National Commander’s Message: Remarks by National Commander Paul A. Morin, Given at the 47th Annual Washington Conference, Tuesday, March 6, 2007 “America lacks the stomach to fight a protracted war against terrorism.” That’s the fundamental belief shared among the 21st century’s most vile terrorists and their rogue-nation supporters. Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would all agree that the key to victory over America is outlasting us and having a stronger will to succeed. The strength of their will was demonstrated on Sept. 11, 2001, when al-Qaeda suicide hijackers seized control of four U.S. commercial airliners and crashed them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The fourth, bound for the Capitol, was seized from the hijackers and downed in the Pennsylvania countryside. That morning … the terrorists showed the world not only their will, but also their growing capability to wreak violence on the world. No event since Pearl Harbor has so shaken American confidence. More than 3,000 people were killed. Our nation took a long look in the mirror and muttered to itself a simple, regrettable verdict: “Complacency.” The attacks of 9-11, had many pre-cursors. The Islamic extremist terror campaign against America can be traced back nearly 30 years to when Iranian revolutionaries seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. Terrorist bombings in Beirut in 1983 killed more than 300, including 241 U.S. Marines in their barracks. A cruise ship was seized by terrorists in 1985, and one handicapped American was thrown overboard in his wheelchair. A Marine officer was kidnapped and murdered by Hezbollah in 1988, the same year a Pan Am Boeing 747 was blown up over Scotland by terrorists, killing 259, most of them Americans. The World Trade Center was attacked in 1993 -- a truck bombing that killed six and injured more than 1,000. The attacks continued through the 1990s and included an assassination attempt in Kuwait on former President George Bush, and more bombings on U.S. properties in Saudi Arabia, Kenya and Tanzania. In 2000, terrorists attacked the USS Cole in a Yemen port, killing 17 American sailors. It was only a matter of time before terrorism would strike America on its own soil. America had grown complacent, and we under-estimated the treachery of a fast-spreading, well-funded, well-equipped enemy who has no regard for human life, even his own. Sept. 11, 2001, was not the first act of war perpetrated against the United States by terrorists, but it was the one that mobilized U.S. troops, and united a nation against an undefined but deadly agent of evil. The most powerful nation in human history unleashed its military on the Taliban and al-Qaeda, swiftly driving their terror network and their leader, bin Laden, into the mountains and caves of Afghanistan. The world soon came to know of terrorism’s safe harbors - Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan and Somalia, among others. Each haven for terrorists desired only that America and western democracy be destroyed. Saddam Hussein’s outright defiance of U.N. weapons inspections not only violated the terms of his 1991 surrender after Operation Desert Storm, but it also made his regime a prime suspect in the spread of Middle Eastern terrorism. His ties with al-Qaeda were documented in an indictment brought forth by the Clinton administration. He provided medical treatment for al-Qaeda terrorist leaders in Iraq and, as American forces closed in on Baghdad in 2003, he withdrew vast sums of money to fund the insurgent counter-attack. Saddam Hussein was a terrorist. Thanks to American intervention, he was chased from his palaces into a hole in the ground where he was captured, tried by a jury of his peers, and found guilty of genocide, war crimes and human rights violations. On Dec. 30, 2006, those who had been oppressed under Saddam’s iron fist tied a noose around his neck and hanged him. In less than five years, America had vanquished two murderous regimes - the Taliban in Afghanistan and Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. In October 2005, Iraq adopted a constitution that protects its people from discrimination and persecution based on gender, ethnicity, religion or personal opinion. Free elections were held. Iraqi military and police authorities were assembled, and trained by U.S. forces to bring order across a fractured land of multiple tribal and ideological divisions. By the end of 2006, U.S. soldiers had built or renovated nearly 1,000 schools in Iraq. When a new high school for girls was finished on Feb. 5th of this year, students stepped forward and chanted, “By working hard and education, we’ll build this country.” Terrorists want us to believe Iraq is engaged in a hopeless civil war between those who desire freedom and those who want a return to the old regime. A similar argument was made about the communist conquest of Vietnam. The comparison does not apply. It is much more complicated than that. This is not a civil war, but a struggle for freedom, much like the one the United States faced when establishing its independence from England. They fight because they fear democracy. It is the struggle of change; a dawn of freedom after a long night of darkness. Terrorists and rogue nations throughout the Middle East want nothing more than to convince the West that freedom and democracy cannot succeed in Iraq. Their primary tools are fear, murder and propaganda. Nine days after the Sept. 11 attacks, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testified before a U.S. congressional committee. He said that nothing less than a total dismantling of the worldwide terrorist network would protect the West from future attacks. “Today,” he said, “the terrorists have the will to destroy us, but they do not have the power. “There is no doubt that we have the power to crush them,” he said, “now we must also show that we have the will to crush them. “Once any part of the terror network acquires nuclear weapons, this equation will fundamentally change, and with it the course of human affairs. This is the historical imperative that now confronts us.” On Feb. 16, this year, the House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution disapproving of President Bush’s decision to send 21,500 troops to augment about 132,000 already deployed in Iraq. The mission of the troops is to bring order, stability and peace to a nation of more than 26 million who are now teetering between freedom and terrorism, between good and evil. The President senses the will of the people. According to a nationwide poll conducted last month, the majority of Americans support a U.S. strategy aimed at achieving victory in Iraq, and they resist political pressure to withdraw the troops at this point in the war on terrorism. But some in Congress don’t see it that way. Our nation stands at a critical juncture. Our enemies -- the terrorists and