President Attends Celebration of Hungarian Contributions to Democracy,

President Attends Celebration of Hungarian Contributions to Democracy, FULL STREAMING VIDEO, Statutory Hall, United States Capitol, Washington, D.C. 5:45 P.M. EST

President George W. Bush speaks Wednesday evening, March 15, 2006 at the United State Capitol in Washington, in remembrance of the 50th Anniversary of the Hungarian revolution, during a celebration of Hungarian contributions to Democracy.

White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Please be seated. Mr. Speaker, thank you for having me here in this beautiful Capitol to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Hungarian Revolution.

I appreciate being here with the Mayor of our city, Mayor Williams. Good to see you, Mr. Mayor. I appreciate Chairman Hyde. Mr. Chairman, it's good to see you. I thank the members of the diplomatic corps, most particularly, Ambassador Walker. I've heard of him before. (Laughter.) Ambassador Simonyi -- thank you all. Members of Congress, most particularly a beacon for -- a steadfast beacon for liberty is how I'd like to define my friend, Tom Lantos.

I've come today not only to thank our strong ally, the government of Hungary and the people of Hungary, but I've come to thank my friend, Tom Lantos, and his wife, Annette, for never letting anybody forget that freedom is precious and necessary in our world.

The Hungarian example is an example of patience, and an example of the fact that freedom exists in everybody's soul. It's an example that tyranny can never stamp out the desire to be free. It's an example that -- of a country that, once becomes free, joins with other freedom-loving countries to keep the peace.

I've come to remind the people of Hungary they've got a great friend in America. I want to thank, by the way, the Hungarian Americans who are here with us today. You've made a significant contribution to our country.

You know, it's an interesting world in which we live. There's an argument about -- in some places -- about whether or not freedom is universal, whether or not freedom is okay for some parts of the world, but not others. I believe freedom is universal. I believe the example of Hungary proves that freedom is universal. I believe everybody desires to live in freedom. I believe there's an Almighty, and I believe the Almighty God's gift to each person in this world is liberty. And I believe the United States, and I believe Hungary, and I believe other free nations have the responsibility to help other people realize their freedom, as well.

You know, one of the interesting examples of Europe that I try to explain to our people is that for a hundred years there were war, where a lot of people lost their lives and a lot of Americans lost their life. But today Europe is at peace. Europe is whole, free, and at peace. And I believe the reason why is because democracy has taken hold on that continent. And one of the leading lights of democracy has been Hungary.

We thank the Hungarian people for their example. We thank them for their contribution in helping the newly free in Afghanistan and Iraq realize the blessings of liberty. We thank them for being allies in keeping the peace.

Mr. Speaker, thanks for letting me come by and pay my respects to a strong ally and a good friend, but also pay my respects to Congressman Tom Lantos, a person who understands the difference between freedom and tyranny, and a person who is willing to speak his mind all times, all places, everywhere.

God bless you all. (Applause.)

END 5:49 P.M. EST

Technorati Tags: President Bush and White House or Hungarian Revolution and Hungary or Tom Lantos and Europe

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Iraqi Security Forces, Coalition Launch 'Operation Swarmer'

Iraqi Security Forces, Coalition Launch 'Operation Swarmer', American Forces Press Service

Operation Swarmer begins with the largest air assault operation since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The operation, a combined effort by Iraqi security forces and coalition troops,

will continue in the southern Salah Ad Din province for several days as the target area is thoroughly searched. Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Antony Joseph, USA. Hi-Res Photo

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2006 – Iraqi and coalition forces today launched Operation Swarmer in the south of Iraq's Salah Ad Din province to clear a suspected insurgent operating area northeast of Samarra, military officials reported.

The operation began this morning with soldiers from the Iraqi army's 1st Brigade, 4th Division; the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team; and the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade conducting a combined air and ground assault to isolate the objective area, officials said.

Attack and assault aircraft provided aerial weapons support for the operation and also delivered troops from the Iraqi army's 4th Division; the "Rakkasans" from 1st and 3rd Battalions, 187th Infantry Regiment, of the U.S. Army; and the "Hunters" from 2nd Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army, to "multiple objectives" according to a Multinational Force Iraq statement. Forces from Iraq's 2nd Commando Brigade then completed a ground infiltration to secure numerous structures in the area, officials said.

More than 1,500 Iraqi and coalition troops, more than 200 tactical vehicles, and more than 50 aircraft participated in the operation, according to the MNF-I statement.

Initial reports from the objective area indicate that a number of enemy weapons caches -- containing artillery shells, explosives, materials for making homemade bombs, and military uniforms -- have been captured.

The operation is expected to continue for several days as a thorough search of the objective area is conducted, officials said.

Operation Swarmer follows closely the completion of a combined Iraqi and coalition operation west of Samarra in early March that yielded substantial enemy weapons and equipment caches.

The name Swarmer, the MNF-I statement explained, was derived from the name given to the largest peacetime airborne maneuvers ever conducted, in spring 1950 in North Carolina. Soon after this exercise, the 187th Infantry was selected to deploy to Korea as an airborne regimental combat team to provide Gen. Douglas MacArthur with an airborne capability.

(From a Multinational Force Iraq news release.) Technorati Tags: Iraqi Security Forces and Operation Swarmer or Iraq and Salah Ad Din, or Samarra and Iran, or 101st Airborne Division, and Multinational Force Iraq, or war on terrorism and coalition or Golden Mosque and Gen. Douglas MacArthur

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