THE WASHINGTON REVIEW & COMMENTARY: Weekly News From The White House

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT RECEPTION FOR KENNEDY CENTER HONOREES
 
East Room
 
 
5:28 P.M. EST
 
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.
 
LITTLE CHILD:  Thank you.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Laughter.)  
 
This a season of joy, tradition and celebration.
 
LITTLE CHILD:  Yea!
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Yes!  (Laughter.)  And today, it is our great joy to continue a White House holiday tradition —- a celebration of performers who have transformed the arts in America, our extraordinary Kennedy Center Honorees.  (Applause.)
 
We are joined by Speaker Nancy Pelosi — (applause) — members of Congress and members of the Kennedy family.  (Applause.)  I see sprinkled through the crowd some pretty fancy company, as well — you’ve got the Queen of Soul.  (Applause.)  You’ve got Martin Scorsese — he knows a little bit about film-making.  (Applause.)  And my spectacular First Lady is here, as well.  (Applause.)
 
I especially want to thank the man who created these Honors more than three decades ago and who has produced them ever since — and whom I was proud to name as co-chair of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities — George Stevens, Jr.  George.  (Applause.)
 
And I want to also thank Stephen Schwarzman and the Kennedy Center trustees.  (Applause.)  As well as president Michael Kaiser and all those who sustain President Kennedy’s vision of a “great stage” celebrating “the best coming from this country and abroad.”
 
These performers are indeed the best.  They are also living reminders of a simple truth — and I’m going to steal a line from Michelle here — the arts are not somehow apart from our national life, the arts are at the heart of our national life.  (Applause.)  
 
In times of war and sacrifice, the arts — and these artists —- remind us to sing and to laugh and to live.  In times of plenty, they challenge our conscience and implore us to remember the least among us.  In moments of division or doubt, they compel us to see the common values that we share; the ideals to which we aspire, even if we sometimes fall short.  In days of hardship, they renew our hope that brighter days are still ahead.
 
So let’s never forget that art strengthens America.  And that’s why we’re making sure that America strengthens its arts.  It’s why we’re reenergizing the National Endowment of the Arts.  That’s why we’re helping to sustain jobs in arts communities across the country.  It’s why we’re supporting arts education in our schools, and why Michelle and I have hosted students here at the White House to experience the best of American poetry and music.   
 
And it’s why we’re honored to celebrate these five remarkable performers, who for decades have helped to sustain and strengthen the American spirit.
 
You can’t understand America without understanding jazz.  And you can’t understand jazz, without understanding Dave Brubeck.  (Applause.)  His mother was a classical pianist with high hopes for her son.  And by the time he was four, he was playing himself.  But by the time he was a teenager, he was tearing up local honky-tonks.  Even his mother had to admit: “There is some hope for David after all.”  (Laughter.) 
 
And perhaps it was World War II —- his service in Patton’s Army -— that changed his sound, forcing him, as he said, to work the war out of his system by playing some “pretty vicious piano.” Whatever it was, his sound —- the distinctive harmonies and improvisations of the Dave Brubeck Quartet —- would change jazz forever, prompting Time magazine to put him on the cover as the leader of a new jazz age.
 
Having brought jazz into the mainstream, he then transformed it, with innovative new rhythms on albums like Time Out — the  first jazz album to ever sell more than a million copies and still one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time.
 
Dave Brubeck has never stopped reaching new audiences:  Performing for Presidents from Johnson to Reagan; composing orchestral tributes to Martin Luther King and Pope John Paul II; and even in his 80s, dazzling jazz festivals across America.
 
And I know personally how powerful his performances can be. I mentioned this to Dave backstage.  In the few weeks that I spent with my father as a child — he came to visit me for about a month when I was young — one of the things he did was to take me to my first jazz concert, in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1971, and it was a Dave Brubeck concert.  (Laughter and applause.)  And I’ve been a jazz fan ever since.  The world that he opened up for a 10-year-old boy was spectacular. 
 
And, Dave, for the joy that you’ve given millions of jazz lovers like me, for your six decades of revolutionary rhythms, you are rightly honored — especially today, on your 89th birthday.  (Applause.)
 
He was born Melvin Kaminsky –
 
MEL BROOKS:  He never understood 4/4 time — (laughter.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  He’s still messing it up, Mel.  (Laughter.) Mel, I’m trying to say something nice about you, now.  (Laughter.)  Please don’t upstage me.  (Laughter.)
 
As you can tell, he was born to entertain.  (Laughter.)  Or, as Mel Brooks explains it:  “Look at Jewish history — unrelieved lamenting would be intolerable.  (Laughter.)  So every 10 Jews, God designed one to be crazy and amuse the others.”  (Laughter and applause.)  According to Mel, “By the time I was five I knew I was that one.”  (Laughter.)    
 
And by the time he was nine, this boy from Brooklyn had seen his first musical and dreamed of becoming “the King of Broadway.” But World War II meant service in the Army — or, as he put it, “the European Theater of Operations” with “lots of operations” and “very little theater.”  (Laughter.)  Returning home, he found success cranking out quips for Sid Ceasar — or as Mel described his reaction to success — “panic, hysteria, insomnia…and years of psychoanalysis.”  (Laughter.)  
 
That’s right, we’re reading back all your golden moments here, Mel.  (Laughter.) 
 
Unfortunately, many of the punch lines that have defined Mel Brooks’ success cannot be repeated here.  (Laughter.)  I was telling him that I went to see Blazing Saddles — (laughter) — when I was 10.  And he pointed out that I think, according to the ratings, I should not have been allowed in the theater.  (Laughter.)  That’s true.  I think I had a fake ID.  (Laughter and applause.)  But the statute of limitations has passed.  (Laughter.)
 
Suffice it to say, in his satires and parodies, no cow is sacred, no genre is safe.  He mocked the musical — and Hitler –in The Producers, the western in Blazing Saddles, and the horror film in Young Frankenstein.
 
But behind all the insanity and absurdity, there’s been a method to Mel’s madness.  He’s described his work as “unearthing the truth that is all around us.”  And by illuminating uncomfortable truths — about racism and sexism and anti-Semitism — he’s been called “our jester, asking us to see ourselves as we really are, determined that we laugh ourselves sane.”
 
For this, he is one of the few people ever to receive an Emmy and a Grammy and an Oscar and a Tony.  Writer, director, actor, producer, composer…for his success — and for his psychoanalysis — we honor Mel Brooks.  (Applause.)
 
Reflecting on the challenge of finding one’s voice, Grace Bumbry once said:  “God has already planted that in your throat. It’s your job to free it up, to allow that beautiful thing to shine through.” 
 
True to her name, Grace allowed her voice to shine through and touch all those within its range.  Around her family’s piano in St. Louis; on the talent show where, as a teenager, she moved the host to tears; and then, after being turned away from one music school because of the color of her skin — her triumphant international debut at the Paris Opera, when she was just 23 years old. 
 
With a pitch and presence like no other, she became a global sensation, moving audiences at the great opera houses of the world.  And performing here at the White House, it was said that she moved Jacqueline Kennedy to lean over and gently sing along the words to the President.
 
Defying every expectation, Grace Bumbry then made the transition from mezzo to soprano.  And over the decades that followed, she displayed a range like few others — sometimes the middle ranges as a mezzo; sometimes the highs of a soprano; sometimes both in the same performance.  Grace not only triumphed in different techniques, she transformed them.
 
And though she gave her final operatic performance in 1997, she appears in recitals to this day.  After nearly 50 years, she remains the definition of a diva in the classical sense:  a divine voice worthy of the heavens.  And tonight — 32 years after she performed at the first Kennedy Center Honors for her mentor Marian Anderson — we honor Grace Bumbry.  (Applause.)
 
Growing up in New York City’s Little Italy, Bobby De Niro always knew what he wanted to be.  Coming home from the movies, he’d act out the parts.  At age 10, in his school play, he made a rather unlikely debut in The Wizard of Oz as the Cowardly Lion.  (Laughter.)
 
He has said:  “my joy as an actor is to live different lives.”  And in more than 60 films spanning more than 40 years, Robert De Niro has lived some of the most iconic and intense characters ever portrayed on film.  A dying baseball player in Bang The Drum Slowly.  A young Vito Corleone in The Godfather Part II.  A deranged Taxi Driver.  A troubled veteran in The Deer Hunter.  A brutal boxer in Raging Bull.  A vengeful ex-con in Cape Fear.  Let’s hope that Martin Scorsese was kidding when he said that Robert is “full of something that he wanted to express.”  (Laughter.)  Don’t worry, we did a vet on him before he came in tonight.  (Laughter.)
 
But alongside his Oscar-winning emotional audacity there’s his versatility, from a coma patient in Awakenings, to an ever-possessive father in Meet The Parents.  There’s his legendary method — not simply portraying characters, but becoming them, emotionally and physically.  And there is his love for his city  — whether it’s directing films like A Bronx Tale, or founding the film center and festival that has energized the arts in New York City.
 
It is perhaps the great irony of his life — one of America’s greatest cinematic actors is a man, famously, of few words off the screen — and I can attest to this.  (Laughter.)   So I’ll simply say, thank you, Robert De Niro.  (Applause.)
 
Finally, we honor the quiet kid from Jersey — (laughter) — who grew up to become the rock ‘n’ roll laureate of a generation. For in the life of our country only a handful of people have tapped the full power of music to tell the real American story — with honesty; from the heart; and one of those people is Bruce Springsteen. 
 
He has said:  “I’ve always believed that people listen to your music not to find out about you, but to find out about themselves.”  And for more than three decades, in his songs — of dreams and despair, of struggle and hope — hardworking folks have seen themselves. 
 
They’ve seen their great state of New Jersey.  And they’ve seen their America — in songs that become anthems.  Restless kids who were “Born to Run.”  The struggles of workers in “My Hometown.”  The sacrifices of vets who were “Born in the U.S.A.” Love and loss in “Streets of Philadelphia.”  A resilient nation in “The Rising.”  And, this year, a country “Working on a Dream.”
 
It’s no wonder that his tours are not so much concerts, but communions.  There’s a place for everybody -— the sense that no matter who you are or what you do, everyone deserves their shot at the American Dream; everybody deserves a little bit of dignity; everybody deserves to be heard. 
 
I’ve seen it myself.  Bruce was a great fan — a great friend over the last year, and when I watched him on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial when he rocked the National Mall before my inauguration, I thought it captured as well as anything the spirit of what America should be about.  On a day like that, and today, I remember:  I’m the President, but he’s The Boss.  (Applause.)
 
And Bruce continues to inspire, along with his “house-rocking, earth-shaking” E Street Band.  At 60 years old, he’s still filling stadiums, still whipping fans into a frenzy, still surfing the crowd, still jumping off pianos, and still reaching new fans, and still being nominated for Grammys.  It’s been a long road from that stage at Stone Pony in Asbury Park to this stage today, but this much we know — after more than 30 years and 120 million albums sold, Bruce Springsteen is still one “cool rockin’ Daddy.”  (Laughter and applause.)       
 
Dave Brubeck.  Mel Brooks.  Grace Bumbry.  Robert De Niro.  Bruce Springsteen.  Their stories are their own.  But the part that they play in the larger American story — that’s what we honor here tonight.  What they say is that with respect for the past, we can keep strong the traditions and values that enrich us all; that with confidence in the present, and in ourselves, we can overcome whatever comes our way; and that with faith in the future, America’s greatest “Glory Days” are still to come.
 
So thank you to all of our honorees.  Thank you all very much for the joy and the beauty that you’ve contributed to our lives.  We are very grateful.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

STATEMENT FROM THE PRESS SECRETARY ON THE UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CHANGE CONFERENCE
 
The President strongly believes that all nations have a responsibility to combat the threat of climate change. He has already taken unprecedented action to do so at home, including an historic investment in clean energy solutions that will reduce our dependence on oil and create jobs.  Abroad, he has engaged leaders bilaterally and multilaterally on the issue of climate change, and agreed to participate in the climate conference in Copenhagen.
 
After months of diplomatic activity, there is progress being made towards a meaningful Copenhagen accord in which all countries pledge to take action against the global threat of climate change.  Following bilateral meetings with the President and since the United States announced an emissions reduction target that reflects the progress being made in Congress towards comprehensive energy legislation, China and India have for the first time set targets to reduce their carbon intensity. There has also been progress in advancing the Danish proposal for an immediate, operational accord that covers all of the issues under negotiation, including the endorsement of key elements of this approach by the 53 countries represented at the Commonwealth Summit last weekend.  
 
