ARLINGTON, Va. – President Barack Obama said Monday that Americans must honour the sacrifices of their fighting men and women, particularly at a time when the U.S. combat role in Iraq has ended and the country’s involvement in Afghanistan is winding down.
Speaking at Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, Obama said he worries that the country’s servicemen and women aren’t being fully appreciated in an era in which “most Americans are not directly touched by war.”
Less than 1 per cent of the U.S. population of more than 313 million people serves in the military, officials have said.
He said he couldn’t explain that phenomenon but said it might have something to do with the all-volunteer military force and advanced technology that now permits the United States to accomplish some military missions with far fewer personnel.
Contrast that with generations past, when Obama said millions of Americans contributed during World War II, including his grandparents, and when “just about everybody knew somebody” who served in the Vietnam War.
“As a consequence, not all Americans may always see or fully grasp the depth of sacrifice, the profound costs that are made in our name – right now, as we speak, every day,” Obama said.
But the president did say that even as “we turn a page” away from Iraq, and Afghanistan by the end of 2014, “let us never forget that the nation is still at war.”
Obama’s appearance for the holiday honouring fallen members of the military came four days after he declared in a major national security address that the U.S. has taken down the al-Qaida terrorist organization, particularly in the aftermath of the killing of leader Osama bin Laden, although terrorist threats remain and the country cannot afford to let its vigilance slide.
Obama spoke at the amphitheatre of Arlington National Cemetery after he placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
He praised the selflessness that “beats in the hearts” of America’s uniformed military troops.
The holiday weekend also marked the traditional start of the U.S. vacation season. AAA, one of the largest U.S. travel agencies, expected 31.2 million Americans to hit the road over the weekend, virtually the same number as last year.
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