Committed to the sacred trust we hold with our military, President Obama has fought to expand and improve benefits for veterans and their families. But an old viral email is making the rounds again, falsely claiming that President Obama made disparaging remarks about the sacrifices made by our servicemen and women. The email ascribes this fabricated, completely fictional quote to the President: “Nobody made these guys go to war. They had to have known and accepted the risks. Now they whine about bearing the costs of their choice?”
Any claim that President Obama made that statement is an outright lie—he never uttered any form of that statement. The claim originated from fictional dialogue written by a conservative satirist in 2009. President Obama—as he has made repeatedly made clear—strongly supports our troops and is deeply grateful for their sacrifice.
Here are the President’s views on our military, in his own words:
“Our nation only endures because there are patriots who protect it.”
—The President to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 7/23/12“Veterans of Foreign Wars, in you I see the same shining values, the virtues that make America great. When our harbor was bombed and fascism was on the march, when the fighting raged in Korea and Vietnam, when our country was attacked on that clear September morning, when our forces were sent to Iraq—you answered your country’s call. Because you know what Americans must always remember—our nation only endures because there are patriots who protect it. In the crucible of battle, you were tested in ways the rest of us will never know.”
“Finest fighting force in the world.”
—The President on the end of the War in Iraq, 12/14/11“Our troops have served tour after tour of duty, with precious little dwell time in between. Our Guard and Reserve units stepped up with unprecedented service. You’ve endured dangerous foot patrols and you’ve endured the pain of seeing your friends and comrades fall. You’ve had to be more than soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen—you’ve also had to be diplomats and development workers and trainers and peacemakers. Through all this, you have shown why the United States military is the finest fighting force in the history of the world.”
“You served a cause greater than yourselves.”
—The President on the end of the War in Iraq, 12/14/11“Years from now, your legacy will endure in the names of your fallen comrades etched on headstones at Arlington, and the quiet memorials across our country; in the whispered words of admiration as you march in parades, and in the freedom of our children and our grandchildren. And in the quiet of night, you will recall that your heart was once touched by fire. You will know that you answered when your country called; you served a cause greater than yourselves; you helped forge a just and lasting peace with Iraq, and among all nations. I could not be prouder of you, and America could not be prouder of you.”
President Obama has consistently fought to make sure that the men and women who keep our country safe receive the highest quality care they have earned through their service. To suggest otherwise is a deliberate attempt to ignore the facts and spread lies about the President’s record of standing up for the military.