This week, the President discussed the status of the negotiations with Prime Minister Rudd, Chancellor Merkel, President Sarkozy, and Prime Minister Brown and concluded that there appears to be an emerging consensus that a core element of the Copenhagen accord should be to mobilize $10 billion a year by 2012 to support adaptation and mitigation in developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable and least developed countries that could be destabilized by the impacts of climate change.  The United States will pay its fair share of that amount and other countries will make substantial commitments as well.  In Copenhagen, we also need to address the need for financing in the longer term to support adaptation and mitigation in developing countries.  Providing this assistance is not only a humanitarian imperative – it’s an investment in our common security, as no climate change accord can succeed if it does not help all countries reduce their emissions.
 
Based on his conversations with other leaders and the progress that has already been made to give momentum to negotiations, the President believes that continued US leadership can be most productive through his participation at the end of the Copenhagen conference on December 18th rather than on December 9th. There are still outstanding issues that must be negotiated for an agreement to be reached, but this decision reflects the President’s commitment to doing all that he can to pursue a positive outcome.  The United States will have representation in Copenhagen throughout the negotiating process by State Department negotiators and Cabinet officials who will highlight the great strides we have made this year towards a clean energy economy.

Statement from Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, Christina Romer, on the Employment Situation in November
The statement below was posted on Whitehouse.gov by the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, Christina Romer, in response to the November employment report. The statement can also be accessed at the following link: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/12/04/employment-situation-november.
 
On the Employment Situation in November
Posted by Christina Romer on December 04, 2009 at 09:30 AM EST
 
Today’s employment report was the most hopeful sign yet that the stabilization of financial markets and the recovery in economic growth may be leading to improvements in the labor market.
Payroll employment declined 11,000 in November.  This is a dramatic improvement from the decline of 597,000 in November 2008 and 741,000 in January 2009.  It is by far the closest we have been to stable employment since the recession began almost two years ago.  Furthermore, the employment loss in both September and October was revised down substantially, with the result that employment as of October is nearly 160,000 higher than was reported last month.  As was true in October, the largest employment gains in November were in temporary help services, which is often a leading indicator of labor demand.  21,000 jobs were also added in state and local public education.  Both the work week and aggregate hours increased, another early sign of labor market healing.
 
The unemployment rate, which had risen to 10.2% in October, declined to 10.0% in November.  This decline primarily reflects an increase in the number employed, as measured by the household survey.  Despite the welcome decline, the unemployment rate remains unacceptably high.  This underscores the need for the responsible actions to jumpstart private-sector job creation that the President highlighted at yesterday’s Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth at the White House.
There are many bumps in the road ahead.  The monthly employment and unemployment numbers are volatile and subject to substantial revision.  Therefore, it is important not to read too much into any one monthly report, positive or negative.  But, it is clear we are moving in the right direction.

 
Christina Romer is Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
Saturday, December 5, 2009
 
Every month since January, when I became your President, I’ve spoken to you about the periodic reports of the Labor Department on the number of jobs created or lost during the previous month; numbers that tell a story about how America’s economy is faring overall.  
 
In those first months, the numbers were nothing short of devastating. The worst recession since the 1930s had wreaked havoc on the lives of so many of our fellow Americans. Yesterday, the numbers released by the Labor Department reflected a continuing positive trend of diminishing job loss.
 
But for those who were laid off last month and the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in this recession, a good trend isn’t good enough. Trends don’t buy the groceries. Trends don’t pay the rent or a college tuition. Trends don’t fulfill the need within each of us to be productive, to provide for our families, to make the most of our lives, to reach for our dreams.
 
So, it is true that we, as a country, are in a very different place than we were when 2009 began. Because of the Recovery Act and a number of other steps we’ve taken, we’re no longer facing the potential collapse of our financial system or a second Great Depression. We’re no longer losing jobs at a rate of 700,000 a month. And our economy’s growing for the first time in a year.
 
But too many of our neighbors are still out of work because the growth we’ve seen hasn’t yet translated into all the jobs we need. Stung by this brutal recession, businesses that have kept their doors open are still wary about adding workers.  Instead of hiring, many are simply asking their employees to work more hours, or they’re adding temporary help. 
 
History tells us this is usually what happens with recessions – even as the economy grows, it takes time for jobs to follow. But the folks who have been looking for work without any luck for months and, in some cases, years, can’t wait any longer. For them, I’m determined to do everything I can to accelerate our progress so we’re actually adding jobs again.
 
That’s why, this week, I invited a group of business owners from across the country to the White House to talk about additional steps we can take to help jumpstart hiring. We brought together unions and universities to talk about what we can do to support our workers today and prepare our students to outcompete workers around the world tomorrow. We brought together mayors and community leaders to talk about how we can open up new opportunities in our cities and towns.
 
On Friday, I spent the day in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and met with workers and small business owners there. I stopped by a steel company called Allentown Metal Works, and spoke at Lehigh Community College. I visited folks at a job placement center, and stopped by a shift change at Alpo.  The stories and concerns I heard mirrored the countless letters I receive every single day. And they speak louder than any statistic or government report. The folks in Allentown – and in all the Allentowns across our country – are the most dedicated, productive workers in the world. All they’re asking for is a chance, and a fair shake.
 
And that’s exactly what I’m working to give them. In the coming days, I’ll be unveiling additional ideas aimed at accelerating job growth and hiring as we emerge from this economic storm.
 
And so that we don’t face another crisis like this again, I’m determined to meet our responsibility to do what we know will strengthen our economy in the long-run. That’s why I’m not going to let up in my efforts to reform our health care system; to give our children the best education in the world; to promote the jobs of tomorrow and energy independence by investing in a clean energy economy; and to deal with the mounting federal debt.
 
From the moment I was sworn into office, we have taken a number of difficult steps to end this economic crisis. We didn’t take them because they were popular or gratifying. They weren’t. We took these steps because they were necessary.
 
But I didn’t run for President to pass emergency recovery programs, or to bail out banks or to shore up auto companies. I didn’t run for President simply to manage the crisis of the moment, while kicking our most pressing problems down the road. I ran for President to help hardworking families succeed and to stand up for the embattled middle class. I ran to fight for a country where responsibility is still rewarded, and hard-working people can get ahead.  I ran to keep faith with the sacred American principle that we will deliver to our children a future of even greater possibility.
 
And my commitment to you, the American people, is that I will focus every single day on how we can get people back to work, and how we can build an economy that continues to make real the promise of America for generations to come.

FACT SHEET: The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan

OUR MISSION:  The President’s speech reaffirms the March 2009 core goal:  to disrupt, dismantle, and eventually defeat al Qaeda and to prevent their return to either Afghanistan or Pakistan.  To do so, we and our allies will surge our forces, targeting elements of the insurgency and securing key population centers, training Afghan forces, transferring responsibility to a capable Afghan partner, and increasing our partnership with Pakistanis who are facing the same threats.

This region is the heart of the global violent extremism pursued by al Qaeda, and the region from which we were attacked on 9/11.  New attacks are being planned there now, a fact borne out by a recent plot, uncovered and disrupted by American authorities.  We will prevent the Taliban from turning Afghanistan back into a safe haven from which international terrorists can strike at us or our allies.  This would pose a direct threat to the American homeland, and that is a threat that we cannot tolerate.  Al Qaeda remains in Pakistan where they continue to plot attacks against us and where they and their extremist allies pose a threat to the Pakistani state.  Our goal in Pakistan will be to ensure that al Qaeda is defeated and Pakistan remains stable.  

REVIEW PROCESS:  The review was a deliberate and disciplined three-stage process to check alignment of goals, methods for attaining those goals, and finally resources required.  Over ten weeks, the President chaired nine meetings with his national security team, and consulted key allies and partners, including the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan.  The President focused on asking the hard questions, took the time to carefully consider all of the options, and united a variety of competing views in his cabinet before agreeing to send any additional Americans to war. 

As a result of the review, we have focused our mission and developed a common understanding regarding our regional approach and the need for international support.  We will deploy forces into Afghanistan rapidly and will take advantage of these additional resources to create the conditions to begin to draw down combat forces in the summer of 2011, while maintaining a partnership with Afghanistan and Pakistan to protect our enduring interests in that region.

The meetings were focused on how best to ensure the al Qaeda threat is eliminated from the region and that regional stability is restored.  We looked closely at the alignment of our efforts and the balance between civilian and military resources, both in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and the efforts of the U.S. and the international community. 

A number of issues were explored in depth:  national interests, core objectives and goals, counterterrorism priorities, safe havens for terrorist groups in Pakistan, the health of the global U.S. military force, risks and costs associated with troop deployments, global deployment requirements, international cooperation and commitments for both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Afghan capacity in all areas to include Afghan security forces, central and sub-national governance and corruption (including the narcotics trade), and development and economic issues.

WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE March:  Since the President announced our renewed commitment in March, a number of key developments led the Administration to review its approach in Afghanistan and Pakistan:  new attention was focused on Afghanistan and Pakistan, new U.S. leadership was established in Afghanistan, Pakistan increased its efforts to combat extremists, and the situation in Afghanistan has become more grave.

The United States assigned new civilian and military leadership in Afghanistan, with the appointments of Ambassador Karl Eikenberry as U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, and General Stanley McChrystal as the new Commander of ISAF military forces in Afghanistan.  Upon arrival in Afghanistan, both Ambassador Eikenberry and General McChrystal recognized that after eight years of underresourcing, the situation was worse than expected.  Together, Ambassador Eikenberry and General McChyrstal published a new Civilian-Military Campaign Plan to integrate U.S. efforts across the country. 

Afghanistan’s difficult, extended election process and evident signs of the absence of rule of law made clear the limits of the central government in Kabul. 

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, the Pakistanis showed new resolve in defeating militants who had taken control of the Swat Valley, just 60 miles from Islamabad.  Pakistani political leaders—including opposition party leaders—came together to support the Pakistani military operations.  This fall, the Pakistanis expanded their fight against extremists into the Mehsud tribal areas of South Waziristan along the border with Afghanistan.

THE WAY FORWARD:  The President has decided to deploy an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan.  These troops will deploy on an accelerated timeline to reinforce the 68,000 Americans and 39,000 non-U.S. ISAF troops already there, so that we can target the insurgency, break its momentum, and better secure population centers.  These forces will increase our capacity to train effective Afghan Security Forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans get into the fight.  And by pursuing these partnerships, we can transition to Afghan responsibility, and begin to reduce our combat troops in the summer of 2011.  In short, these resources will allow us to make the final push that is necessary to train Afghans so that we can transfer responsibility. 

We will maintain this increased force level for the next 18 months. During this time, we will regularly measure our progress.  And beginning in July 2011, we will transfer lead security responsibility to Afghans and start to transition our combat forces out of Afghanistan.  As Afghans take on responsibility for their security, we will continue to advise and assist Afghanistan’s Security Forces, and maintain a partnership on behalf of their security so that they can sustain this effort.  Afghans are tired of war and long for peace, justice, and economic security.  We intend to help them achieve these goals and end this war and the threat of reoccupation by the foreign fighters associated with al Qaeda.

We will not be in this effort alone.  We will continue to be joined in the fight by the Afghans, and the aggressive partnering effort envisioned by General McChrystal will get more Afghans into the fight for their country’s future.  There will also be additional resources from NATO.  These allies have already made significant commitments of their own in Afghanistan, and we will be discussing additional alliance contributions – in troops, trainers, and resources – in the days and weeks ahead.  This is not simply a test of the alliance’s credibility – what is at stake is even more fundamental.  It is the security of London and Madrid; of Paris and Berlin; of Prague, New York, and our broader collective security. 

We will work with our partners, the United Nations, and the Afghan people to strengthen our civilian effort, so that Afghanistan’s government can step in as we establish better security.  President Karzai’s inauguration speech sent the right message about moving in a new direction, including his commitment to reintegration and reconciliation, improving relations with Afghanistan’s regional partners, and steadily increasing the security responsibilities of Afghan security forces.  But we must see action and progress.  We will be clear about our expectations, and we will encourage and reinforce Afghan Ministries, Governors, and local leaders who deliver for the people and combat corruption.  We will not reinforce those who are not accountable and not acting in the service of the Afghan people and the state.  And we will also focus our assistance in areas – such as agriculture – that can make an immediate impact in the lives of the Afghan people.

CIVILIAN ASSISTANCE:  A continuing significant increase in civilian experts will accompany a sizable infusion of additional civilian assistance.  They will partner with Afghans over the long term to enhance the capacity of national and sub-national government institutions and to help rehabilitate Afghanistan’s key economic sectors so that Afghans can defeat the insurgents who promise only more violence.

Growth is critical to undermine extremists’ appeal in the short term and for sustainable economic development in the long term.  Our top reconstruction priority is implementing a civilian-military agriculture redevelopment strategy to restore Afghanistan’s once vibrant agriculture sector.  This will help sap the insurgency of fighters and of income from poppy cultivation.

