Transcript of remarks by George W. Bush, thanks to InformationClearingHouse.info.
THE PRESIDENT: As we prepare our military for action, we will protect our military from international courts and committees with agendas of their own.
AUDIENCE: Hooah.
THE PRESIDENT: You might have heard about a treaty that would place American troops under the jurisdiction of something called the International Criminal Court. The United States cooperates with many other nations to keep the peace, but we will not submit American troops to prosecutors and judges whose jurisdiction we do not accept.
AUDIENCE: Hooah. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Our nation expects and enforces the highest standards of honor and conduct in our military. That’s how you were trained. That’s what we expect. Every person who serves under the American flag will answer to his or her own superiors and to military law, not to the rulings of an unaccountable international criminal court.
AUDIENCE: Hooah. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: This new war is going to take some time. We’re in this for the long haul. After all, we defend our nation we love. We defend the values we uphold.
We love freedom. We love freedom; we love our freedoms, and we will defend them, no matter what the cost.
AUDIENCE: Hooah. (Applause.)
