My fellow Americans, over the past two years, certainly within the last several days and hours, I have asked myself, "What does it mean to be President?" " What does true leadership look like?". It's a question many of you have asked yourselves as November approaches.
Right now, as I sit in this chair, in this office, where so many of my predecessors（前任） have steered our nation through turbulent（动荡的） times...I realize that this job is one that transcends（超出） politics and rhetoric（花言巧语）. Entrusted(被托付) to anyone who sits behind this desk is something far more elemental, the very survival of our nation. And I, as your President, must confront the storm before us.
That storm is terror. More dangerous and unpredictable than any hurricane. It has endangered us abroad. It has endangered us at home. And right now, it has placed James Millerin the gravest of dangers.
We attempted to communicate with his captors(劫持者）. We hoped for a peaceful solution. We're relieved that Caroline and Melissa Miller are safe and sound. But terror is blind to reason.
Given the opportunity to renounce(放弃） terror, Yusuf Al Ahmadi chose to encourage it. So, unfortunately, we must now move beyond reason. We must respond with force. Because there is no scenario(情形） in which we will release him. He will remain in United States custody until his dying breath. If the captors call again, we will not answer. The time for conversation is over, no matter the consequences.
Regardless of whether James Miller is released or not, rescued or not, killed or not...ICO will be destroyed. We are at war.
It will be a war more total than anything we have waged(发动） thus far in the fight against extremism. Soldiers will die. Civilians may die. There will be pain. There will be suffering. We will be confronted with the most horrific aspects of humanity. We will confront the inhuman. Evil itself.
But we will triumph. It is not a war we will lose. And if the worst happens to James Miller...we must remember, To mourn is not to fear. To grieve is not to admit defeat.
God bless America, and all of those who believe in freedom and democracy.
