The United States military still isn’t out of the clear yet in of the war of Afghanastan and it is going to take our future leaders to bring us home safely. President Obama was on hand to ensure that his decision to increase the country’s presence overseas for the final stretch was safe at the 2014 West Point Graduation, Wednesday morning, May 28.
The message “America must always lead” rang out as the President spoke for nearly an hour. The White House outlined the main key points of his message for all the new lieutenants so you don’t have to sit through it.
The President spent most of his speech outlining his vision for how the United States, and our military, should lead in the years to come. The four elements of American leadership included:
1. Using military force when our core interests are at stake or our people are threatened
2. Shifting our counter-terrorism strategy by more effectively partnering with countries where terrorist networks seek a foothold
3. Continuing to strengthen and enforce international order through evolving our institutions, such as NATO and the United Nations
4. Supporting democracy and human rights around the globe, not only as a matter of idealism, but one of national security
President Obama articulated that the United States is a global leader – a nation that “must always lead on the world stage.”
Ultimately, global leadership requires us to see the world as it is, with all its danger and uncertainty. But American leadership also requires us to see the world as it should be – a place where the aspirations of individual human beings matter; where hopes and not just fears govern; where the truths written into our founding documents can steer the currents of history in the direction of justice. And we cannot do that without you.
Thumb through the gallery to see the highlight photo-ops of the ceremony. For your convenience, the video of the graduation is always included.
Photos: Dennis Van Tine/Future Image/WENN.com
