[A-List] US: Bush says be ready for war

[Sabri Oncu <soncu@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bush Tells West Point Graduates They Should Be Ready for War
By David Morris and Holly Rosenkrantz


West Point, New York, June 1 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. President George
W. Bush said he'll wage an aggressive fight against new terrorism
threats and will send graduates of the U.S. Military Academy and
other soldiers to any part of the world where peace is at risk.

Bush, who took office last year questioning the U.S. role in
peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and other parts of the world,
said responding to terrorist threats requires "a military that
must be ready to strike at a moment's notice in any dark corner
of the world."

To the 958 cadets who received diplomas, the president said, "We
will send diplomats where they are needed and we will send you,
our soldiers, where you're needed."

In Bush's first commencement speech since the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks, the president said that while the war against terrorism
is going well, he expects future attacks that will challenge the
nation's newest officers.

"The bicentennial class at West Point now enters this drama,"
Bush said. "You will stand between your fellow citizens and grave
danger. You'll face times of calm and times of crisis."

Pearl Harbor

Bush compared this year's cadets to those who graduated in 1942,
just six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor drew the
U.S. into World War II.

"History has also issued its call to your generation," the
commander-in-chief said. "In your last year, America was attacked
by a ruthless and resourceful enemy. You graduate from this
academy at a time of war."

By tradition, the U.S. commander-in-chief delivers the
commencement address at one of the service academies each year.
Bush spoke at the U.S. Naval Academy last year and will speak
next year at either the U.S. Air Force Academy or the U.S. Coast
Guard Academy.

At the Naval Academy last year, Bush talked of the need to
transform the military into a faster-moving force. This year, he
said, that message takes on new urgency.

"We are on watch and we're ready because we know the terrorists
have more money, more men and more plans," Bush said.

He promised an aggressive fight, saying if the government waits
for the next attack to happen, "we will have waited too long. The
only path to safety is the path of action, and this nation will
act."

The president was supposed to begin his day as honorary starter
of a charity race in Washington. Although his pep talk was
broadcast to reporters at West Point, a communications breakdown
kept the runners from hearing his telephoned remarks at the race.

"You mean they haven't heard a word yet?" Bush said when he was
told of the breakdown about three minutes into his remarks. "God
dang it."

A few minutes later, Bush tried again, with a shorter speech.
Those remarks, too, went unheard in Washington because of another
communications breakdown. This time, no one told Bush.