    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [November 23, 1999]
    [Pages 2147-2148]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to American Troops Following Thanksgiving Dinner at Camp
    Bondsteel
    November 23, 1999

        Thank you. Well, the people at my table said that the speech I gave
    to the other troops was piped in here, which means it either was or it
    wasn't. And if it was, you heard it, and if it wasn't, you get relieved
    of hearing it. [Laughter]
        Let me say to all of you how very grateful I am for your service
    here and for the power of your example here. As I said to the other
    troops, NATO won the military victory, but now the people of Kosovo have
    to win the peace, and you have to help them win it, not only by doing
    your jobs but by setting a good example.
        This was a war caused by a man's
    determination to drive a whole people out of a country

    [[Page 2148]]

    because of their ethnic and religious background. It's the opposite of
    everything we believe in, everything we live by, and everything the
    United States military stands for.
        And you just look around this room today. We just celebrated
    Thanksgiving with, I bet you, conservatively, 25 different ethnic groups
    represented among the American military forces here in this room--maybe
    50, maybe it's more. We are interested and proud in and proud of our
    background, and we should be, but we know that our common humanity and
    our shared values are more important. That's the message that the
    children need to get here in Kosovo. And the more you work with people
    and the more you let children see you working together, having a good
    time, being proud of what you're doing, doing your job, living the
    American creed, you will also be fulfilling your mission by doing that.
        Kids are not brought up hating each other because they're different;
    they have to be taught to do that. They've taught generations of people
    on this land, good people in both communities, to do that. And now
    they've got to stop, and you've got to help them. And I can't think of a
    better Thanksgiving present that you could give to them.
        Let me also say that I was very honored--I've got four Members of the Congress here who voted for
    this, but I was very honored to sign the legislation which raised the
    pay and improved the retirement of members of the military. But let me
    also say that we are well aware that in this good economy, with the
    training you've gotten in the military, that you're not serving for the
    money, but we think you ought to be properly compensated and have a good
    retirement, and it ought to be an incentive for you to stay if you're so
    inclined.
        But we honor your service; we need you. And on Thanksgiving, those
    of us who came here will be home, and you will be a long way from home.
    But you will be in our hearts, and I hope you know that what you're
    doing is a great, great gift to your country.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 3:30 p.m. in a dining tent. In his remarks,
    he referred to President Slobodan Milosevic of the Federal Republic of
    Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro); and the National Defense
    Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000, Public Law 106-65, approved
    October 5.