the rogue nations that support them -- are watching us very closely right now. The terrorists and their supplier nations have growing reason to believe that America is losing its stomach for war, and that their will is stronger than ours. That’s the message sent to our enemies when Congress denies military commanders and the President the troops and resources necessary to succeed in this war. It’s the message the terrorists have been waiting for. The American Legion passed Resolution 169 in 2005 and reaffirmed it in 2006. Resolution 169 is a clear and unqualified message of support for U.S. troops fighting in the war against terrorism; for our nation’s wartime leaders; and for their mission to dismantle terrorism and replace it with freedom and stability. The American Legion, most of whom served during the Vietnam War, fully understands that you cannot divide the troops, the leadership and the mission. If you support the troops, you support what they are fighting for. If you reject the mission and the leadership, you erode their morale and fuel the enemy’s confidence. It’s that simple, a lesson we learned from Vietnam. A few short weeks after Congress overwhelmingly approved giving command of operations in Iraq to Gen. David Patraeus, Congress basically pulled the rug out from under him. They announced that they didn’t support his strategy to win the war. That announcement came in the form of a non-binding resolution. Elected officials often draw such lines. They will say they support the troops and praise their courage on the battlefield, while announcing plans to deny those same troops the resources needed to complete their mission. It makes no sense. The political rhetoric of withdrawal begins with a non-binding resolution and ends with the troops coming home defeated, never having lost a single battle. Many of us in this room remember Vietnam and that period of our history. We lived that history. Not one battle was lost. Yet, in the 1970s Congress began the process of passing non-binding resolutions. Soon they became “binding resolutions.” Then there were new “rules of engagement”: There was to be no invasion or air strikes across the border into North Vietnam. This allowed war supplies to flow freely to the battlefield. Then in 1975, Congress cut all defense funds to South Vietnam, dooming our allies to defeat. Today we are charged with remembering history - or we will be doomed to repeat it. America cut off defense funds for Vietnam and then we totally withdrew our troops. In the wake of that withdrawal, millions died in what has been called the “killing fields,” and it all started with “non-binding resolutions.” Can we believe that today’s non-binding resolutions on Iraq will have any different effect? And if you believe they won’t, what about the BINDING RESOLUTIONS already introduced just last week in the Senate, placing tight new restrictions on the use of troops in Iraq? The authors are the usual suspects - Kerry, Reid, Obama, Kennedy and others who refuse to admit what history already taught us in Vietnam. When Congress assumes management of war, they begin by changing the rules of engagement, leaving our military commanders and troops stranded in a war their elected representatives haven’t the will to win. These binding resolutions would confine our involvement in Iraq to training Iraqi police and military. It would restrict our troops to only defending themselves, and it would permit our troops to engage only “known terrorists.” How do you recognize a “known terrorist” or someone who is a member of a “known terrorist organization”? Terrorists wear no uniforms; they have no calling cards; they acknowledge no rule of law or civility. There are at least 50 terrorist organizations, each of them committed to killing our people and destroying our nation. If those in Congress who support stricter “rules of engagement” for our troops are successful, I would suggest that each rifle company be assigned a lawyer for its own protection. Otherwise, how will it know who it can engage and who it can’t? We will find ourselves engaged in an exercise that looks like warfare, with all its mortal dangers -- but without the possibility of victory. We are witnessing the first step in disengaging our troops from a mission they can do. Should we allow that to happen, our comrades will spend the rest of their years wondering why they were taken off a mission they were accomplishing … a mission for which more than 3,100 had already laid down their lives. Should we allow that to happen, the world can expect terrorism to seize an unfinished Iraq and consume it. How many Iraqis will die? Millions, perhaps, as in Vietnam and Cambodia? What will happen to those countries in the Mideast that have supported us? What will happen to our friends in the region, such as Kuwait, Jordan, Egypt and Israel? Do you think it will be “forgive and forget” time? Do you think a couple “non-binding resolutions” will save them from reprisals? Who would want to be our ally in the next war we declare on terrorism? And there will be another war. If we leave Iraq, the war on terror isn’t over - it merely shifts to a new battlefront, perhaps much closer to home. Congress cannot second-guess its field commanders and conduct the war based on daily polls. It must be conducted based on unchangeable principles and the national interest. We should ponder long and hard before engaging in war, but once engaged, we have no option but to be victorious. If we now withdraw, as Congress is strongly suggesting, Iran, Syria, Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, Hamas or even Russia will happily fill the vacuum left by our retreating American forces. And soon, should we allow that to happen, the free world can expect new attacks, perhaps even more deadly than 9/11, perhaps with a nuclear weapon. This is not a matter of politics. It is a matter of national, even global, survival. I remind you here today that The American Legion believes in a bipartisan foreign policy. We are non-partisan and non-political. We will speak with Democrats, Republicans and Independents. We invite all of them to our Conventions and to our Washington Conferences. And our viewpoint on the Global War on Terrorism, as expressed by our 3,000 delegates in Resolution 169 at our last two Conventions, is not partisan. It is the consensus of those whose wartime service spans more than 60 years. Our knowledge about warfare and the evils of despotism and terrorism were learned in the school of experience. We remember. We lived that history. We made that history. The term “wartime veteran” means, in part, we ourselves were the actual “instruments of foreign policy” used against the enemies of the United States - up close … and personal. We desired our nation to approve but one strategy - Victory. Victory no matter how long it took, no matter what it cost. Remembering that -- knowing that -- we veterans have