Redendatenbank Speech database

Donnerstag, 7. Juni 2012

ACO -Rede von Admiral James G. Stavridis beim Arthur Burns Award Dinner am 6. Juni 2012 in Berlin in Englisch

ACO - Allied Command Operations | The Heart of the World

Hier finden Sie die Rede von Admiral James G. Stavridis beim Arthur Burns Award Dinner am 6. Juni 2012 in Berlin in Englisch.

"The Heart of the World”

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, Guten Abend!

Let me start by thanking you for inviting me to take part in this wonderful event….I am honored to be here this evening as we recognize the continued importance and relevance of one of the strongest relationships seen today – that between Germany and America. As the NATO commander, I can assure you that this relationship is stronger than ever across the full spectrum of military activities and I thank you for the support your nation provides.

The recent Summit in Chicago allowed our nations to take stock of our progress and shape the Alliance's future to ensure we have the right military capabilities for the twenty-first century. NATO - our most important alliance provides stability for Europe not only militarily, but also diplomatically and economically. The alliance provides a network of support to member nations and deterrence to potential adversaries. The interoperability and connections that have been created and tuned over NATO's six decades are priceless – and irreplaceable in the short term. The Alliance has been, and continues to be, one of the best investments for Trans-Atlantic, and global, security.

But what I really want to talk about this evening is something that is cherished in the heart of everyone in this room - journalism. Journalism is a demanding and peculiar profession. In fact, Otto von Bismarck concluded that "A journalist is a person who has mistaken their calling.”

I looked up the Top 200 jobs in an online report published in the Wall Street Journal to see how Journalism and reporting ranked. The number 1 job for 2012 was Software engineer – understandable as there is a HUGE demand for follow on "Angry Birds” games; Pharmacist was ranked well and Financial Planner was also up there –they give you the illusion of future wealth – and who wouldn't pay for that? I scanned further down the list. Sewage plant operator was 117. Shoe repairman – 147. Nuclear contamination technician was 165. Unfortunately, I had to search all the way down to 184 to find "Reporter”¹. However, I ask that you take solace in two facts - first, you aren't at the bottom of the list! Second, although he could have chosen any career field, when not saving the planet, Superman was Clark Kent, the reporter. You share a profession with a superhero –not bad!

Journalists report on unfolding history, and history has given us some outstanding journalists, several of whom we recognize tonight. I would especially like to thank and congratulate our award winners for their fine contributions to journalism and the art of reporting.

Journalism means much to me as it honors a profession that I have actually spent some time pursuing. I was editor of my high school paper in 1972; and I went on to edit the Naval Academy's magazine in 1974-1976. Happily, those articles are very hard to find or you probably would not have invited me to speak here tonight…

I can tell you that my experience with journalism left a lasting impression and an enduring love of the art that I pursue today through my books, articles and blogs. And I truly believe that good journalism is as much an art as it is a fact-finding event. For a journalist, writing is a passion. It is because of that passion that we see examples of their art shining through as they illuminate for us all the issues of the day.

I stand in pretty good company when I speak of the passion and importance of journalism. These ideas are enshrined in the United States Bill of Rights: Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. Similar language is seen in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union: The freedom and pluralism of the media shall be respected.² And it is this idea of freedom of speech that matters as no one could have imagined how we communicate and connect today.

Journalism's format has evolved from Thomas Paine's "Common Sense” pamphlet which helped incite colonial America's revolution to today's Tweets, Blogs, You-tube, FaceBook and SKYPE, which enabled the Arab Spring movement to rapidly spread. Regardless of the format however, it is the journalist's job to present the information – to tell the story. Salman Rushdie, the Booker Prize winning author who is still being hunted by those who would not allow his free speech, sums it up concisely for us: "Free speech is the whole thing, the whole ball game. Free speech is life itself.” His pursuit of free speech has almost cost him his life.

And there are journalists who have paid the ultimate price in pursuit of the truth. Robert Capa's graphic photographs and Ernie Pyle's common prose were loved and still appreciated, but cost them their lives in the war zones of World War II. You are all part of a profession that has demonstrated courage over and over, and I respect that.

