thank you for that kind introduct and warm welcom __PUNCT__
i want to begin by talk about an issu in thi campaign that i know concern you as it concern all american __PUNCT__ the war in iraq __PUNCT__
thankfulli __PUNCT__ the new from iraq todai is much more encourag than i could have report to you last year __PUNCT__
eighteen month ago __PUNCT__ america face a crisi as profound as ani in our histori __PUNCT__
iraq wa in flame __PUNCT__ torn apart by violenc that wa escap our control __PUNCT__
al qaeda wa succeed in what osama bin laden call the central front in their war against us __PUNCT__
the mullah in iran wait for america humili in iraq __PUNCT__ and the result increas in their influenc __PUNCT__
thousand of iraqi di violent everi month __PUNCT__
american casualti were mount __PUNCT__
we were on the brink of a disastr defeat just a littl more than five year after the attack of __DATE__ and america face a profound choic __PUNCT__
would we accept defeat and leav iraq and our strateg posit in the middl east in ruin __PUNCT__ risk a wider war in the near futur __PUNCT__ or would we summon our resolv __PUNCT__ deploi addit forc __PUNCT__ and chang our fail strategi __PUNCT__ senat obama and i also face a decis __PUNCT__ which amount to a real __PUNCT__ time test for a futur command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__
america pass that test __PUNCT__
i believ my judgment pass that test __PUNCT__
and i believ senat obama fail __PUNCT__
we both knew the polit safe choic wa to support some form of retreat __PUNCT__
all the poll said the __PUNCT__ surg __PUNCT__ wa unpopular __PUNCT__
mani pundit __PUNCT__ expert and policymak oppos it and advoc withdraw our troop and accept the consequ __PUNCT__
i chose to support the new counterinsurg strategi back by addit troop __PUNCT__ which i had advoc sinc __NUM__ after my first trip to iraq __PUNCT__
mani observ said my posit would end my hope of becom presid __PUNCT__
i said i would rather lose a campaign than see america lose a war __PUNCT__
my choic wa not smart polit __PUNCT__
it didn't test well in focu group __PUNCT__
it ignor all the poll __PUNCT__
it also didn't matter __PUNCT__
the countri i love had on final chanc to succe in iraq __PUNCT__
the new strategi wa it __PUNCT__
so i support it __PUNCT__
todai __PUNCT__ the effect of the new strategi ar obviou __PUNCT__
the surg ha succeed __PUNCT__ and we ar __PUNCT__ at long last __PUNCT__ final win thi war __PUNCT__
senat obama made a differ choic __PUNCT__
he not onli oppos the new strategi __PUNCT__ but actual tri to prevent us from implement it __PUNCT__
he didn't just advoc defeat __PUNCT__ he tri to legisl it __PUNCT__
when hi effort fail __PUNCT__ he continu to predict the failur of our troop __PUNCT__
as our soldier and marin prepar to move into baghdad neighborhood and anbari villag __PUNCT__ senat obama predict that their effort would make the sectarian violenc in iraq wors __PUNCT__ not better __PUNCT__
and as our troop took the fight to the enemi __PUNCT__ senat obama tri to cut off fund for them __PUNCT__
he wa on of onli __NUM__ senat to vote against the emerg fund in __DATE__ that support our troop in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__
he would choos to lose in iraq in hope of win in afghanistan __PUNCT__
but had hi posit been adopt __PUNCT__ we would have lost both war __PUNCT__
three week after senat obama vote to deni fund for our troop in the field __PUNCT__ gener rai odierno launch the first major combat oper of the surg __PUNCT__
senat obama declar defeat on month later __PUNCT__ my assess is that the surg ha not work and we will not see a differ report eight week from now __PUNCT__
hi assess wa popular at the time __PUNCT__
but it couldn't have been more wrong __PUNCT__
by __DATE__ the success of the surg wa becom appar __PUNCT__
attack on coalit forc had drop almost __NUM__ percent from pre __PUNCT__ surg level __PUNCT__
american casualti had fallen by more than half __PUNCT__
iraqi civilian death had fallen by more than two __PUNCT__ third __PUNCT__
but senat obama ignor the new and encourag realiti __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ not onli have we not seen improv __PUNCT__ he said __PUNCT__ but we actual worsen __PUNCT__ potenti __PUNCT__ a situat there __PUNCT__
