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Skriven 2005-08-18 23:33:26 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0508184) for Thu, 2005 Aug 18
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Vice President's Remarks at the 73rd National Convention of the Military
Order of the Purple Heart
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
August 18, 2005

Vice President's Remarks at the 73rd National Convention of the Military
Order of the Purple Heart
University Plaza Hotel
Springfield, Missouri



12:46 P.M. CDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you very much. At ease,
please. (Laughter.)

Well, thank you very much. It's great to be back in Ozark Mountain country,
and to join the 73rd National Convention of a great American organization,
the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Let me thank your national commander, Bob Lichtenberger of Texas, for the
introduction, and for his leadership of the M.O.P.H. I also want to thank
Bill Bacon, Carol Lance, the President of the Ladies auxiliary, and chapter
leaders from around the country for being here today. I'm pleased that we
are joined by members of our military stationed at Fort Leonard Wood and by
Medal of Honor recipient Nick Bacon, as well.

It's good to see all of you, and I'm honored to bring warm greetings to you
from our Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States, George W.
Bush. (Applause.)

Members of this order come from all regions of the country, and from every
walk of life, but you share a distinction that all citizens recognize and
respect: The medal you wear is the oldest decoration in the American armed
forces, created by General George Washington and originally named the Badge
of Military Merit. The Purple Heart is the only award that comes not
through any recommendation or approval, but as a matter of right to those
wounded in combat. It is also known as "the medal that no one ever tries to
earn."

But all of you did earn it. And in so doing you took your place among the
men and women who suffered most to protect this nation. You put your life
on the line for the United States of America. You bled in freedom's cause,
and you have the nation's gratitude.

As combat veterans you know the toughest realities of the battlefield, and
you have seen fellow Americans give the last full measure of devotion in
defense of our country. My old friend Joe Foss, who earned both the Purple
Heart and the Medal of Honor in World War II, used to say, "Those of us who
lived have to represent those who didn't make it."

I know that all of you feel the same way. And I know your fallen comrades
would be proud of you -- not just for your service in uniform, but for your
enduring service as patriotic citizens. You look out for each other, and
move swiftly to the side of veterans in need. You build and care for war
memorials across our country. You stand behind our men and women in
uniform, and welcome home returning soldiers. For those who have been
wounded, you give the moral support and encouragement that only you can
give. And like every generation of veterans, you are a daily example of the
values of personal responsibility, physical and moral strength, and
unselfish courage.

The United States of America and its military are today as we began: a
democracy, defended by volunteers. And we owe so much to every generation
of American soldiers. More than two centuries ago, citizens stepped forward
to wage a war of independence, fighting the army of an empire and facing
the longest of odds. The struggle was to last eight years; and of those,
the pivotal one was 1776, as David McCullough writes in his new book.
"This," McCullough recently said, was "the most important year of the most
important conflict in our history. And we damned near lost it."

The victories in 1776 were few, and the condition of the Army was dreadful.
By Christmastime our men were cold, hungry, and exhausted, and many of them
didn't even have boots to wear. The volunteers were near the end of their
rope, and thousands of enlistments were set to expire on New Year's Day.
These men were bound and determined to leave, so the Continental Army was
about to evaporate. General Washington himself said, "I think the game is
pretty near up."

General Washington decided to make one final appeal to his discouraged
soldiers. "My brave fellows," he said, "you have done all I asked you to do
and more than could be reasonably expected; you have worn yourself out with
fatigues and hardships; but we know not how to spare you. The present is
emphatically the crisis, which is to decide our destiny." One by one the
men stepped forward. They could not let their country or their fellow
soldiers down. Inspired by leadership and renewed in their strength, they
stayed in the fight -- and America won the war.

From that day to this, our country has always counted on the bravest among
us to answer the call of duty -- fighting our wars, defending our
interests, standing by our friends, and keeping patient vigil against the
enemies of freedom.

All who wear the uniform today, and every person who has served honorably
in the military, can be proud of the cause that America represents in the
world. As a nation born in revolution we believe, and we know, that tyranny
must be opposed and ended, that cruelty and violence must be answered, not
with indifference but with justice, that innocent captives deserve to be
liberated, and that every person on this earth has a yearning to be free.

At this moment, all branches of the armed services are fighting the new war
against one of our most ruthless enemies. Those who attacked America have
proven their eagerness to kill innocent men, women, and children by the
thousands. They are looking to obtain weapons of mass destruction by any
means they can find. They would not hesitate to use such weapons at the
first opportunity. And their prime target is our country.

Four years ago, on a Tuesday morning in September, a threat that had been
gathering for years, in secret and far away, arrived in America and brought
grief to the entire nation. And after 9/11, the United States made a
decision: Having been attacked by stealth inside our own country, we will
not sit back and wait to be hit again. We will do everything we can to
prevent attacks by taking the fight to the enemy. (Applause.)

In these 47 months, we have been unrelenting in the effort to defend the
freedom and security of the American people. In a multinational campaign,
we continue to make progress on many fronts -- financial, legal, military,
as well as others.