More recently, the International Press Institute (IPI) reported that as of 30 May 2012, 61 journalists have been killed this year, putting us on track to witness the deadliest year since record-keeping began in 1997³. Marie Colvin and French photojournalist Remi Ochlik were killed in Syria earlier this year. I was particular struck by a quote from Marie during one of her interviews. She said: "We send home that first rough draft of history. We can and do make a difference in exposing the horrors of war and especially the atrocities that befall civilians.”

To suppress the truth, governments must first suppress the journalists. Thank you for relentlessly pursuing the truth even though it is sometimes at great risk to yourselves. Your efforts make the world a better and safer place.

BUT, let's face it, as a society we don't always agree with the journalists or the way some of them do business. I would say some focus too much on the negative. There is at times a tendency to submerge the positive and bury it – and why? Sensational sells. Some reporters create pre-existing narratives and report on "what fits”. Reporting from conflict areas like the Balkans in the 1990's and Columbia in the last decade, for example, fit this pattern.

But done well, and honestly – think of Hemingway's writing, both as a reporter and novelist: clear, pure, and true - Journalism matters deeply and can change the world.

Today, technology is making journalism's impact even greater. Everyone can be a "journalist” - everyone has a microphone and a digital canvas that can inform the world. The great challenge for your profession in this complex period will be balancing the "iReports” on CNN in a world of infinite connection with the ethics, standards, and professionalism of the practitioners like all of you.

We have witnessed massive change sweep through Africa and the Middle East during the Arab Awakening, much of which was broadcast by ordinary people who had a camera and internet connection. Tunisia's oppressive ruler for 23 years was forced into exile during a revolution that was accelerated by social networking and media. Libya's democratic forces organized and conducted operations through social media. Massive demonstrations in Cairo and other Egyptian cities were sent through Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to raise awareness not only in Egypt but also around the world, stirring further revolts and uprisings.

The ability to rapidly coordinate and mobilize a population is a great characteristic of social media, but it is NOT the one we should be focusing on. The most powerful use of social media, which is really just another venue for "journalism,” is the ability to expose a government's atrocities to the world. This information provides the motivation for a revolution – mobilization in the end is a logistical function – albeit an important one – once the people are informed and motivated by reporting: journalism.

And it is the power of truth and information rapidly spreading that dictators fear most – whether from a trained journalist or college student with a camera phone. Despots know this and crack down on the internet to keep damaging information from being posted to the world.⁴ Although some are unsuccessful, dictators continue to follow this model and are attempting to control and or censor the press and the internet.

So, how do we characterize those people who used social media tools during the Arab Awakening? Protesters? Activists? Revolutionaries? Perhaps… journalists? Regardless of the title we give them, they gave us… the story. They wrote the journal that moved the world. Along with all of you.

We must continue to search out and embrace technology that increases our ability to rapidly connect with people to share stories, experiences and history. The use of interconnected social media in reporting is relatively new to us. It has the potential to increase awareness globally and instantly – to accomplish this in an honest and pure method is the true job of a journalist – regardless of the medium employed.

As I close tonight, remember that the Arthur Burns Award is emblematic of the persistent and dedicated efforts of journalists to get the story out to the world. I share the sentiment of early American publisher Henry Luce when he noted that "I became a journalist to become as close as possible to the heart of the world”. I look with respect, and perhaps a little envy, at tonight's award winners. You are all part of a bold and brave profession – not perfect, and no profession is perfect – but you work indeed at the "heart of the world.”

Thank you.

1. http://www.careercast.com/content/top-200-jobs-2012-181-200 (Accessed 17 May 2012) Source site for story.

2. Full legal effectupon entry into the Treaty of Lisbon on 1 December 2009. Under the Charter, the EU must act and legislate consistently with the Charter.

3. http://www.freemedia.at/our-activities/death-watch/countryview.html?tx_incoredeathwatch_pi1%5BshowUid%5D=1187&tx_incoredeathwatch_pi1%5BshowYear%5D=2012&cHash=03237005dd

4. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/weekinreview/30shane.html?_r=1&hp

Freitag, 1. Juni 2012

Reden und Texte von U.S. Botschafter Murphy | DIPLOMATISCHE VERTRETUNGEN DER USA DEUTSCHLAND

Hier finden Sie Reden und Texte von U.S. Botschafter Murphy.

Dienstag, 29. Mai 2012

Speech from U.S. President Obama at the Commemoration Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War | The White House

Speech from U.S President Obama at the Commemoration Ceremony of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War | The White House

he Vietnam War Memorial
National Mall
Washington, D.C.