an obligation to speak up on behalf of those who are constrained from speaking. We have an obligation to support those who are constrained from supporting themselves. We have an obligation to do anything within our power to make victory possible for the men and women who, today, wear the uniforms we once wore. My fellow veterans, this is the case for Resolution 169. We are called upon to support the troops, the leadership, and the mission in the Global War on Terrorism. We are called upon to unite the home front. We are directed to use whatever means at our disposal to tell the truth about this war, our progress, and the vital importance of supporting the mission. Part of that truth is that our terrorist enemies will never sit down at a bargaining table and sign a peace accord with the West. Our enemy’s objective is not peace. His objective is the complete annihilation of freedom-loving nations everywhere. We’re here today to march on Capitol Hill. We are here to express to every Representative, Senator and staff member that America’s veterans and their families do not want our great nation to “cut and run” from this war against evil. The enemy is expecting us to lose our stomach for war. They’re counting on dissent on the American home front. Just this week, when peace activist Cindy Sheehan testified against the war before the Vermont Legislature, American Legion Past National Vice Commander Linda Perham stepped forward and delivered the message of Resolution 169. She did what the resolution called on all of us to do - to speak out with truth, facts and logic in support of the men and women in uniform who are fighting with their lives to defeat an enemy that promises to strike us again. And when she was done, Linda Perham handed a copy of our Resolution 169 to everyone in the hearing room, so they will see, in cold hard facts, that the enemy is not America. The enemy is terrorism. When we go to the Hill this week and meet with our congressional delegations, we must be willing to do as Linda did - to step up and confront those who call for our cowardly retreat from terrorism. When we go onto the hill, we must ask our Senators to stop sending messages to the terrorists and the troops alike that America is losing its stomach for war. Terrorism and those who support it are confident they can beat us in a battle of wills. We are here today to prove them wrong. It’s critical to take these five messages to the Hill today: 1. You cannot separate the war from the warrior. 2. The enemy is counting on America to “cut and run.” 3. Our troops are counting on America to stay and fight. 4. U.S. withdrawal, without completing the mission, ensures a terrorist victory in the Middle East and around the world. 5. Only one nation has the power to stop terrorism. If we don’t have the will to use that power -- and use it until we prevail -- then terrorism will have made cowards of us all. Take this message, and let it ring loud and clear: No matter how long it takes, America is willing to fight terrorism until it is wiped from the face of the Earth. Period. Remarks By President Bush To The American Legion From WASHINGTON (Business Wire) Renaissance Hotel, Washington, D.C. Tuesday, March 6, 10:05 A.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Paul, for that warm welcome. I appreciate the fact that you've given me a chance to come and address you. I welcome you to our nation's capital. I offer a special greeting to members of Post 77 from Houston, Texas. (Laughter.) If you're here, my advice is, behave yourself. (Laughter.) What happens in Washington stays in Washington. (Laughter.) People who know something about the Legion understand firsthand how much this organization does for our men and women in uniform, for those who have been wounded on the field of battle, and for their remarkable families. Our nation has been able to call upon the Legion in times of promise and peril, and our nation is grateful for your service. (Applause.) I thank -- not only do I thank your Commander, I thank Earl Ruttkofsky. I appreciate Beverly, his wife, and JoAnn Cronin, who happens to be the President of the American Legion Auxiliary. (Applause.) She gets her hair done at the same place my mother does. (Laughter.) Like -- if you're listening, mom, that's a compliment. (Laughter.) I appreciate so very much Secretary Jim Nicholson, who's in my Cabinet, Department of Veterans Affairs -- Mr. Secretary. I want to thank the members of the Congress who have joined us, starting with Senator Jim Bunning, Senator Orrin Hatch, and Senator Lindsey Graham. I'm honored you three men are here. Thanks for your time. (Applause.) And I thank you for your articulate defense for the support of our troops. I appreciate so very much Congressman Jim Saxton from New Jersey, Mike Pence, Indiana, and Joe Wilson from South Carolina. Welcome, and thank you for coming. (Applause.) Since it's founding in the aftermath of World War I, the American Legion has assumed a sacred obligation: to preserve the traditions of our great democracy and to watch over those charged with its defense. In every war, and in every era, our country's veterans have kept faith with the American people. And it's the obligation of the government to keep faith with our veterans. (Applause.) Support of our veterans has been a high priority in my administration. This year I've asked Congress for more than $86 billion for veterans' services. And if Congress approves my request, this would amount to a 77 percent increase of the budget since I took office; it would be the highest level of support for our veterans in American history. (Applause.) We share with your concern about making sure our vets have good health care. I've talked to your commanders past, and suspect I'll be talking to your commanders future, about making sure that our veterans have got good, decent, quality health care. Since 2001, we've helped over 1 million more veterans -- we've added a million veterans -- take advantage of the VA health care system. The 2008 budget proposal will increase the VA health care budget by 83 percent since I took office. The Department of Defense's health care budget has grown from $19 billion to $38 billion. And that's an important commitment, and I look forward to working with Congress to say to our veterans, we care about you. Money is one thing; delivery of services is another. (Applause.) I know I share -- listen, I am as concerned as you are about the conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. My decisions have put our kids in harm's way. And I'm concerned about the fact that when they come back they don't get the full treatment they deserve. Many people working at Walter Reed are fine people. If you've been out there, you know what I'm talking about. They're dedicated, honorable healers who care deeply about our soldiers. Fine doctors, nurses and therapists work day and night to help the wounded. Yet