Defeating the terrorists and their ambitions requires that we deny them
sanctuary and support, and the United States is leading a global coalition
in that effort. We are dealing with a network that has had cells in
countries all over the world. Yet bit by bit, through diplomacy and by
force, with our allies and partners, we are acting to shrink the area in
which the terrorists can safely operate.

Many countries have joined us in tracking the enemy, disrupting plots
against America and our friends, destroying the training camps of terror,
and closing off their access to funding. We have also enforced a doctrine
that is understood by all: Governments that support or harbor terrorists
are complicit in the murder of the innocent, and equally guilty of
terrorist crimes.

We gave ultimatums to the brutal regimes led by the Taliban and Saddam
Hussein. And when those regimes defied the demands of the civilized world,
we removed them from power and liberated 50 million people.

Our actions have also persuaded the regime in Libya to voluntarily abandon
its weapons of mass destruction programs. In addition, we uncovered a
sophisticated, large-scale network selling nuclear technologies on the
black market, and we've shut that network down. The United States has acted
decisively, and we have sent a clear message: We will not stand by and
allow terrorists to find safe haven, or to gain access to weapons of mass
destruction.

The war on terror has a home front, and we have taken extraordinary
measures to protect the American people and our homeland. Yet for all the
improvement in homeland security, we are mindful of a continuing danger to
this country. Every morning President Bush and I receive an intelligence
briefing that includes a review of the threats we face. The enemy that
appeared on 9/11 is wounded, off-balance, and on the run, yet still very
active, still seeking recruits, still trying to hit us.

Since 9/11 terrorists have continued to wage deadly attacks -- never as a
conventional military force, but as a hidden element determined to slip in
unnoticed, to shed innocent blood, and to shake the will of the civilized
world.

In Bali, bombs in a commercial district killed more than 200. In Riyadh,
simultaneous suicide car bombings of civilian targets left 34 dead and many
more injured. Since the mid-1990s in Jerusalem and in other cities in
Israel, multiple suicide bombings have killed and maimed hundreds. In
Casablanca, five separate attacks took the lives of over 40 civilians and
hurt more than 100. In Jakarta, a blast in front of a hotel killed 13 and
injured at least 150. In Istanbul, terrorists set off four trucks filled
with explosives, killing approximately 60 people and injuring some 700
more. In Madrid, 10 bombs on commuter trains killed nearly 200 and wounded
more than 1,800. Six weeks ago today in England, terrorists set off four
explosions at rush hour, all of them targeted at commuters taking the train
or the bus. The body count in central London was 56, including the bombers,
together with another 700 injured. A few weeks later in Sharm el-Sheikh,
Egypt, suicide bombers in a commercial district killed as many as 90
people, and injured more than 100 others.

In Iraq, terrorists have slaughtered innocent people in marketplaces, in
restaurants, in private homes, at police recruiting stations, in a
hospital, and outside a mosque. They have beheaded bound men in front of
cameras, and killed UN employees and international aid workers. Earlier
this summer, as American soldiers were giving candy to children, a suicide
bomber drove into the crowd, killing 18 boys and girls and an American
soldier.

That's the nature of the enemy we face in the war on terror, and will face
for the duration of this struggle. And our duty is clear. Killers who
target innocent, unsuspecting men, women, and children on a peaceful
street, or set off explosions during a morning rush hour, or fly passenger
jets into buildings are not the kind of people you can bring to the
bargaining table and sit down for a reasonable exchange of ideas. This is
not a war we can win strictly on the defensive. Our only option against
these enemies is to find them, to fight them, and to destroy them.
(Applause.)

Iraq is a critical front in the war on terror, and victory there is
critical to the future security of the U.S. and other free nations. We know
this, and the terrorists know it as well. Osama bin Laden has said the
"Third World War is raging" in Iraq. "The whole world," he said, "is
watching this war." He says it will end in "victory and glory -- or misery
and humiliation."

Our mission in Iraq is clear. On the military side, we are hunting down the
terrorists, and training Iraqi security forces so they can take over
responsibility for defending their own country. And over time, as Iraqi
forces stand up, American forces will stand down. On the political side,
we're helping Iraqis build a vital, peaceful, self-governing nation that
can be an ally in the war on terror.

There, as in Afghanistan and across the broader Middle East, we are
encouraging free markets, democracy, and tolerance -- because these are the
ideas and the aspirations that overcome violence, and turn the creative
gifts of men and women to the pursuits of peace. And this is the very kind
of progress that will promote the long-term security of our country, and
make the world safer for future generations.

After decades of tyranny and neglect in the broader Middle East, progress
toward freedom will not come easily. It will be resisted by men whose only
hope for gaining power is through the spread of terror and violence. Yet
the direction of events is clear. Afghanistan has held the first free
elections in the nation's 5,000-year history. In Iraq, voters turned out in
incredible numbers and elected leaders now preparing the way for a new
constitution and a new government. The Palestinian people have chosen a new
President and have new hopes for democracy and peace. The citizens of
Ukraine have stood strongly for their democratic rights, and chosen a new
leader for their country. In Lebanon, citizens have poured into the streets
to demand freedom to determine a peaceful future for their own country as a
fully independent member of the world community.

