[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 11 (Tuesday, February 8, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                E X T E N S I O N   O F   R E M A R K S


                         A TRIBUTE TO VETERANS

                                 ______


                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 8, 1994

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, it is always appropriate for us to reflect 
upon, and be grateful for, the freedoms preserved by our brave fighting 
men and women. We accept these freedoms as second nature, but it is 
appropriate to remind ourselves that they must be protected and 
nurtured.
  Through the decades, our military has defended not only our freedom, 
but also freedom for people throughout the world.
  A tribute to veterans was eloquently presented last Veterans Day by 
the State commander of the Maryland Veterans of Foreign Wars, Joseph W. 
Nassar. Following is the text of his speech as a reminder of our 
precious freedom and the dedication of our veterans.

       Seventy-five years ago at the eleventh hour of the eleventh 
     day of the eleventh month, World War I came to an end. The 
     armistice was signed at 11:00 a.m. on November 11, 1918.
       Five million Americans served in that war; 117,000 were 
     killed, 204,000 wounded.
       Three years later on November 11, 1921, an unknown soldier 
     from World War I was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. 
     Other nations paid the same tribute to their war dead and the 
     day became known as Armistice Day, and would have remained 
     Armistice Day forever had not World War II come along and 
     then Korea.
       Those who served in those wars and the survivors of those 
     who died wanted a day on which their service could be 
     remembered and their loved ones honored.
       In 1954, President Eisenhower proclaimed November 11th as 
     Veterans Day, and asked that on this day all Americans 
     rededicate themselves to the cause of peace.
       Today, at this observance, all of us share in that 
     rededication, and we share too in a rededication to America 
     and what this country stands for, and to an appreciation of 
     what our veterans have done in protecting our American way 
     of life.
       The VFW theme for this year is ``Commitment to Service.'' 
     We are committed to serving the needs of our fellow veterans 
     and the needs of our country.
       One area in which we are very committed is that of foreign 
     affairs. As our name implies, all of our members have served 
     overseas in wartime. We know what happens when diplomacy 
     fails and governments send armies onto the field of battle.
       In this century, American military forces have been on the 
     field of battle 45 times. It's easy to recall the big ones, 
     WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam, but what about the North Russia 
     Campaign, 1918-1919; After WWI was over. And the expedition 
     to Siberia 1918-1920.
       How about the North Atlantic Naval War of 1941--took place 
     months before Pearl Harbor.
       The list is long and painful to read because each location 
     brings to mind the fact that Americans served there and 
     Americans died there: The Chinese Civil War 1945-1947; 
     Lebanon 1958; Belgian Congo 1960; Bay of Pigs 1961; Dominican 
     Republic, Panama, Iran, Libya, Honduras, El Salvador--the 
     list is long and in each case those who served were there to 
     promote the national interests of the United States and to 
     further the ideals of peace and freedom.
       But as we meet here to honor the millions of Americans who 
     have served our country, we cannot help but think of those 
     American military forces now deployed on very questionable 
     missions.
       Less than a year ago, the Bush administration sent American 
     forces to Somalia to assist in distributing food and medical 
     care to the starving and sick. It was a noble mission and we 
     were proud of our country and its ability to respond to a 
     major international crisis. That mission, operation Restore 
     Hope, Ended in May of this year. Yet our troops remain in 
     Somalia. Why?
       On October 3rd, 18 American Servicemen were killed in 
     Somalia. killed by the same people they had been sent to feed 
     and heal. And the bodies of some dragged through the streets.
       Instead of realizing that we were no longer welcome there 
     and that it was time to bring the troops home, the Clinton 
     administration sent in more troops, Why?
       The VFW response came out in a news release on October 5th. 
     VFW national Commander-in-chief George R. Cramer said, 
     ``Americans are united in horror at the photographs of our 
     servicemen being defiled by the Somalis they went to save. 
     This action must teach us a lesson to stay out of places 
     where our national interest is not at risk. The original 
     mission of feeding the starving Somalis has long been over 
     and our troops should have returned home long ago.''
       That's the VFW position. Even before the outrage of October 
     3rd, we had called for an end to the operation in a 
     resolution adopted at our national convention in August. We 
     have 2.2 million members in the VFW--they represent a cross 
     section of America, and the opinion of that group is, bring 
     the troops home.
       Even while our government tries to find a purpose for the 
     troops it is sending to Somalia other American forces are at 
     sea off the coast of Haiti. They tried to land once but were 
     asked to go away. Now they wait off-shore while our 
     government tries to come up with another idea on what to do 
     with Haiti.
       The answer to that question was given to us in 1934: 
     Nothing. We first went to Haiti in 1915 to do some ``nation 
     building.'' Nineteen years later we came home. Other than 
     building some roads and schools and clinics, and drilling a 
     few fresh-water wells, we accomplished nothing. Haiti was the 
     same the day we left as it had been the day we arrived. And 
     if we land troops there tomorrow and leave them there for 
     another 19 years, nothing will have changed.
       Bring the troops home.
       We've covered a lot of commitments this century. Anyone who 
     would question that has only to look at the history of this 
     turbulent and war-torn century.
       Though punctuated with gunfire, this is a new era of world 
     peace unlike any seen before. Despite the dangers and 
     outrages, the misery of many and the burdens still to bear, 
     this is also an era of great promise. Let's meet the 
     challenge of peace.
       If we are going to feed the hungry and heal the sick, let's 
     take care of our own first. If we're going to take part in 
     ``nation building,'' let's do it here in America first. If 
     we're going to take a stand against violence, terrorism and 
     crime in the streets, let's do it today, right here in 
     America. Our citizens deserve nothing less.
       If we're going to bring to life the spirit of our own 
     Declaration of Independence--``We hold these truths to be 
     self-evident that all men are created equal, with certain 
     unalienable rights * * * life, liberty and the pursuit of 
     happiness,'' and the promise of our own Constitution: ``We, 
     the people of the United States, in order to form a more 
     perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic 
     tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the 
     general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to 
     ourselves * * *'' then we are going to have to devote our 
     time, energy and commitment to doing them here at home, in 
     America.
       We cannot continue to pursue foreign policies which have no 
     merit or virtue and which put American men and women in 
     harm's way for purposes which do not serve any national 
     policy.
       I thank all of you for taking part in this very special 
     observance of Veterans Day. I take pride in being a veteran 
     and I take pride in all of the veterans we honor today. And I 
     take great pride in those active duty military forces we 
     have, at home and abroad, serving our nation.

                          ____________________