Reflections After Battle

In his first State of the Union address following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, President George W. Bush called on Americans to step up. Best remembered for its opening identification of Iraq, Iran and North Korea as an “axis of evil,” the 2002 speech ended with the president urging his fellow citizens to “overcome evil with greater good” and to “lead the world toward the values that will bring lasting peace,” particularly “freedom” and “human dignity.” Many responded, as we know, by enlisting in the military and joining civilian service programs such as AmeriCorps.