1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000


2
00:00:04,140 --> 00:00:06,029
thank you all for joining me this 

3
00:00:06,029 --> 00:00:09,380
afternoon . I wanna thank also the 

4
00:00:09,380 --> 00:00:11,830
United States Embassy Tunis for hosting 

5
00:00:11,830 --> 00:00:14,160
us today . And I want to thank the 

6
00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,216
American Battle Monuments Commission 

7
00:00:16,740 --> 00:00:19,580
for dedicating and maintaining these 

8
00:00:19,580 --> 00:00:23,520
hallowed grounds . It is an honor to be 

9
00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,450
here with you in the North Africa 

10
00:00:26,730 --> 00:00:29,940
American Cemetery , the eternal resting 

11
00:00:29,940 --> 00:00:33,840
place of more than 2800 brave 

12
00:00:33,850 --> 00:00:36,770
men and women who fought in North 

13
00:00:36,770 --> 00:00:40,170
Africa during World War Two , and the 

14
00:00:40,170 --> 00:00:43,750
more than 37 100 fallen heroes 

15
00:00:43,980 --> 00:00:47,240
whose names are memorialized on the 

16
00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,940
wall of the missing . These soldiers , 

17
00:00:51,140 --> 00:00:54,560
sailors , airman , marines , Coast 

18
00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,750
Guardsmen and merchant Mariners fought 

19
00:00:57,750 --> 00:01:00,370
alongside our partners and friends , 

20
00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,062
living up to their sworn oath to defend 

21
00:01:03,062 --> 00:01:05,229
the Constitution and the United States 

22
00:01:05,229 --> 00:01:07,760
of America against the forces of evil 

23
00:01:08,190 --> 00:01:11,380
in the North African campaign . Not 

24
00:01:11,390 --> 00:01:13,168
only did they make the ultimate 

25
00:01:13,168 --> 00:01:15,950
sacrifice for our freedoms today , but 

26
00:01:15,950 --> 00:01:18,172
their experiences in combat also taught 

27
00:01:18,172 --> 00:01:20,460
us vital lessons that hold true nearly 

28
00:01:20,470 --> 00:01:23,450
eight decades later , lessons that we 

29
00:01:23,450 --> 00:01:25,870
must keep close in the years ahead . 

30
00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,096
The fighting in North Africa erupted 

31
00:01:30,096 --> 00:01:32,370
when the Axis powers attempted to cut 

32
00:01:32,370 --> 00:01:34,680
off the allies supplies and lines of 

33
00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:36,770
communication in the Mediterranean 

34
00:01:37,540 --> 00:01:39,530
Recognizing the threat of access 

35
00:01:39,530 --> 00:01:41,470
control of the region , President 

36
00:01:41,470 --> 00:01:44,550
Roosevelt launched Operation Torch in 

37
00:01:44,550 --> 00:01:48,250
1942 marking the first major 

38
00:01:48,250 --> 00:01:50,690
entry of the United States troops in 

39
00:01:50,690 --> 00:01:53,500
this theater and the largest American 

40
00:01:53,500 --> 00:01:56,740
campaign on the continent . After 

41
00:01:56,740 --> 00:01:59,160
suffering early losses in combat , the 

42
00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:01,160
allies adapted by building up their 

43
00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:02,993
combat power , making changes in 

44
00:02:02,993 --> 00:02:05,160
command and coordinating air and naval 

45
00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,490
forces to attack enemy positions and 

46
00:02:07,490 --> 00:02:10,280
supply lines . Cooperation among the 

47
00:02:10,280 --> 00:02:12,502
allies throughout nearly three years of 

48
00:02:12,502 --> 00:02:14,502
fighting proved vital to victory in 

49
00:02:14,502 --> 00:02:17,300
1943 and the liberation of the Maghreb 

50
00:02:17,390 --> 00:02:20,090
from access control . It's secured 

51
00:02:20,090 --> 00:02:22,034
North Africa and the Mediterranean 

52
00:02:22,034 --> 00:02:24,090
strategic supply routes and position 

53
00:02:24,090 --> 00:02:25,868
the allies to liberate Europe . 

54
00:02:26,730 --> 00:02:29,410
Importantly , our victory demonstrated 

55
00:02:29,410 --> 00:02:31,243
the power of like minded nations 

56
00:02:31,460 --> 00:02:33,960
standing arm and arm in the campaign 

57
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,320
against tyranny , and taught us that 

58
00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:39,450
the way to win is to fight together . 