An emphasis of our governance efforts will be on developing more responsive, visible, and accountable institutions at the provincial, district, and local level, where everyday Afghans encounter their government.  We will also encourage and support the Afghan Government’s reinvigorated plans to fight corruption, with concrete measures of progress toward greater accountability. 

A key element of our political strategy will be supporting Afghan-led efforts to reintegrate Taliban who renounce al Qaeda, lay down their arms, and engage in the political process.  

OUR PARTNER IN PAKISTAN:  Our partnership with Pakistan is inextricably linked to our efforts in Afghanistan.  To secure our country, we need a strategy that works on both sides of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.  The costs of inaction are far greater.

The United States is committed to strengthening Pakistan’s capacity to target those groups that pose the greatest threat to both of our countries.  A safe haven for those high-level terrorists whose location is known, and whose intentions are clear, cannot be tolerated.  For Pakistan, we continue to encourage civilian and military leadership to sustain their fight against extremists and to eliminate terrorists’ safe havens in their country. 

We are now focused on working with Pakistan’s democratic institutions, deepening the ties among our governments and people for our common interests and concerns.  We are committed to a strategic relationship with Pakistan for the long term.  We have affirmed this commitment to Pakistan by providing $1.5 billion each year over the next five years to support Pakistan’s development and democracy, and have led a global effort to rally additional pledges of support.  This sizable, long-term commitment of assistance addresses the following objectives:

(1) Helping Pakistan address immediate energy, water, and related economic crises, thereby deepening our partnership with the Pakistani people and decreasing the appeal of extremists;

(2) Supporting broader economic reforms that are necessary to put Pakistan on a path towards sustainable job creation and economic growth, which is necessary for long-term Pakistani stability and progress; and

(3) Helping Pakistan build on its success against militants to eliminate extremist sanctuaries that threaten Pakistan, Afghanistan, the wider region, and people around the world. 

Additional U.S. assistance will help Pakistan build a foundation for long-term development, and will also strengthen ties between the American and Pakistani people by demonstrating that the United States is committed to addressing problems that most affect the everyday lives of Pakistanis as we work together to defeat the extremists who threaten Pakistan as they also threaten the United States. 

President Barack Obama At West Point - December 1, 2009

Remarks of President Barack Obama—As Prepared for Delivery

The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan

United States Military Academy at West Point

December 1, 2009

Good evening. To the United States Corps of Cadets, to the men and women of our armed services, and to my fellow Americans: I want to speak to you tonight about our effort in Afghanistan – the nature of our commitment there, the scope of our interests, and the strategy that my Administration will pursue to bring this war to a successful conclusion. It is an honor for me to do so here – at West Point – where so many men and women have prepared to stand up for our security, and to represent what is finest about our country.

To address these issues, it is important to recall why America and our allies were compelled to fight a war in Afghanistan in the first place. We did not ask for this fight. On September 11, 2001, nineteen men hijacked four airplanes and used them to murder nearly 3,000 people. They struck at our military and economic nerve centers. They took the lives of innocent men, women, and children without regard to their faith or race or station. Were it not for the heroic actions of the passengers on board one of those flights, they could have also struck at one of the great symbols of our democracy in Washington, and killed many more.

As we know, these men belonged to al Qaeda – a group of extremists who have distorted and defiled Islam, one of the world’s great religions, to justify the slaughter of innocents. Al Qaeda’s base of operations was in Afghanistan, where they were harbored by the Taliban – a ruthless, repressive and radical movement that seized control of that country after it was ravaged by years of Soviet occupation and civil war, and after the attention of America and our friends had turned elsewhere.

Just days after 9/11, Congress authorized the use of force against al Qaeda and those who harbored them – an authorization that continues to this day. The vote in the Senate was 98 to 0. The vote in the House was 420 to 1. For the first time in its history, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization invoked Article 5 – the commitment that says an attack on one member nation is an attack on all. And the United Nations Security Council endorsed the use of all necessary steps to respond to the 9/11 attacks. America, our allies and the world were acting as one to destroy al Qaeda’s terrorist network, and to protect our common security.

Under the banner of this domestic unity and international legitimacy – and only after the Taliban refused to turn over Osama bin Laden – we sent our troops into Afghanistan. Within a matter of months, al Qaeda was scattered and many of its operatives were killed. The Taliban was driven from power and pushed back on its heels. A place that had known decades of fear now had reason to hope. At a conference convened by the UN, a provisional government was established under President Hamid Karzai. And an International Security Assistance Force was established to help bring a lasting peace to a war-torn country.

Then, in early 2003, the decision was made to wage a second war in Iraq. The wrenching debate over the Iraq War is well-known and need not be repeated here. It is enough to say that for the next six years, the Iraq War drew the dominant share of our troops, our resources, our diplomacy, and our national attention – and that the decision to go into Iraq caused substantial rifts between America and much of the world.

Today, after extraordinary costs, we are bringing the Iraq war to a responsible end. We will remove our combat brigades from Iraq by the end of next summer, and all of our troops by the end of 2011. That we are doing so is a testament to the character of our men and women in uniform. Thanks to their courage, grit and perseverance , we have given Iraqis a chance to shape their future, and we are successfully leaving Iraq to its people. 

But while we have achieved hard-earned milestones in Iraq, the situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. After escaping across the border into Pakistan in 2001 and 2002, al Qaeda’s leadership established a safe-haven there. Although a legitimate government was elected by the Afghan people, it has been hampered by corruption, the drug trade, an under-developed economy, and insufficient Security Forces. Over the last several years, the Taliban has maintained common cause with al Qaeda, as they both seek an overthrow of the Afghan government. Gradually, the Taliban has begun to take control over swaths of Afghanistan, while engaging in increasingly brazen and devastating acts of terrorism against the Pakistani people.

Throughout this period, our troop levels in Afghanistan remained a fraction of what they were in Iraq. When I took office, we had just over 32,000 Americans serving in Afghanistan, compared to 160,000 in Iraq at the peak of the war. Commanders in Afghanistan repeatedly asked for support to deal with the reemergence of the Taliban, but these reinforcements did not arrive. That’s why, shortly after taking office, I approved a long-standing request for more troops. After consultations with our allies, I then announced a strategy recognizing the fundamental connection between our war effort in Afghanistan, and the extremist safe-havens in Pakistan. I set a goal that was narrowly defined as disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Qaeda and its extremist allies, and pledged to better coordinate our military and civilian effort. 

Since then, we have made progress on some important objectives. High-ranking al Qaeda and Taliban leaders have been killed, and we have stepped up the pressure on al Qaeda world-wide. In Pakistan, that nation’s Army has gone on its largest offensive in years. In Afghanistan, we and our allies prevented the Taliban from stopping a presidential election, and – although it was marred by fraud – that election produced a government that is consistent with Afghanistan’s laws and Constitution.

Yet huge challenges remain. Afghanistan is not lost, but for several years it has moved backwards. There is no imminent threat of the government being overthrown, but the Taliban has gained momentum. Al Qaeda has not reemerged in Afghanistan in the same numbers as before 9/11, but they retain their safe-havens along the border. And our forces lack the full support they need to effectively train and partner with Afghan Security Forces and better secure the population. Our new Commander in Afghanistan – General McChrystal – has reported that the security situation is more serious than he anticipated. In short: the status quo is not sustainable.

As cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. Some of you have fought in Afghanistan. Many will deploy there. As your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service. That is why, after the Afghan voting was completed, I insisted on a thorough review of our strategy. Let me be clear: there has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war. Instead, the review has allowed me ask the hard questions, and to explore all of the different options along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and with our key partners. Given the stakes involved, I owed the American people – and our troops – no less.

This review is now complete. And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan.  After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan. 

I do not make this decision lightly. I opposed the war in Iraq precisely because I believe that we must exercise restraint in the use of military force, and always consider the long-term consequences of our actions. We have been at war for eight years, at enormous cost in lives and resources. Years of debate over Iraq and terrorism have left our unity on national security issues in tatters, and created a highly polarized and partisan backdrop for this effort. And having just experienced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, the American people are understandably focused on rebuilding our economy and putting people to work here at home.

Most of all, I know that this decision asks even more of you – a military that, along with your families, has already borne the heaviest of all burdens.  As President, I have signed a letter of condolence to the family of each American who gives their life in these wars. I have read the letters from the parents and spouses of those who deployed.  I have visited our courageous wounded warriors at Walter Reed.  I have travelled to Dover to meet the flag-draped caskets of 18 Americans returning home to their final resting place. I see firsthand the terrible wages of war. If I did not think that the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan, I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow.

So no – I do not make this decision lightly. I make this decision because I am convinced that our security is at stake in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This is the epicenter of the violent extremism practiced by al Qaeda. It is from here that we were attacked on 9/11, and it is from here that new attacks are being plotted as I speak. This is no idle danger; no hypothetical threat. In the last few months alone, we have apprehended extremists within our borders who were sent here from the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan to commit new acts of terror. This danger will only grow if the region slides backwards, and al Qaeda can operate with impunity. We must keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region.

Of course, this burden is not ours alone to bear. This is not just America’s war. Since 9/11, al Qaeda’s safe-havens have been the source of attacks against London and Amman and Bali. The people and governments of both Afghanistan and Pakistan are endangered. And the stakes are even higher within a nuclear-armed Pakistan, because we know that al Qaeda and other extremists seek nuclear weapons, and we have every reason to believe that they would use them.

These facts compel us to act along with our friends and allies. Our overarching goal remains the same: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and to prevent its capacity to threaten America and our allies in the future.

To meet that goal, we will pursue the following objectives within Afghanistan. We must deny al Qaeda a safe-haven. We must reverse the Taliban’s momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow the government. And we must strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan’s Security Forces and government, so that they can take lead responsibility for Afghanistan’s future. 

We will meet these objectives in three ways.  First, we will pursue a military strategy that will break the Taliban’s momentum and increase Afghanistan’s capacity over the next 18 months.

The 30,000 additional troops that I am announcing tonight will deploy in the first part of 2010 – the fastest pace possible – so that they can target the insurgency and secure key population centers. They will increase our ability to train competent Afghan Security Forces, and to partner with them so that more Afghans can get into the fight. And they will help create the conditions for the United States to transfer responsibility to the Afghans. 

Because this is an international effort, I have asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we are confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. Now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what’s at stake is not simply a test of NATO’s credibility – what’s at stake is the security of our Allies, and the common security of the world.

Taken together, these additional American and international troops will allow us to accelerate handing over responsibility to Afghan forces, and allow us to begin the transfer of our forces out of Afghanistan in July of 2011. Just as we have done in Iraq, we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground. We will continue to advise and assist Afghanistan’s Security Forces to ensure that they can succeed over the long haul. But it will be clear to the Afghan government – and, more importantly, to the Afghan people – that they will ultimately be responsible for their own country. 

Second, we will work with our partners, the UN, and the Afghan people to pursue a more effective civilian strategy, so that the government can take advantage of improved security.

This effort must be based on performance. The days of providing a blank check are over. President Karzai’s inauguration speech sent the right message about moving in a new direction. And going forward, we will be clear about what we expect from those who receive our assistance. We will support Afghan Ministries, Governors, and local leaders that combat corruption and deliver for the people. We expect those who are ineffective or corrupt to be held accountable. And we will also focus our assistance in areas – such as agriculture – that can make an immediate impact in the lives of the Afghan people.

The people of Afghanistan have endured violence for decades. They have been confronted with occupation – by the Soviet Union, and then by foreign al Qaeda fighters who used Afghan land for their own purposes. So tonight, I want the Afghan people to understand – America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering. We have no interest in occupying your country. We will support efforts by the Afghan government to open the door to those Taliban who abandon violence and respect the human rights of their fellow citizens. And we will seek a partnership with Afghanistan grounded in mutual respect – to isolate those who destroy; to strengthen those who build; to hasten the day when our troops will leave; and to forge a lasting friendship in which America is your partner, and never your patron.

Third, we will act with the full recognition that our success in Afghanistan is inextricably linked to our partnership with Pakistan.

We are in Afghanistan to prevent a cancer from once again spreading through that country. But this same cancer has also taken root in the border region of Pakistan. That is why we need a strategy that works on both sides of the border.

In the past, there have been those in Pakistan who have argued that the struggle against extremism is not their fight, and that Pakistan is better off doing little or seeking accommodation with those who use violence. But in recent years, as innocents have been killed from Karachi to Islamabad, it has become clear that it is the Pakistani people who are the most endangered by extremism. Public opinion has turned. The Pakistani Army has waged an offensive in Swat and South Waziristan. And there is no doubt that the United States and Pakistan share a common enemy.

