President heaps praise on GIs, signs defense budget hike during Kosovo visit
By Gregory Piatt,
Kosovo bureau
Gregory Piatt / Stars and Stripes
President Bush, with first lady Laura Bush seated at his side, praises U.S. troops at Camp
Bondsteel, Kosovo, on Tuesday. |
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo — It was a mix between the Fourth of July
and a presidential campaign stop Tuesday when President George W. Bush and first lady
Laura Bush paid a visit to the largest U.S. base in Kosovo.
Songs were played and soldiers waved flags and cheered the commander
in chief as he praised them for their service to their country and to the peace in the
Balkans.
“America appreciates your service and sacrifices for your
country,” Bush told the 1,500 military personnel, civilians and U.S. representatives
from the United Nations police who attended the presidential visit. “You put your
country ahead of your comfort and … you defend our nation’s highest
ideals.”
Bush made Camp Bondsteel his final stop on a European tour that began
last week, and it was the pinnacle of many soldiers, airmen, sailors and Marines six-month
tour with the Kosovo Force. The U.S. has 5,600 troops serving in KFOR.
“This is great,” said Army Sgt. Ryan Curtis. “I have
never seen a president.”
“Yeah, its great that he will come out to see us,” said
Pfc. Joel Schuette while waiting for Bush to speak.
“It’s an honor for us that he comes over here to see
us,” said Sgt. Tarryl Daniels.
Bush wanted to honor the military men and women around the world by
doing something unusual. He signed a $1.9 billion supplemental defense-spending bill for
pay, benefits and health care while in Kosovo. It brought cheers from the troops.
Gregory Piatt / Stars and Stripes
President Bush signs a $1.9 billion supplemental defense spending bill during his visit to
Camp Bondsteel, Tuesday. |
“You rock, sir,” one soldier yelled from the crowd after he
signed the bill.
The president added that there was $2.2 billion more for pay and
benefits in next year’s budget. Bush also served a warning to Congress to start
working on next year’s budget and pay mind to those who wear the uniforms in our
country.
“You who serve America deserve America’s full
support,” Bush said.
Bush then sent a message to those who are against tolerance in the
region. He said the diversity in the U.S. military and how it works with its allies in the
region are examples for close cooperation.
“Ethnic intolerance and narrow nationalism, that’s what
brought us here in the first place,” Bush said. “We must not allow differences
to be a license to kill. We will pursue a world of tolerance.
“May your service here set an example for the whole world to
see.”
Bush then thanked the forces for stopping arms smuggling from going
into Macedonia on Kosovo’s border. In Macedonia, ethnic Albanian rebels, who have
been getting weapons from Kosovo and other parts of the Balkans, have waged a rebellion
against government troops there.
Although U.S. and NATO troops have done a lot since entering Kosovo
two years ago after a 78-day alliance bombing campaign drove Serb troops from the
province, Bush said more work needs to be done in Kosovo and in the peacekeeping mission
in Bosnia and Herzegovina in order for the troops to come home.
“Civil institutions must be put in place and made
stronger,” Bush said. “Organized crime must not be allowed to grow and war
criminals must be brought to justice.”
Gregory Piatt / Stars and Stripes
GIs cheer and wave U.S. flags during President Bush's visit to Camp Bondsteel, Tuesday. |
Until this work is done, the U.S. and NATO troops won’t leave
the Balkans, Bush said. He then reiterated his administration’s latest line of
leaving the Balkans.
“American and allied forces came into Bosnia and Kosovo together
and we’ll leave together,” he said. “But our goal is to hasten the day when
peace is self-sustaining, when democratically-elected authorities assume responsibility
and then NATO forces can go home.”
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