half over the past decade . Human life is a gift from our Creator, and
that gift should never be discarded, devalued , or put up for sale.

Territorial disputes with Iran led to an inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-1988).

expelled snows

We are focusing our efforts on training the Iraqi security forces. As we celebrate the spread of freedom in places like
Afghanistan and Iraq, we do not forget people living 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. We accept
the call of history to deliver the oppressed and move the world toward
peace.

Progress Will Continue Across The Middle East As America Offers A Hopeful
Alternative To Hatred And Fear. In the last two and a half years , America has created
4.

America Must Continue To Open Markets For American Goods. With open markets and a level playing field, no
one can out-produce or out-compete the American worker . Many Americans, especially parents, still have deep concerns
about the direction of our culture and the health of our most basic
institutions.

-- Elected Officials Must Uphold The Public Trust.

seized strongmen

We
knew of Saddam Hussein's record of aggression and support for terror. These elected leaders broadly represent
Iraq's people and include more than 85 women. I know that nothing can end the pain of the families who have
lost loved ones in this struggle, but they can know that their sacrifice has
added to America's security and the freedom of the world. In less than three years, Iraq has gone
from dictatorship, to liberation, to sovereignty, to a constitution, to
national elections. The enemy has not
lost the desire or capability to attack us.

-- Improved Health Savings Accounts Will Offer Lower Costs And Security
Between Jobs.

-- America Must Protect And Encourage Its Children. So far the Federal government has
committed $85 billion to the people of the Gulf Coast and New Orleans.

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Now, because we acted, Iraq's government is no longer a threat to the
world or its own people.
As they become more self-reliant and take on greater security
responsibilities, America and its coalition partners will increasingly assume
a supporting role. In parts of the Middle East, there have been steps taken
toward reform, but there is more progress to be made. The American
economy is healthy and vigorous and growing faster than other major
industrialized nations.

Our Nation Will Compete With Confidence And Extend Our Economic Leadership
In The World. 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. 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. The
President will continue to nominate men and women who understand that
judges must be servants of the law and not legislate from the bench. The
President called for additional resources to encourage young people to
stay in school so more of America's youth can raise their sights and
achieve their dreams. America will aid our
fellow citizens in times of suffering and emergency and stay with them
until they are back on their feet.

strongmen unsc

Because of our actions, freedom is taking root in Iraq, and
the American people are more secure. This
creates uncertainty, which makes it easier to feed people's fears. Every
year since President Bush took office, the growth of non-security
discretionary spending has been reduced, and last year this spending was cut.

The Advanced Energy Initiative Will Help Break America's Dependence On
Foreign Sources Of Energy. Public
servants make a pledge to be worthy of public responsibility, and that
is a pledge that must never be forgotten, dismissed, or betrayed.

-- Continuing The Fight To Prevent, Treat, And Defeat HIV/AIDS.

A 'republic' was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest being SADDAM Husayn.

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To overcome dangers in our world, America will encourage
economic progress, fight disease, and spread hope in hopeless lands. The President set forth a better
path that will raise standards of living and generate new jobs. The coming retirement of the Baby Boom generation will put
unprecedented strains on the Federal government.

The President's American Competitiveness Initiative Will Encourage
Innovation Throughout The Economy.

America Is Becoming A More Hopeful Nation. We must also
address deeper challenges that existed before the storm arrived and
must provide not only temporary relief, but also schools that teach
every child , job skills that bring upward mobility, and more
opportunities to own a home and start a business .

occupy 437

Today the Iraqi people are taking charge of their own
destiny. Eleven
years ago, Saddam Hussein 's thugs murdered her father. WASHINGTON, In His State Of The Union Address,
President Bush Discussed America's Leadership In The World And Shared His
Vision To Lead America Forward.

-- The Brutality Of The Terrorists Cannot Stop The Dramatic Progress Of A
New Democracy. America 's offensive against terror involves
more than military action, and we are delivering a clear message across the
broader Middle East.6 million new jobs - more than Japan and the European Union combined . By passing these reforms, we will save the American
taxpayer another $14 billion next year and stay on track to cut the deficit in
half by 2009. We must also change how we
power our automobiles and move beyond a petroleum-based economy.

