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Skriven 2006-02-28 23:33:40 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0602282) for Tue, 2006 Feb 28
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Vice President's Remarks at the 46th Annual American Legion Conference
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
February 28, 2006

Vice President's Remarks at the 46th Annual American Legion Conference
Hyatt Regency Washington
Washington, D.C.



11:34 A.M. EST

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much, distinguished guests, and
veterans, and thank you for asking me to join you today. It's good to be
with all of you, and I appreciate the warm welcome.

And I want to thank your national commander, Tom Bock, for the kind words,
and for his years of service, both in uniform and as leader now of the
American Legion. I also want to note that Tom, like some others in the
room, is not only a soldier, but the father of a soldier -- Army Helicopter
Pilot Adam Bock, who is with us this morning. (Applause.) And I know that
everyone in this hall today is proud of the new generation that is fighting
for America and defending our freedom.

I want to welcome all of you to the Nation's Capital. I know you've been
here now for your 46th annual Washington Conference. For 87 years, the
American Legion has embodied the noblest ideals of the nation we all love.
In our own time, with nearly 15,000 Legion posts and close to 3 million
members, the American Legion and the Auxiliary provide a daily example of
good citizenship, generosity, and decency. You speak out for honorable
principles, and you live by them. And you proudly wear an emblem that
"stands for God and Country, and the highest rights of man." As Vice
President, and as a citizen of the nation you defended, I have unlimited
respect for the American Legion, and for your superb record of patriotic
service.

The American Legion serves the nation by leading on a range of important
issues, such as health care and education; employment opportunities and
homeland security; military readiness and the quality of life for our
service families. Members of the Legion stand firm for protecting our
nation's flag, and for defending the right of every American to pledge
allegiance to one nation under God. (Applause.)

American Legion members speak with conviction, and with credibility, on
behalf of our veterans and our military families. You remind fellow
citizens of a commitment that our nation made many generations ago: To
serve the needs and the interests of our military veterans -- and to do so
in a spirit of compassion, civility, sensitivity, respect, and, above all,
gratitude. That's a commitment our administration takes very seriously.
(Applause.)

The President and I came to office determined to enhance the quality of
veterans' health care, to significantly increase the resources going to the
VA, to modernize VA facilities, to improve service to veterans' families,
and to trim the backlog in processing disability claims. We're meeting
these objectives, but we'll never be complacent about the progress being
made. Bureaucracies need to be pushed, and we're constantly looking for
ways to make the system work better for our veterans and their families.
And, rest assured, we get a steady stream of good advice from Tom Bock and
the leadership of the American Legion -- and we welcome it. (Applause.)

I also want to thank the American Legion for your tremendous daily support
for the men and women serving in our military today. I know it means a
great deal to them to know how deeply you believe in them, and in the cause
they serve, during a time of enormous consequence. Americans in uniform are
currently serving in over 100 countries, and the military remains an
active, visible sign of America's commitments around the world -- defending
our interests, standing by our friends, keeping patient vigil against
possible dangers, and, above all, directly engaging the enemies of the
United States.

For many in this generation of soldiers, service to the country has
involved accepting some extremely perilous missions. The war on terror is a
new kind of war against the most ruthless of enemies -- and the fight we
are waging is every bit as urgent as it is dangerous. Those who attacked
America have proven their eagerness to kill innocent men, women, and
children by the thousands. They are looking to obtain chemical, biological,
or even nuclear weapons by any means they can find, and would not hesitate
to use such weapons at the first opportunity.

Although we have been in the struggle against terrorism for over four years
now, the terrorists were actually at war with this country even before
2001. But for a long time, they were the ones on the offensive. In Beirut
in 1983, terrorists killed 241 Americans. Following that attack, the United
States forces were withdrawn from Beirut. Time and time again, for the
remainder of the 20th century, the terrorists hit America but America did
not hit back hard enough. In 1993 we had the killing of American soldiers
in Mogadishu, and the first bombing at the World Trade Center in New York.
We had the murders at the Saudi National Guard Training Center in Riyadh in
1995; the killings at the Khobar Towers in 1996; the destruction of two
American embassies in East Africa in 1998; and, of course, the attack on
the USS Cole in 2000. The terrorists came to believe that they could strike
America without paying any price -- indeed, they became convinced that if
they killed enough Americans, they could change American policy.