In the past, we too often defined our relationship with Pakistan narrowly. Those days are over. Moving forward, we are committed to a partnership with Pakistan that is built on a foundation of mutual interests, mutual respect, and mutual trust. We will strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to target those groups that threaten our countries, and have made it clear that we cannot tolerate a safe-haven for terrorists whose location is known, and whose intentions are clear. America is also providing substantial resources to support Pakistan’s democracy and development. We are the largest international supporter for those Pakistanis displaced by the fighting. And going forward, the Pakistani people must know: America will remain a strong supporter of Pakistan’s security and prosperity long after the guns have fallen silent, so that the great potential of its people can be unleashed.

These are the three core elements of our strategy: a military effort to create the conditions for a transition; a civilian surge that reinforces positive action; and an effective partnership with Pakistan.

I recognize that there are a range of concerns about our approach. So let me briefly address a few of the prominent arguments that I have heard, and which I take very seriously.

First, there are those who suggest that Afghanistan is another Vietnam. They argue that it cannot be stabilized, and we are better off cutting our losses and rapidly withdrawing. Yet this argument depends upon a false reading of history. Unlike Vietnam, we are joined by a broad coalition of 43 nations that recognizes the legitimacy of our action. Unlike Vietnam, we are not facing a broad-based popular insurgency. And most importantly, unlike Vietnam, the American people were viciously attacked from Afghanistan, and remain a target for those same extremists who are plotting along its border. To abandon this area now – and to rely only on efforts against al Qaeda from a distance – would significantly hamper our ability to keep the pressure on al Qaeda, and create an unacceptable risk of additional attacks on our homeland and our allies. 

Second, there are those who acknowledge that we cannot leave Afghanistan in its current state, but suggest that we go forward with the troops that we have. But this would simply maintain a status quo in which we muddle through, and permit a slow deterioration of conditions there. It would ultimately prove more costly and prolong our stay in Afghanistan, because we would never be able to generate the conditions needed to train Afghan Security Forces and give them the space to take over.

Finally, there are those who oppose identifying a timeframe for our transition to Afghan responsibility. Indeed, some call for a more dramatic and open-ended escalation of our war effort – one that would commit us to a nation building project of up to a decade. I reject this course because it sets goals that are beyond what we can achieve at a reasonable cost, and what we need to achieve to secure our interests. Furthermore, the absence of a timeframe for transition would deny us any sense of urgency in working with the Afghan government. It must be clear that Afghans will have to take responsibility for their security, and that America has no interest in fighting an endless war in Afghanistan.

As President, I refuse to set goals that go beyond our responsibility, our means, our or interests.  And I must weigh all of the challenges that our nation faces. I do not have the luxury of committing to just one. Indeed, I am mindful of the words of President Eisenhower, who – in discussing our national security – said, “Each proposal must be weighed in the light of a broader consideration: the need to maintain balance in and among national programs.”

Over the past several years, we have lost that balance, and failed to appreciate the connection between our national security and our economy. In the wake of an economic crisis, too many of our friends and neighbors are out of work and struggle to pay the bills, and too many Americans are worried about the future facing our children. Meanwhile, competition within the global economy has grown more fierce. So we simply cannot afford to ignore the price of these wars.

All told, by the time I took office the cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan approached a trillion dollars. Going forward, I am committed to addressing these costs openly and honestly. Our new approach in Afghanistan is likely to cost us roughly 30 billion dollars for the military this year, and I will work closely with Congress to address these costs as we work to bring down our deficit.

But as we end the war in Iraq and transition to Afghan responsibility, we must rebuild our strength here at home. Our prosperity provides a foundation for our power. It pays for our military. It underwrites our diplomacy. It taps the potential of our people, and allows investment in new industry. And it will allow us to compete in this century as successfully as we did in the last. That is why our troop commitment in Afghanistan cannot be open-ended – because the nation that I am most interested in building is our own.

Let me be clear: none of this will be easy. The struggle against violent extremism will not be finished quickly, and it extends well beyond Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be an enduring test of our free society, and our leadership in the world. And unlike the great power conflicts and clear lines of division that defined the 20^th century, our effort will involve disorderly regions and diffuse enemies.

So as a result, America will have to show our strength in the way that we end wars and prevent conflict. We will have to be nimble and precise in our use of military power. Where al Qaeda and its allies attempt to establish a foothold – whether in Somalia or Yemen or elsewhere – they must be confronted by growing pressure and strong partnerships.

And we cannot count on military might alone. We have to invest in our homeland security, because we cannot capture or kill every violent extremist abroad. We have to improve and better coordinate our intelligence, so that we stay one step ahead of shadowy networks.

We will have to take away the tools of mass destruction. That is why I have made it a central pillar of my foreign policy to secure loose nuclear materials from terrorists; to stop the spread of nuclear weapons; and to pursue the goal of a world without them. Because every nation must understand that true security will never come from an endless race for ever-more destructive weapons – true security will come for those who reject them.

We will have to use diplomacy, because no one nation can meet the challenges of an interconnected world acting alone. I have spent this year renewing our alliances and forging new partnerships. And we have forged a new beginning between America and the Muslim World – one that recognizes our mutual interest in breaking a cycle of conflict, and that promises a future in which those who kill innocents are isolated by those who stand up for peace and prosperity and human dignity.

Finally, we must draw on the strength of our values – for the challenges that we face may have changed, but the things that we believe in must not.  That is why we must promote our values by living them at home – which is why I have prohibited torture and will close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. And we must make it clear to every man, woman and child around the world who lives under the dark cloud of tyranny that America will speak out on behalf of their human rights, and tend to the light of freedom, and justice, and opportunity, and respect for the dignity of all peoples. That is who we are. That is the moral source of America’s authority.

Since the days of Franklin Roosevelt, and the service and sacrifice of our grandparents, our country has borne a special burden in global affairs. We have spilled American blood in many countries on multiple continents. We have spent our revenue to help others rebuild from rubble and develop their own economies. We have joined with others to develop an architecture of institutions – from the United Nations to NATO to the World Bank – that provide for the common security and prosperity of human beings.

We have not always been thanked for these efforts, and we have at times made mistakes. But more than any other nation, the United States of America has underwritten global security for over six decades – a time that, for all its problems, has seen walls come down, markets open, billions lifted from poverty, unparalleled scientific progress, and advancing frontiers of human liberty. 

For unlike the great powers of old, we have not sought world domination. Our union was founded in resistance to oppression. We do not seek to occupy other nations. We will not claim another nation’s resources or target other peoples because their faith or ethnicity is different from ours. What we have fought for – and what we continue to fight for – is a better future for our children and grandchildren, and we believe that their lives will be better if other peoples’ children and grandchildren can live in freedom and access opportunity.  

As a country, we are not as young – and perhaps not as innocent – as we were when Roosevelt was President. Yet we are still heirs to a noble struggle for freedom. Now we must summon all of our might and moral suasion to meet the challenges of a new age. 

In the end, our security and leadership does not come solely from the strength of our arms. It derives from our people – from the workers and businesses who will rebuild our economy; from the entrepreneurs and researchers who will pioneer new industries; from the teachers that will educate our children, and the service of those who work in our communities at home; from the diplomats and Peace Corps volunteers who spread hope abroad; and from the men and women in uniform who are part of an unbroken line of sacrifice that has made government of the people, by the people, and for the people a reality on this Earth.

This vast and diverse citizenry will not always agree on every issue – nor should we. But I also know that we, as a country, cannot sustain our leadership nor navigate the momentous challenges of our time if we allow ourselves to be split asunder by the same rancor and cynicism and partisanship that has in recent times poisoned our national discourse.

It is easy to forget that when this war began, we were united – bound together by the fresh memory of a horrific attack, and by the determination to defend our homeland and the values we hold dear. I refuse to accept the notion that we cannot summon that unity again. I believe with every fiber of my being that we – as Americans – can still come together behind a common purpose. For our values are not simply words written into parchment – they are a creed that calls us together, and that has carried us through the darkest of storms as one nation, one people.

America – we are passing through a time of great trial. And the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering. We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes. Thank you, God Bless you, God Bless our troops, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Tareq and Michaele Salahi told “Good Morning America” Tuesday that the media coverage surrounding their “crashing” of White House state dinner last week was “the most devastating thing that’s happened to us.”

The Salahis told GMA that they were on the White House guest list and are fully cooperating with Secret Service officials.

“We’re greatly saddened by all the circumstances that have, you know, been involved and portraying my wife and I as party crashers,” Tareq Salahi stated. “I can tell you we did not crash the White House…the truth will come out.”

Party Crashers Michaele And Tareq Salahi Shakes Hands With President Obama

Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan is in the hot seat. As he should be. How could two complete strangers infiltrate a state event without the batting of an eyelash? Tareq and Michaele Salahi breezed into the state dinner given in the honor of the Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, sat in the company of world leaders and dignitaries, cheesed it up with Vice President Biden and greeted President Barack Obama with a hand-shake.

As part of a publicity stunt to impress the top brass at the BRAVO media network, Michaele Tareq pulled out all the stops to land a role on the yet to be cast reality series “THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF D.C.” To get the nod, Michaele decided that she would take matters into her own hands: crash the ultimate high society party to appear as if she, and husband Tareq, are influential movers and shakers with big connects.

Turns out that the only thing Michaele and Tareq Salahi have succeeded in doing is creating a world-wind of controversy and immense concern as to the safety of President Obama. A lawyer for the Salahis  stated that the pair were invited to the affair, contrary to what the guest list showed, and will grant interviews to the media next week.

Amid the backlash regarding the apparent breach in security surrounding the President and the First Lady, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan issued the following statement:

November 27, 2009MEDIA ADVISORY

STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR MARK SULLIVAN

(Washington, D.C.) – On Friday, November 27, 2009, United States Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan issued the following statement:

“The Secret Service is deeply concerned and embarrassed by the circumstances surrounding the State Dinner on Tuesday, November 24.

The preliminary findings of our internal investigation have determined established protocols were not followed at an initial checkpoint, verifying that two individuals were on the guest list.

Although these individuals went through magnetometers and other levels of screening, they should have been prohibited from entering the event entirely. That failing is ours.

The Secret Service safely processed more than 1.2 million visitors last year to the White House complex. In the last several years, the agency has successfully protected more than 10,000 sites for the President, Vice President and other Secret Service protectees, screening more than 7 million people through magnetometers at campaign related events, with more than 1 million during the Inauguration alone.

Even with these successes, we need to be right 100% of the time. While we have protocols in place to address these situations, we must ensure that they are followed each and every time.

As our investigation continues, appropriate measures have been taken to ensure this is not repeated.

The men and women of the U.S. Secret Service are committed to providing the highest level of security for those we are charged to protect, and we will do whatever is necessary to accomplish this mission.”

According to varied reports, the Salahis manuevered and manipulated their way through several layers of Secret Service constructed security. Obviously, somewhere down the line, the Secret Service dropped the ball. The real question, the burning question is: Where did the breach in security actually occur? According to the Salahis’ attorney, Michaele and Tareq were invited and on the list. Somewhere between two check points, a Secret Service agent (s) either perused the guest list, saw their name and granted them passage, or did not see the Salahis listed and granted them access solely based on their appearances.

However, the unnerving aspect of the entire episode is simply that President Obama’s top security was breached. This is entirely unacceptable. The President is not safe. If two aspiring cuckoos looking to make it big on a ‘reality show’ can crash a state dinner held at the White House, where one would definitely expect the Secret Service to be lurking in every crevice and crack, and actually shake the Commander in Chief’s hand, what does this really mean? What kind of message is being sent?

This is the second security breach under the watch of Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan. The first? That shoe throwing incident in Iraq involving an irate Iraqi journalist and President George W. Bush. But who knew someone would take off their shoes and throw them at the President of the United States?

But, also lets not forget the health care reform town hall meetings. Remember all of those ridiculous gun-toting fanatics that the Secret Service allowed to just hang around outside the places where President Obama was speaking? There was one particular man that carried what appeared to be an assault weapon. Why weren’t these folks picked up and hauled off to jail by the Secret Service? Obviously, they posed a real threat to the President.

Michaele and Tariq Salahi have earned their fifteen minutes of fame. In the quest for television notoriety, their greed, phoniness, selfishness, and sheer vanity laid bare a serious security sink hole that needs to be addressed when it comes to the protection of the President and the First Family. Rep. Edolphus Town, Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee commented Friday that “the incident compromised the safety and security of the President and undermined our confidence in the protection we expect of the Secret Service.”

Rep. Town wants the House of Representatives to investigate the state dinner security breach. Yet, before the investigation even begins, Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan should fire the Secret Service agents responsible for the so-called clearance of the Salahis, and then tenure his resignation.

Sources report that federal charges are coming down the pipe, too! I respectfully ask Michaele and Tariq Salahi: Was it worth it?

Hope it was.

