http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/12/wbush12.xml Bush: We're facing fight for civilisation By Alec Russell in Washington (Filed: 12/09/2006)
President George W Bush last night linked the nuclear showdown with Iran to the fight against terrorism as he called on Americans to unite to spare their children a terrible future. In a speech from the Oval Office marking the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, he told Americans they faced not a "clash of civilisations" but "a struggle for civilisation". "If we do not defeat these enemies now we will leave our children to face a Middle East overrun by terrorist states and radical dictators armed with nuclear weapons," he said. His comment was a clear reference to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, whose <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/04/wiran04.xml > nuclear ambitions have provoked a confrontation with the West. America and its European allies are pushing for UN sanctions against Teheran after it refused to freeze its uranium enrichment programme, a key part of the process of making a nuclear bomb. Mr Bush was addressing the nation in a televised speech at the end of a moody day of commemorations. "America did not ask for this war, and every American wishes it were over," Mr Bush said, according to extracts released ahead of his address by the White House. "So do I. But the war is not over and it will not be over until either we or the extremists emerge victorious." Mr Bush called on Americans to put aside their "differences" and work together "to meet the test that history has given us". "This struggle has been called a clash of civilisations," he said. "In truth it is a struggle for civilisation." He also asked Americans to help him to "lead the 21st century into a shining age of human liberty". "We are fighting to maintain the way of life enjoyed by free nations," he said. His address was the climax to a day of poignant ceremonies. Earlier Mr Bush and the First Lady, Laura Bush, bowed their heads at a fire station in the Lower East Side of New York. It was 8.46am, East Coast time, the exact moment that the first hijacked jet hurtled into the World Trade Centre towers. Mr Bush then flew to Shanksville, Pennyslvania, to lay a wreath in the field where United 93, the fourth hijacked plane, crashed after a passenger revolt. He later attended a ceremony at the Pentagon, the third crash site. White House aides said in advance that he would not be making a political speech and that he would instead focus on the victims of that day and the "heroes", the firemen and policemen, whose bravery at the Twin Towers saved countless lives. "On 9/11 our nation saw the face of evil," he said. "Yet on that awful day we also witnessed something distinctly American - ordinary citizens rising to the occasion and responding with extraordinary courage. "Winning this war will require the determined efforts of a unified country." However, he also used the occasion to try to bolster support for his anti-terrorist policies and his desire to spread democracy in the Middle East. The anniversary comes at a testing <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/11/wnine11.xml > time for his Republican Party. It is embroiled in a difficult campaign for November's mid-term elections when it risks losing control of the House of Representatives. Opinion polls indicate that half of Americans have lost confidence in his record in fighting terrorism, traditionally his strongest political suit. As the ceremonies began, al-Qa'eda put its own stamp on the anniversary of easily its most murderous atrocity. A new <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/11/unine11.xml > video tape issued in the name of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the deputy leader, warned that the Gulf and Israel would be the next targets of al-Qa'eda and called on Muslims to step up their attacks on Americans. 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