if senat obama had prevail __PUNCT__ american forc would have had to retreat under fire __PUNCT__
the iraqi armi would have collaps __PUNCT__
civilian casualti would have increas dramat __PUNCT__
al qaeda would have kill the sunni sheikh who had begun to cooper with us __PUNCT__ and the __PUNCT__ sunni awaken __PUNCT__ would have been strangl at birth __PUNCT__
al qaeda fighter would have safe haven __PUNCT__ from where thei could train iraqi and foreign __PUNCT__ and turn iraq into a base for launch attack on american elsewher __PUNCT__
civil war __PUNCT__ genocid and wider conflict would have been like __PUNCT__
abov all __PUNCT__ america would have been humili and weaken __PUNCT__
our militari __PUNCT__ strain by year of sacrific __PUNCT__ would have suffer a demor defeat __PUNCT__
our enemi around the globe would have been embolden __PUNCT__
terrorist would have seen our defeat as evid america lack the resolv to defeat them __PUNCT__
as iraq descend into chao __PUNCT__ other countri in the middl east would have come to the aid of their favor faction __PUNCT__ and the entir region might have erupt in war __PUNCT__
everi american diplomat __PUNCT__ american militari command __PUNCT__ and american leader would have been forc to speak and act from a posit of weak __PUNCT__
senat obama told the american peopl what he thought you want to hear __PUNCT__
i told you the truth __PUNCT__
from the earli dai of thi war __PUNCT__ i fear the administr wa pursu a mistaken strategi __PUNCT__ and i said so __PUNCT__
i went to iraq mani time __PUNCT__ and heard all the phoni explan about how we were win __PUNCT__
i knew we were fail __PUNCT__ and i told that to an administr that did not want to hear it __PUNCT__
i push for the strategi that is now succeed befor most peopl even admit that there wa a problem __PUNCT__
fortun __PUNCT__ senat obama fail __PUNCT__ not our militari __PUNCT__
we reject the audac of hopeless __PUNCT__ and we were right __PUNCT__
violenc in iraq fell to such low level for such a long time that senat obama __PUNCT__ detect the success he never believ possibl __PUNCT__ fals claim that he had alwai predict it __PUNCT__
there have been almost no sectarian kill in baghdad for more than __NUM__ week __PUNCT__
american casualti ar at the lowest level record in thi war __PUNCT__
the iraqi armi is stronger and fight harder __PUNCT__
the iraqi govern ha met most of the benchmark for polit progress we demand of them __PUNCT__ and the nation largest sunni parti recent rejoin the govern __PUNCT__
in iraq __PUNCT__ we ar no longer on the doorstep of defeat __PUNCT__ but on the road to victori __PUNCT__
senat obama said thi week that even know what he know todai that he still would have oppos the surg __PUNCT__
in retrospect __PUNCT__ given the opportun to choos between failur and success __PUNCT__ he choos failur __PUNCT__
i cannot conceiv of a command in chief make that choic __PUNCT__
a new hope is rise in iraq todai __PUNCT__
across the countri __PUNCT__ iraqi ar prepar for upcom provinci elect __PUNCT__
and secur ha improv enough to permit the iraqi govern to begin serious provid servic and opportun to the iraqi peopl __PUNCT__
thi progress is encourag but revers if we heed those who have alwai counsel defeat when thei now argu to risk our fragil gain and withdraw from iraq accord to a polit expedi timet rather than the advic from the command who so brilliantli led thi stun turnaround in our situat in iraq __PUNCT__
i said that the surg ha succeed __PUNCT__ and it ha __PUNCT__
that is why the addit surg brigad ar almost all home __PUNCT__
i said we can win __PUNCT__ and we will __PUNCT__
i confid we will be abl to reduc our forc in iraq next year __PUNCT__ and our forc will be out of regular combat oper and dramat reduc in number dure the term of the next presid __PUNCT__
we have fought the worst battl __PUNCT__ surviv the toughest threat __PUNCT__ and the hardest part of thi war is behind us __PUNCT__
but it is not over yet __PUNCT__
and we have come too far __PUNCT__ sacrif too much __PUNCT__ to risk everyth we have gain and all we could yet gain becaus the polit of the hour make defeat the more conveni posit __PUNCT__