2:27 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Chuck, thank you for your words and your friendship and your life of service. Veterans of the Vietnam War, families, friends, distinguished guests. I know it is hot. (Laughter.) But you are here -- to honor your loved ones. And Michelle and I could not be more honored to be here with you.

It speaks to the complexity of America’s time in Vietnam that, even now, historians cannot agree on precisely when the war began. American advisors had served there, and died there, as early as the mid-'50s. Major combat operations would not begin until the mid-'60s. But if any year in between illustrated the changing nature of our involvement, it was 1962.

It was January, in Saigon. Our Army pilots strapped on their helmets and boarded their helicopters. They lifted off, raced over treetops carrying South Vietnamese troops. It was a single raid against an enemy stronghold just a few miles into the jungle -- but it was one of America’s first major operations in that faraway land.

Fifty years later, we come to this wall -- to this sacred place -- to remember. We can step towards its granite wall and reach out, touch a name. Today is Memorial Day, when we recall all those who gave everything in the darkness of war so we could stand here in the glory of spring. And today begins the 50th commemoration of our war in Vietnam. We honor each of those names etched in stone -- 58,282 American patriots. We salute all who served with them. And we stand with the families who love them still.

For years you've come here, to be with them once more. And in the simple things you’ve left behind -- your offerings, your mementos, your gifts -- we get a glimpse of the lives they led. The blanket that covered him as a baby. The baseball bat he swung as a boy. A wedding ring. The photo of the grandchild he never met. The boots he wore, still caked in mud. The medals she earned, still shining. And, of course, some of the things left here have special meaning, known only to the veterans -- a can of beer; a packet of M&Ms; a container of Spam; an old field ration -- still good, still awful. (Laughter.)

It's here we feel the depth of your sacrifice. And here we see a piece of our larger American story. Our Founders -- in their genius -- gave us a task. They set out to make a more perfect union. And so it falls to every generation to carry on that work. To keep moving forward. To overcome a sometimes painful past. To keep striving for our ideals.

And one of the most painful chapters in our history was Vietnam -- most particularly, how we treated our troops who served there. You were often blamed for a war you didn’t start, when you should have been commended for serving your country with valor. (Applause.) You were sometimes blamed for misdeeds of a few, when the honorable service of the many should have been praised. You came home and sometimes were denigrated, when you should have been celebrated. It was a national shame, a disgrace that should have never happened. And that's why here today we resolve that it will not happen again. (Applause.)

And so a central part of this 50th anniversary will be to tell your story as it should have been told all along. It’s another chance to set the record straight. That's one more way we keep perfecting our Union -- setting the record straight. And it starts today. Because history will honor your service, and your names will join a story of service that stretches back two centuries.

Let us tell the story of a generation of servicemembers -- every color, every creed, rich, poor, officer and enlisted -- who served with just as much patriotism and honor as any before you. Let’s never forget that most of those who served in Vietnam did so by choice. So many of you volunteered. Your country was at war, and you said, "send me." That includes our women in Vietnam -- every one of you a volunteer. (Applause.) Those who were drafted, they, too, went and carried their burden -- you served; you did your duty.

You persevered though some of the most brutal conditions ever faced by Americans in war. The suffocating heat. The drenching monsoon rains. An enemy that could come out of nowhere and vanish just as quickly. Some of the most intense urban combat in history, and battles for a single hill that could rage for weeks. Let it be said -- in those hellholes like Briarpatch, and the Zoo and the Hanoi Hilton -- our Vietnam POWs didn’t simply endure; you wrote one of the most extraordinary stories of bravery and integrity in the annals of military history. (Applause.)

As a nation, we've long celebrated the courage of our forces at Normandy and Iwo Jima, the Pusan Perimeter and Heartbreak Ridge. So let us also speak of your courage -- at Hue and Khe Sanh, at Tan Son Nhut and Saigon, from Hamburger Hill to Rolling Thunder. All too often it's forgotten that you, our troops in Vietnam, won every major battle you fought in. (Applause.)

When you came home, I know many of you put your medals away -- tucked them in a drawer, or in a box in the closet. You went on with your lives -- started families and pursued careers. A lot of you didn’t talk too much about your service. As a consequence, this nation has not always fully appreciated the chapter of your lives that came next.