-- New Federal Funding For Research .

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Radio Address of President Bush to the Nation

In October, that document will be
presented to the Iraqi people in a national referendum. Dictatorships shelter terrorists, feed resentment and radicalism , and
seek weapons of mass destruction. America and its allies
have killed or captured many of the leaders of the terror networks.
The President will continue to reach out and seek good advice.

-- As America Encourages The Spread Of Freedom, We Must Also Spread
Prosperity .

The Growth Of Government Must Be Limited Through Fiscal Discipline. One out of every
five factory jobs in America is related to global trade, and we want people
everywhere to buy American .

Geography[Top of Page]
Location:
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf, between Iran and Kuwait
Geographic coordinates:
33 00 N, 44 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
total:
437,072 sq km
land:
432,162 sq km
water:
4,910 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Land boundaries:
total:
3,631 km
border countries:
Iran 1,458 km, Jordan 181 km, Kuwait 242 km, Saudi Arabia 814 km, Syria 605 km, Turkey 331 km
Coastline:
58 km
Maritime claims:
continental shelf:
not specified
territorial sea:
12 nm
Climate:
mostly desert; mild to cool winters with dry, hot, cloudless summers; northern mountainous regions along Iranian and Turkish borders experience cold winters with occasionally heavy snows that melt in early spring, sometimes causing extensive flooding in central and southern Iraq
Terrain:
mostly broad plains; reedy marshes along Iranian border in south with large flooded areas; mountains along borders with Iran and Turkey
Source: CIA World Fact Book

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WASHINGTON, The following is a transcript of a
radio address by President Bush to the nation:

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. On this day two years ago, we launched
Operation Iraqi Freedom to disarm a brutal regime, free its people, and defend
the world from a grave danger.

-- Our Strategy For Victory In Iraq Benefits From Responsible Criticism
And Counsel.
However individuals 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 men and women of America's military in
their vital mission. Previous
presidents have used the same constitutional authority the President has - and
Federal courts have approved the use of that authority.

Congress Needs To Make The Tax Cuts Permanent.

-- Medical Liability Reform Will Help Retain Good Doctors. The
goal is to make this new kind of ethanol practical and competitive
within six years.

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Free governments reflect the culture of the citizens they serve, and that
is happening in Iraq.

-- We Remain On The Offensive In Afghanistan.

-- America Is On The Offensive In Iraq, With A Clear Plan For Victory. Yet
there is a difference between responsible criticism that aims for
success and defeatism that refuses to acknowledge anything but failure.
This year the President's budget will cut it again and will reduce or
eliminate more than 140 programs that are performing poorly or not fulfilling
essential priorities. Our government has a
responsibility to help provide health care for the poor and the elderly, and
it will meet that responsibility. Government has played a role in this quiet
transformation, and wise policies such as welfare reform, drug education, and
support for abstinence and adoption have made a difference in the character of
our country.

Background:
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq became an independent kingdom in 1932.

The victors did not occupy Iraq, however, thus allowing the regime to stay in control.

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Before coalition forces arrived, Iraq was ruled by a dictatorship that
murdered its own citizens, threatened its neighbors , and defied the world.
Iraq's progress toward political freedom has opened a new phase of our
work there. Today, women can
vote in Afghanistan, Palestinians are breaking the old patterns of violence,
and hundreds of thousands of Lebanese are rising up to demand their
sovereignty and democratic rights.C. In the last five years,
tax relief has left $880 billion 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.

-- The Government Must Confront The Larger Challenge Of Entitlement
Spending. To meet this goal, we
must have stronger immigration enforcement and border protection. The President proposed strengthening Health Savings
Accounts by making sure individuals and small business employees can
buy insurance with the same tax advantages that people working for big
businesses now get. The President called for wider use of electronic records
and other health information technology to help control costs and
reduce medical errors.

-- Courts Must Deliver Equal Justice Under Law And Not Legislate From The
Bench.