some of our troops at Walter Reed have experienced bureaucratic delays and living conditions that are less than they deserve. It's unacceptable to me, it is unacceptable to you, it's unacceptable to our country -- and it's not going to continue. (Applause.) I recently asked Secretary of Defense Bob Gates to assess the situation at Walter Reed firsthand and report back to me. He confirmed that there are problems, real problems. He has taken action to address those problems and hold people to account -- including relieving the general in charge of the facility and accepting the resignation of the Secretary of the Army. As we work to improve conditions at Walter Reed, we are also taking steps to find out whether similar problems exist at other military and veterans hospitals. (Applause.) The best way to do so in a constructive way, in a way that will bring forth the truth, is to create a bipartisan Presidential Commission. I've asked two distinguished public servants to lead the commission, and they have accepted -- Senator Bob Dole and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala. (Applause.) The Commission will conduct a comprehensive review of the care America is providing our wounded servicemen and women returning from the battlefield. This review will examine their treatment from the time they leave the battlefield through their return to civilian life as veterans -- so we can ensure that we're meeting the physical and mental health needs of all. As this commission begins its work and considers its recommendations, I have also directed the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to lead a task force composed of seven members of my Cabinet to focus and respond to immediate needs. We have an obligation, we have a moral obligation to provide the best possible care and treatment to the men and women who have served our country. They deserve it, and they're going to get it. (Applause.) My Administration appreciates your strong support of the flag. The flag is emblazoned on the uniforms of brave men and women who serve our country. It is draped on the coffins of those who fall on the field of battle. It is a symbol of a noble nation and of a higher calling. I join with you and the elected legislatures of all 50 states in urging Congress to provide the flag with the Constitutional protection it deserves. (Applause.) My administration also shares your determination to keep faith with our prisoners of war and those missing in action. (Applause.) We cannot rest, and must not rest, until we have accounted for every member of our Armed Forces -- from every war and every corner of the globe. (Applause.) American Legion halls have been mainstays of our communities and neighborhoods for generations. You have taught millions of young people the importance of good citizenship and the values of "God and country." And I appreciate these valuable lessons in America. I saw them firsthand when I was the Governor of Texas. After all, you sponsor Boys State and Girls State. (Applause.) They're great programs. I found it very interesting how the executive director describes the programs. He says, the programs don't -- the programs -- the program, "does not emphasize" -- he has a little trouble with the English. (Laughter and applause.) And so do I. (Laughter.) Describes this as an initiative that, "does not emphasize classroom and textbook learning." That's my kind of program. (Laughter and applause.) Your example of service offers invaluable lessons for future generations. In times of peace, you counsel vigilance. In times of war, you counsel resolve. More than five years have passed since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001. And we find ourselves debating the causes of this conflict and the course we have followed. Yet even among our differences, there are a few questions that surely have been settled. One is that September the 11th was not only a crime but an act of war -- (applause) -- a war waged by fanatics who believe it is their duty to kill Americans, and impose their hateful ideology as far as they can spread it. Since 9/11, they have continued to try to attack us here at home. They're relentless, and they're determined. We stopped an al Qaeda plot to fly a hijacked airplane into the tallest building on the West Coast. We stopped a Southeast Asian terror cell grooming operatives for attacks inside the United States. We stopped an al Qaeda cell developing anthrax to be used in attacks against America. For each life saved, we owe a debt of gratitude to our military, and intelligence, and law enforcement personnel who devote their lives to finding the terrorists and stopping and protect -- stopping them and protecting the American people. (Applause.) Our most solemn duty is to protect you. The most solemn duty of this government is to protect the American people from further harm. And the best way to do so is to stay on the offense. So we have pursued the enemy aggressively around the world -- degrading their ability to organize and coordinate new attacks here at home. In the wake of 9/11, Americans made a choice: instead of waiting for the enemy to strike on their terms, we would fight the enemy on our terms. (Applause.) And we fight this war on many fronts. In Afghanistan and Iraq, we removed two of the world's most brutal regimes. And now we are undertaking the complex work of helping the people of these two countries establish functioning democracies that can protect their own people and be allies in this global war on terror. (Applause.) Sometimes we lose sight of the importance of this work in the midst of heated debates -- and this is especially true when it comes to Iraq. The fight in Iraq is more than a conflict in one country, it is part of a larger struggle against extremism that is unfolding across the broader Middle East. The extremists are fighting to take control of Iraq so they can establish it as a base from which to overthrow moderate governments in the region, and plan new attacks on the American people. If we fail in Iraq, the enemy will follow us home. (Applause.) Their success in Iraq would bring danger to America, and that is why America must prevail in Iraq. (Applause.) I appreciate your strong support for those who have volunteered to wear our uniform. Thousands of courageous men and women have stepped forward to protect us. And they're not alone. Since this war began, nearly 120,000 Iraqis have volunteered to serve in their army. More than 8,000 Iraqis in uniform have died in the defense of their new nation. Recently in Anbar province, where al Qaeda terrorists have gathered, 1,000 Sunnis volunteered for the police force in a period of two weeks. Last month in Hillah, an Iraqi police officer threw himself onto a suicide bomber -- a final, heroic act that saved an untold number of Iraqis gathered outside a local mosque. Every month, Iraqis risk reprisals from the terrorists and