And so they continued to wage those attacks -- making the world less safe
and, of course, eventually striking the United States here at home on 9/11
and killing 3,000 of our fellow citizens. Now they're making a stand in
Iraq -- testing our resolve, and trying to shake our commitment to
democracy in that country. And while the terrorists are seemingly random
and cold-blooded in their attacks, we have to realize they are also
pursuing a strategy with a clear set of objectives.

By methods of murder, they hope to overturn Iraq's democratic government
and return that country to the rule of tyrant, and then use Iraq as a
staging area for ever greater attacks against America and other civilized
nations. Their aim is to remake the Middle East in their own image of
tyranny and oppression -- by toppling governments, driving us out of the
region, and by exporting terror.

Our own strategy in the conflict is clear: We're hunting down high-value
targets like al Zarqawi and his lieutenants. Our soldiers and Marines are
conducting smart, focused, aggressive, counterterrorism operations in the
areas where the terrorists are known to be concentrated. And our coalition
continues to train more Iraqi forces to assume increasing responsibility
for their nation's security. As more and more Iraqi security forces
complete their training, they're taking on greater responsibility in these
efforts. Iraqi troops are increasingly taking the lead in joint operations,
conducting independent operations, and expanding the reach and the
effectiveness of our own forces.

And as Iraqi security forces grow in size and capability, we're becoming
better able to keep urban centers out of the hands of terrorists. One of
the challenges we faced was that after clearing out terrorists, there have
not always been enough trained Iraqi forces to maintain control. So when
coalition forces moved on, terrorists would try to move back in. More and
more, however, we're able to leave Iraqi troops in charge because they are
increasingly well equipped, properly trained, familiar with the territory,
and often can tell who the terrorists are, therefore are able to maintain
control. Meanwhile, coalition forces are able to go forward and deal with
the threat in other parts of the country, as well as to strengthen security
at the borders.

At present, Iraqi personnel are collecting good intelligence, working with
civic and religious leaders, and gaining greater confidence among the Iraqi
people. This is an ongoing process, obviously, and standing up a capable,
effective military requires a patient and a sustained effort. Yet the
progress is steady. It is moving in the direction we want, and the people
in charge of the effort are doing a superb job. The goal we share with
Iraq's government is a full transition to security and to self-reliance, a
nation with a constitutionally elected government and capable security
forces, an Iraq that is at peace with neighbors and an ally for us in the
war on terror.

Going forward, as the Iraqi security forces grow in strength and the
political process continues to advance, we'll be able to reduce troop
levels without losing our capacity to defeat the terrorists. And in the
months ahead, any decisions about troop levels will be driven by the
conditions on the ground and the judgment of our commanders -- not by
artificial time lines set by politicians in Washington, D.C. (Applause.)

The terrorists understand what is at stake in Iraq. That's why they commit
acts of horror, calculated to shock and to intimidate the civilized world
-- beheading men, murdering mothers and children, and killing innocent
Iraqis in police stations, mosques, buses, restaurants, stores and on
street corners.

Last week terrorists attacked the Golden Mosque in Samarra, one of the
holiest sites for Shiite Muslims, in a clear attempt to ignite a civil war.
We can expect further acts of violence and destruction by the enemies of
freedom. Yet the Iraqi people have expressed their own desire for liberty
by voting in free elections three different times over the last year, and
we remain optimistic that Iraq's political factions will work together in
forming a stable, viable representative government. We expect, as well,
that as freedom takes hold, the ideologies of hatred and resentment will
lose their appeal, and the advance of democracy in Iraq will inspire
reformers across the broader Middle East.