-- A Continuing Commitment To Gulf Reconstruction.

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Democracies replace resentment with hope,
respect the rights of their citizens and their neighbors, and join the fight
against terror. If we were to leave
the terrorists alone, they would not leave us alone. They deserve our thanks - and they deserve the same tools
they already use to fight drug trafficking and organized crime, so the
President called on Congress to reauthorize the Patriot Act. This will support the work of
America's most creative minds as they explore promising areas such as
nanotechnology , supercomputing, and alternative energy sources. Violent crime rates have fallen
to their lowest levels since the 1970s. The Senate has confirmed two superb new members of the Supreme
Court , Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. The
President called on Congress to reform and reauthorize the Ryan White
Act and to provide new funding to states, so we end the waiting lists
for AIDS medicine in America.

cloudless occupy

Today, Safia's nation
is free, and Saddam Hussein sits in a prison cell. These are landmark events in the history of
freedom. On September
11th, 2001, America found that problems originating in a failed and oppressive
state seven thousand miles away could bring murder and destruction to our
country. In a
time of testing, America cannot find security by abandoning commitments
and retreating to isolation within our borders . The effort in Iraq has benefited from responsible
criticism and counsel offered by Members of Congress of both parties. Raising up a democracy requires the rule of
law, protection of minorities , and strong, accountable institutions that last
longer than a single vote.
Isolationism would not only tie our hands in fighting enemies, it would
keep America from helping our friends in desperate need. America needs an immigration system
that upholds our laws, reflects our values , and serves the interests of our
economy.

-- New Energy Sources For Transportation.

-- Strengthening Education In Math And Science.

victors expelled

This week, Iraq's Transitional National
Assembly convened for the first time.

Thank you for listening.

-- America Will Not Retreat From The World Or Surrender To Evil. There is no peace or honor in
retreat.

America Is On The Offensive In The War On Terror. And that will present future Congresses
with impossible choices: staggering tax increases, immense deficits, or
deep cuts in every category of spending .

Health Care Must Be Made Affordable And Accessible. The President set a goal of replacing more than 75 percent
of oil imports from the Middle East by 2025. The President proposed doubling the
Federal commitment to the most critical basic research in the physical
sciences over the next ten years.

victors seized

In the end, Iraqis must be able to defend their own
country, and we will help that proud, new nation secure its liberty. And then
our troops will return home with the honor they have earned.

Winning The War on Terror Requires Learning The Lessons of September 11th .
To prevent another attack - based on authority given to the President by the
Constitution and by statute - the President has authorized a terrorist
surveillance program to aggressively pursue the international communications
of suspected al-Qaida operatives and affiliates to and from America .
Protectionists want to escape competition, while others want the government to
take a larger role in directing the economy. By 2030, spending for
Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid alone will be almost 60 percent
of the entire Federal budget. The President

called on Congress to pass Medical Liability Reform this year.

UN trade sanctions remain in effect due to incomplete Iraqi compliance with relevant UNSC resolutions.

mountainous proclaimed

To all the brave members of our Armed Forces who have taken part in this
historic mission, and to your families, I express the heartfelt thanks of the
American people.
The experience of recent years has taught us an important lesson: The
survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty
in other lands. Appropriate Members of
Congress have been kept informed. Congress must also move forward on earmark reform and pass the
line-item veto to limit special interest projects.

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Immigration Reform Must Be A Priority. The best way to break America's addiction to oil is
through technology . Drug abuse among youth is down 19 percent
since 2001.

In August 1990 Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces during January-February 1991.

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Leadership For Prosperity At Home And Abroad
America's Economic Strength Continues To Lead The World. The President proposed a
bipartisan commission to examine the impact of this problem. Our greatest advantage in the world has always
been our educated, hard-working, ambitious people, and we are going to keep
that edge. Through the Helping
America's Youth initiative led by First Lady Laura Bush, America is
encouraging caring adults to get involved in the life of a child.