extremists to provide thousands of tips to coalition and Iraqi authorities. One recent tip from an Iraqi led to the discovery of a factory where insurgents developed sophisticated roadside bombs to kill our troops. With these acts of bravery, the Iraqis are standing up for the democratic future that 12 million of them voted for. (Applause.) The vast majority of Iraq's citizens want to live in peace, and they're showing their courage every day. And the United States of America will not abandon them in their hour of need. (Applause.) To reach our goals, and to prevail, we must recognize that the nature of the war in Iraq has changed. In 2005, the terrorists tried and failed to stop the Iraqi people as they held three national elections. They choose a transitional government, they adopted the most progressive, democratic constitution in the Arab world, and then they elected a government under that constitution. So a thinking enemy adjusted their tactics, and in 2006 they struck. Last February, al Qaeda and other Sunni extremists blew up the Golden Mosque of Samarra. This atrocity was designed to provoke retaliation from the Iraqi Shia -- and it succeeded. Radical Shia elements, some of whom receive support from Iran, formed death squads. And the result was a tragic escalation of sectarian rage and reprisal. This changed the nature of the conflict in Iraq. We still faced the threat from al Qaeda, but the sectarian violence was getting out of hand, and threatened to destroy this young democracy before it had a chance to succeed. So last fall, I ordered my national security team to conduct a comprehensive review of our strategy in Iraq. We devised an approach that is markedly different from previous efforts. This approach demands more from Iraq's elected government, makes bringing security to Baghdad our top priority, and gives our troops the reinforcements they need to carry out their missions. And to carry out this strategy, I put in place a highly-regarded commander, an expert on counterinsurgency -- General David Petraeus. General Petraeus' mission is to help Iraq's leaders implement the plan that they developed to secure Baghdad. Today they can't do this on their own. So I have ordered reinforcements of more than 20,000 additional combat soldiers and Marines to Iraq. The majority will go to Baghdad, where they will help Iraqi forces to clear and secure neighborhoods, and where they will partner with Iraqi units. The Iraqis in the lead, our forces will help secure the city by chasing down the terrorists, insurgents, and murderers, and roaming death squads. We're fixing one of the major problems with our previous approach in Baghdad. In the past, our forces would help Iraqis clear out neighborhoods during the day, and then go back to their bases at night, and often the enemy returned as soon as American forces left. This time, we will hold the neighborhoods we have cleared by establishing over 30 "joint security stations" throughout Baghdad. These will be neighborhood outposts where Iraqi forces, with U.S. help, will be deployed 24 hours a day to secure the population, provide emergency aid to the communities, and gather information to root out extremist networks throughout the capital. At the same time, our forces will continue to train Iraqi Army and Police, so that we can help ensure that the Iraqi forces left behind are capable of providing security that Baghdad needs. It's too early to judge the success of this operation. General Petraeus recently arrived in the Iraqi capital, and the plan he is executing is in its early stages. This strategy is going to take time. And we can expect al Qaeda and other extremists to try to derail the strategy by launching spectacular attacks. Yet even at this early hour, there are some encouraging signs: The Iraqi government has completed the deployment of three additional Iraqi Army brigades to the capital. They said they were going to employ three brigades, and they did. Iraq's leaders have lifted restrictions on Iraqi and coalition forces that prevented them from going into certain areas. Already, about half of the joint security stations have been established in neighborhoods across Baghdad. Iraqi and U.S. forces have rounded up more than 700 people affiliated with Shia extremists. They have recovered large weapons caches, including mortar weapons systems and rocket-propelled grenades. Iraqi and American forces have also launched successful operations against the Sunni extremists. U.S. and Iraqi forces recently killed al Qaeda terrorists in Baghdad, who were responsible for some of those bomb attacks that you're seeing on your TV screens. In the past two weeks, U.S. and Iraqi forces have also uncovered large stockpiles of Explosively Formed Projectiles -- or EFPs -- which are used by extremist groups to attack our troops. Iraqi and U.S. forces are making gradual but important progress almost every day, and we will remain steadfast until our objectives are achieved. (Applause.) In addition to the steps they are taking to secure their capital, Iraq's leaders are also taking steps to achieve political reconciliation -- reconciliation that is necessary after years of brutal tyranny. They have committed themselves to a series of benchmarks to advance this reconciliation -- to share oil revenues amongst all Iraq's citizens, to put the wealth of Iraq into rebuilding of Iraq, to allow more Iraqis to re-enter their nation's civic life, to hold local elections, and to take responsibility for security in every Iraqi province. Iraqis have already begun to deliver on some of these promises. For example, Iraq's Council of Ministers recently agreed on legislation they will submit to their parliament on the development of Iraq's oil resources and the sharing of revenues. Last month, the Iraqi government approved a budget that includes $10 billion for reconstruction and capital investment. These are encouraging signs. And now Iraq's leaders must meet the other pledges they have made. To succeed, Iraq's leaders also need the help of the international community. So the United States supports the Iraqi government as it pursues an international initiative to build diplomatic, economic, and security support for its young democracy. Last week, the Iraqis announced that they will hold a conference in Baghdad that will include officials from Iraq's neighboring countries, as well as the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Conference. It will be followed next month by a second conference that includes Secretary Rice and her counterparts from around the world. These meetings will be an important test. They'll be a test of whether Iran and Syria are truly interested in being constructive forces in Iraq. It will be a test for the international community to express its support for this young democracy, to support a nation that will be at peace with its neighbors. Diplomacy is going to play an important part