President Barack Obama And Prime Minister Singh of India

Statement by the President on Native American Heritage Day 

“Tomorrow,  Americans everywhere will observe our National Day of Thanksgiving.  It will be a time of celebration and reflection as we gather with family and friends to count our blessings and remember those less fortunate.  But it will also be a time to remember how this holiday began– as a harvest celebration between European settlers and the American Indians who had been living and thriving on the continent for thousands of years.” 

“That is why on Friday, I encourage every American to join me in observing Native American Heritage Day.  My Administration is committed to strengthening the nation to nation relationship with  tribal governments. But it is also important for all of us to understand the rich culture, tradition and history of Native Americans and their status today- and to appreciate the contributions that First Americans have made, and will continue to make to our Nation.”

Statement by the President on Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha

Michelle and I would like to send our best wishes to all those performing Hajj this year, and to Muslims in America and around the world who are celebrating Eid-ul-Adha.  The rituals of Hajj and Eid-ul-Adha both serve as reminders of the shared Abrahamic roots of three of the world’s major religions.

During Hajj, the world’s largest and most diverse gathering, three million Muslims from all walks of life – including thousands of American Muslims – will stand in prayer on Mount Arafat.  The following day, Muslims around the world will celebrate Eid-ul-Adha and distribute food to the less fortunate to commemorate Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son out of obedience to God.

This year, I am pleased that the Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with the Saudi Health Ministry to prevent and limit the spread of H1N1 during Hajj.  Cooperating on combating H1N1 is one of the ways we are implementing my administration’s commitment to partnership in areas of mutual interest.

On behalf of the American people, we would like to extend our greetings during this Hajj season – Eid Mubarak.

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY

AT INDIAN STATE DINNER PRESS PREVIEW

State Dining Room

2:00 P.M. EST

     MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  Welcome, everyone.  How are you all doing?  It’s good to see you.

Well, as Desiree mentioned, this is a very exciting time here at the White House and we are just excited to welcome all of you.  We’ve got a big day going on — this is our first official state visit of the Obama administration.  It’s very exciting for us.

And today the President is welcoming and working with India’s Prime Minister Singh.  And this evening, tonight the President and I are going to be hosting our first state dinner — and we’re hosting for the Prime Minister and his wife, Mrs. Kaur, who we met earlier today.

So one of the things we thought — and I don’t know about all of you — is whether you wonder, what are these state dinners all about and these state visits?  Because when I was your age I didn’t know what they were doing.  So we thought it would be fun to take a little time to expose you to what’s going to happen today and this evening.  So that’s why you are all here today and we’re really excited to have you.

These state visits and dinners are a really important part of our nation’s diplomacy.  Throughout history, they’ve given U.S. presidents — and the American people — the opportunity to make important milestones in foreign relations.  So these dinners and events are really critical to what we do internationally.  And they’ve helped build stronger ties with nations as well as people around the world.  That’s what President Obama and Prime Minister Singh are doing today.

And I know that all of us on our team here at the West Wing and the East Wing, we wish that we could include many, many more people in today’s events and this evening’s events because it’s not often that you get to do this.  But even with a house like the White House, there’s only so many people that we can invite.  So one of the ways that First Ladies in the past have tried to include the broader public in on what’s going on is by holding these types of events where we invite the press to share some of the incredible behind-the-scenes work that goes into planning and pulling off this amazing day.

But today we’re also doing something a little different by having you all here.  As our mentees know, one of the things we’ve talked about that the President and I have tried to do is really open up this White House to our neighbors here in Washington, D.C., especially to local students and to children in our community.  Because what we know is that even though many of you guys live just a few minutes, maybe a little bit away from here — but you’re close — these events probably seem like they’re miles and miles away, like they’re just untouchable. 

So that’s why we really tried to think about ways to include kids in the community all throughout today’s event.  At the opening ceremonies today we invited about 50 students from local schools to attend the welcoming event.  And that’s why we’re so happy to have you guys here with us today.  And for those of you who don’t know, these girls are a part of our young women who participate in the White House Leadership and Mentoring Program.  And we’re really thrilled to have you guys here, because this is your White House and we want you to be a part of what we do here.

So, how do we get this stuff done?  The President and I are going to host this really neat dinner outside in the tent.  But we describe it, it’s sort of like a swan, where we’re kind of calm and serene above water — but we’re paddling like mad, going crazy underneath, trying to look smooth.  But there’s a lot of work that goes into making this happen and we have a lot of people who are helping to put it together.  And it takes everyone at the White House and the State Department and the Military Office who’ve worked so hard to put all of the events together today — the guest list, the invitations, the place settings that you see here, you’ve got to figure out who sits where — all that fun stuff.

It takes all the folks in the kitchen — we have our incredible White House Chef Cris Comerford — who some of you guy met — and the rest of our kitchen staff.  And tonight, we’re going to include a guest chef tonight, a gentleman by the name of Marcus Samuellson — and he’s one of the finest chefs in the country, who is going to cook the dinner this evening.  Cris, Marcus and our kitchen staff are working on a wonderful menu tonight that you’ll be able to share in a little bit.  It’s going to showcase the best of American cooking.  It’s going to include the freshest ingredients from area farmers and purveyors.  And because of all of the hard work of some other kids in the community, we’ve got this wonderful White House kitchen garden out in the South Lawn and we’re going to use some of the herbs from that garden in tonight’s dinner as well.

But there’s also more to the dinner than just the food, even though that’s going to be exciting.  Dinners like these also need great entertainment.  So who do we have tonight?  We’ve got someone you guys probably know a lot about:  Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is going to sing tonight — yay!  But also have A.R. Rahman.  He’s also an Oscar winner and he helped create some of the music for the film “Slumdog Millionaire.”  I don’t know if you guys got to see that movie — incredible movie.  We’re also going to have Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, who’s a Chicago hometown guy and we’re pleased to have him.  And we’re also going to have the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Marvin Hamlisch, who’s one of the greatest composers in this country.

So it’s going to be an incredible night for a lot of our guests.  And in just a few minutes, you’re going to hear a little bit more about the whole process of state visits and dinners from White House Historian, Bill Allman.  He’s going to give you a little bit of the background to how these things have worked in the past.  And you’re also going to hear about the importance of protocol from Tanya Turner, who is a protocol officer from the State Department.  And protocol is critical — protocol, how you stand, how you sit, who walks where — all of that is really important.  So Tanya is going to share with us how all that works and how we think about it.

But before I turn it over to them, I just want to take a few moments to share with everyone here also why today means so much to me, personally.

As you’ve seen from this year, I have been on the other side of these visits and dinners — as a guest in many countries.  Since becoming First Lady, I’ve had the opportunity to visit eight countries with my husband, the President.  And in each and every country, during each and every visit, I have been moved by the warmth and gracious hospitality that our hosts and the citizens of the countries that we visited have extended to the President and to me.

It means a great deal when you’re visiting and your hosts make you feel like you’re at home, like they’re excited to see you.  It means the world.

Each visit has also been unique and profound in its own way.  It’s not just the pomp and circumstances and the lights and the cameras and the fancy dresses.  But when we’ve gone to other countries we’ve done some incredible things.  We’ve seen the Jewish Quarter in Prague; we visited the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican; we’ve been to the Coliseum in Rome; and the American Cemetery on the beaches of Normandy in France, where the world comes to honor the brave soldiers who died there.

These places are more than just monuments to history, truly.  They compel us to see the world through a broader lens — not just from your own backyard or your school or your neighborhood — but they teach us to look at the world broadly and to look at our place in it in a different way; to respect and admire each other’s culture and traditions in a very different way; and to honor all the values and the interests we have in common across the world. 

You see this not in the pomp and circumstances, but in the people that you meet.  We’ve met tons of incredible people over the course of our trips:  the children, and the nuns who care for them, at a beautiful orphanage that I visited in Russia; young girls, girls just like many of you, that I got to spend some time with in London at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, it was an amazing day; the nurses in the maternal health clinic in Ghana, in Africa, that we got to see.

See, all these people — you know, the children, these caretakers, the girls, their teachers, these nurses and mothers that you’ve seen, that we met — what you learn is that they all want the same things as you do, as we do.  Folks around the world, they want to live in peace; they want to pursue their dreams just like you guys do — and they have big, huge dreams just like you; and they hope for a brighter future for the next generation, just like we hope for you.  Doesn’t matter where you’re from — these dreams are the same.

So what we figure out from these visits is that all across the world — non matter what our religions or races are — that we are all building that future together.  And building that future is not just the job of any one country alone.  No one country can do it by themselves.   It’s the responsibility of all our countries all over the world to work together.  And that’s why the President has worked so hard to begin what he’s called a new era in our relations with the world and other countries.  He’s worked to strengthen diplomacy.  He’s worked to renew old alliances, so that we’re talking differently with countries and people that we haven’t talked to before.  He’s building new partnerships — and these partnerships he hopes will be based on mutual trust and respect.

But one of the things that the President has said is that this new era of engagement can’t just be between governments — you know, it’s not just about the presidents and prime ministers getting along.  This new era of engagement also has to be between the people — the diplomats, the business leaders, the scientists, the health care workers.  And yes, the teachers and the students.  Young people just like you are a part of building that future and that engagement, the ability to exchange with one another as young people as you are is critical.

And that’s why the President, when he goes to another country he makes it a point to visit and to speak with students all around the world — whether he was in Europe or Cairo or China — he always reaches out to young people.  And we need to expand that type of educational exchange, so that students like all of you here have the opportunity to experience and learn from other cultures — and to share your own culture, however unique and different, with other parts of the world.

Deepening these ties is one of the things that the President and the Prime Minister are working on today, one of the reasons for the trip and the state dinner is for these leaders to work together — whether it’s along the lines of working on the economy or climate change or global health — they know that young people like you, students, our future leaders are among America’s greatest ambassadors and India’s greatest ambassadors as well.  In fact, India sends more students to study in this country than any other country — this year alone more than 100,000 students from India came here to America to study somewhere.

So by doing that they learn from us, and we learn from them in a very fundamental way.  And as a result of those interactions, we’re all the richer for it.  And after today’s visit, we’ll hopefully expand these exchanges even more.  And who knows, maybe one of you all sitting at this table, one of our little mentees, will be living and studying somewhere in India — maybe New Delhi or Mumbai or Bangalore.  Just imagine that, start thinking about your future in that way.  This visit at this table is the beginning of that for all of you.  Because, again, governments alone can’t build the future that we want for the world.  That’s the job for each and every one of us.

So that’s one of the lessons for today.  It’s our job — and that’s one of the lessons of the relationship between the United States and India.

Back when the President was a senator, he kept a picture of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India, in his office.  And it was before he was a senator, he was always a big supporter and admirer of Gandhi, because Gandhi inspired so many people — in India and all around the world — with his example of dignity and tolerance and peace.  And with a simple call, Gandhi would say:  To be the change we wish to see in the world — we are that change.  We are that change.

So again, today is a celebration of the great ties between the world’s two largest democracies — that’s the United States and that’s India.  But it’s also an opportunity to deepen those ties — and a reminder to be the change that each of us seeks — whether that’s in your home or in your school or in your community or in your country, you are all the change that we need.

So I’ll stop lecturing and I will now turn it over to Bill and to Tanya, who will talk a bit more about the history and protocol.  And then we get to test out some of the food.

So again, we are proud to see you, happy to see you.  We’re going to see you again in December, because we’re going to do some more fun stuff.  I know we have three new mentees here.  Can you guys, the new mentees, raise your hands?  I see some new faces.  Welcome.  It’s good to have you.  We’re going to have a lot of fun.  Just ignore them, pretend that they’re not here.  (Laughter.)  And I’ll turn it over to Bill.  Thank you guys, so much.

The Obamas Welcom Prime Minister Manmohan Singh And Wife Gursharan Kaur

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

Thursday, November 26, 2009

For centuries, in peace and in war, in prosperity and in adversity, Americans have paused at this time of year to gather with loved ones and give thanks for life’s blessings. This week, we carry on this distinctly American tradition.  All across our country, folks are coming together to spend time with family, to catch up with old friends, to cook and enjoy a big dinner – and maybe to watch a little football in between.

As always, we give thanks for the kindness of loved ones, for the joys of the previous year, and for the pride we feel in our communities and country. We keep in our thoughts and prayers the many families marking this Thanksgiving with an empty seat – saved for a son or daughter, or husband or wife, stationed in harm’s way. And we say a special thanks for the sacrifices those men and women in uniform are making for our safety and freedom, and for all those Americans who enrich the lives of our communities through acts of kindness, generosity and service.

