President George W. Bush

President Bush on Friday said, "The ties that bind our two nations stretch all the way back to our country's founding. Ireland gave us at least nine signers of the Declaration of Independence, and many more who risked their lives to defend it. Irish Americans fought valiantly to preserve the union in our Civil War. They helped turn back the totalitarian ideologies of the 20th century. And they're fighting bravely in today's war on terror, risking their lives to secure a future of freedom and peace for generations to come."