becaus of the choic we made and all the surg ha accomplish __PUNCT__ the time will soon come when our troop can come home __PUNCT__
but we face anoth choic todai __PUNCT__
we can withdraw when we have secur the peac and the gain we have sacrif so much to achiev ar safe __PUNCT__
or we can follow senat obama uncondit withdraw and risk lose the peac even if that result in spread violenc and a third iraq war __PUNCT__
senat obama ha suggest he would consid send troop back if that happen __PUNCT__
when i bring them home in victori and with honor __PUNCT__ thei ar stai home __PUNCT__
senat obama might dismiss defeat in iraq as the current presid problem __PUNCT__
but presid don't lose war __PUNCT__
nation do __PUNCT__
and presid don't fight war __PUNCT__
you do __PUNCT__ the men and women of the greatest fight forc in the histori of the world __PUNCT__
the sacrific you made deserv to be memori in someth more last than bronz or in the fleet effect of a politician speech __PUNCT__
your valor and devot have earn your countri abid concern for your welfar __PUNCT__
when our govern forget our debt to you __PUNCT__ it is a stain upon america honor __PUNCT__
the walter reed scandal recal not just the govern but the peopl who elect it __PUNCT__ to our respons to those who risk life and limb to meet their respons to us __PUNCT__
those who have born the burden of war for our sake must be treat fairli and expediti as thei seek compens for disabl or ill __PUNCT__
we ow them compass __PUNCT__ knowledg and hand __PUNCT__ on care in their transit to civilian life __PUNCT__
we ow them train __PUNCT__ rehabilit and educ __PUNCT__
we ow their famili __PUNCT__ parent and caregiv our concern and support __PUNCT__
thei should never be depriv of qualiti medic care and mental health care coverag for ill or injuri incur as a result of their servic to our countri __PUNCT__
as presid __PUNCT__ i will ensur that those who serv todai and who have serv in the past have access to the highest qualiti health __PUNCT__ mental health and rehabilit care in the world __PUNCT__
the disgrac of walter reed will not be forgotten __PUNCT__
nor will we accept a situat in which veteran ar deni access to care due to great travel distanc __PUNCT__ backlog of appoint __PUNCT__ and year of pend disabl evalu and claim __PUNCT__
in addit to strengthen the va __PUNCT__ we should give veteran the option to us a simpl plastic card to receiv time and access care at a conveni locat through a provid of their choos __PUNCT__
i will not stand for requir veteran to make an appoint to stand in line to make an appoint to stand in line for substandard care of the injuri you have suffer to keep our countri safe __PUNCT__
whatev our commit to veteran cost __PUNCT__ we will keep them __PUNCT__ as you have kept everi commit to us __PUNCT__
the honor o f a great nation is at stake __PUNCT__
let me close by express my gratitud for the contribut hispan __PUNCT__ american have made to the secur of the countri i have serv all my adult life __PUNCT__
i repres arizona where spanish wa spoken befor english wa __PUNCT__ and where the charact and prosper of our state ow much to the arizonan of hispan descent who live there __PUNCT__
and i know thi countri __PUNCT__ which i love more than almost anyth __PUNCT__ would be poorer were we depriv of the patriot __PUNCT__ industri and decenc of those million of american whose famili came here from mexico __PUNCT__ central and south america __PUNCT__
when you take the solemn stroll along that wall of black granit on the nation mall __PUNCT__ it is hard not to notic the mani name such as rodriguez __PUNCT__ hernandez __PUNCT__ and lopez that so sadli adorn it __PUNCT__
when you visit iraq and afghanistan you meet some of the thousand of hispan __PUNCT__ american who serv there __PUNCT__ and mani of those who risk their live to protect the rest of us do not yet possess the right and privileg of full citizenship in the countri thei love so well __PUNCT__
to love your countri __PUNCT__ as i discov in vietnam __PUNCT__ is to love your countrymen __PUNCT__
those men and women ar my brother and sister __PUNCT__ my fellow american __PUNCT__ an associ that mean more to me than ani other __PUNCT__
as a privat citizen or as presid __PUNCT__ i will never __PUNCT__ never do anyth to dishonor our oblig to them and their famili __PUNCT__