of securing Iraq's future. Yet diplomacy will fail without a robust military strategy. The goal of the enemies in Iraq is power, and they're willing to kill themselves and innocent men, women, and children to achieve that goal. People like these can't be satisfied by negotiations or diplomatic concessions. Our strategy recognizes the hard truth. So we're going to continue to pursue our enemies in Iraq relentlessly, and at the same time, we'll work with moderate forces to achieve reconciliation between sectarian factions. Here in Washington, we have important decisions on Iraq ahead of us. And the most pivotal question is whether the United States Congress will stand behind General Petraeus and our troops as they work to secure Baghdad. General Petraeus has my confidence, and he also has the confidence of the United States Senate. In fact, he was recently confirmed to his post without one single vote against him. Yet almost immediately the House passed a resolution that disapproved of his strategy for success in Iraq. I know you find that puzzling -- (laughter) -- you're not the only one. (Laughter.) This may be the first time in the history of the United States Congress that voted to send a new commander into battle and then voted to oppose the plan he said was critical in winning that battle. Members of Congress have every right to express their opinion. They have every right. They also have a responsibility to fund our war fighters. (Applause.) Some in Congress have called for cutting off funds for our troops, only to find opposition from their colleagues on Capitol Hill. Now others in Congress are planning to use an emergency war spending bill that will provide funds for the war on terror as an opportunity to add on billions of dollars for unrelated domestic programs. Tacking extra domestic spending to an emergency war spending bill only will complicate Congress' ability to provide the support that our troops urgently need. I ask the Congress to approve the funds we requested and our troops are counting on without strings and without delay. (Applause.) Equally important to funding our troops is giving our commanders the flexibility to carry out their missions, without undue interference from politicians in Washington. (Applause.) Some members of Congress say that we can succeed in Iraq without providing the reinforcements that our forces have been promised and are expecting. I disagree. More importantly, our commanders disagree. Other members of Congress seem to believe that we can have it all: that we can fight al Qaeda, pursue national reconciliation, initiate aggressive diplomacy, and deter Iran's ambitions in Iraq -- all while withdrawing from Baghdad and reducing our force levels. That sounds good in theory, but doing so at this moment would undermine everything our troops have worked for. (Applause.) There are no short cuts in Iraq. Our intelligence and military experts agree that given the current situation, Iraq will not be a stable nation until its capital is more secure. Political reconciliation is difficult when a country's seat of government is under constant siege. Economic improvements cannot take root when Baghdad's neighborhoods are the scene of daily sectarian violence and reprisals. And you cannot effectively battle al Qaeda by ignoring the sectarian violence they are inciting, especially in the capital. If American forces were to step back from Baghdad now, before it is more secure, the scale and scope of attacks would increase and the intensity would increase. A contagion of violence could spill out across the entire country, and in time, the entire region. The enemy would emerge from the chaos emboldened, with new safe havens and new recruits and new resources and an even greater determination to harm America. For our country, this is a nightmare scenario. For the enemy, it's their plan. They're not debating whether the war in Iraq is worth it. Hear the words of bin Laden, in a message to the American people just last year. He says of Iraq: "The war is for you or for us to win. If we win it, it means your defeat and disgrace forever." In the face of such a determined enemy, the idea of pulling back from the fight and hoping for the best is not a reasonable position. America did not drive al Qaeda out of their safe haven in Afghanistan only to let them set up a shop in a free Iraq. (Applause.) Now that the battle for Baghdad is underway, our country is best served by standing behind our troops and doing everything we can to aid in their success. The outcome of this conflict involves more than the fortunes of any one President or any political party. Our mission is America's mission, and our failure would be America's failure. Our country is fortunate that our mission is in the hands of America's finest citizens -- the men and women who wear our uniform. (Applause.) They've been on the battlefield. They have seen this war up close. They know the consequences of failure. And they appreciate something larger: the consequences of success. (Applause.) We know what a free Iraq could mean for the region and the world, because we know how your sacrifices half a century ago helped create a free Germany that transformed Europe, and a free Japan that sparked a wave of democracy and prosperity throughout much of Asia. We know that a free Iraq has the potential to spark a similar transformation in the Middle East, and bring us closer to the day when moms and dads in the Arab world see a future of hope for their children. And we know that the sacrifices that our troops are making in Iraq today will lay the foundation of peace for generations of Americans to come. Last year, I received a letter from a Navy Seabee named Andy Clements. He was serving in Iraq. He says he worked alongside Iraqis on a daily basis, and that they appreciate what America is doing for their country. And he told me this story, "I was at Baghdad International Airport several weeks ago and had a small Iraqi boy, near the same age as my own son, run up to me and salute. He kept repeating 'thank you' in broken English, and wanted to shake my hand. I will remember that chance meeting forever. And that to me is what being [done] here is all about." In the brief history of our nation, we've seen freedom remake the world many times, and yet we always seem surprised by the quiet power of our ideals. It's in our power to show those who hunger for liberty the path away from tyranny and terror. Throughout our history, we have gone through tough moments and we have come out stronger on the other side. We've been guided by our belief that freedom is not an American privilege, but a value that belongs to all mankind. (Applause.) The struggle in Iraq may be hard, but this should not be a time for despair. We can have confidence in the final outcome of this struggle, because we have men on our side like Timothy Tardif. The 25-year-old Marine was in an Iraqi town when