And as this region experiences new hope and progress, we will see the power
of freedom to change our world, and a terrible threat will be removed from
the lives of our children and grandchildren.

I know that most of you have heard the political debates that have been
going on here in Washington. Some have suggested this war is not winnable,
and a few seem almost eager to conclude that the struggle is already lost.
They are wrong. The only way to lose this fight is to quit -- and quitting
is not an option. (Applause.)

Some of the comments heard in Washington have sent mixed signals to our
troops in the field. Our military has at times been unfairly criticized, as
when one prominent senator said on national television that American
soldiers were, "terrorizing" Iraqi women and children in their homes. Just
before Christmas, I went to Iraq and had a chance to meet with some of our
men and women serving there. I told them that we're proud of them, and of
the progress they're making every day. I assured them that the American
people do not support a policy of resignation and defeatism in a time of
war. (Applause.)

Here in Washington, if any believe America should suddenly withdraw from
Iraq and stop fighting al Qaeda in the very place they have gathered, let
them say so clearly. If any believe that America should break our word and
abandon our Iraqi allies to death and prison, let them make it known. If
any believe that America should be safer -- or would be safer with men like
bin Laden and Zarqawi in charge of Iraq, let them try to make that case.

The reality is that bin Laden and Zarqawi regard Iraq as the central front
in the war on terror. We must do the same. And this nation has made a
decision: We will stand by our friends, and engage our enemies with the
goal of victory. As the President said in the State of the Union, "We are
in this fight to win, and we are winning."

An effort like this naturally involves a home front, with a great deal of
urgent and difficult work needed to persevere. Four years ago, Congress
passed the Patriot Act, to give law enforcement all the tools they need to
track down terrorists inside the United States. Lately the Patriot Act has
become a victim of partisan politics. It first passed the Senate 98 to 1
four years ago. Now it's been filibustered in the Senate, and the
Democratic leader boasted recently about his efforts to "kill" the Patriot
Act. The security of the United States should be kept above partisan
politics. And Congress needs to renew the Patriot Act. (Applause.)

Another imperative in the war on terror is that we learn the intentions of
our enemy. We've heard it said many times that our government failed to
connect the dots prior to the 9/11 attack. We now know that two of the
hijackers were in the United States and placed telephone calls to al Qaeda
operatives overseas prior to 9/11. We did not know about their plans until
it was too late. So to prevent another attack -- and based on authority
given him by the Constitution as Commander-in-Chief and by statute -- the
President authorized a terrorist surveillance program. On occasion you hear
this called a domestic surveillance program or domestic spying. That is
inaccurate. It is not domestic surveillance. We are talking about
communications, one end of which is outside the United States and one end
of which we have reason to believe is related to al Qaeda. And it's hard to
think of any category of information that could be more important to the
safety and security of the United States than such communications.

Previous presidents have used the same constitutional authority -- and
federal courts have approved the use of that authority. Appropriate members
of Congress have been kept informed. I personally have presided over more
than a dozen briefings of members of Congress about that program since its
inception over four years ago. And because all of us are committed to
protecting the civil liberties of the American people, the terrorist
surveillance program is limited, and elaborate steps have been taken to
protect our civil liberties. This program has also helped prevent terrorist
attacks and saved many lives. It remains absolutely essential to the
security of the United States.

The terrorist surveillance program was highly classified, and information
about it was improperly given to the news media. But debate is now
underway. At the very least, this debate has clarified where various people
stand on the issue. As always, the President has made his position
absolutely clear to citizens all across the land: If there are people
inside our country talking with al Qaeda, we want to know about it --
because we will not sit back and wait to be hit again. (Applause.)

When President Bush spoke to Congress after that terrible day in 2001, he
expressed the hope that life in this nation could go back to normal. He
rightly said that it would be good for Americans to return to our lives and
to our daily routines. He also said that the events of 9/11 would be on his
mind every single day. Well, I see the President almost every day, starting
with our morning briefings on intelligence in the Oval Office. He knows
what his job is. He knows what's at stake. And he has not for a single
moment relented in the work of protecting the American people. (Applause.)