no stori better exemplifi the sacrific hispan american have made for our countri than the stori of roi benavidez __PUNCT__
i have told it befor __PUNCT__ and thi won't be the last time i tell it __PUNCT__
all american need to hear it __PUNCT__
roi benavidez wa the son of a texa sharecropp __PUNCT__ a seventh grade dropout who suffer the humili of be constantli taunt as a __PUNCT__ dumb mexican __PUNCT__
he grew up to becom a master sergeant in the green beret __PUNCT__ and serv in vietnam __PUNCT__
he wa a member of that rare class of warrior whose servic wa so honor and brave thei ar privileg to wear the medal of honor __PUNCT__
he wa decor by ronald reagan __PUNCT__ who said that if the stori of hi heroism were a movi __PUNCT__ you would not believ it __PUNCT__
on __DATE__ in an outpost near the cambodian border __PUNCT__ sergeant benavidez listen on hi radio as the voic of a terrifi american __PUNCT__ part of a __NUM__ man patrol surround by a north vietnames battalion __PUNCT__ plead to be rescu __PUNCT__
arm with onli a knife __PUNCT__ roi jump into a helicopt and took off with a three __PUNCT__ man crew to rescu hi trap comrad __PUNCT__
when thei arriv at the battl __PUNCT__ the enemi wa too numer for the helicopt to evacu the surround soldier __PUNCT__
it had to land seventi __PUNCT__ five yard awai from their posit __PUNCT__
after make the sign of the cross __PUNCT__ sergeant benavidez jump out of the helicopt as it hover ten feet abov the ground __PUNCT__ and ran toward hi comrad carri hi knife and a medic bag __PUNCT__
he wa shot almost immedi __PUNCT__ but he got up and kept move __PUNCT__
a grenad knock him down again __PUNCT__ shrapnel tear into hi face __PUNCT__
he got up and kept move __PUNCT__
reach the american __PUNCT__ posit __PUNCT__ he found four men dead __PUNCT__ and all the other badli wound __PUNCT__
he arm himself with an enemi rifl __PUNCT__ and began to treat the wound __PUNCT__ distribut ammunit and call in air strike __PUNCT__
he wa shot again __PUNCT__
he then order the helicopt to come in closer as he drag the dead and wound aboard __PUNCT__
after he got all the wound aboard __PUNCT__ he ran back to retriev classifi document from the bodi of a fallen soldier __PUNCT__
he wa shot in the stomach __PUNCT__ and grenad fragment cut into hi back __PUNCT__
he got up and kept move __PUNCT__ and made it back to the helicopt __PUNCT__
the pilot wa shot and the helicopt crash __PUNCT__
roi pull the wound from the wreckag and radio for air strike and anoth helicopt __PUNCT__
he kept fight until air support arriv __PUNCT__
he wa shot sever more time befor a second helicopt land __PUNCT__
as he wa carri a wound man toward it __PUNCT__ a north vietnames soldier club him with hi rifl and stab him with a bayonet __PUNCT__
sergeant benavidez fought him hand to hand __PUNCT__ to death __PUNCT__
after rescu three more soldier __PUNCT__ he wa final flown with them to safeti __PUNCT__
bleed profus __PUNCT__ and complet immobil __PUNCT__ a doctor thought him to be dead __PUNCT__
roi wa place in a bodi bag __PUNCT__ befor anyon discov he wa still aliv __PUNCT__
he spent a year in hospit recov from seven seriou gunshot wound __PUNCT__ twenti __PUNCT__ eight shrapnel wound __PUNCT__ and bayonet wound in both arm __PUNCT__
it took thirteen year for roi benavidez to receiv hi medal of honor __PUNCT__
but it didn't seem to matter to him __PUNCT__
he stai in the armi __PUNCT__
the war __PUNCT__ and hi forgotten heroism never embitt him __PUNCT__
he spent hi retir counsel troubl kid __PUNCT__ encourag them to stai in school and off drug __PUNCT__
__PUNCT__ i proud to be an american __PUNCT__ roi benavidez said as he lai dy in a san antonio hospit ten year ago __PUNCT__
mai god bless hi soul __PUNCT__
and mai american __PUNCT__ all american __PUNCT__ be veri proud that roi benavidez wa on of us __PUNCT__
i wouldn't want to live in a countri that didn't recogn how much we need such a good man __PUNCT__
i prefer to live in a bigger place __PUNCT__
i prefer to live in a grow america __PUNCT__ as proud of it varieti as it is of the ideal that unit us __PUNCT__
i prefer to live in a hope countri __PUNCT__
i prefer to live in roi benavidez __PUNCT__ america __PUNCT__
thank you veri much __PUNCT__
