    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [May 25, 1996]
    [Pages 818-819]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    The President's Radio Address
    May 25, 1996

        Good morning. This weekend all across our country we gather to
    observe Memorial Day. Over this weekend we honor Americans from all our
    wars who died while defending our Nation. These brave men and women gave
    their tomorrows so that we might live in freedom.

    [[Page 819]]

    We must vow to uphold the ideals they died for and make our country
    great, an America free and strong, a force for peace and progress, a
    land of tolerance and opportunity for all.
        Many of you will come together as families and friends to place a
    wreath on a grave, to proudly march in a parade, to tell tales of
    service and sacrifice that are so much the story of our Nation. From the
    Revolutionary War to the Civil War, from the World Wars to Korea,
    Vietnam, Desert Storm, and the other conflicts in our history, all
    remind us that all of our people have given a lot in the military to
    protect the land we love.
        Now we have the responsibility to build a future worthy of their
    sacrifice. We must make sure that America enters the 21st century as the
    greatest force on Earth for peace and freedom. Today, the men and women
    of America's Armed Forces are the best trained, best equipped, best
    prepared in the world, and I am determined to keep them that way. This
    is the surest guarantee of our security and freedom.
        Whether safeguarding the border between North and South Korea,
    rescuing Americans in Liberia, helping the people of Bosnia to uphold
    the peace they chose, all around the world our troops stand sentry on
    liberty's front lines. Today we salute our men and women in uniform and
    the families who support them. We are proud of them and grateful for
    their service.
        Our troops are the backbone of the American leadership that is the
    source of strength at home and our success around the world. Whether
    preventing conflict in the Persian Gulf, reducing the nuclear threat as
    we have done in North Korea, working with other nations to fight common
    dangers like terrorism, drug trafficking, and organized crime,
    strengthening our alliances in Asia and Europe, or isolating rogue
    nations like Libya and Iraq, steady, strong American leadership is
    making our people safer and the world more secure.
        We also must uphold our Nation's leadership in the powerful global
    movement for democracy and peace. Today, more than ever and more than
    any other nation, America can help to push aside obstacles and point the
    way to peace. From the Middle East to Northern Ireland, from Haiti to
    Bosnia, we are helping millions of people embrace a future of hope. If
    we continue to make good on their trust, we can build an even brighter
    future for our own people and for the world.
        We owe many debts to those who gave all they had to defend America's
    security and values around the world. But we know that to truly fulfill
    our debts, we must build the American dream here at home, too. Our
    troops deserve an America with strong families, safe streets, good
    schools, clean air and water. Even as we balance our budget, my
    administration is working to keep our solemn commitment to America's
    veterans by improving the health care they receive, protecting the
    benefits they've earned, and making sure they have a fair shot at decent
    jobs and good homes.
        Our commitment to our veterans must be the same as our commitment to
    all Americans, to give them the chance to make the most of their own
    lives. Generations of service men and women have fought and died for a
    common ideal, an America that offers opportunity for all, demands
    responsibility from all, that comes together as a community around the
    values we share.
        On this Memorial Day, let us honor their sacrifice. Let us resolve
    to keep our America the strongest nation in the world and the world's
    strongest force for peace and freedom. And let us each do our part to
    keep the American dream alive.
        Thank you for listening.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:06 a.m. from the Oval Office at the
    White House. The Memorial Day proclamation of May 24 is listed in
    Appendix D at the end of this volume.