Vice President's Remarks at a Rally for Expeditionary Strike Group 8
Aboard the USS Wasp

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/relea...0060707-7.html

(Gold9472: "But you want to know something, I would have found her, I would have found her dead fucking bones because the biggest goddamn building on earth landed on my child’s bones, and exploded her baby out of her body. And that is a crime, and when you investigate a crime in this country, in any country, in the goddamn world, you look for the people with most to gain. Dick Cheney had the most to gain, Halliburton Halliburton Halliburton" - Donna Marsh O'Connor - UN 9/11/2005)

Norfolk, Virginia
3:15 P.M. EDT

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. Admiral Fitzgerald, Captain Roberti, Captain Miller, sailors and Marines: It's great to be here today. And I appreciate the warm welcome to the commonwealth of Virginia, and to the largest naval station in the world, Naval Station Norfolk.

Let me also thank all the officers and enlisted personnel who've made this visit possible and the company of our host platform today, the USS Wasp -- flagship of the Second Fleet.

We're joined today by three strong supporters of the Navy--Marine Corps team here in Norfolk -- Representatives Thelma Drake and Randy Forbes and U.S. Senator George Allen. We're glad to have them with us. (Applause.)

Now when I had the best job in government as Secretary of Defense some years ago, I had the honor of visiting Norfolk a number of times. Of course, most recently, as the Admiral mentioned, I was here to commission the USS Ronald Reagan. Over the years, I've grown in respect and admiration for all of the units stationed here, for the work that's done here, for the men and women, both military and civilian, who report for duty every day. Each of you serves the United States of America in a period of national challenge, military transformation, and unprecedented threats. We have asked a great deal of you. You've answered the call with tremendous reliability and skill. And I've come here today to say thank you to all of you for what you've done for all of us on behalf of the United States. You have the respect of the entire nation and you have the gratitude of our Commander-in-Chief, President George W. Bush.

We owe special thanks to the men and women of ESG-Eight. Last November you set out on a six-month deployment that took members of the strike group across the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, around the Horn of Africa, across to the Arabian Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. You went into the deployment with the finest training and equipment our nation can provide. You did the job well and won the admiration of your fellow citizens. I'm honored today to be in your company, and I'm delighted to say welcome home. (Applause.)

I want to thank the Marines of the 22nd MEU. (Applause.) Don't hold back. It's okay. You've been at the tip of the spear in the city of Hit, and across the Euphrates River Valley, in the fight against freedom's enemies. You've been brave and utterly relentless in combat. You've seized and destroyed enemy weapons. You've worked side by side with Iraqi forces. And by your honorable conduct and kindness to the Iraqi people, you've added to the friendship and trust between our countries. Marines everywhere know about the 22nd MEU because it's the most decorated unit of its kind. Once again, you've brought tremendous credit to the U.S. Marine Corps. Semper Fi. (Applause.)

From here I can see the flagship of ESG-Eight, the USS Nassau, which has earned the Battle "E" Award -- (applause) -- that award makes her the "Top Gator" on the East Coast. Also here are the crews of the USS Cape St. George (applause); the USS Austin (applause); the USS Winston S. Churchill (applause); the USS Carter Hall (applause); and the attack submarine USS Norfolk. (light applause) (Laughter.) It's a small crew.

But I can also see that many crews from the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group are here today (applause) -- the USS San Jacinto; the USS Donald Cook (applause); the USS Oscar Austin (applause); the USS Annapolis; the USNS Mount Baker; the USNS Kanawha; and the "Big Stick," the USS Theodore Roosevelt. (Applause.)

Because of you many ships had safe passage. You supported ground operations in Middle East and helped us keep terrorists on the run. Again, welcome home. Thanks for a job well done. (Applause.)

Nearly five years ago, the Theodore Roosevelt played a crucial role in staging combat operations against the Taliban. Our Second Fleet Commander, Vice Admiral Fitzgerald commanded the Teddy Roosevelt group during that time. Admiral Fitzgerald, once again thank you for your leadership of that critical mission.

In these recent months ESG-Eight has worked closely with the naval forces of America's friends -- British, Australian, French, German, and Dutch. You've backed up our combat operations, provided security for tankers and merchant vessels, helped train a new Iraqi navy, provided medical care to those in need, rescued the helpless, captured suspected pirates. By patrolling sea lanes, bringing help to the innocent, and confronting the violent, you've shown a watching world that we're a powerful country with a very capable military. But more than that, you've shown that we are also a decent, a just, and a generous nation. In my view, the sailors and Marines standing on this deck today represent the best that is in us. Be proud that you wear the uniform of the United States -- because this country is mighty proud of you. (Applause.)

All around us today are the signs of American sea power -- a fleet like none that has ever sailed before, a Navy and Marine Corps that uphold noble traditions, and a flag that stands for freedom, for human rights, and for stability in a turbulent world. Aboard these ships, at Naval Station Norfolk, and across the globe, Americans in uniform are writing a new chapter of excellence and achievement for the United States armed forces. You bring relief to the helpless and hope to the oppressed. And you are protecting the people of this nation in a time of war.

The war on terror creates an entirely different kind of security environment. And a military that was designed for the mid-to-late 20th century must now become a force that is lighter, more adaptable, more agile, and more lethal in action.

At the same time, we're keeping our eye on the fundamentals, and one of those is sea power. Naval operations are every bit as important, if not more so, than they were in the last century. Nothing takes the place of a convoy, able to enter any ocean, project great force from over the horizon, keep terrorists from disrupting the sea lanes or using them to transport operatives or weapons. Sea power allows the Commander-in-Chief to commit forces while retaining flexibility. With ships in place, we can fire precision strikes, launch sea-based rockets and missiles, deploy SEALS and Marine air-ground task forces by night or day, from close range or afar. Expeditionary Strike Groups are essential in the new security environment because they are so mobile and so adaptable. With ESGs, we have great offensive capability, wider operational reach, a maritime interdiction force without equal, and an even better intelligence-gathering network.

After we were attacked on 9/11, sea power provided the capability to go in and take down the Taliban in Afghanistan. It was vital as well in removing the dictator in Iraq, and we depend on sea power every day as we pursue the global war on terror.

End Part I