his squad came under heavy fire. He was engaged in combat so intense that Marine Corps Commandant, General Mike Hagee, described it as a "hand grenade throwing contest." In that combat, Sergeant Tardif was seriously wounded by grenade fragments. Yet he refused medical attention until the battle had been won. Later, when he was evacuated, he called his wife from the transit hospital in Germany and he said this, "Honey, I could come home right now, but I feel I have responsibilities, and I'm going back to Iraq." He borrowed a uniform, he convinced his doctor to let him out of the hospital, and the man returned to his squad. A lot of you can tell stories like this. Each of you knows a fellow patriot whose name is carried in your heart or who sits proudly beside you in this hall today. I want to thank you for the sacrifices you have made. I thank you for example you have set. And I thank you for the steadfast support of the men and women who wear our uniform. You know that America can overcome any challenge or any difficulty. You know America's brightest days are still ahead. And you know that nothing we say here -- no speech, or vote, or resolution in the United States Congress -- means more to the future of our country than the men and women who wake up every morning and put on the uniform of our country and defend the United States of America. (Applause.) I thank you for your time. God bless. Legion to Speed Walter Reed Processing WASHINGTON (March 6, 2007) - The nation’s largest veterans organization signed an agreement with Walter Reed Army Medical Center that will significantly alleviate the long backlogs in out-processing wounded soldiers. In a Memorandum of Understanding signed Tuesday during The American Legion’s 47th annual Washington Conference, The American Legion will establish an office with paid staff at the facility to assist in the transition of wounded service members from the Dept. of Defense to the Dept. of Veterans Affairs. “This is a natural extension of our Heroes to Hometown program,” said National Commander Paul A. Morin.” Our commitment is to these men and women who have fought valiantly, sustained life-changing injuries and need a helping hand in transitioning to life out of uniform.” The American Legion Heroes to Hometown program currently identifies returning service members who need direct assistance when they come home. Legionnaires nationwide provide help in understanding the VA health care system as well as other day to day needs that they and their families may be dealing with in transitioning into life back home. Today’s action is a major step toward ending the problems brought to light at Walter Reed. The delays in timely out-processing of Soldiers caused backlogs that forced them to be housed in deplorable facilities. “The American Legion’s presence at Walter Reed will assist service members cut through the red tape that now hinders a truly seamless transition between DoD and VA,” Morin said. “Our goal is to streamline the process to reduce or eliminate the need for housing recovering service members in facilities not intended for long term accommodation.” The agreement was signed on stage today during the organization’s legislative rally at the Renaissance Washington Hotel before an audience of over a thousand veterans and their families. “We as a nation have an obligation to not only give our wounded warriors the finest health care, but to ensure their recovery takes place in the best accommodations we can give them.” Morin added. “Since 1919 The American Legion has battled to secure and protect the earned benefits of America’s veterans and today’s action strengthens that steadfast commitment.” American Legion Honors Emmy Award Winning Television Series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Designer Tanya McQueen accepted the award along with Producer Conrad Ricketts on Wednesday at the National Commander’s PR Award Luncheon in Washington. The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization honored a hit television series during The American Legion’s annual Washington Conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition has built homes for America’s service men and women injured in the Iraq War, specifically tailored to their needs. In one episode, the team built and furnished a home for the family of Army Pfc. Lori Piestewa, a soldier who died during the opening days of the Iraq war. Additionally, the program staff also arranged the construction of a center for Native American veterans in Tuba City, Ariz, Piestewa’s hometown. In another episode, the crew of the program, along with local builders, contractors and about 700 volunteers, rebuilt the family house of Master Sgt. Luis Rodriguez, who lost his right leg above the knee and two fingertips on his left hand in Iraq by a roadside bomb explosion next to his Humvee. They completed the home while the family was away on vacation. “These programs, and the work done by the cast and crew, brings to the forefront the needs and struggles of severely injured servicemembers and their families that demonstrates the challenges faced by our military heroes transitioning back to hometown life,” said American Legion National Commander Paul A. Morin. “By providing them new homes, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition gives them hope for the future while enhancing the awareness of a thankful nation for their sacrifices and service.” Producer Conrad Ricketts and designer Tanya McQueen accepted the National Commander’s Public Relations Award for promoting the honorable nature of military service and bringing the stories of our newest American veterans into the homes of millions of viewers across the nation. “My deepest thanks and appreciation goes to each and everyone of you in The American Legion family for what you do for these veterans and their families,” said McQueen, whose brother is an Army Major serving on his second tour of Iraq. “It has been an honor both personally and professionally to be part of this show,” McQueen said. “These young men and women are doing so much for our country. It’s important for us to give back.” Serving in the military is often a thankless job full of sacrifices, she said. “They don’t do it for the money or prestige,” McQueen said. “They do it for the freedoms we take for granted every day.” “The work being done by the cast, crew and sponsors of the show is truly making a difference for the better in America and especially in the lives of these veterans and their families,” Morin said. “On behalf of all the wartime veterans of The American Legion, I look forward to presenting them this symbol of our sincere appreciation.” The award was presented at the Commander’s luncheon during the organization’s 47th annual Washington Conference at the Renaissance Washington DC Hotel. Past recipients include entertainer Wayne Newton, the television series ‘JAG’, NASCAR, Wal-Mart, NBC’s Tom Brokaw and Ambassador Alan Keyes. