Commencement address at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, June 7, 2004

In the years immediately after World War II ended, our Nation faced more adversity and danger with the rise of imperial communism. In 1947, Communist forces were pressing a civil war in Greece and threatening Turkey. More than 2 years after the Nazi surrender, there was still starvation in Germany. Reconstruction seemed to be faltering, and the Marshall plan had not yet begun. In 1948, Berlin was blockaded on the orders of Josef Stalin. In 1949, the Soviet Union exploded a nuclear weapon, and Communists in China won their revolution.

All of this took place in the first 4 years of the cold war. If that generation of Americans had lost its nerve, there would have been no "long twilight struggle," only a long twilight. But the United States and our allies kept faith with captive people and stayed true to the vision of a democratic Europe, and that perseverance gave all the world a lesson in the power of liberty.

We are now about 3 years into the war against terrorism. We have overcome great challenges. We face many today, and there are more ahead. This is no time for impatience and self-defeating pessimism. These times demand the kind of courage and confidence that Americans have shown before. Our enemy can only succeed if we lose our will and faith in our own values. And ladies and gentlemen, our will is strong. We know our duty. By keeping our word and holding firm to our values, this generation will show the world the power of liberty once again.

For 4 years, you have trained and studied and worked for this moment. And now it has come. You are the ones who will defeat the enemies of freedom. Your country is depending on your courage and your dedication to duty. The eyes of the world are upon you. You leave this place at a historic time, and you enter this struggle ahead with the full confidence of your Commander in Chief. I thank each of you for accepting the hardships and high honor of service in the United States military. And I congratulate every member of the Rickenbacker Class of 2004.

May God bless you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 11:17 a.m. at Falcon Stadium. In his remarks, he referred to Gen. John P. Jumper, USAF, Air Force Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. John W. Rosa, Jr., USAF, Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy; Usama bin Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organization; President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan; Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel; former President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; senior Al Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi; Prime Minister Ayad al-Alawi, President Ghazi Ujayl alYawr, Deputy President Ibrahim al-Jafari, and Deputy President Rowsch Shaways of the Iraqi interim government.