We are once again seeing the power of freedom to change our world, and all
who strive for freedom can know that the United States of America is on
their side. (Applause.)

When our war on terror began nearly four years ago, President Bush told
Congress and the country that we "should not expect one battle, but rather
a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have seen." It may, he said,
"include dramatic strikes, visible on TV, and covert operations, secret
even in success." All of this has come to pass. And the greatest challenges
are borne by the men and women who take the oath to serve.

No matter how many advances are made in military technology, our greatest
asset has always been, and will always be, the ones who man the aircraft
and the ships, and carry the rifles. The United States Armed Forces reflect
extraordinary credit on this nation. As a former Secretary of Defense, I am
proud to say the cause of freedom is in very good hands. (Applause.)

Right now in Iraq and Afghanistan, there is still tough fighting, in
conditions ranging from urban to desert to the high mountains. At every
stage of this conflict, members of our military have had to carry out some
of the most perilous, technical, time-sensitive missions ever attempted.
When you have enemies that are hidden, diffuse, secret in their movements,
and asymmetrical in their tactics, you have to go into the shadows and get
them -- one at a time, if necessary.

In the Cold War, national security required massing large forces at
borders, year in and year out for a stand-off. The present security
environment often requires small teams to go searching in caves and hiking
over mountain peaks, or to conduct hazardous patrols in urban settings.
They are hanging tough, going directly into the face of danger, rooting out
deadly enemies, and dealing with them. By their training, their tactical
skill, and above all their character, men and women in our uniform are
making us proud each and every day.

In this difficult and necessary cause we have lost some of our finest
Americans. That loss is irreplaceable, and no one can take away the sorrow
that has come to the families of the fallen. In military hospitals we also
have many soldiers recovering from serious injuries in battle. Some are
facing a very hard road ahead, and they can be assured of the finest care
we can give them. These Americans can wear the Purple Heart with pride,
knowing with absolute certainty that they have contributed to the future
safety of this nation, and to the peace of our world.

Every man and woman who fights and sacrifices in this war is serving a just
and noble cause. This nation will always be grateful to them, and we will
honor their sacrifice by completing our mission. (Applause.)

Like the President, over the last several years I have had the honor of
presenting the Purple Heart to my fellow Americans. As in all wars, a good
number of battle decorations have been awarded posthumously. One of those
we've honored is Army Sergeant Paul Ray Smith -- and the story of this
young man is one of the most impressive in our history. In April of 2003,
during the campaign to liberate Iraq, a task force led by Sergeant Smith
came under surprise attack in Baghdad by a company-sized force of Saddam
Hussein's Republican Guard. Under constant enemy fire, with his unit pinned
down and a number of men wounded, Sergeant Smith climbed onto a damaged
armored vehicle and manned a 50-caliber machine gun, all the while in a
completely exposed position. He remained in that spot, subjecting himself
to greater danger than the military or the country could ever ask, firing
incessantly at the enemy until he took a fatal round to the head. After the
firefight, the Army concluded that this one soldier had personally killed
as many as 50 Republican Guard, and saved the lives of more than 100
Americans. On the second anniversary of that fight, President Bush
presented the Medal of Honor to the wife and children of Sergeant Smith.
One of Paul Ray Smith's men said that he "was hard in training because he
knew we had to be hard in battle." For as long as citizens step forward to
wear the uniform of the United States, our nation will remember this man of
courage. (Applause.)

I don't need to explain to the Military Order of the Purple Heart that
wartime conditions are a severe test of national resolve and military
skill. We have no illusions about the difficulty of engaging enemies that
recognize neither the laws of warfare nor standards of morality. These
enemies hate us, they hate our country, and they hate the liberties for
which we stand. They have contempt for our values. They doubt our strength.
And they believe that America will lose our nerve and let down our guard.
They are sorely mistaken. (Applause.)

We will not relent in this effort, because we have the clearest possible
understanding of what is at stake. None of us wants to turn over the future
of mankind to tiny groups of fanatics committing indiscriminate murder,
enslaving whole populations, oppressing women, imposing an ideology of
hatred on an entire region, and arming to create death and destruction on
an unbelievable scale. And so we must direct every resource that is
necessary to defending the peace and freedom of our world, and the safety
of the people we serve. That is the commitment the United States -- that
we've made to ourselves and to other nations. And with good allies at our
side, we will see this cause through to victory.

It was George Washington who said, "Perseverance and spirit have done
wonders in all ages." And ever since those first desperate days for the
republic, the perseverance and spirit of our military have always come
through for the people of the United States. I am in the presence today of
fellow citizens who have shown those qualities under enemy fire. In the
words of one of your department commanders, "It can be a very high price to
join our organization."

On behalf of the President and the American people, I want to thank each
and every one of you for paying that price, for placing duty and honor
above self-interest, and for valuing service to this nation above your own
life. You did your part to keep our country free, and you inspired a new
generation of freedom's defenders.

Thank you very much.

END 1:07 P.M. CDT

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