As we get farther away from September 11th, some in this city are yielding
to the temptation to downplay the ongoing threat to our country, and to
back away from the business at hand. This is a dangerous mind set. We're
all grateful that this nation has gone for more than four years without
another 9/11. Obviously, no one can guarantee that we will not be attacked
again. But getting through four years of wartime without another 9/11 took
a lot more than just luck. We've been protected by sensible policy
decisions, by decisive action at home and abroad, and by round-the-clock
efforts on the part of people in the armed forces, law enforcement,
intelligence, and homeland security. The enemy that struck on 9/11 is
weakened and fractured, yet still lethal, still determined to hit us again.
We have faced, and are facing today, enemies who hate us, who hate our
country, and who hate the liberties for which we stand. They dwell in the
shadows, wear no uniform, have no regard for the laws of warfare, and feel
unconstrained by any standard of morality. We've never had a fight quite
like this before -- and there is hard work ahead. Either we are serious
about fighting this war or we are not. And the enemies of America need to
know that we are serious, and this nation will not let down its guard.

As long as we are in this conflict, our nation will depend very heavily on
the skill and the character of our military. Right now in Iraq and
Afghanistan, there is still tough fighting, in conditions ranging from
urban to desert to high mountains. We've lost some of our finest, and that
loss is irreplaceable. Many have come home with terrible wounds, and some
of them face a very hard road ahead. They can be assured of the best care
that we can possibly give them.

All the men and women who serve in this cause can know with absolute
certainty that they have contributed to the future safety of this nation,
and to the peace of our world. They can be proud of all that they have done
for America, just as we will always respect their spirit of sacrifice and
their courage under fire. (Applause.)

In this conflict, there have been a great many stories of heroism, and a
great many battle decorations earned by America's fighting men and women.
The highest award of all, the Medal of Honor, has also been presented in
this war, given to a member of the United States Army.

In April of 2003, during the campaign to liberate Iraq, a task force led by
Sergeant Paul Ray 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. Sergeant
Smith remained in that spot, subjecting himself to greater danger than the
Army 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 of the Republican
Guard, and saved the lives of more than 100 other Americans. On the second
anniversary of the incident, President Bush presented Sergeant Smith's
Medal of Honor to his wife and children. One of Paul Ray Smith's men said
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 Army uniform of the United
States, our nation will remember this man and his courage.

In this new generation we are seeing once again that the American in
uniform places the mission first, never accepts defeat, never quits, and
never leaves a fallen comrade. The spirit of the American fighting man and
woman is to be honorable and just, and, even amid the cruelties of battle,
to be decent and humane. And these are the reasons why, in every corner of
the Earth, people should know that the United States is a country that
seeks not to conquer but to liberate, and to spread the freedom that leads
to peace.

Americans showed that character in the great struggles of the 20th Century,
and Americans are showing that character in meeting the serious challenges
of this new century. Our people in uniform today are following noble
traditions and upholding a brave legacy -- and they find inspiration from
those who came before.

One of our units serving in Iraq put it best, in a letter they sent to the
American Legion. They said, "Our greatest thanks and appreciation will
always go out to the soldiers of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Veterans of
past wars will forever be in our hearts as America's heroes. Their
sacrifices give us courage and their devotion reminds of what we are
fighting for."

I know that for each one of you -- whether you served at home or abroad, in
time of war or in time of peace -- your association with the U.S. military
remains a source of pride. And in this period of such great challenge for
the country, we are reminded again that freedom comes at a price, and that
a great nation must honor the men and women who have paid that price.

As a citizen, I am grateful to the men and women who defend us all. I am
grateful, as well, to all of you for defending our country yesterday, and
for standing behind our military today.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

END 11:58 A.M. EST

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