So let us also tell a story of a generation that came home, and how -- even though some Americans turned their back on you -- you never turned your back on America. (Applause.) Like generations before you, you took off the uniform, but you never stopped serving. You became teachers and police officers and nurses -- the folks we count on every single day. You became entrepreneurs, running companies and pioneering industries that changed the world. You became leaders and public servants, from town halls to Capitol Hill -- lifting up our communities, our states, our nation.

You reminded us what it was like to serve, what it meant to serve. Those of you who stayed in uniform, you rose through the ranks, became leaders in every service, learned from your experience in Vietnam and rebuilt our military into the finest force that the world has ever known. (Applause.) And let’s remember all those Vietnam veterans who came back and served again -- in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. You did not stop serving. (Applause.)

Even as you succeeded in all these endeavors, you did something more -- maybe the most important thing you did -- you looked after each other. When your government didn’t live up to its responsibilities, you spoke out -- fighting for the care and benefits you had earned, and, over time, transforming the VA. And, of course, one of these Vietnam veterans is now our outstanding Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Ric Shinseki. (Applause.)

You looked after one another. You cared for one another. People weren’t always talking about PTSD at the time -- you understood it, and you were there for each other. Just as importantly, you didn’t just take care of your own, you cared for those that followed. You’ve made it your mission to make sure today’s troops get the respect and support that all too often you did not receive. (Applause.)

Because of you, because our Vietnam veterans led the charge, the Post-9/11 GI Bill is helping hundreds of thousands of today’s veterans go to college and pursue their dreams. (Applause.) Because of you, because you didn’t let us forget, at our airports, our returning troops get off the airplane and you are there to shake their hands. (Applause.) Because of you, across America, communities have welcomed home our forces from Iraq. And when our troops return from Afghanistan, America will give this entire 9/11 Generation the welcome home they deserve. That happened in part because of you. (Applause.)

This is the story of our Vietnam servicemembers -- the story that needs to be told. This is what this 50th anniversary is all about. It’s another opportunity to say to our Vietnam veterans what we should have been saying from the beginning: You did your job. You served with honor. You made us proud. You came home and you helped build the America that we love and that we cherish.

So here today, it must be said -- you have earned your place among the greatest generations. At this time, I would ask all our Vietnam veterans, those of you who can stand, to please stand, all those already standing, raise your hands -- as we say those simple words which always greet our troops when they come home from here on out: Welcome home. (Applause.) Welcome home. Welcome home. Welcome home. Thank you. We appreciate you. Welcome home. (Applause.)

Today, we’re calling on all Americans, and every segment of our society, to join this effort. Everybody can do something. Five decades removed from a time of division among Americans, this anniversary can remind us of what we share as Americans. That includes honoring our Vietnam veterans by never forgetting the lessons of that war.

So let us resolve that when America sends our sons and daughters into harm’s way, we will always give them a clear mission; we will always give them a sound strategy; we will give them the equipment they need to get the job done. We will have their backs. (Applause.) We will resolve that leaders will be candid about the risks and about progress -- and have a plan to bring our troops home, with honor.

Let us resolve to never forget the costs of war, including the terrible loss of innocent civilians -- not just in Vietnam, but in all wars. For we know that while your sacrifice and service is the very definition of glory, war itself is not glorious. We hate war. When we fight, we do so to protect ourselves because it's necessary.

Let’s resolve that in our democracy we can debate and disagree -- even in a time of war. But let us never use patriotism as a political sword. Patriots can support a war; patriots can oppose a war. And whatever our view, let us always stand united in support of our troops, who we placed in harm's way. (Applause.) That is our solemn obligation. (Applause.)

Let’s resolve to take care of our veterans as well as they’ve taken care of us -- not just talk, but actions. Not just in the first five years after a war, but the first five decades. For our Vietnam veterans, this means the disability benefits for diseases connected to Agent Orange. It means job opportunities and mental health care to help you stand tall again. It means ending the tragedy of veterans' homelessness, so that every veteran who has fought for America has a home in America. You shouldn’t have to fight for a roof over your heads when you fought on behalf of the country that you love. (Applause.)

And when an American does not come back -- including the 1,666 Americans still missing from the Vietnam War -- let us resolve to do everything in our power to bring them home. This is our solemn promise to mothers like Sarah Shay who joins us today, 93 years old, who has honored her son, Major Donald Shay, Jr., missing in action for 42 years. There she is. Sarah, thank you for your courage. God bless you. (Applause.)