But as much as we all have to be thankful for, we also know that this year millions of Americans are facing very difficult economic times. Many have lost jobs in this recession – the worst in generations. Many more are struggling to afford health care premiums and house payments, let alone to save for an education or retirement. Too many are wondering if the dream of a middle class life – that American Dream – is slipping away.  It’s the worry I hear from folks across the country; good, hard-working people doing the best they can for their families – but fearing that their best just isn’t good enough. These are not strangers.  They are our family, our friends, and our neighbors. Their struggles must be our concern.

That’s why we passed the Recovery Act that cut taxes for 95 percent of working people and for small businesses – and that extended unemployment benefits and health coverage for millions of Americans who lost their jobs in this turmoil.  That’s why we are reforming the health care system so that middle-class families have affordable insurance that cannot be denied because of a pre-existing condition or taken away because you happen to get sick. We’ve worked to stem the tide of foreclosures and to stop the decline in home values. We’re making it easier to save for retirement and more affordable to send a son or daughter to college.

The investments we have made and tough steps we have taken have helped break the back of the recession, and now our economy is finally growing again.  But as I said when I took office, job recovery from this crisis would not come easily or quickly. Though the job losses we were experiencing earlier this year have slowed dramatically, we’re still not creating enough new jobs each month to make up for the ones we’re losing.  And no matter what the economists say, for families and communities across the country, this recession will not end until we completely turn that tide.

So we’ve made progress. But we cannot rest – and my administration will not rest – until we have revived this economy and rebuilt it stronger than before; until we are creating jobs and opportunities for middle class families; until we have moved beyond the cycles of boom and bust – of reckless risk and speculation – that led us to so much crisis and pain these past few years.

Next week, I’ll be meeting with owners of large and small businesses, labor leaders, and non-for-profits from across the country, to talk about the additional steps we can take to help spur job creation. I will work with the Congress to enact them quickly. And it is my fervent hope – and my heartfelt expectation – that next Thanksgiving we will be able to celebrate the fact that many of those who have lost their jobs are back at work, and that as a nation we will have come through these difficult storms stronger and wiser and grateful to have reached a brighter day.

Thank you, God bless you, and from my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON PARDONING OF THE NATIONAL TURKEY

North Portico

11:41 A.M. EST

     THE PRESIDENT:  Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.  Welcome to the White House.  On behalf of Sasha and Malia and myself, we’re thrilled to see you.  I want to thank Walter Pelletier, chairman of the National Turkey Federation, and Joel Brandenberger, its president, for donating this year’s turkey.  His name is “Courage,” and he traveled here from Goldsboro, North Carolina, where he was raised under Walter’s own precious care.

     (Turkey gobbles.)

     THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  (Laughter.)

Now, the National Turkey Federation has been bringing its finest turkeys to the White House for more than 50 years.  I’m told Presidents Eisenhower and Johnson actually ate their turkeys.  You can’t fault them for that; that’s a good-looking bird.  (Laughter.)  President Kennedy was even given a turkey with a sign around its neck that said, “Good Eatin’, Mr. President.”  But he showed mercy and he said, “Let’s keep him going.”  And 20 years ago this Thanksgiving, the first President Bush issued the first official presidential pardon for a turkey.

Today, I am pleased to announce that thanks to the interventions of Malia and Sasha — because I was planning to eat this sucker — (laughter) — “Courage” will also be spared this terrible and delicious fate.  Later today, he’ll head to Disneyland, where he’ll be grand marshal of tomorrow’s parade.  And just in case “Courage” can’t fulfill his responsibilities, Walter brought along another turkey, “Carolina,” as an alternate, the stand-in.

Now, later this afternoon, Michelle, Malia, Sasha and I will take two of their less fortunate brethren to Martha’s Table, an organization that does extraordinary work to help folks here in D.C. who need it the most.  And I want to thank Jaindl’s Turkey Farm in Orefield, Pennsylvania, for donating those dressed birds for dinner.  So today, all told, I believe it’s fair to say that we have saved or created four turkeys.  (Laughter.)

You know, there are certain days that remind me of why I ran for this office.  And then there are moments like this — (laughter) — where I pardon a turkey and send it to Disneyland.  (Laughter.)  But every single day, I am thankful for the extraordinary responsibility that the American people have placed in me.  I am humbled by the privilege that it is to serve them, and the tremendous honor it is to serve as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military in the world — and I want to wish a Happy Thanksgiving to every service member at home or in harm’s way.  We’re proud of you and we are thinking of you and we’re praying for you.

When my family and I sit around the table tomorrow, just like millions of other families across America, we’ll take time to give our thanks for many blessings.  But we’ll also remember this is a time when so many members of our American family are hurting.  There’s no question this has been a tough year for America.  We’re at war.  Our economy is emerging from an extraordinary recession into recovery.  But there’s a long way to go and a lot of work to do.

In more tranquil times, it’s easy to notice our many blessings.  It’s even easier to take them for granted.  But in times like these, they resonate a bit more powerfully.  When President Lincoln set aside the National Day of Thanksgiving for the first time — to celebrate America’s “fruitful fields,” “healthful skies,” and the “strength and vigor” of the American people — it was in the midst of the Civil War, just when the future of our very union was most in doubt.  So think about that.  When times were darkest, President Lincoln understood that our American blessings shined brighter than ever.

This is an era of new perils and new hardships.  But we are, as ever, a people of endless compassion, boundless ingenuity, limitless strength.  We’re the heirs to a hard-earned history and stewards of a land of God-given beauty.  We are Americans.  And for all this, we give our humble thanks — to our predecessors, to one another, and to God.

So on this quintessentially American holiday, as we give thanks for what we’ve got, let’s also give back to those who are less fortunate.  As we give thanks for our loved ones, let us remember those who can’t be with us.  And as we give thanks for our security, let’s in turn thank those who’ve sacrificed to make it possible, wherever they may be.

Now, before this turkey gets too nervous that Bo will escape and screw up this pardon — (laughter) — or before I change my mind, I hereby pardon “Courage” so that he can live out the rest of his days in peace and tranquility in Disneyland.

And to every American, I want to wish you, on behalf of myself, Malia, Sasha, and Michelle, the happiest of Thanksgivings.  Thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.)

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA

AND PRIME MINISTER SINGH OF INDIA

AT STATE DINNER

Dinner Tent on South Lawn

9:00 P.M. EST

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Good evening, everyone.  On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.  Aapka Swagat Hai.  (Applause.)

Many of you were here when I was honored to become the first President to help celebrate Diwali — the Festival of Lights.  (Applause.)  Some of you were here for the first White House celebration of the birth of the founder of Sikhism — Guru Nanak. (Applause.)  Tonight, we gather again, for the first state dinner of my presidency — with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mrs. Gursharan Kaur, as we celebrate the great and growing partnership between the United States and India.

As we all know, in India some of life’s most treasured moments are often celebrated under the cover of a beautiful tent. It’s a little like tonight.  We have incredible food and music and are surrounded by great friends.  For it’s been said that “the most beautiful things in the universe are the starry heavens above us and the feeling of duty within us.” 

Mr. Prime Minister, today we worked to fulfill our duty –bring our countries closer together than ever before.  Tonight, under the stars, we celebrate the spirit that will sustain our partnership — the bonds of friendship between our people.

It’s a bond that includes more than two million Indian Americans who enrich every corner of our great nation — leaders in government, science, industry and the arts — some of whom join us tonight.  And it’s the bond of friendship between a President and a Prime Minister who are bound by the same unshakable spirit of possibility and brotherhood that transformed both our nations — a spirit that gave rise to movements led by giants like Gandhi and King, and which are the reason that both of us can stand here tonight.

And so, as we draw upon these ties that bind our common future together, I want to close with the words that your first Prime Minister spoke at that midnight hour on the eve of Indian independence, because Nehru’s words speak to our hopes tonight:  “The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity, to the great triumphs and achievements that await us…The past is over and it is the future that beckons us now.”

So I propose a toast to all of you.

Does the Prime Minister get a glass?  Thank you. 

Just logistically, we want to make sure the Prime Minister has a glass here.  (Laughter.)

To the future that beckons all of us.  Let us answer its call.  And let our two great nations realize all the triumphs and achievements that await us.

Cheers.

(A toast is offered.) 

PRIME MINISTER SINGH:  Mr. President; the First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama; distinguished guests.  I feel privileged to be invited to this first state banquet, Mr. President, under your distinguished presidency.  You do us and the people of India great honor by this wonderful gesture on your part.  We are overwhelmed by the warmth of your hospitality, the courtesy you have extended to us personally, and the grace and charm of the First Lady.  (Applause.)  

Mr. President, your journey to the White House has captured the imagination of millions and millions of people in India.  You are an inspiration to all those who cherish the values of democracy, diversity, and equal opportunity.  (Applause.)

Mr. President, I can do no better than to describe your achievements in the words of Abraham Lincoln who said — and I quote — “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years.”  (Applause.)

Mr. President, we warmly applaud the recognition by the Nobel Committee of the healing touch you have provided and the power of your idealism and your vision.  (Applause.)

Mr. President, your leadership of this great nation of the United States coincides with a time of profound changes taking place in the world at large.  We need to find new pathways of international cooperation that respond more effectively to the grave challenges caused by the growing interdependence of nations.  As two leading democracies, India and the United States must play a leading role in building a shared destiny for all humankind. 

Mr. President, a strong and sustained engagement between our two countries is good for our people and, equally, it is highly important for the world as a whole.  We are embarking on a new phase of our partnership.  We should build on our common values and interests to realize the enormous potential and promise of our partnership.

     Our expanding cooperation in areas of social and human development, science and technology, energy, and other related areas will improve the quality of lives of millions of people in our country.  The success of the nearly 2.7 million strong American community is a tribute to our common ethos.  They have enriched and deepened our ties, and I thank them profoundly from the core of my heart.  (Applause.)

     Mr. President, I convey my very best wishes to you.  Mr. President, as you lead this great nation, I look forward to working with you to renew and expand our strategic partnership.  I wish you and the people of America a very, very happy Thanksgiving.  (Applause.)

     Ladies and gentlemen, I invite you to join me in a toast to the health and happiness of President Barack Obama and the First Lady, Mrs. Obama, the friendly people of the United States of America, and stronger and stronger friendship between India and the United States of America.

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Cheers.

     (A toast is offered.)

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you, everybody.  Enjoy your evening.  (Applause.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA LAUNCHES “EDUCATE TO INNOVATE” CAMPAIGN FOR EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING & MATH (STEM) EDUCATION

Nationwide effort includes over $260 million in public-private investments to move American students to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade

President Obama today launched the “Educate to Innovate” campaign, a nationwide effort to help reach the administration’s goal of moving American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade.

Speaking to key leaders of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) community and local students, President Obama announced a series of high-powered partnerships involving leading companies, foundations, non-profits, and science and engineering societies dedicated to motivating and inspiring young people across America to excel in science and math. 

“Reaffirming and strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation is essential to meeting the challenges of this century,” said President Obama.  “That’s why I am committed to making the improvement of STEM education over the next decade a national priority.”    

The new partnerships, with accompanying major commitments from philanthropic organizations and individuals, mark a dramatic first wave of responses to the President’s call at the National Academy of Sciences this spring for a national campaign to raise American students “from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math over the next decade.”  Each of the commitments—valued together at over $260 million in financial and in-kind support—will apply new and creative methods of generating and maintaining student interest and enthusiasm in science and math, reinvigorating the pipeline of ingenuity and innovation essential to America’s success that has long been at the core of American economic leadership.

Among the initiatives announced by the President are:

• Five public-private partnerships that harness the power of media, interactive games, hands-on learning, and 100,000 volunteers to reach more than 10 million students over the next four years, inspiring them to be the next generation of makers, discoverers, and innovators.  These partnerships represent a combined commitment of over $260 million in financial and in-kind support.

• A commitment by leaders such as Sally Ride (the first female astronaut), Craig Barrett (former chairman of Intel), Ursula Burns (CEO, Xerox), Glenn Britt (CEO, Time Warner Cable), and Antonio Perez (CEO, Eastman Kodak) to increase the scale, scope, and impact of private-sector and philanthropic support for STEM education.  This coalition, with the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, will recruit private sector leaders to serve as champions for STEM at the state level; mobilize resources to help scale successful STEM innovations; and raise awareness of the importance of STEM among parents and students.

• An annual science fair at the White House, showcasing the student winners of national competitions in areas such as science, technology, and robotics.

President Obama has identified three overarching priorities for STEM education: increasing STEM literacy so all students can think critically in science, math, engineering and technology; improving the quality of math and science teaching so American students are no longer outperformed by those in other nations; and expanding STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women and minorities.

