[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 18 (Monday, May 10, 1993)]
[Pages 754-756]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Welcoming Home Military Personnel from Somalia

 May 5, 1993

    To all of our distinguished guests from all the services, to General 
Powell and the Joint Chiefs, Secretary Aspin, Mr. Vice President, ladies 
and gentlemen, and especially to General Johnston and the men and women 
of the Unified Task Force in Somalia.
    General Johnston has just reported to me: Mission accomplished. And 
so, on behalf of all the American people, I say to you, General, and to 
all whom you brought with you: Welcome home, and thank you for a job 
very, very well done.
    You represent the thousands who served in this crucial operation, in 
the First Marine Expeditionary Force, in the Army 10th Mountain 
Division, aboard the Navy's Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, in the Air 
Force and Air National Guard airlift squadrons, and in other units in 
each of our services. Over 30,000 American military personnel served at 
sometime in these last 5 months in Somalia. And serving alongside you 
were thousands of others from 20 nations.
    Although your mission was humanitarian and not combat, you 
nonetheless faced difficult and dangerous conditions. You sometimes were 
subjected to abuse and forced to dodge rocks and even bullets. You saw 
firsthand the horror of hunger, disease, and death. But you pressed on 
with what you set out to do, and you were successful. You have served in 
the best tradition of the Armed Forces of the United States, and you 
have made the American people very, very proud.
    In the weeks to come, we will formally recognize the contributions 
of those who participated in Operation Restore Hope. But earlier today, 
to honor their accomplishments and that of all who supported that 
effort, I awarded to General Johnston the Defense Distinguished Service 
Medal in recognition not only of his extraordinary service but also of

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all those who served with him so well. Thank you all for your dedicated 
work.

    To understand the magnitude of what our forces in Somalia 
accomplished, the world need only look back at Somalia's condition just 
6 months ago. Hundreds of thousands of people were starving; armed 
anarchy ruled the land and the streets of every city and town. Today, 
food is flowing; crops are growing; schools and hospitals are reopening. 
Although there is still much to be done if enduring peace is to prevail, 
one can now envision a day when Somalia will be reconstructed as a 
functioning civil society.

    If all of you who served had not gone, it is absolutely certain that 
tens of thousands would have died by now. You saved their lives. You 
gave the people of Somalia the opportunity to look beyond starvation and 
focus on their future and the future of their children. Although you 
went on a mission of peace, eight Americans did not return. We salute 
each of them. We thank them and their families. America will never 
forget what they did or what they gave. To their loved ones we extend 
our hearts and our prayers.

    As we honor the service of those who have returned and those who did 
not, it is fitting that we reflect on what the successful mission 
signifies for the future. This, the largest humanitarian relief 
operation in history, has written an important new chapter in the 
international annals of peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance.

    You have shown that the work of the just can prevail over the arms 
of the warlords. You have demonstrated that the world is ready to 
mobilize its resources in new ways to face the challenges of a new age. 
And you have proved yet again that American leadership can help to 
mobilize international action to create a better world.

    You also leave behind a U.N. peacekeeping force with a significant 
American component. This force is a reflection of the new era we have 
entered, for it has Americans participating in new ways. Just hours ago, 
General Johnston turned over command to General Bir of Turkey as UNTAF 
became UNOSOM II. You set the stage and made it possible for that force 
to do its mission and for the Somalis to complete the work of rebuilding 
and creating a peaceful, self-sustaining, and democratic civil society.

    Your successful return reminds us that other missions lie ahead for 
our Nation. Some we can foresee, and others we cannot. As always we 
stand ready to defend our interests, working with others where possible 
and by ourselves where necessary. But increasingly in this new era, we 
will need to work with an array of multinational partners, often in new 
arrangements. You have proved again that that is possible. You have 
proved again that our involvement in multilateral efforts need not be 
open-ended or ill-defined, that we can go abroad and accomplish some 
distinct objectives, and then come home again when the mission is 
accomplished.

    Some will ask why, if the cold war ended, we must still support the 
world's greatest military forces, the kind that General Johnston and his 
comrades represent. I say it is because we still have interests; we 
still face threats; we still have responsibilities. The world has not 
seen the end of evil, and America can lead other countries to share more 
of the responsibilities that they ought to be shouldering.

    Some will ask why we must so often be the one to lead. Well, of 
course we cannot be the world's policeman, but we are, and we must 
continue to be, the world's leader. That is the job of the United States 
of America. And so today, America opens its arms in a hearty welcome 
home.

    General, to you and all the men and women who served with you, you 
have the admiration of the world and the thanks of your country for 
continuing the tradition of our Armed Forces and the values that make us 
proud to be Americans and for proving that we can lead and serve in new 
ways in a new world.

    In the words of the Scriptures: Blessed are the peacemakers. Thank 
you very much.

Note: The President spoke at 10:37 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Lt. Gen. Robert B. Johnston, USMC, 
Commander, Operation Restore Hope.

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