George Bush: A 'nation in danger' takes steps to secure its safety

From a radio speech, to the American people, on combating terrorism, by the President of the United States

My most solemn duty as President is to protect our country. In the three years since our country was attacked, we have taken important steps to overcome terrorist threats to this nation. We have pursued terrorists across the world, destroying their leadership and denying them sanctuaries.

This week, I asked Congress to create the position of a national intelligence director. The person in that office will be appointed by the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The director will serve as the President's principal intelligence advisor and will oversee the foreign and domestic intelligence community.

The CIA will be managed by a separate director. The national intelligence director will assume the broader responsibility of leading the intelligence community across our government, and he or she will have the resources and authority to meet that responsibility.

In the coming days, I will issue a series of directives to various departments on essential steps for the government on the war on terror. As we take these steps, our nation is grateful to the dedicated, hardworking men and women of our intelligence community who are working day and night to keep our country safe.

We're a nation in danger. We're doing everything we can in our power to confront the danger. We're making good progress in protecting our people and bringing our enemies to account. But one thing is certain: We'll keep our focus, we'll keep our resolve, and we will do our duty to best secure our country.