The Obama Administration has already taken bold action in the STEM education arena by directing that the $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” school grant program assure a competitive preference to states that commit to improving STEM education. “The Department of Education takes the STEM competitive priority very seriously – and states should as well,” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

But while federal leadership is necessary, a real change in STEM education requires the participation of many elements of society, including governors, philanthropists, scientists, engineers, educators, and the private sector. That is why the President’s speech at the National Academy of Sciences challenged all Americans to join the cause of elevating STEM education as a national priority.

“America needs a world-class STEM workforce to address the grand challenges of the 21^st century, such as developing clean sources of energy that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and discovering cures for cancer,” said John Holdren, President Obama’s science advisor and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “It is extremely gratifying to see this first and very robust set of responses to the President’s call to action.”

Background on Educate to Innovate: A National Campaign for Excellence in

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education (STEM)

Today at the White House, President Obama launched the “Educate to Innovate” campaign, a nationwide effort to help reach the administration’s goal of moving American students from the middle to the top of the pack in science and math achievement over the next decade.  President Obama announced a series of partnerships involving leading companies, universities, foundations, non-profits, and organizations representing millions of scientists, engineers and teachers that will motivate and inspire young people across the country to excel in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

President Obama believes that reaffirming and strengthening America’s role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation is essential to meeting the challenges of this century.  A growing number of jobs require STEM skills, and America needs a world-class STEM workforce to address the “grand challenges” of the 21^st century, such as developing clean sources of energy that reduce our dependence on foreign oil and discovering cures for diseases.  Success on these fronts will require improving STEM literacy for all students; expanding the pipeline for a strong and innovative STEM workforce; and greater focus on opportunities and access for groups such as women and underrepresented minorities.

In a speech to the National Academies of Sciences this spring, President Obama announced a commitment to raise America from the middle to the top of the pack internationally in STEM education over the next decade. At that time President Obama also challenged governors, philanthropists, scientists, engineers, educators, and the private sector to join with him in a national campaign to engage young people in these fields.  The partnerships announced today are the initial response to this “call to action.”

Additionally, to help meet this goal, the President’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top fund provides a competitive advantage to states that commit to a comprehensive strategy to improve STEM education. Race to the Top will challenge states to dramatically improve their schools and student achievement by raising standards, using data to improve decisions and inform instruction, improving teacher effectiveness, using innovative and effective approaches to turn around struggling schools and making it possible for STEM professionals to bring their experience and enthusiasm into the classroom. These reforms will help prepare America’s students to graduate ready for college and career, and enable them to out-compete any worker, anywhere in the world.

Public Private Partnerships

Time Warner Cable’s “Connect a Million Minds” Campaign: Time Warner Cable, in partnership with FIRST Robotics and the Coalition for Science After School, is launching a campaign to connect over one million students to highly-engaging after-school STEM activities that already exist in their area. Time Warner Cable will use its media platform, Public Service Announcements, 47,000 employees, and a “connectamillionminds.com” website where over 70,000 parents and community members have already pledged to connect a child to STEM.  Time Warner Cable has made a commitment of $100 million over the next five years to support this campaign, and will target 80 percent of its corporate philanthropy to STEM.

Discovery Communications’ “Be the Future” Campaign: Discovery Communications, in partnership with leading research universities and federal agencies, is launching a five-year, $150 million cash and in-kind “Be the Future” campaign.  This will create content that reaches more than 99 million homes, including a PSA campaign across Discovery’s 13 U.S. networks, a dedicated commercial-free educational kids block on the Science Channel, and programming on the “grand challenges” of the 21st century such as their landmark Curiosity series. Discovery Education will also create rich, interactive education content that it will deliver at no cost to approximately 60,000 schools, 35 million students, and 1 million educators, and through a partnership with the Siemens Foundation, will create STEM Connect, a national education resource for teachers.

Sesame Street’s Early STEM Literacy Initiative: Celebrating its 40^th Anniversary, and with First Lady Michelle Obama appearing on the first episode, Sesame Street, in partnership with PNC Bank, is announcing a major focus on science and math for young children and a $7.5 million investment in the effort. Sesame Street’s new season kicked-off with “My World is Green & Growing,” which will be part of a two-year science initiative designed to increase positive attitudes towards nature, deepen children’s knowledge about the natural world and encourage behavior that shows respect and care for the environment.  Twenty of the 26 new episodes will have a focus on STEM; 13 focus on science and seven focus on math. In addition, Sesame Workshop, in partnership with PNC Bank’s Grow Up Great Program, is announcing a new math initiative for preschool children entitled Math is Everywhere. 

“National Lab Day,” Bringing Hands-on Learning to Every Student:  National Lab Day is a historic grassroots effort, online at nationallabday.org, to bring hands-on learning to 10 million students by upgrading science labs, supporting project-based learning, and building communities of support for STEM teachers.  The effort is a partnership between science and engineering societies representing more than 2.5 million STEM professionals and almost 4 million educators, with strong financial support from the Hidary Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and industry partners. Collectively, this partnership is committed to working with more than 10,000 teachers and 1 million students within a year, and 100,000 teachers and 10 million students over the next four years.   

National STEM Game Design Competitions: The MacArthur Foundation, Sony Computer Entertainment America, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and its partners (the Information Technology Industry Council, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, and Microsoft) are launching a nationwide set of competitions that include the design of the most compelling, freely-available STEM-related videogames for children and youth. The competitions will include the 2010 Digital Media and Learning Competition, a $2 million yearly effort supported by the MacArthur Foundation that advances the most innovative approaches to learning through games, social networks and mobile devices. One of the competitions will be open only to children, to help them develop 21st century knowledge and skills through the challenge of game design.  This year Sony will participate in one segment of the competition and encourage the development of new games that build on the existing popular video game Little Big Planet.

President Obama Visits The Great Wall Of China

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama’s Overseas Trip Focused on Better Relations with Asia and Creating Jobs at Home

WASHINGTON – In this week’s address, President Barack Obama described the progress made during his trip to Asia, and detailed steps the administration is taking to spur job creation.  The President explained how increasing exports to Asia Pacific nations can create hundreds of thousands of jobs in America and described the upcoming jobs forum which will host CEOs, labor unions, economists, and nonprofits.

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Hi.  I’m recording this message from Seoul, South Korea, as I finish up my first presidential trip to Asia.  As we emerge from the worst recession in generations, there is nothing more important than to do everything we can to get our economy moving again and put Americans back to work, and I will go anywhere to pursue that goal. 

That’s one of the main reasons I took this trip.  Asia is a region where we now buy more goods and do more trade with than any other place in the world – commerce that supports millions of jobs back home.  It’s also a place where the risk of a nuclear arms race threatens our security, and where extremists plan attacks on America’s soil.  And since this region includes some of the fastest-growing nations, there can be no solution to the challenge of climate change without the cooperation of the Asia Pacific.

With this in mind, I traveled to Asia to open a new era of American engagement.  We made progress with China and Russia in sending a unified message to Iran and North Korea that they must live up to their international obligations and either forsake nuclear weapons or face the consequences.  As the two largest consumers and producers of energy, we developed a host of new clean energy initiatives with China, and our two nations agreed to work toward a successful outcome at the upcoming climate summit in Copenhagen – an outcome that leads to immediate action to reduce carbon pollution.  And I spoke to young men and women at a town hall in Shanghai and across the internet about certain values that we in America believe are universal:  the freedom of worship and speech; the right to access information and choose one’s own leaders. 

But above all, I spoke with leaders in every nation I visited about what we can do to sustain this economic recovery and bring back jobs and prosperity for our people – a task I will continue to focus on relentlessly in the weeks and months ahead. 

This recession has taught us that we can’t return to a situation where America’s economic growth is fueled by consumers who take on more and more debt.  In order to keep growing, we need to spend less, save more, and get our federal deficit under control.  We also need to place a greater emphasis on exports that we can build, produce, and sell to other nations – exports that can help create new jobs at home and raise living standards throughout the world. 

For example, if we can increase our exports to Asia Pacific nations by just 5%, we can increase the number of American jobs supported by these exports by hundreds of thousands.  This is already happening with businesses like American Superconductor Corporation, an energy technology startup based in Massachusetts that’s been providing wind power and smart grid systems to countries like China, Korea, and India.  By doing so, it’s added more than 100 jobs over the last few years. 

Increasing our exports is one way to create new jobs and new prosperity.  But as we emerge from a recession that has left millions without work, we have an obligation to consider every additional, responsible step we can take to encourage and accelerate job creation in this country. That’s why I’ve announced that in the next few weeks, we’ll be holding a forum at the White House on jobs and economic growth. I want to hear from CEOs and small business owners, economists and financial experts, as well as representatives from labor unions and nonprofit groups, about what they think we can do to spur hiring and get this economy moving again.

It is important that we do not make any ill-considered decisions – even with the best of intentions – particularly at a time when our resources are so limited.  But it is just as important that we are open to any demonstrably good idea to supplement the steps we’ve already taken to put America back to work.  That’s what I hope to achieve in this forum.  

Still, there is no forum or policy that can bring all the jobs we’ve lost overnight.  I wish there were, because so many Americans – friends, neighbors, family members – are desperately looking for work.  But even though it will take time, I can promise you this:  we are moving in the right direction; that the steps we are taking are helping; and I will not let up until businesses start hiring again, unemployed Americans start working again, and we rebuild this economy stronger and more prosperous than it was before.  That has been the focus of our efforts these past ten months – and it will continue to be our focus in the months and years to come. 

Thanks. 

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

• Maria Sally Matiella , Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management, Department of Defense
• Paul L. Oostburg Sanz, General Counsel of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense
• Solomon B. Watson IV, General Counsel of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense
• Kathleen S. Tighe, Inspector General, Department of Education
• Orlan Johnson, Chair, Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

·         Sharon Y. Bowen, Vice-Chair, Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

President Obama said, “These talented and dedicated individuals will be valued additions to my administration as we work to put our country back on the path to prosperity. I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals today:

Maria Sally Matiella, Nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management, Department of Defense

Mary Sally Matiella has 29 years of Federal employment, working in accounting and budget positions with the Army, Air Force, Defense Finance and Accounting Service, and Office of the Secretary of Defense.  She most recently served as Assistant Chief Financial Officer for Accounting at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and has previously served as Chief Financial Officer for U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Staff Accountant for the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), and Financial Manager for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.  Over her Federal career, Ms. Matiella has worked on military installations in the United States, Panama, and Germany. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree and M.B.A. from the University of Arizona.

Paul L. Oostburg Sanz, Nominee for General Counsel of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense

Paul L. Oostburg Sanz is currently the General Counsel of the United States House of Representatives Committee on Armed Services where he has advised on the passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act; detainee policy; the activities of the Department of Defense to counter the illicit narcotics trade; matters related to the Southern Command, and international legal issues.  From 2001-2006, he was the Deputy Chief Counsel for the Democratic Staff of the Committee on International Relations in the House (HIRC) where he focused on foreign and security assistance as well as the Western Hemisphere, in addition to his counsel responsibilities.  From 1999-2001, Mr. Oostburg Sanz clerked for the federal district court in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  In 1994, he conducted political party training in South Africa during the first all-inclusive national elections, as a Project Officer for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. From 1991-1993, he served in the Peace Corps in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa, teaching English in secondary schools.  Mr. Oostburg Sanz holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an M.P.A. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University, and a B.S.F.S. from the School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University.
 

Solomon B. Watson IV, Nominee for General Counsel of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense

From 1989 until 2005, Solomon B. Watson IV served as General Counsel of The New York Times Company.  As General Counsel, Mr. Watson was responsible for the management of the legal, governance, and compliance functions of the company and its operating units. Mr. Watson joined the legal department of The Times Company in December 1974, and became Corporate Secretary in 1979.  Mr. Watson was also a member of the company’s management executive committee. Mr. Watson retired from the company as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer in December 2006.  Mr. Watson, member of the New York and Massachusetts State Bar Associations, was an Associate in the Boston law firm of Bingham, Dana & Gould before joining The Times Company.  Among other professional activities, Mr. Watson was a member of the Advisory Board of the Agent Orange Settlement Fund. Mr. Watson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Howard University and a Juris Doctorate degree from Harvard Law School. Mr. Watson served in the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant in Military Police Corps from 1966 to 1968 and was awarded the Bronze Star and Army Commendation medals for service while stationed in Vietnam.

Kathleen S. Tighe, Nominee for Inspector General, Department of Education

Kathleen S. Tighe is currently the Deputy Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She assists the Inspector General in overseeing the office, evaluating priorities, and collaborating with the Department, Congress, and the public.  She previously served as Counsel and Assistant Counsel to the Inspector General at the General Services Administration for fourteen years.  From 1988 to 1991, Ms. Tighe was a Trial Attorney in the Fraud Section of the Department of Justice Civil Division.  She litigated cases under the civil False Claims Act and related statutes. Prior to her government service, Ms. Tighe was in private practice with the law firm Lewis, Mitchell & Moore in Vienna, Virginia where she practiced government and private contract litigation.  She earned her B.A. with distinction from Purdue University in 1976, her M.A. in international relations from American University in 1979, and her J.D. with honors from George Washington University in 1983.