432 strongmen

Safia expressed the
gratitude of the Iraqi nation when she embraced the mom of Marine Corps
Sergeant Byron Norwood who was killed in the assault on Fallujah. We
will increase our research in better batteries for hybrid and electric
cars and in pollution-free cars that run on hydrogen. Building on the success
of the No Child Left Behind Act, the President proposed training 70,000
high school teachers to lead advanced-placement courses in math and
science; bringing 30,000 math and science professionals to teach in
classrooms; and getting early help to students struggling with math so
they have a better chance at good, high-wage jobs.
We are removing debris, repairing highways, building stronger levees,
and providing business loans and housing assistance. More than one million Americans live
with HIV, and half of all AIDS cases occur among African-Americans.

437 mountainous

The
victory of freedom in Iraq is strengthening a new ally in the war on terror,
and inspiring democratic reformers from Beirut to Tehran.

The State Of The Union: A Strong America Leading The World

At a time of great consequence, the President
laid out an agenda of leadership to act confidently in pursuing the enemies of
freedom and to build our prosperity by leading the world economy. In that country, a fine
president and National Assembly are fighting terror while building the
institutions of a new democracy. Elections are vital -
but they are only the beginning. Short-changing these efforts would
increase the suffering and chaos of the world, undercut America's long
-term security, and dull the conscience of our country . America has superb professionals
in law enforcement, intelligence, the military, and homeland security who are
protecting America. Americans
should not fear our economic future, because we intend to shape it. Keeping America competitive
begins with keeping our economy growing. And they
worry about children in need, fellow citizens still displaced by natural
disaster, and suffering caused by treatable disease.

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END

The
President rejected the roads of isolationism and protectionism and called for
cooperation and courage in confronting challenges. This terrorist surveillance program has
helped prevent terrorist attacks. In a dynamic world economy, we are seeing new competitors. Our nation needs orderly and secure borders. America must continue to lead the world in
human talent and creativity.

-- Provide Tax Certainty For Research And Development . 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. The President called on
Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the most egregious abuses of
medical research: cloning human beings; creating or implanting embryos
for experiments; creating human -animal hybrids; and buying, selling, or
patenting human embryos.

reedy proclaimed

Today our Nation is committed to
an historic, long-term goal: the end of tyranny in our world. They would simply
move the battlefield to our own shores. 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. Our economy grows when Americans have
more of their own money to spend, save, and invest. We will do more to make this coverage portable, so
workers can switch jobs without having to worry about losing their
health insurance.

-- Technology Offers The Possibility Of More Effective , Less Expensive
Health Care.

-- America Must Recognize The Value Of Every Life . The President supports
the efforts of honorable people in both parties who are working on
reforms to strengthen the ethical standards of Washington.

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In January, over eight million Iraqis defied the car bombers and
assassins to vote in free elections.
Millions of Americans saw that pride in an Iraqi woman named Safia Taleb al-
Suhail who sat in the gallery during the State of the Union address. America will lead freedom's
advance, compete and excel in the global economy , and renew the defining moral
commitments of this land, confident of victory. The Coalition has been relentless in shutting off
terrorist infiltration, clearing out insurgent strongholds , and turning
over territory to Iraqi security forces. Elsewhere in the Middle East, the repressive regime
in Iran is defying the world with its nuclear ambitions, and the nations of
the world must not permit the Iranian regime to gain nuclear weapons. 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. Yet the tax relief is set to
expire in the next few years. They are concerned about unethical conduct by public officials
and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage.

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Today , Iraqis can take pride in building a government
that answers to its people and honors their country 's unique heritage.

Leadership Toward Peace In The World
Every Step Toward Freedom In The World Makes Our Country Safer, And So
America Will Act Boldly In Freedom's Cause. America has
taken unprecedented action to fight AIDS and malaria, expand the
education of girls, and reward developing nations moving forward with
economic and political reform. If Congress does not act, American families will
face a massive tax increase.
Lawsuits are driving many good doctors out of practice, leaving women
in nearly 1500 American counties without a single OB-GYN. Since 2001, we have spent nearly
$10 billion to develop cleaner, cheaper , more reliable alternative energy
sources.