This is the promise we’re fulfilling today to the Meroney family of Fayetteville, Arkansas. Forty-three years after he went missing, we can announce that Army Captain Virgil Meroney, III, is coming home, and he will finally rest in peace. (Applause.)

Some have called this war era a scar on our country, but here’s what I say. As any wound heals, the tissue around it becomes tougher, becomes stronger than before. And in this sense, finally, we might begin to see the true legacy of Vietnam. Because of Vietnam and our veterans, we now use American power smarter, we honor our military more, we take care of our veterans better. Because of the hard lessons of Vietnam, because of you, America is even stronger than before. (Applause.)

And finally, on this anniversary and all the years to come, let us remember what binds us, as one people. This is important for all of us, whether you fought in the Vietnam War or fought against it, whether you were too young to be shaped by it. It is important that our children understand the sacrifices that were made by your troops in Vietnam; that for them, this is more than just a name in history books. It’s important that we know the lesson of a gift once left at this Memorial.

It was towards the end of the day, and most of the tourists and visitors had departed. And there it was -- a football helmet, black with white stripes, and a wristband. And with them was a handwritten note. And it was from a young man, still in high school. And mind you, this was more than two decades after Vietnam. That high school student was born years after the war had already ended. But in that short, handwritten note he captured the reverence -- the bonds between generations -- that bring us here today.

The letter began, "Dear Vietnam Veterans, here are two things from me to you that I think you should have." He explained that it was his helmet from midget football and his wristband from his senior year. So today I want to close with the words he wrote:

In these two pieces of equipment, I was allowed to make mistakes, correct them, grow and mature as a person. However, that was on my battlefield. You didn’t get the chance to do that on your battlefield. Some of you were forced to grow up too fast; all of you died too soon. We do have many things in common, though. We both have pride, heart and determination. I'm just sorry you guys had to learn those qualities too fast. That is why I'm giving you what I grew up with. You are true heroes and you will never be forgotten.

That's from a high school kid, born decades after the end of the war. And that captures the spirit that this entire country should embrace.

Veterans, families of the Vietnam War, I know the wounds of war are slow to heal. You know that better than most. But today we take another step. The task of telling your story continues. The work of perfecting our Union goes on. And decades from now, I hope another young American will visit this place and reach out and touch a name. And she’ll learn the story of servicemembers -- people she never met, who fought a war she never knew -- and in that moment of understanding and of gratitude and of grace, your legacy will endure. For you are all true heroes and you will all be remembered.

May God bless you. May God bless your families. May God bless our men and women in uniform. And may God bless these United States of America. (Applause.)

END 2:50 P.M. EDT

President Obama Commemorates the Vietnam War - YouTube

Montag, 28. Mai 2012

President Obama Thanks the Troops in Afghanistan

Remarks by the President Commemorating Memorial Day | The White House

For Immediate Release

May 28, 2012

Memorial Amphitheater

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington, Virginia

11:39 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Please be seated. Good morning, everybody. Thank you, Secretary Panetta, for your introduction and for your incredible service to our country. To General Dempsey, Major General Linnington, Kathryn Condon, Chaplain Berry, all of you who are here today -- active duty, veterans, family and friends of the fallen -- thank you for allowing me the privilege of joining you in this sacred place to commemorate Memorial Day.

These 600 acres are home to Americans from every part of the country who gave their lives in every corner of the globe. When a revolution needed to be waged and a Union needed to be saved, they left their homes and took up arms for the sake of an idea. From the jungles of Vietnam to the mountains of Afghanistan, they stepped forward and answered the call. They fought for a home they might never return to; they fought for buddies they would never forget. And while their stories may be separated by hundreds of years and thousands of miles, they rest here, together, side-by-side, row-by-row, because each of them loved this country, and everything it stands for, more than life itself.

Today, we come together, as Americans, to pray, to reflect, and to remember these heroes. But tomorrow, this hallowed place will once again belong to a smaller group of visitors who make their way through the gates and across these fields in the heat and in the cold, in the rain and the snow, following a well-worn path to a certain spot and kneeling in front of a familiar headstone.

You are the family and friends of the fallen -- the parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters by birth and by sacrifice. And you, too, leave a piece of your hearts beneath these trees. You, too, call this sanctuary home.