59
00:02:41,540 --> 00:02:43,762
Our collective success in World War Two 

60
00:02:43,762 --> 00:02:45,596
led to the creation of a Postwar 

61
00:02:45,670 --> 00:02:47,614
international order that is secure 

62
00:02:47,614 --> 00:02:51,200
peace , stability and prosperity around 

63
00:02:51,200 --> 00:02:53,760
the world . For the past 75 years , 

64
00:02:54,740 --> 00:02:57,760
however , this global order , based on 

65
00:02:57,770 --> 00:02:59,540
our shared values of liberty , 

66
00:02:59,540 --> 00:03:02,550
sovereignty and human rights , is under 

67
00:03:02,550 --> 00:03:04,470
duress in this era of great power 

68
00:03:04,470 --> 00:03:08,290
competition . Today . Our strategic 

69
00:03:08,290 --> 00:03:11,060
competitors China and Russia 

70
00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:13,890
continue to intimidate and coerce their 

71
00:03:13,890 --> 00:03:15,668
neighbors while expanding their 

72
00:03:15,668 --> 00:03:17,668
authoritarian influence worldwide , 

73
00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:21,290
including on this continent . At the 

74
00:03:21,290 --> 00:03:23,512
same time , violent extremists continue 

75
00:03:23,512 --> 00:03:25,623
to pose a threat not only to regional 

76
00:03:25,623 --> 00:03:27,750
stability but also to our homelands . 

77
00:03:28,940 --> 00:03:31,162
United States Enduring partnership with 

78
00:03:31,162 --> 00:03:33,530
like minded countries , including here 

79
00:03:33,540 --> 00:03:35,860
in North Africa , is key to addressing 

80
00:03:35,860 --> 00:03:38,680
these challenges . Among our combined 

81
00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:40,791
efforts , the department defense help 

82
00:03:40,791 --> 00:03:42,569
strengthen our partners defense 

83
00:03:42,569 --> 00:03:44,624
capabilities and blunt transnational 

84
00:03:44,624 --> 00:03:47,180
threats . We helped the grade violent 

85
00:03:47,180 --> 00:03:49,260
extremist organizations and deliver 

86
00:03:49,260 --> 00:03:51,410
humanitarian aid and disaster relief 

87
00:03:51,420 --> 00:03:54,250
toe local communities and together 

88
00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,160
way continue to counter the malign , 

89
00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,920
coercive and predatory behavior of 

90
00:03:59,930 --> 00:04:02,041
Beijing and Moscow meant to undermine 

91
00:04:02,041 --> 00:04:04,770
African institutions , erode national 

92
00:04:04,770 --> 00:04:08,130
sovereignty , create instability and 

93
00:04:08,130 --> 00:04:10,160
exploit resource is throughout the 

94
00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:14,000
region . Our work United States 

95
00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:16,270
work is done in good faith and with a 

96
00:04:16,270 --> 00:04:18,990
sincere aspiration for a more secure , 

97
00:04:19,300 --> 00:04:22,070
stable and prosperous Africa , 

98
00:04:22,660 --> 00:04:24,438
including through political and 

99
00:04:24,438 --> 00:04:26,549
economic development marked by free , 

100
00:04:26,549 --> 00:04:28,216
fair and reciprocal trade and 

101
00:04:28,216 --> 00:04:30,080
investment and respect for the 

102
00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:33,250
sovereignty of all nations . As the 

103
00:04:33,250 --> 00:04:35,290
global partner of choice , United 

104
00:04:35,290 --> 00:04:37,234
States will continue to deepen our 

105
00:04:37,234 --> 00:04:39,346
alliances and partnerships across the 

106
00:04:39,346 --> 00:04:41,401
continent , including with Tunisia , 

107
00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:43,696
where your democratic government and 