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which has won back-to-back Emmy Awards as Best Reality Program (non-competitive), is currently in its fourth season on ABC. The program is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. Denise Cramsey is the executive producer and David Goldberg is the president of Endemol USA. Temporary Financial Assistance The American Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance Program (TFA) continues to provide for the basic needs of veteran’s children through cash grants made possible through the Endowment Fund Corporation. Started in the 1920s, The American Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance programs keeps the children of deceased or disabled veterans at home rather than in institutions. This cash aid is available for cases not covered by subsequent state and federal programs for the needy. Through TFA, a local Post can call upon the National Organization for cash assistance to help maintain the basic needs of veterans' children. The TFA fund has been used to assist families in meeting the costs of shelter, food, utilities and health expense items when the parents are unable to do so, thereby keeping the child, or children, in a more stable home environment. As of March 1, 2007 TFA has assisted 122 children throughout the United States maintain shelter, utilities, food, and clothing with over $64,505 in cash grants during 2007. News From Washington D.C. Over 100 Legionaries attend The American Legion District Service Officer (DSO) School in Washington, DC, February 28- March 4 Over one hundred District Service Officers (DSO) were in Washington earlier this week to receive an instructive course in the intricacies and nuances of filing appeals claims before The Board of Veterans Appeals. The course was taught by members of the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) and organized by Steve Smithson, Deputy Director of Claims Services for The Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission at the Washington, DC National Office. Presentations included The American Legion’s legislative issues, “Heroes to Hometowns” program, and the Discharge Upgrades and Corrections Review Board. The American Legion encourages DSO’s to attend the School. The American Legion will continue to improve the training from year to year so it remains a valuable tool available to DSO’s. The American Legion’s National Commander Paul Morin meets with the Key Leaders of the Military Services’ Severely Injured Program The Army’s severely injured service program, The Army Wound Warrior Program (AW2), requested that DOD’s Military Severely Injured Center’s (MSIC) care managers stop assisting all Army severely injured soldiers. The American Legion has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DOD’s MSIC to assist severely injured servicemember transitioning from military service to civilian life. The American Legion’s National Commander met with the key leadership of AW2, The Navy’s S.A.F.E.H.A.B.O.R., the Marine’s program Marines for Life, and the Air Force’s PalaceHART on the future of The American Legion’s collaboration with DOD and the military services in support of severely injured servicemembers. The American Legion supports America’s service members and veterans and looks forward to collaborating with the military services to meet the needs of our severely injured servicemembers. The American Legion will continue to work to adequately access and assist severely injured servicemembers returning from the Global War On Terrorism. Legislation Granting Five Years of Post-Service Health Care introduced in the House and Senate Legislation granting five years of post-service health care to combat veterans has taken another big step forward, with the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman joining Wednesday in co-sponsoring the idea. Earlier this week, Rep. Bob Filner, D-Calif., the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee chairman, introduced identical legislation. It would extend the current two years of post-service care for combat veterans without requiring a disability rating or a clearly service-connected health problem in order to receive treatment from veterans’ hospitals and clinics. With Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, the Senate committee chairman, now sponsoring the same bill in the Senate, congressional approval of the extension seems all but certain. One of the most pressing issues facing servicemembers leaving active duty is healthcare. The American Legion agrees that five years, as opposed to two, is a more appropriate window in which to determine the true state of a veteran’s health, especially after serving overseas in hostile areas and in grueling physical environments. The American Legion supports the efforts of Congress to pass this legislation and believes it will assist in the seamless transition for our soldiers. Military Outreach U.S. Army Salutes Women Warriors Women have served in the United States Army since 1775. They are an invaluable and essential part of the Army. During the month of March, the Army celebrates their dedication and willingness to share great sacrifices. They nursed the ill and wounded, laundered and mended clothing, and cooked for the troops in camp on campaign; services that did not exist among the uniformed personnel within the Army until the Twentieth Century. Women are an invaluable and essential part of the Army. Currently, women serve in 91 percent of all Army occupations and make up about 14 percent of the active Army. Women continue to have a crucial role in the War on Terrorism and their sacrifices in this noble effort underscore their dedication and willingness to share great sacrifices. To learn more about the women who serve their country, please go to From Military.com Total Force G.I. Bill Introduced to Legislation U.S. Senators last week introduced legislation that seeks to make adequate and equitable benefits for the Guard and Reserve components of our Armed Forces. The "Total Force G.I. Bill" aims to better reflect a comprehensive "total force" concept that ensures members of the Selected Reserve receive educational benefits that match their increased service to the nation. This Total Force G.I. Bill will: 1. Consolidate the Active Duty and Selected Reserve MGIB programs under one authority. 2. 2. Ensure that Selected Reserve MGIB benefits would rise in proportionality with active-duty MGIB rate increases. 3. 3. Provide a 10-year portability for Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) benefits. 4. 4. Provide an accruable month per month active-duty rate for mobilized members of the Selected Reserve. Legionnaires are encouraged to pass this information along to members of the Guard and Reserve components in their communities. Have a great week! The American Legion -- Still Serving America |
