For Immediate Release
Office of the Vice President
January 27, 2004
Remarks by the Vice President to Troops and Families
Hangar 1
Aviano Air Base, Italy
2:35 P.M. (Local)
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. I'd like to thank
all of you for this warm welcome. This isn't quite the sunny Italy we
thought we were going to have. (Laughter.) This is my first trip to
Italy as Vice President -- and when we put the itinerary together, I
wanted to make certain we had the priority stop here at Aviano.
(Applause.)
I'm proud to be with members of the 16th Air Force -- (applause) --
the 31st Fighter Wing, family members and all our Italian friends.
America's presence at this air base dates back to the Second World
War, and you're living up to its proud history. You play a vital role
in the defense of our country. And you're serving far from home, but
millions of Americans are thinking about you every day. I'm honored to
express the nation's gratitude, and to convey the personal regards of
our Commander-in-Chief, President George W. Bush. (Applause.)
Every unit at this base is performing with distinction. Squadrons
from the 510th and 603rd are flying key missions over Iraq and
Afghanistan, keeping watch over our people there. Just over a month
ago, F-16s out of Aviano were overhead when our soldiers on the ground
found Saddam Hussein in a hole. (Applause.) This base is also helping
us to meet our commitments in the Balkans, where the 555th is carrying
out support missions over Bosnia.
And here on the base, you work very closely every day with our
Italian allies -- military personnel, fire department, Carabinieri and
medical support, we're grateful to all of them. I especially want to
thank Colonel Scarpolini for his fine leadership and professionalism.
(Applause.) The teamwork here at Aviano is a daily reminder of the
superb relationship between our two countries. Italy is a great friend
and ally of the United States.
Members of our military depend, above all else, on the support of
their families -- and I want to thank them, the family members who are
with us today. You're a close-knit community; you look out for each
other. The spirit of volunteerism at the base is strong. America is
proud of each and every one of our military families. (Applause.)
Today's generation of our military has been called to fight in the
first war of the 21st century -- a war that began on September 11th,
2001, when enemies struck the United States and murdered thousands of
our fellow citizens. On that morning, America awakened to new dangers,
and we accepted new responsibilities.
That day changed everything. In the space of a few hours, we saw
the violence and the grief that terrorists can inflict. And we had a
glimpse of the even greater harm they wish to do to us. The terrorists
hate our country and everything we stand for in the world. They seek
even deadlier weapons, and they would use them against us. In the face
of this danger, we have only one option, and that's to take the fight
to the enemy.
We are breaking up cells and disrupting plots. And we are staying
on the offensive -- tracking al Qaeda around the world. Many skilled
and determined military personnel are on a manhunt -- and one by one,
we will bring the terrorists to justice. (Applause.)
As President Bush made clear from the very beginning, America is
also determined to confront the regimes that support terror and could
supply them with ever deadlier weapons. That's why we went into
Afghanistan, and took down the regime, and shut down the al Qaeda
camps. And now, with the help of our coalition, the Afghan people are
building a decent and a just society -- and the Taliban is gone
forever. (Applause.)
In Iraq, where a dictator cultivated ties to terror and sought to
arm himself with deadly weapons, America led a mission to make the
world safer, and liberate the Iraqi people. Saddam Hussein defied the
demands of the civilized world and he has experienced the
consequences. At the start of 2003, just a year ago, he controlled the
lives and the future of 25 million people. Now at the beginning of
2004, he's in jail. (Applause.) He will never again brutalize his
people, never again threaten the United States of America.
The combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq showed the great
power and precision of America's modern military. We destroyed
terrorist camps, military training facilities, air fields, air
defenses, ammunition storage areas, and command and control
facilities. With our air power, including unmanned combat vehicles and
precision weapons, it has been possible to strike the enemy and spare
innocent lives.
We will invest in these and other capabilities in the years ahead.
To carry out any mission that may come, you deserve the very best, in
terms of weapons, equipment, and training and support. And you will
have them.
Important work goes on in Iraq and Afghanistan. Having liberated
more than 50 million people from cruel oppression, we are now helping
them to establish free and stable societies in a troubled region of the
world. Freedom still has enemies in those countries, and these enemies
are using the tactics of terror against our coalition forces and
against innocent civilians. They hope to intimidate us, but they won't
succeed. We will confront and defeat them at the heart and the center
of their power, so we do not have to face them on the streets of our
own cities.
The mission going forward is still difficult, and the enemy is
still dangerous. We have lost some brave Americans -- and our Italian
allies have also sacrificed in this cause. America does not take for
granted our freedom, or those who put their lives on the line for the
security of us all. We remember every life lost, and we honor every
name.
All the members of our military are engaged in a great and
honorable cause. You are protecting innocent life, and defending human
freedom against determined enemies. You can be proud of the uniform
you wear, the oath you've taken, and the code you live by every day.
In this time of testing for our country, much has been asked of you.
And I can assure you, on behalf of the President and all Americans:
This nation has confidence in your abilities, we are certain of your
success, and we are grateful for your brave service to the United
States of America.
Thank you very much. (Applause.)
END 2:45 P.M. (Local)
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