I began my first Cabinet meeting since the terrorist attacks. As I stepped into the room, the team broke out in sustained applause. I was surprised, and I choked up at their heartfelt support. The tears flowed for the second time in two days.

This is a nation that loves our freedom, loves our country.

Iraq has stockpiled biological and chemical weapons, and is rebuilding the facilities used to make more of those weapons.

For too long, many nations, including my own, tolerated, even excused, oppression in the Middle East in the name of stability. Oppression became common, but stability never arrived. We must take a different approach. We must help the reformers of the Middle East as they work for freedom, and strive to build a community of peaceful, democratic nations.

Either well succeed, or we wont succeed. And the definition of success as I described is sectarian violence down. Success is not no violence.

War has been waged against us by stealth and deceit and murder. This nation is peaceful, but fierce when stirred to anger. This conflict was begun on the timing and terms of others. It will end in a way, and at an hour, of our choosing.

That's Washington. That's the place where you find people getting ready to jump out of the foxholes before the first shot is fired.