The White House Briefing Room
November 22, 1998
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO BASE PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES
3:46 P.M. (L)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Seoul, Republic of Korea)
______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release November 22, 1998
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO BASE PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES
Osan Air Force Base
Republic of Korea
3:46 P.M. (L)
THE PRESIDENT: I think the Sergeant did a fine job under unusual
circumstances. Let's give him another hand here. (Applause.) He did tell
Congressman Abercrombie not to make his introduction too short, but I think he
was a little bit embarrassed by having the truth told.
Sergeant, we thank you for your heroism and your service. We thank two
of your fellow airmen who helped you in that rescue mission, Staff Sergeant
Thomas Metheny and Brian Stump. (Applause.) And we thank all of you for your
service. And we thank all of you for your service. (Applause.)
I want to thank Congressman Abercrombie for his fine remarks. He's here
with a delegation that includes Senator Max Baucus of Montana, Congresswoman
Patsy Mink of Hawaii, Congressman Earl Pomeroy of North Dakota. Anybody here
from North Dakota? There is one man up there with his hand up. Another one.
The reason I introduce them is it's very warm here, for them, compared to North
Dakota. (Laughter.) And Delegate Robert Underwood from Guam. (Applause.)
General Tilelli, General Hurd, General Dordal, General Dierker; members
of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces; Ambassador and Mrs. Bosworth; our
Secretary of Commerce Bill Daley and the National Security Advisor Sandy Berger,
and all the other members of our administration who are here; the family members
and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces,
I am honored to be here with you. I'm glad to see you out here
in good spirits. I'm sorry you've had to wait a while in the
cold wind, and I'm glad we're starting early. (Applause.)
Let me say that I know that supply is an area of great
expertise and importance -- (applause) -- but just looking around
the crowd today, it seems to me that the parkas are a little
unevenly distributed. (Laughter.) So I'll try to give a fairly
brief speech.
What I have to say to you is simple. I am very proud
of the work you do -- U.S. Forces Korea, the 7th Air Force, the
51st Fighter wing, all the 607th Group, the 631st Air Mobility
Support Squadron, the soldiers and airmen, the sailors, and
Marines, the Korean military personnel who are here -- all of
you. And I came, more than anything else, to say on behalf of
all the American people, we thank you for your service to the
United States. (Applause.)
As I also look at this vast sea of highly
representative and diverse faces, I am reminded that it was 50
years ago this year, in 1948, when President Harry Truman
courageously ordered the integration of America's Armed Forces.
Now our Armed Forces are a model of unity and diversity for the
entire world -- people of different origins coming together,
working together, for the common good.
I am proud of that, and so should you be, because
though Harry Truman made the decision 50 years ago, it is you 50
years later who have fulfilled his vision and made it work. Osan
Air Base is a community with stores and restaurants, homes, and
classrooms. In fact, back at the White House, we looked on the
Internet and found the page of the Osan American High School.
Listen to this. This is what the students modestly described
their website as. They said it is, "the most masterfully
designed high school website of them all." (Applause.) I want
to commend the designer for his or her extraordinary confidence.
(Laughter.)
I'd also like to commend the Department of Defense
school system, one of the unsung heroes of our military service.
I thank the teachers and the administrators here and throughout
the world for your commitment to our children's future.
Osan Air Base is an important symbol of our commitment
to liberty. It was just a few miles from here that United States
soldiers first engaged enemy forces in the ground combat of the
summer of 1950. And Americans gave their lives in the Korean War
on the very grounds of this base. And Osan Air Base is a vital
post in our ongoing determined effort to protect that liberty,
shoulder to shoulder with our strong Korean allies.
No one should doubt today our joint commitment to
freedom. It is stronger than ever. And Korea under the
leadership of President Kim Dae-Jung, embodies that, for he as
well as any person alive knows that the struggle for freedom
requires strength, courage, and a lifetime of dedication.
President Kim faced prison and persecution, death
threats and death sentences, because he stood up for his belief
in democracy and because he would not give up his hope that true
democracy could flourish here in Korea. Now our countries work
together more closely than ever before for peace and human rights
around the world. And none of that could happen without you, the
American and Korean military forces. (Applause.)
You have maintained the peace for 45 years. And let me
say, again not so much to you because you know it, but through
you and the media here to all of the American people back home --
sometimes it's easy to forget that even in peacetime, military
work is difficult and dangerous. Tensions have gone up and down
on this peninsula over the years, but always there are risks.
