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Biden defends defense legacy in US military
Fox News correspondent Mark Meredith describes in “Special Report” the clashing views on President Biden’s legacy as the president bids farewell to America’s service members.
President Biden on Thursday thanked service members for their “strength” and “integrity” as they gave their farewell address in Virginia.
“There’s never been a time in history when we’ve asked our military to do so many different things in so many places, all at once,” the president said at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Virginia. “And I want to be clear: You have done all of these missions with strength and, perhaps even importantly, with integrity.”
Biden’s address to the troops came the morning after his farewell address to the nation in which he said it was his “great honor” to be the 46th president.
It also arrives four days early President-elect Trump it happens
WHILE TRUMP, BIDEN CLAIMS CREDIT FOR ISRAEL-HAMAS Ceasefire, SOME REPUBLICANS CALL THEM A BAD DEAL
President Biden thanked service members for their “strength” and “integrity” Thursday as he delivered his farewell address at the Department of Defense. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“You all represent what America is all about: character, honesty, integrity, commitment,” Biden told the troops. “You are simply the greatest fighting force in the history of the world.”
The president said the troops “rose to the occasion” when he called for an end to the war in Afghanistan, “evacuating Americans, allies and our Afghan partners, getting the biggest airlift of military history and ending a war. The same courage is defined by American service in Afghanistan for more than 20 years.”
He said he believes “history will reflect that it was the right thing to do, but I know, I know, it was hard after decades of losing your brothers and sisters, including (during la) withdrawal. The pain was still real. And it was for me too. Every day I still carry, every day.”
Biden has been criticized for his handling of the messy withdrawal from Afghanistan, when 13 US service members were killed.
He added that six months after US troops withdrew from Afghanistan, “when Russia started its biggest war in Europe since World War II, I asked it to help defend Ukraine. You didn’t doubt. You kept Ukraine in the fight. You trained the pilots, the troops, you strengthened the eastern flank of NATO. And above all, you showed the world that America stands with ours. friends”.
BIDEN THANKS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR THE GREAT HONOR OF SERVING AS PRESIDENT DURING COMMITTEE SPEECH
Lloyd Austin, the secretary of defense, during a farewell ceremony for the commander in chief at Joint Base Myers-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Va., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He also promoted the Ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamaswhich was announced on Wednesday and mentioned for the first time in his farewell address to the nation.
“The path to this agreement was not easy,” he admitted, saying he “set the elements of that agreement eight months ago.”
President-elect Trump has also taken credit for the ceasefire.
“This EPIC ceasefire agreement could only have come about as a result of our historic victory in November, as it signaled to the world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate agreements to ensure the safety of all Americans and our allies,” Trump wrote. at the Truth Social Wednesday. “I am delighted that the American and Israeli hostages will return home to be reunited with their families and loved ones.”
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at Biden’s Commander-in-Chief Farewell Celebration Thursday. (Bonnie Cash/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Biden also thanked military families who “sacrifice so much” in his speech.
“Most Americans never see the sacrifices you make every day,” he continued. “Never see all those holidays and birthdays with an empty seat at the dinner table because mom or dad was deployed. Never see all the moves you had to make to new states, to new schools, to new places of work”.
He added near the end of his speech: “You are truly the best fighting force in the history of the world,” adding that the US military has the best training, weapons, ships and aircraft.
“But that alone is not what makes us strong,” he said. “They are our values. American values. Our commitment to honor, integrity, unity, protection and defense. Not a person, party or place, but an idea.”
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Before Biden’s speech, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, thanked Biden for his service in their own remarks, which were part of the tribute to farewell from the commander in chief to the president.