Together, your footsteps trace the path of our history. And this Memorial Day, we mark another milestone. For the first time in nine years, Americans are not fighting and dying in Iraq. (Applause.) We are winding down the war in Afghanistan, and our troops will continue to come home. (Applause.) After a decade under the dark cloud of war, we can see the light of a new day on the horizon.

Especially for those who've lost a loved one, this chapter will remain open long after the guns have fallen silent. Today, with the war in Iraq finally over, it is fitting to pay tribute to the sacrifice that spanned that conflict.

In March of 2003, on the first day of the invasion, one of our helicopters crashed near the Iraqi border with Kuwait. On it were four Marines: Major Jay Aubin; Captain Ryan Beaupre; Corporal Brian Kennedy; and Staff Sergeant Kendall Waters-Bey. Together, they became the first American casualties of the Iraq war. Their families and friends barely had time to register the beginning of the conflict before being forced to confront its awesome costs.

Eight years, seven months and 25 days later, Army Specialist David Hickman was on patrol in Baghdad. That’s when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb. He became the last of nearly 4,500 American patriots to give their lives in Iraq. A month after David’s death -- the days before the last American troops, including David, were scheduled to come home -- I met with the Hickman family at Fort Bragg. Right now, the Hickmans are beginning a very difficult journey that so many of your families have traveled before them -- a journey that even more families will take in the months and years ahead.

To the families here today, I repeat what I said to the Hickmans: I cannot begin to fully understand your loss. As a father, I cannot begin to imagine what it’s like to hear that knock on the door and learn that your worst fears have come true. But as Commander-In-Chief, I can tell you that sending our troops into harm’s way is the most wrenching decision that I have to make. I can promise you I will never do so unless it's absolutely necessary, and that when we do, we must give our troops a clear mission and the full support of a grateful nation. (Applause.)

And as a country, all of us can and should ask ourselves how we can help you shoulder a burden that nobody should have to bear alone. As we honor your mothers and fathers, your sons and daughters, we have given -- who have given their last full measure of devotion to this country, we have to ask ourselves how can we support you and your families and give you some strength?

One thing we can do is remember these heroes as you remember them -- not just as a rank, or a number, or a name on a headstone, but as Americans, often far too young, who were guided by a deep and abiding love for their families, for each other, and for this country.

We can remember Jay Aubin, the pilot, who met his wife on an aircraft carrier, and told his mother before shipping out, "If anything happens to me, just know I’m doing what I love."

We can remember Ryan Beaupre, the former track star, running the leadoff leg, always the first one into action, who quit his job as an accountant and joined the Marines because he wanted to do something more meaningful with his life.

We can remember Brian Kennedy, the rock climber and lacrosse fanatic, who told his father two days before his helicopter went down that the Marines he served alongside were some of the best men he'd ever dealt with, and they’d be his friends forever.

We can remember Kendall Waters-Bey, a proud father, a proud son of Baltimore, who was described by a fellow servicemember as "a light in a very dark world."

And we can remember David Hickman, a freshman in high school when the war began, a fitness fanatic who half-jokingly called himself "Zeus," a loyal friend with an infectious laugh.

We can remember them. And we can meet our obligations to those who did come home, and their families who are in the midst of a different, but very real battle of their own.

To all our men and women in uniform who are here today, know this: The patriots who rest beneath these hills were fighting for many things -- for their families, for their flag -- but above all, they were fighting for you. As long as I’m President, we will make sure you and your loved ones receive the benefits you’ve earned and the respect you deserve. America will be there for you. (Applause.)

And finally, for all of you who carry a special weight on your heart, we can strive to be a nation worthy of your sacrifice. A nation that is fair and equal, peaceful and free. A nation that weighs the cost of every human life. A nation where all of us meet our obligations to one another, and to this country that we love. That’s what we can do.

As President, I have no higher honor and no greater responsibility than serving as Commander-in-Chief of the greatest military the world has ever known. (Applause.) And on days like this, I take pride in the fact that this country has always been home to men and women willing to give of themselves until they had nothing more to give. I take heart in the strength and resolve of those who still serve, both here at home and around the world. And I know that we must always strive to be worthy of your sacrifice.

God bless you.

God bless the fallen.

God bless our men and women in uniform.

And may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)

END

11:49 A.M. EDT

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Freitag, 25. Mai 2012

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