Orlan Johnson, Chair, Nominee for Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

Orlan Johnson is a Partner in the Business Department of the Law firm Saul Ewing LLP.  His practice focuses on general corporate and securities matters, complex business transactions and federal and state regulatory issues in business and securities transactions including proxy solicitations, bankruptcy, equity and debt offerings.  Prior to joining Saul Ewing, Mr. Johnson was Of Counsel at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy, LLP where he served as co-head of its regulatory practice in the Washington, DC office.  Previously, he served as a Staff Attorney and Branch Chief in the Division of Investment Management for the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.  Mr. Johnson is an adjunct professor of law at Howard University School of Law where he has taught Securities Regulation classes.  Mr. Johnson received his B.A. from Andrews University and his J.D. from Howard University School of Law.

Sharon Y. Bowen, Nominee for Vice-Chair, Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation

Sharon Y. Bowen is a corporate partner in the New York office of Latham & Watkins LLP.  Ms. Bowen has counseled clients and handled transactions in a wide range of industries, including financial services, retail and REITs on both domestic and international matters.  She has represented some of the leading investment banks, corporations and private equity firms.  Her breadth of experience encompasses many areas such as finance, acquisitions, private equity and corporate governance.  Ms. Bowen serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee and Chair of the Diversity Hiring Subcommittee.  She serves on the Boards of Northwestern Law School (Chair), the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and PENCIL, and was selected to the DirectWomen Board Institute.  She has also served on various city, state and national bar association committees and is a frequent speaker at industry events. Ms. Bowen earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia, with distinction, and J.D. and M.B.A. from Northwestern University.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

TO THE TROOPS

Osan Air Base

Osan, Republic of Korea

3:40 P.M. KST

     THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Osan!  (Applause.)  It is good to be here!  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.

First of all, please give Staff Sergeant Randy Gray a big round of applause for the outstanding introduction.  (Applause.) I want to thank Randy for his service as one of the “Best Warriors” in the United States Army.  (Applause.)  Randy is a reminder that our noncommissioned officers are the strength of America’s military.  So thanks to Randy and to all the NCOs.  (Applause.)

Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Glover, for the invocation.  And please give a big round of applause to Katherine Dennison for singing our National Anthem.  (Applause.)  To the 8th Army Band  — where you guys at?  There they are, up there.  (Applause.)  You look fantastic.  To all the airmen and soldiers behind me — you guys make a pretty good photo op.  (Laughter.)  We are grateful for your service. 

I want to thank your local leaders at Osan for welcoming me here today, including Brigadier General Michael Keltz and Colonel Tom “Big” Deale.  (Applause.)  Your great senior enlisted leaders, including Command Sergeant Major Robert Winzenried and Chief Master Sergeant Michael Williams.  (Applause.)  

We are joined by America’s outstanding representatives here in the Republic of Korea:  I want you guys to give it up for Ambassador Kathleen Stephens and General “Skip” Sharp.  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  This is a wonderful story that I just heard — that the day Skip Sharp was born in West Virginia, his dad was here — serving in the Korean War.  And that just says something about the extraordinary tradition of your family and service to our country, and we salute you for that.  We are grateful to you.  Thank you so much. 

Listen, it is great to be here at Osan Air Base.  We’ve got the 51st Fighter Wing.  (Applause.)  We’ve got the 7th Air Force and — (applause) — Air Forces Korea.  (Applause.)  But I know we have folks from all across U.S. Forces Korea.  We’ve got the 8th Army and Army Forces Korea.  (Applause.)  We’ve got the Naval Forces Korea.  (Applause.)  We’ve got Marine Forces Korea  (Applause.)  Special Operations Command.  (Applause.)  And we’ve got a whole lot of DOD civilians, too.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  

Now, Joanne Sharp and Michelle Remington were there to greet me, and I see that we’ve got a whole lot of spouses and family here.  (Applause.)  To you and all the spouses back home, I just want to remind you that you serve and sacrifice, too, and America honors you as well.

And we are joined by our great allies:  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Lee and Mrs. Hwang.  We are so nice — so grateful that you are here.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Members of the Republic of Korea armed forces, and to all our KATUSA partners — your English is better than my Korean — (laughter) — but let me say:  Katchi Kapshida.  (Applause.)  For those of you guys who have not been doing your homework while you’re in Korea, that means:  We go together.  (Applause.)   

And to your neighbors — the people of Osan and this country — for more than a half a century, your steadfast resolve has earned you the respect of the world.  And your hospitality to Americans serving far from home has earned you the gratitude of the United States.  On behalf of us all, thank you to the people of the Republic of Korea.  (Applause.)

Today, I’m finishing my first visit to Asia as President.  In Tokyo, we renewed and deepened the U.S.-Japan alliance.  In Singapore, we worked with leaders from across the Asia Pacific to strengthen the global economic recovery.  And in China, we worked to advance the partnership between our two countries on global issues — because cooperation between the United States and China will mean a safer, more prosperous world for all of us, including right here on the Korean peninsula.

In Seoul, President Lee and I reaffirmed the enduring alliance between our countries — an alliance rooted in shared sacrifice, common values, mutual interest and mutual respect.  And as we look to the future with a shared vision of our alliance for the 21st century, I made it clear — America’s commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea will never waver, and our alliance has never been stronger.

And I want to deliver, actually, just a quick story, go a little off script.  President Lee talked to me about what it was like when he was a young child here in Korea, this country having been torn by war, and the poverty that still existed in the country.  And he said, I hope the American people understand how grateful we are for what you’ve done, because we would not be the extraordinarily strong, prosperous nation that we are, had it not been for the sacrifices of your armed services and the continued contributions that you’ve made.

And I thought, when the President of a country that’s become so successful says that America, and America’s armed services in particular, had something to do with the extraordinary success of their country — he said, that’s something you should take great pride in.  And I want all of you to know that, because you are carrying that tradition on right here at Osan.

I couldn’t come to the Republic of Korea without coming to see you to deliver a simple message — a message of thanks to you and your families.  Because of all the privileges of serving as President, I have no greater honor than serving as

Commander-in-Chief of the finest military that the world has ever known.  (Applause.)  

At every stop on my journey, one truth is clear:  The security that allows families to live in peace in Asia and America, the prosperity that allows people to pursue their dreams, the freedoms and liberties that we cherish — they’re not accidents of history; they are the direct result of the work that you do, the strong alliances that we have.  That’s the legacy that you are carrying forward.  It is no exaggeration to say that the progress we’ve seen not just in Korea but in this part of the world would not have been possible without the security and stability provided by generations of American men and women in uniform.  It has transformed the lives of millions of people.

Many people have to wait a lifetime to see the difference they’ve made.  But you see the legacy of your service, and you only have to look around.  Like generations before you, you’ve helped keep the peace on this peninsula, working with the wonderful people of the Republic of Korea as they forged a vibrant democracy, and an example that the world admires of  progress and tradition go hand in hand. 

Backed by our alliance, this is one of the world’s most dynamic economies — and one of America’s largest trading partners — bringing prosperity and opportunity to both our people.  That’s the legacy of our armed services. 

Backed by our alliance, the Republic of Korea has taken on a leadership role, promoting security and stability around the world.  In Iraq.  In Afghanistan.  In the waters off the Horn of Africa.  And here in Asia, helping to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.  That makes us all more secure.  That, too, is part of your legacy.

But the story of your service goes beyond this peninsula.  For you are members of a generation that has earned your place among the greatest in American history.  You volunteered in a time of war, knowing that you could be sent into harm’s way.  Many of you served in Iraq.  (Applause.)  You’ve given people a chance at self-government there.  Others among you served in Afghanistan.  (Applause.)  And you’ve denied a safe have to those who attacked us eight Septembers ago — and would do so again if given the opportunity.  Others among you will deploy yet again.  

So you and your families have served tour after tour, year after year.  And while you made sacrifices that few Americans will ever truly understand, I want to assure you — every American appreciates what you do.  I say today, on behalf of the American people:  We thank you for your service.  We honor you for your sacrifices.  And just as you’ve fulfilled your responsibilities to your nation, your nation will fulfill its responsibilities to you.  

So as Commander-in-Chief, here’s the commitment I make.  We’ll make sure you can meet the missions we ask you to go on.  That’s why we’re increasing the defense budget, to keep you the best-trained, best-led, best-equipped military in the world. 

We’ve increased the size of the Army and Marines Corps ahead of schedule.  We’ve approved a temporary increase in the Army.  And we’ve halted reductions in the Navy and the Air Force — which will give you more time home between deployments.  And it will help us to put an end, once and for all, for stop-loss for those who’ve done their duty.   

We’ll spend our defense dollars wisely.  So we’re cutting tens of billions of dollars in waste and unnecessary projects that even the Pentagon says it doesn’t need — so that we can spend that money on building the 21st century military that we do need so we can maintain our military superiority. 

And I promise you this:  I will not hesitate to use force to protect the American people or our vital interests.  But I will also not risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary.  (Applause.)  And when it is necessary, America will back you up to the hilt.  We’ll give you the strategy, the clear mission, the equipment and the support you need to get the job done.  That’s the promise I make to you.

As you fulfill your duties, we’re going to take care of your families.  That’s why we’re increasing pay.  (Applause.)  That’s what’s called an applause line in the business.  (Laughter.)   That’s why we’re increasing child care.  That’s why we’re increasing support to help spouses and families deal with the stress and separation of war.  And I want to commend General Sharp for working to normalize your tours — so more of your families can join you here in Korea.  And everywhere I go, from what I’ve heard, there’s an extraordinary quality of life here for our troops.  The fact that we can extend these tours a little bit longer just provides more stability and security for your families. 

Finally, we pledge to be there when you come home.  I mean, it’s nice here, but we want you coming home.  We’re improving care for our wounded warriors, especially those with Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury.  We’re funding the Post-9/11 GI Bill — to give you and your families the chance to pursue your dreams.  We’ve made the biggest commitment to our veterans through the largest percentage increase requested for the VA’s budget in more than 30 years.

So these are the commitments I make to you.  Because you’ve always taken care of America, and America needs to take care of you.  (Applause.)  For you are the latest chapter in a long story of proud service — a story told in quiet places of reflection and tribute, including a memorial on the National Mall in Washington, not far from the White House.

There, between the monument to Washington and the memorial to Lincoln, you can find it — 19 statutes, a squad on patrol as they might have appeared on this peninsula six decades ago.  Their packs on their backs.  Clad in their helmets and ponchos.  Carrying their rifles and radios.  Every service — Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines.  Every race — white, black, brown.  Standing together.  Serving together.  Moving on.  Pushing ahead. And etched into the black granite wall beside them, thousands of faces — the nurses, the mechanics, the support personnel who served alongside them.

There, at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, beside the tranquil waters that help us remember, are the statistics of their sacrifice — the wounded, the captured, the missing, the dead from that war.  And under a bright American flag, etched in stone, are timeless words we know to be true: “Freedom is not free.”

Freedom is not free.  And it is paid in the service and the sacrifice of all who wear America’s uniform.  It was paid by their generation — from the Pusan perimeter to the landings at Inchon, from the skies of Mig Alley to the heroism of Heartbreak Ridge.  It’s been paid by every generation since.  And it’s being paid by you — in service that inspires us all.  And for this, your country — and generations yet unborn — will be forever grateful.

So God bless you all.  God bless the armed services, and God bless the United States of America.  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)

REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA

AND PRESIDENT LEE OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA

BEFORE BILATERAL MEETING

Blue House

Seoul, Republic of Korea

November 19, 2009

11:15 A.M. KST

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, Mr. President — I was telling the President, and I think the delegation would agree, that this was the most spectacular ceremony for a state visit that we’ve been involved with since we’ve traveled.

And I was saying that I especially enjoyed the traditional dress of some of the soldiers.

PRESIDENT LEE:  (As translated.)  But traditional uniforms are quite difficult to fight in.  (Laughter.) 

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  That’s true, that’s true.

PRESIDENT LEE:  Well, first of all, Mr. President, welcome.  And you’re bringing very nice weather with you, because up until yesterday it was sub-zeros, frigid cold.  (Laughter.)

Well, once again, Mr. President, welcome to the Asian region, and, of course, welcome to Korea.  I know that your visit to Japan and China has been very successful.

And Mr. President, as we all like to say, you saved the best for last.  (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, Mr. President, let me just say that we have been so gratified by the warmth with which we’ve been received here in the Republic of Korea.

And I think there’s every indication that the alliance between our two countries has never been stronger.