The Hill:
When Marine Gen. Peter Pace, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, presented Grateful Nation Awards last week to six young members of the U.S. military for their outstanding service in the war on terrorism, many of those attending the ceremony were taken aback by their youthful appearance.The Federalist Patriot
Each of the soldiers, sailors, and Marines who were honored at a dinner sponsored by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs was cited for bravery in combat conditions in the Persian Gulf region. Some, like Marine Cpl. Gary Spangler, looked as if they could not have been over 18 years old.
They are conspicuous but not atypical examples of the selfless and courageous young men and women who are putting their lives on the line daily in Iraq and Afghanistan as American and coalition forces battle the Islamic nihilists who want to prevent democracy from taking hold in the Middle East.
As Americans pause this week for a day of national thanksgiving, they should keep in mind the sacrifices being made by our military personnel as they confront violent insurgents in Fallujah and other cities and begin the massive reconstruction efforts aimed at beefing up security to allow Iraqis to hold a national election on Jan. 30.
Which is the quintessential American holiday? The Fourth of July, our nation's recognized birthday? No, a typical Independence Day celebration now turns more toward recreation than to original customs of patriotic reflection on the debt we owe both to our Founding Fathers and our Heavenly Father. But Thanksgiving...this holiday, more than any other commemorated in our country, has retained -- even if in attenuated form -- the sentiments present from its first celebration on our shores. On Thanksgiving, we still stop to give thanks for our blessings; we still take pause to hold our family and friends dearest in our hearts; and we still acknowledge, expressly or implicitly, the Author of life and liberty who has heaped bounties on us beyond our deserving.President Bush:
This Thanksgiving, we express our gratitude to our dedicated firefighters and police officers who help keep our homeland safe. We are grateful to the homeland security and intelligence personnel who spend long hours on faithful watch. And we give thanks for the Americans in our Armed Forces who are serving around the world to secure our country and advance the cause of freedom. These brave men and women make our entire Nation proud, and we thank them and their families for their sacrifice.
On this Thanksgiving Day, we thank God for His blessings and ask Him to continue to guide and watch over our Nation.
