...for as long as it takes
Exclusive Presidential Interview For U.S. Troops
In an unprecedented Air Force One interview for the benefit of America's
armed forces, President Bill Clinton told today's men and women in uniform
that, when they look back 50 years from now, they will see that they "put
America's military might to work in building a new world, which is something
that I think their children and grandchildren will be very, very proud of."
The interview, which took place on Feb. 25, 1999, was conducted by Mrs.
Janet Langhart Cohen for the American Forces Information Service (AFIS).
This will be the first in her series of "Special Assignment" programs
designed to enable prominent Americans to share their perspectives with
American Servicemembers and to highlight for America's armed forces the
contributions they are making in all facets of American life. The Defense
Department's broadcasting service will air the exclusive interview with the
commander in chief this weekend. Armed Forces Radio and Television Service
(AFRTS) will broadcast the half hour-long interview overseas to U.S. forces
in Europe, South Korea and in other overseas locations, including ships at
sea. AFRTS will make the interview available for showing to Servicemembers
based in the United States.
During the discussion with Mrs. Cohen, the President noted that today's
Servicemembers represent "the first generation of American troops to serve a
United States that is both the dominant military power in the world and
without a dominant military opponent."
"I would hope that they would be very proud of that," the President said.
"The idea that other nations would trust the United States, for example, to
come into Bosnia, to deal with this crisis in Kosovo, to stand guard on the
border with the U.N. troops in Macedonia, to stay in Korea decades after the
end of the Korean War, because they know we have no territorial ambitions,
because they know we don't seek to impose our will on other countries. They
really know we're there for peace and security."
"And it's sometimes dangerous, sometimes boring, sometimes disruptive
because of the rapid number of deployments that we have. But all of them
should understand that they're part of a profound historic transformation in
the world," Clinton said.
THE President's comments cover topics ranging from Kosovo to quality of life
issues, including the administration's proposed pay and retirement
increases, part of a package that marks the first long-term, sustained
increase in defense spending in more than a decade. Noting that he has met
with American Servicemembers on more than 30 different occasions, President
Clinton said "the overwhelming impression...is that they're not only superb
at what they do, but that they're really good people and good citizens.
That kind of teamwork that is required to pull off a military mission is
something that they bring to all their work in life."
The President told servicemembers around the world that they are dealing
with a hundred individual problems, each of which could become one big
problem. "They are making the world safe for genuine self-determination,
for freedom, for free commerce, for free exchange of ideas, in a way that no
generation has ever tried to do or had to do before."
Mrs. Cohen, an experienced former television journalist who has worked for
television affiliates in New York, Washington, Chicago and Boston, is
donating her time for the AFIS "Special Assignment" series. The next
segments of the series will include interviews with military crew members
serving aboard Air Force One; Medal of Honor recipients; senior enlisted
personnel from each of the Services; and prominent civilian leaders from key
segments of American society.
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VNIS is not a government agency and is a sole proprietorship,
own and operated by Christian L. Wilson USN/Ret
