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Skriven 2005-12-18 23:33:22 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0512181) for Sun, 2005 Dec 18
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Remarks by the Vice President at a Rally for the Troops
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
December 18, 2005

Remarks by the Vice President at a Rally for the Troops
Al-Asad Air Base
Al-Asad, Iraq



2:49 P.M. (Local)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, I'm not Jessica Simpson. (Laughter.) But I'm glad
to be here, and I thank you for that warm welcome; General Johnson, for the
kind words. And I want to say good afternoon to all my fellow Americans. I
happened to be in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd drop by.

We're a long way from Washington, and I can't imagine being in better
company than I am right now. I've come with a message from home: Americans
are grateful for your service; they support your mission; we're proud of
each and every one of you.

It's a privilege to be here, to stand on the ground of the world's newest
democracy -- to be with so many men and women who helped make this history.
I wanted to pay this visit during the holidays to express appreciation to
all of you and to every American serving in this part of the world. With
Christmas and Hanukkah arriving next week, I know your thoughts naturally
turn to home. And your fellow Americans are thinking of you more than ever.
I'm pleased to bring you the good wishes of the entire country, and
personal greetings from our Commander-in-Chief, President George W. Bush.
(Applause.)

You're here in western Iraq to provide security and stability through al
Anbar so that a rising democracy can succeed and the liberated people of
Iraq can build a future of hope, opportunity and peace.

From Marines going into combat and dominating the battle space, to the
precision strikes of the Air Force, to the Army brigades holding and
operating across wide terrain, to Navy corpsmen risking their lives to help
the wounded, and to Seabees all over the country, day and night, preparing
runways, fixing water pumps, and doing a hundred other tasks, Americans
serving in Iraq have been absolutely superb.

You've done all that we've asked of you. You've shown all the skill we
require of you, and you have confirmed the honor we expect of you. Our
nation has counted on the Marine Corps for more than 230 years. The Marines
are repaying that confidence every day as we fight the global war on
terror. (Applause.)

When the United States was attacked on a terrible September morning four
years ago, President Bush said the struggle would be long and difficult. It
would require our best efforts and unfailing resolve. And in this fight
some of the hardest duties have come to the Corps and to the units that
serve alongside them. There is still difficult work ahead because the
terrorists regard Iraq as the central front in a war against the civilized
world. We have a responsibility to lead in this fight, and we have to be
clear-eyed about the nature of the enemy and the ambitions it seeks to
achieve.

In the war on terror, we face a loose network of committed fanatics found
in many countries and operating under different commanders, yet the
branches of this network share the same basic ideology, and the same dark
vision. Their goal in this region is to gain control of a country, to
target and overthrow other governments in the area, and to establish a
radical Islamic empire that encompasses the Middle East and places far
beyond.

They've made clear, as well, their ultimate ambition: to acquire weapons of
mass destruction, to destroy Israel, to intimidate all Western countries,
to cause mass death in the United States. The terrorists' war against
America began long before 9/11. And during those years, they were the ones
on the offensive. They grew bolder in their belief that if they killed
Americans, they could change American policy. In Beiruit in 1983,
terrorists killed 241 of our servicemen. Thereafter, the U.S. withdrew from
Beiruit. In Mogadishu in 1993, terrorists killed 19 Americans; thereafter,
the U.S. withdrew from Somalia. Over time the terrorists concluded that
they could strike America without paying a price because they did --
repeatedly: the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York in 1993; the
murders at the Saudi National Guard training facility in Riyadh in 1995;
the attack on Khobar Towers in 1996; the attack on our embassies in Kenya
and Tanzania in 1998; the attack on the USS Cole in 2000.

Ultimately, of course, they attacked the homeland on 9/11 and took the
lives of 3,000 people aboard passenger jets, and at the World Trade Center,
and at the Pentagon.

Now terrorists are making a stand here in Iraq, trying to force the United
States to abandon our friends, and permit the overthrow of this new Middle
Eastern democracy. Zarqawi has sworn his allegiance to bin Laden, the
leader of al Qaeda. And recently we got our hands on a message from bin
Laden's deputy, Zawahiri, sent to Zarqawi. The letter makes clear that Iraq
is part of a larger plan of imposing Islamic radicalism across the broader
Middle East, making Iraq a terrorist haven and a staging ground for attacks
against other nations. Zawahiri also expresses the view that America can
made to run again. But we're giving him an education. We're in this fight
to win. These colors don't run.

The terrorists understand what is at stake in Iraq. That is why they commit
acts of random war calculated to shock and intimidate the civilized world
-- beheading bound men, murdering mothers and children, killing innocent
Iraqis at police stations, mosques, buses, restaurants, stores, and on
street corners. The terrorists know that as freedom takes hold, the
ideologies of hatred and resentment will lose their appeal. And the advance
of democracy in this land will inspire reformers throughout the region.

As this region experiences new hope and progress, we will see the power of
freedom change our world, and a terrible threat will be removed from the
lives of our children and our grandchildren. This is a battle for the
future of civilization. It's a battle worth fighting. It is a battle we are
going to win. (Applause.)

I know most of you have heard the political debates that have been going on
back home. You've heard some prominent voices advocating a sudden
withdrawal of our forces from Iraq. Some have suggested this war is not
winnable. And a few seem almost eager to conclude that the struggle is
already over. But they are wrong. The only way to lose this fight is to
quit. And that is not an option.

