Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was assassinated during a military parade in Cairo on Oct. 6, 1981. At 2:28 p.m. Eastern Standard Time in Washington, D.C., President Reagan addressed the nation, on television and radio, from the North Portico of the White House. His remarks follow. Today the people of the United States join with the people of Egypt and all those who long for a better world in mourning the death of Anwar Sadat.
President Sadat was a courageous man whose vision and wisdom brought nations and people together. In a world filled with hatred, he was a man of hope. In a world trapped in the animosities of the. past, he was a man of foresight, a man who sought to improve a world tormented by malice and pettiness.
As an Egyptian patriot, he helped create the revolutionary movement that freed his nation. As a political leader, he sought to free his people from hatred and war. And as a soldier, he was unafraid to fight. But most important, he was a humanitarian unafraid to make peace. His courage and skill reaped a harvest of life for his nation and for the world.
Anwar Sadat was admired and loved by the people of America. His death today—an act of infamy, cowardly infamy—fills us with horror.
America has lost a close friend; the world has lost a great statesman; and mankind has lost a champion of peace. Nancy and I feel that we have lost a close and dear friend; and we send our heartfelt sympathy to Mrs. Sadat, to his children, who were here such a short time ago.
Thank you very much.