I talked about just a moment ago the distinguished
gentleman who introduced me and his fellow airmen who risked
their lives to aid others. Just a few weeks ago, 50 miles from
here, four Americans and one Korean soldier lost their lives
returning from important training missions. Let me say their
names: Private Joseph Biondo, Private First Class Joey Brantley,
Specialist James Buis, Sergeant Brian Walshxx, Corporal Kim Yong
Ku.
We honor their service. We mourn their loss in the
cause of peace and security. May the American people never
forget this work is difficult and dangerous, and we owe you a lot
for doing it.
America strongly supports President Kim's strategy of
engagement with North Korea. In the five years since I last met
with our troops along the DMZ, we have seen some hopeful signs.
There have been peace talks, and over the summer, for the very
first time, United States Command and the North Korean military
began General Officer talks aimed at preventing problems along
the DMZ.
But, unfortunately, not all has gone well. Lately,
signs of danger have intensified, with incursions from the North,
provocative missile tests, and the question of a suspect
underground installation. So we must remain vigilant. And
thanks to you, we are.
One of the greatest threats the world now faces is
weapons of mass destruction. And though our attention lately has
been focused on Iraq's efforts in that area, North Korea is also
a major concern. Here at Osan, you are critical to this most
dangerous battleground, deterring and, if necessary, defending
against chemical and biological attacks.
Let me reaffirm the view of the United States: North
Korea must maintain its freeze on and move ahead to dismantle its
nuclear weapons program, as it has agreed to do. It must comply
with its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
It must halt its efforts to develop and proliferate chemical and
biological weapons and ballistic missiles.
We will continue to press North Korea to take these
steps for peace and security. But until it fully commits itself
to a constructive role on this peninsula, we must remain ready.
And thanks to you, we will. America will continue to do what it
takes to promote the security of our citizens and our friends and
allies, to be a force for peace as we have been in Haiti, in
Northern Ireland, in Bosnia, in Kosovo in the Middle East.
Our ability to succeed in promoting peace is uniquely
due to the fact that we can back up our diplomatic efforts when
necessary with military strength. And that depends on you, the
finest Armed Forces in the world.
We ask so much of you, to travel far from home, to work
long hours, to risk your lives. We ask so much of you families
-- lengthy separations, career and school transitions. We owe an
awful lot in return -- at least the training and support you
need, the tools to do your job, from high-tech equipment to the
most basic spare parts, and the quality of life you deserve.
I spend a lot of time addressing these issues with
Secretary of Defense Cohen, with General Shelton of the Joint
Chiefs, with other leaders of our military. While our current
state of readiness is sound, we have to ensure we're prepared for
the future. To move us in the right direction I asked the
Congress to approve $1.1 billion in additional funds for
readiness and recruitment in this year's budget. And I'm happy
to say the Congress came through. (Applause.)
We obtained almost $2 billion in emergency funds to
cover unanticipated operations in Bosnia. We shifted another $1
billion in existing defense funds to readiness needs. I've asked
Secretary Cohen to prepare budget and policy proposals aimed at
addressing these needs for the long-term, and I've approved pay
raises that will significantly reduce the gap between military
and civilian pay. (Applause.) I ought to quit while I'm ahead.
(Laughter.)
I want you to know that, working with Congress and the
Joint Chiefs, we will continue to make our top priority your
readiness -- readiness for our first-to-fight forces like the
soldiers I met earlier today from the Second Infantry Division --
(applause) -- readiness for our sailors in ships at sea so vital
to our efforts, particularly now, to contain the weapons of mass
destruction threat of Saddam Hussein; readiness for our strategic
and tactical air forces, crucial in meeting our security
challenges in the Gulf, in Bosnia, here in Korea, indeed all
around the world.
Thursday is Thanksgiving. (Applause.) I know that
your loved ones back home are thinking about you here -- proud of
your accomplishments, your service, your kindness, and your
strength. I'm happy today to be bringing to you some prepaid
phone cards generously provided by AT&T -- (applause) -- so you
can call your families and friends across the ocean for free.
(Applause.)
I hope that all Americans -- all Americans, not just
those who receive a call on Thanksgiving Day -- as they sit down
to their turkey and give thanks for all our blessings, will
consider the debt of gratitude we all owe to our men and women in
uniform. You have made the world a better place and you will
continue to do so. You have made us very proud and we will
continue to be very proud.
I thank you. I wish you well. God bless you and God
bless America. (Applause.)
END 3:58 P.M. (L)
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