January 29, 2008

THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Secretary, thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, we're glad you're here. The Vice¹ President and I welcome you all. One of the highlights of my year is to meet with combatant commanders and the Joint² Chiefs. We'll have a visit here in the Cabinet Room, talking about the war on terror and the ideological³ struggle that we're engaged in. We'll talk about our common desire to protect America and how best to do so. And then we're going to have dinner with your spouses⁴, and Laura and I are really looking forward to having you upstairs.

I love our military, and the reason I do is because the character of those who wear our uniform, whether they be the general or the private, is remarkable⁵. We're a nation that has produced people who are willing to volunteer in the face of danger. Thank goodness. And as a result, we are a nation in the lead, helping⁶ defend this world against extremists who murder the innocent to achieve an ideological objective.

And our military is compassionate⁸, as well. I'm looking forward to the stories from our commanders who will share with us the great compassion⁷ of our soldiers, whether it's to provide relief from a disaster, or to help some child recognize the beauty of going to school.

And so I want to thank you for coming, and thank you for serving, and I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Thank you.

END 5:13 P.M. EST