Obama: Freedom is paid for by men and women of US military

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says U.S. service members make it possible to enjoy the "incredible blessings" in the greatest country on earth.

He says "freedom is not free" but is paid for by all the men and women of the military, including those who blanketed the White House South Lawn for a concert in their honor by Bruno Mars.

Obama spoke minutes before the annual Fourth of July fireworks lit up the night sky over the National Mall. He was accompanied by Michelle Obama.

FULL short story and more photos at link. Video: http://launch.newsinc.com/share.html?trackingGroup=92351&siteSection=bigstory_hom_non_non_dynamic_wire_ap&videoId=29327018



President Barack Obama, accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama, left, speaks during an Independence Day celebration on the South Lawn at the White House in Washington, Saturday, July 4, 2015. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/c9a9b27cfa18457aa0fa1986e372ede8/obama-freedom-paid-men-and-women-us-military

---

[Spitfire of ATJ]

1. We now return to our regularly scheduled police state.

[YOHABLO]

2. What about the gay men and women who were discharged for alleged homosexual conduct? Huh?

What about them? Where are their reparations? They signed up to serve their country and were told ''WE DON'T WANT YOU"..

[24601]

20. Don't paint the military with the same brush as the politicians who made those rules and laws.

I want a military that stays out of political issues. If the trade-off is that the military lags in social change because they follow the laws as they exist and lawful orders of the Commander in Chief, I'll pay that price.

[YOHABLO]

22. Oh Hogwash. How many years did you serve?

[24601]

27. 25 years in uniform. Total service so far a bit more than 44 years over 8 administrations.

Health permitting, which has its challenges, I expect to retire in June, 2020.

Back on topic, our graduation speaker was Jimmy Carter's Army Secretary, Clifford Alexander. The thesis of his speech was that it was OK to speak up before policy was decided but that when it is, shut up and support it or get out. The context was that President Carter had relieved the US Forces Korea Chief of Staff, who had spoken on background opposing US troop strength in Korea.

Given that my views trend further left of spectrum than the military/DoD average, it sometimes is difficult to put a sock in it and shut up. But whether we agree or disagree, we don't make the policies and Secretary Alexander's message about our place was not unique to the Carter Administration. If you are ever interested in who make the policies that implements the laws as well as the President's intent, check out the political patronage positions that are detailed in the plum book, the official list of Policy and Supporting Positions: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-PLUMBOOK-2012/pdf/GPO-PLUMBOOK-2012.pdf

[bemildred]

3. If the military is protecting our freedoms, they are doing a crappy job. nt

[asjr]

26. Our military did a fine job in WW2. I remember it well. The USA didn't start that war.

And Pres. Obama does not have much longer to be in office. When he is gone you can start blasting another president. He is not perfect and we would be silly if that was the only way we would say anything nice about him. I keep thinking I will give up on DU and leave. But I have been here since 2002 and I am too damned old and ornery to do that.

[canoeist52]

4. Freedom is paid for by all of us, the 99%.

"Freedom" is paid for by all of us the 99%, every time a child goes hungry, a grandmother dies due to cost of medication, a bridge crumbles and kills one of us etc.... The 1% military contractors steal our freedom to live every day.

[raouldukelives]

5. We'd all be speaking Arabic and living under Sharia Law if not for them.

And all this freedom only costs us trillions of dollars. So its a bargain as well.

[candelista]

10. +1. :) nt

[L0oniX]

13. No no no. We'd all have british accents and be wearing white curly wigs...

and the fucking tea tax would be the cause of homelessness.

[KG]

6. 'argle blargle, blarg.'

[Maeve]

7. It's also paid for by voters, taxpayers, lawyers, activists...even politicians (well, some)

We all work for the country or the country doesn't work.

[malthaussen]

8. Well, it sure isn't paid for by the ruling class.

I won't even attempt to address the concept of "freedom" today.

-- Mal

[candelista]

9. US Imperialism is paid for by men and women of US military.

That's more accurate. The taxpayers help, too.

[jalan48]

11. Corporate wars, corporate freedom.

[L0oniX]

12. "Everyone" fought in the revolutionary war. Was he confused?

[Gregorian]

14. Why do Americans glorify war.

The world is not a better place because of war.

Who is moving this man's mouth? I know he's better than this.

[Phlem]

16. ^^This^^

[EX500rider]

24. "The world is not a better place because of war."

Did the Civil War make the world a better place?

Did resisting/defeating the Germans and the Japanese make the world a better place?

Like all things it's not all black & white.

[Gregorian]

25. That's interesting. After a lifetime of saying that, I'm actually not sure if it's true.

It doesn't take long for me to come back to my senses. To answer the question we need tallies on everything related to the war, and in time. It may seem like war is easily not worth the effort, because I can see multiple outcomes of having or not having a war. But there is this unknown factor that makes me ill even partially paraphrasing another Donald. How many things happened that we'll never know about. Did people need to die so that instead of being one of the Queen's bits of real estate, we ended up being another empire. I don't see good coming from force. It's convoluted to think that somehow the highest of goals would be accomplished through violence.

Still, I don't know if the world is a better place because of war. But I'm pretty sure it is not a better place because of war.

[HoosierCowboy]

15. Sorry Mr. President

We sacrifice our soldiers to the God Moloch for the goodies that He bestows on us, that house in the suburbs brought to you by cheap gas from the Middle East, and all the toys that go along with that lifestyle.

....and no one has the guts to thank these people for that.

Thank You Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, hope you pull through and get a piece of it...

[llmart]

17. What a crock of crapola....

I'm truly sick of all this glorification of the military as if they are the only ones in this country who contribute anything.

Let's not forget that it's the taxpayers who pay the military and some of us are tired of supporting the MIC.

[LiberalLovinLug]

18. What is a crock is how anyone in leadership MUST bow to the MIC

The bloated, corrupted, MIC, where former generals get in on the action once they retire and go on air to promote this festering elephant for their own financial benefit. Where Americans pay for an armed forces larger and more expensive than almost every other nation combined. And this is done for what? The USA has been attacked only once, Pearl Harbor. And that country has been subsequently di-militarized. The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center by a rag tag group of Muslim extremists do not justify the size of the armed forces to fight that threat.

There is no military threat to the mainland USA, nor for the foreseeable future. Even if there was, it would have to be almost every other nation on earth attacking at once to give them a chance against the size and technical advantage of the US. And that is a fantasy.

Its like having a family. And you raised a number of children. But one is bloated, fat, wasteful, and bullies other kids in the neighbourhood. Sometimes even attacks and injures them for no reason other than to steal what they have. Yet time and time again, when out in public, this offspring is praised and toasted as the ONLY one of your children that is deserving of such high praise. While your other kids, who are interested in teaching, social work, healthcare, arts,...are regarded not as precious or integral to the success of the family. That his threatening behaviour is valued far above any other type of contributions.

[Gregorian]

21. I love your analogy.

I just had to say something. You really set a good image with that one. Now if we can only get the taxpayers to see it.

[McKim]

19. For Our Freedom? My Family's Sacrifice in Vietnam

For our Freedom? How sad that this false myth is perpetuated by "our" president. Those poor kids fighting over there are fighting for economic hegemony of the multi national corporations. They are keeping the corporations safe to plunder the world's resources and efforts to dominate world trade. I really feel for our soldiers and their families who are fed this myth. We do not accept myths about the military in my family. We made the ultimate sacrifice of my husband's brother who died in Vietnam in 1967 for a lie.

[YOHABLO]

23. The Military is protecting the 1% .. not the rights of the other 99%.