Every American serving in this war can be absolutely certain the people of
the United States are behind you. Americans will not support a policy of
submission, resignation, or defeatism in the face of terror. Our country
will never go back to the false comforts of the world before September 11,
2001. Terrorist attacks are not caused by the use of strength; they are
invited by the perception of weakness. And this nation has made a decision:
We will engage these enemies, facing them far from home so that we do not
have to face them on the streets of our own cities.

Freedom has determined enemies in Iraq, and your job is to make those
enemies miserable. And you know exactly how to do it. You've scored daily
victories -- even hourly victories during regimental patrols. From the
western Euphrates River Valley, all the way up to the Syrian border, you've
secured crossing points, destroyed enemy weapons caches, cleared urban
areas of terrorists so the good people of this country can go about their
lives free of bullying and brutality.

In Operation Steel Curtain, for example, Americans fought beside Iraqis and
cleared terrorists from three cities. It was rightly called a "vintage
Marine Corps fight" -- harsh conditions, relentless, efficient and
decisive.

The support and supply operations carried out here are massive, and
superbly run. We have an air arm with attack, transport and re-supply
units, attack jets, re-fuelers, all working constantly in support of the
ground. We've got major supply runs going night and day across an area of
operations the size of Utah. Marines and other coalition forces have put
tremendous effort in standing up Iraqi security forces. And we've come a
great distance in the past year. More and more coalition forces have Iraqis
at your side, helping to clear out terrorists and stay in the area to
maintain the peace. You're helping to build an Iraqi force that is sharp,
well equipped, and this was vital to the success of last week's elections.

Going forward, the multinational force will continue to mentor, train and
support the Iraqi security forces as they take a more prominent role in
defense of their country. Gradually, Iraqi forces are taking control of
more Iraqi territory. As they undertake further missions on their own,
confidence is growing within the country. More intelligence information is
coming from the Iraqi people themselves.

As the ISF gains strength and experience and as the political process
advances, we'll be able to decrease troop levels without losing our
capacity to defeat the terrorists. And on behalf of the President, I assure
you, any decisions about troop levels will be driven by the conditions on
the ground and the judgment of our commanders, not by artificial timelines
set by politicians in Washington, D.C.

Each one of you is helping to write a proud chapter in the history of
freedom. At times you may wonder if your fellow citizens realize the extent
of your achievements, how hard you've worked, how urgent and dangerous our
business can be, and how it feels to say farewell to a fellow Marine whose
life was taken by a terrorist.

I want you to know that Americans do realize it, and our whole country is
filled with respect and with gratitude. Americans know about the heroism
out here every day, the point raids, heavy engagements against insurgent
positions, cordon and search operations, and night security patrols. They
stand in total admiration. They learn of Marines and corpsmen who run
through heavy fire assisting their comrades; they learn of a lance corporal
who used his bare hands to tear open the air conditioning assembly on a
burning vehicle so he could pull an unconscious Marine to safety.

We know how tough your work really is, and we know how tough a person it
takes to get the job done right -- tough enough to wear heavy armor then
the thermometer hits 125; to work seven days a week, often 14, 16, 18 hours
a day. Americans are not the kind of people to take our military for
granted. We're a democracy, defended by volunteers who deserve all the
tools and all the support we can possibly provide. Our goal is victory.
With you in the fight, that victory is certain.

We are a nation that keeps it word, and so we will carry out our strategy
for victory in Iraq. America is a good and generous country. And in your
conduct, you're showing the Iraqi people the true character of the United
States. Members of our military work in the neighborhoods to make sure poor
Iraqi families have electricity, water, and sanitation, see to it that
children have classrooms and school supplies. By your openness, decency and
your kindness to others, thousands of interactions every day, you've built
permanent bonds of friendship between our two countries. This new democracy
is awakening to a future of hope and freedom. It's a sign that much is
right with the world as Iraqis take control of their own destiny. And the
tyrant who filled mass graves, terrorized this nation for decades has gone
from a palace, to a bunker, to a spider hole, to jail.

Inside the White House in a room next to the Oval Office, we display the
flags of the Armed Forces of the United States. The battle colors of the
Marine Corps are there with streamers commemorating great victories for
human freedom. Generations of Americans have admired the Marines for
gallantry in battle. From the Argonne Forest, to Guadalcanal, Iwo Jima,
Chosin Resevoir, to Khe Sahn, Desert Storm, Americans have always stepped
forward to sacrifice -- defending the innocent, confronting the violent and
bringing freedom to the oppressed.

In this young century and a dangerous time for our country, we understand
our duties. We have the resources, the strength, and the moral courage to
overcome the danger and lay the foundation for a better world. This year
the Marines added battle streamers marking the Afghanistan campaign, the
Iraq campaign, and the global war on terror. Marines can forever take pride
in the quality of the work that's being accomplished here, and at the
character of the men and women who are doing it.

You're meeting every challenge with focus and great effectiveness, above
all with honor. And I want you to know especially at Christmastime how much
you mean to America. This is a season for counting our blessings. Americans
realize how fortunate we are to have people like you wearing the uniform of
our country.

Thank you once again for serving far from home at an hour of great need.
You reflect immense credit on the uniform you wear and the cause you serve.
And I want to thank you for what you've done for us. Semper Fi. (Applause.)

END 3:04 P.M. (Local)

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