NOTE: This is part of a continuing online novel. Here is the Table of Contents.

In the War on Terror we have many enemies.

We have been successful against many of these enemies.

I can report to you that Iraq has held a free and fair election, with President Iyad Allawi’s Administration given a ringing endorsement by the people.

I can report to you that Israel is successfully removing itself from the Gaza Strip, which will be under the military control of Egypt and gives the Palestinian people their own state for the first time.

I can report to you that Saudi Arabia is increasing its cooperation with the United States, seizing terrorist assets, and hunting down those who have been attacking its police services.

I can report to you that our own borders are safer than they have ever been, and there has not been a major terrorist attack on our nation since September 11.

But this is not enough for some people.

Some people want perfect security at no cost or inconvenience. Some people want us to make an omelot without breaking a few eggs.

It can’t be done.

But here is what we are doing.

Your government is instituting a new American Loyalty Oath, which will be signed and attested to by every worker, in both the public and private sector, and which will be recited at the beginning of every class day, in place of today’s Pledge of Allegiance.

This will, under penalty of perjury, assure that the people you work with are loyal to this government, that they will engage in no disloyal acts, or make no disloyal speech, or think no disloyal thoughts.

Anyone who refuses to sign and attest to this American Loyalty Oath within one month should be considered an enemy combatant.

In the War on Terror you’re either with us, on the side of freedom, or you are against us, on the other side.

Now, I know there are some who will claim this infringes on some right or other. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You are either a loyal American or you’re an enemy of America. It doesn’t matter where you were born. We have had native-born American citizens sign up to fight for Al Qaeda, and those people are just as much enemy combatants as any other evil-doer would be.

As to those who have objected to, or will object to, the process of the recent election in this country, let me state this very clearly. That is over.

There will be no investigations, by the Congress or by any other authority, into the conduct of the 2004 election. Your President has been sworn in. Your new Vice President has been appointed, and will be swiftly approved by both Houses of Congress. Mr. Rove is already doing great work, helping organize our Homeland Security on an ever-more secure footing. He will continue in that work.

Dissent at this point is the work of the enemy, and should be treated as such, by our God-fearing people, by our God-fearing authorities, and by the media in this great country as well.

The Federal Communications Commission will have full authority to fine stations that violate this order, even pull broadcast licenses if necessary, in order to maintain order and keep the peace. I am authorizing additional funding to extend this order to the Internet as well.

We are engaged in a long and bitter war, but we are winning. Freedom is on the march. Liberty is on the march.

The next few months may be difficult for some people. The Department of Homeland Security will have authority to grant extensions on the American Loyalty Oath to some companies and other entities who are hard-hit by disloyalty within their ranks.

But the names of all those who refuse to sign and attest to America must be in the hands of our authorities no more than 30 days from today. And any violation of the pledge will be treated very seriously, under the full weight of the law. My budget will carry with it additional funding to assure that anyone violating their Oath is dealt with, with new publicly-funded and privately-run prison camps authorized as needed, budgeted at up to $10 billion in my 2006 budget.

We hope that spending will not be necessary. We expect that every American will see his or her duty, and will do his or her duty, to this great nation at this great hour of her need.

We are no longer Republicans or Democrats in this country. There are no longer any Red or Blue states. We are all Americans. There is only one red, white and blue.

Anyone who thinks they can dissent from freedom is an enemy of freedom, and will be treated as an enemy of freedom by all the freedom-loving people of this great nation.

God bless America. And God bless you all.