Remarks to the Georgia National Guard

Major General Nesbitt,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you very much indeed for inviting me here today. It is a real privilege to be here -- and to meet members of the US military who are making such a tremendous contribution to NATO operations across the world.

I understand that the motto of the National Guard is ‘always ready, always there‘.

And in recent years this has been absolutely true of you all. Not just here in the United States, but across the globe, including on many challenging NATO operations.

 
You have always been ready, and you have always been there. Wherever you were asked to go, you went -- to build peace in Kosovo; to make sure that Afghanistan will never again be a breeding ground for the world’s deadliest terrorists; or most recently to protect civilians in Libya against the regime's brutal attacks.

Let me extend a special word of appreciation to the members of the 116th Air Control Wing -- who recently have served in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn - and to members of the 165th Air Support Wing - who are just back from Afghanistan.

I know these past few years have been busy ones for you and your colleagues on the National Guard. The operational tempo has been high. Tragically it has also taken its toll on you and your families. Several members of the National Guard have been injured during their deployment overseas, and some have made the ultimate sacrifice and paid with their lives. We are forever in their debt.

The service and dedication of the National Guard is all the more remarkable when one considers that you are all volunteers. Several of you have done one or more tours abroad while your regular jobs, and your regular lives, were put on hold. It takes a very special man or woman to show that kind of commitment.

For many years, National Guard units throughout the United States have been ready to serve not only their community and their country, but also the NATO Alliance.

NATO is busier now than at any time in its history. The world is an increasingly unpredictable place, with many threats to our security and well-being -- terrorism, cyber attacks, piracy, failed states, nuclear proliferation.

These threats know no borders. They affect us all. The only way to meet, and to defeat these threats, is by working together: within our Alliance - and reaching out to others around the world.

No one nation, no one organisation, can do it alone. Even a superpower like America can’t do it alone -- and we certainly can’t do it without America. Solidarity between the NATO Allies has been, and will remain, vital to our continued success.

Europe came to America’s aid within hours of the 9/11 attacks.  We invoked the collective defence clause in our founding treaty for the first time in NATO’s history.  We made clear that an attack on the United States was an attack on all Allies.

That commitment is not just words.  It is a reality every day.  In Afghanistan, for example, 40,000 Allied and partner troops are fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with American forces.  Georgians from the US state of Georgia and Georgians from the Republic of Georgia patrol Afghan villages with French and Polish troops.

A secure and stable Afghanistan means a safer world for all of us.  We have the right strategy, the right resources, and the resolve to see this through.  And we will continue our mission to ensure that Afghanistan does not return to being a sanctuary for terrorists and extremists.

The successful operation against Osama Bin Laden last week marked a significant success for the security of all 28 NATO Allies and the many nations which have joined us in our efforts to combat the scourge of global terrorism.  But there should be no doubt that terrorism continues to pose a direct threat to stability across the world.  International cooperation will remain key to combat this scourge – and NATO will remain at the heart of that cooperation.

Thank you all once again for your professionalism and your dedication to the cause of freedom. Thank you also to your friends and loved ones for their invaluable support. And keep up the very good work that you are doing!