108
00:04:43,696 --> 00:04:45,862
sovereignty have made much of our work 

109
00:04:45,862 --> 00:04:47,810
in this region possible . We look 

110
00:04:47,810 --> 00:04:50,088
forward to expanding this relationship , 

111
00:04:50,088 --> 00:04:52,143
to help Tunisia protect its maritime 

112
00:04:52,143 --> 00:04:54,032
ports and land borders , to deter 

113
00:04:54,032 --> 00:04:56,199
terrorism and to keep the corrosive of 

114
00:04:56,199 --> 00:04:58,690
efforts of autocratic regimes and out 

115
00:04:58,690 --> 00:05:01,830
of your country as we build closer ties 

116
00:05:01,830 --> 00:05:03,997
in the spirit and service of those who 

117
00:05:03,997 --> 00:05:07,760
first set us on this path , those men 

118
00:05:07,760 --> 00:05:10,080
and women , the men and women laid to 

119
00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,970
rest here We're heroes who held from 

120
00:05:12,980 --> 00:05:15,060
every part of the United States and 

121
00:05:15,060 --> 00:05:17,130
from every walk of life to fight for 

122
00:05:17,130 --> 00:05:19,440
the United States . Our Constitution , 

123
00:05:19,450 --> 00:05:21,840
our shared values and the ideals that 

124
00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,720
now define our rules are rules based 

125
00:05:24,730 --> 00:05:27,590
global order . They include Private 

126
00:05:27,590 --> 00:05:30,940
Nicholas Menu , a Polish immigrant who 

127
00:05:30,940 --> 00:05:32,940
gave up his rank of sergeant in the 

128
00:05:32,940 --> 00:05:35,051
United States Army to serve in combat 

129
00:05:35,051 --> 00:05:37,384
during World War Two , first in Algeria , 

130
00:05:37,810 --> 00:05:41,470
then in Tunisia , Private Manu was 

131
00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,702
posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor 

132
00:05:43,702 --> 00:05:45,924
for single handedly destroying an enemy 

133
00:05:45,924 --> 00:05:48,091
machine gun position while under heavy 

134
00:05:48,091 --> 00:05:50,202
fire and continuing to charge forward 

135
00:05:50,202 --> 00:05:54,070
until he himself was killed . Other 

136
00:05:54,070 --> 00:05:55,903
heroes whose names appear on the 

137
00:05:55,903 --> 00:05:58,126
headstones in the wall of the missing . 

138
00:05:58,126 --> 00:06:00,292
Our leaders such a second lieutenant , 

139
00:06:00,292 --> 00:06:02,403
James McCullen , and First Lieutenant 

140
00:06:02,403 --> 00:06:04,626
Sherman White , members of the Tuskegee 

141
00:06:04,626 --> 00:06:06,514
Airman . These pioneering African 

142
00:06:06,514 --> 00:06:08,459
American fighter pilots skillfully 

143
00:06:08,459 --> 00:06:10,237
executed bomber escort on other 

144
00:06:10,237 --> 00:06:12,403
missions that helped change the course 

145
00:06:12,403 --> 00:06:15,400
of America's military . Other 

146
00:06:15,400 --> 00:06:17,511
Trailblazers . But other Trailblazers 

147
00:06:17,511 --> 00:06:19,680
include Privates , First Class Rose , 

148
00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:21,650
Pooch Allah and Alice McKinney , 

149
00:06:22,020 --> 00:06:24,680
members of the Women's Army Corps whose 

150
00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,791
contributions throughout the war laid 

151
00:06:26,791 --> 00:06:29,013
the groundwork for the strong , capable 

152
00:06:29,013 --> 00:06:31,150
and diverse force we have built and 

153
00:06:31,150 --> 00:06:34,900
fostered ever since . We stand tall . 

154
00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,200
Thanks to the sacrifices made by these 

155
00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:40,090
men and women who came before us , we 

156
00:06:40,090 --> 00:06:42,360
honor them . And all those serving 

157
00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:44,960
around the world today who are making 

158
00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:46,849
their own mark on history is they 

159
00:06:46,849 --> 00:06:49,730
defend our values alongside our allies 

160
00:06:49,730 --> 00:06:52,820
and partners together , much like we 

161
00:06:52,820 --> 00:06:54,876
did when we arrived in this historic 

162
00:06:54,876 --> 00:06:57,480
land in 1942 the United States will 

163
00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,647
continue to protect the enduring cause 

164
00:06:59,647 --> 00:07:02,040
of freedom to safeguard our sovereignty 

165
00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:04,340
and values and to uphold the 

166
00:07:04,340 --> 00:07:06,660
international rules based order that 

167
00:07:06,660 --> 00:07:08,630
has benefited our countries for 

168
00:07:08,630 --> 00:07:10,650
generations to come . Thank you