Article #238
Subject: President's Obama's speech in Estonia
Author: Andrew W. Harrell
Posted: 9/4/2014 11:23:14 AM

Notes and selected quotes of President Obama by the White House blog and
Andrew, including remarks on the recent dangerous situations in Ukraine and
Iraq from President Obama’s speech to Estonian students in Tallinen

Sept. 3, 2014

Hello Estonia,

… We are getting grades on this, thanks to Oscar for the great introduction.



It is a great pleasure to be here today. Thanks for the hospitality you have
shown me.

I bring with me the friendship of the U.S. and I am honored to be the first
U.S. President to

Deliver an address like this to the Estonian people. You are fulfilling the
dreams of your parents and grand parents, living your lives in a free
independent Baltic nation. That idea blossomed only to have it stolen in mass
deportations that ripped parents from their children.

We’re stronger because we’re democracies. We’re not afraid of free and fair
elections, because true legitimacy can only come from one source -- and that
is the people. We’re not afraid of an independent judiciary, because no one
is above the law. We’re not afraid of a free press or vibrant debate or a
strong civil society, because leaders must be held accountable. We’re not
afraid to let our young people go online to learn and discover and organize,
because we know that countries are more successful when citizens are free to
think for themselves.

The President also addressed Russia's "brazen assault on the territorial
integrity of Ukraine."

It challenges that most basic of principles of our international system --
that borders cannot be redrawn at the barrel of a gun; that nations have the
right to determine their own future. It undermines an international order
where the rights of peoples and nations are upheld and can’t simply be taken
away by brute force. This is what’s at stake in Ukraine. This is why we
stand with the people of Ukraine today.

So the President laid out exactly where the United States stands on this
blatant aggression:

Just as we refused to accept smaller European nations being dominated by
bigger neighbors in the last century, we reject any talk of spheres of
influence today. And just as we never accepted the occupation and illegal
annexation of the Baltic nations, we will not accept Russia’s occupation and
illegal annexation of Crimea or any part of Ukraine. As free peoples, as an
Alliance, we will stand firm and united to meet the test of this moment.

Here's how:

1. The President reiterated the United States' commitment to defend the
territorial integrity of every single NATO ally, noting that more NATO
aircraft patrol the skies, more American forces are rotating through each of
the Baltic states, and more NATO ships patrol the Black Sea. "I believe our
alliance should extend these defensive measures for as long as necessary," he
said.

2. The President is working with Congress to further increase America's
military presence in Europe, an initiative he proposed in Warsaw, Poland this
spring. An expanded presence would include more military equipment, more
training and exercises between our militaries, and more U.S. forces rotating
through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

3. NATO must enhance its readiness and rapid response force, including
facilities and infrastructure that can receive rapid reinforcements in case
of any threat to any ally. This also includes the ability to meet
unconventional threats, including propaganda campaigns that drive fears and
division among people. "We reject the idea that people cannot live and thrive
together, just because they have different backgrounds or speak a different
language," the President said.

4. All NATO allies must fully contribute their fair share to invest in
capabilities like intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and missile
defense, which will keep the alliance strong for the future.

5. NATO must stand united against Russia's aggression in Ukraine. The
United States and partners around the world have already come together to
impose major sanctions on Russia for its actions.

The United States will continue to support Ukraine in its fight to maintain
its independence. As the President said:

We want Ukrainians to be independent and strong and able to make their own
choices free from fear and intimidation, because the more countries are free
and strong, and free from intimidation, the more secure our own liberties are.

So the United States will continue to help Ukraine reform -- to escape a
legacy of corruption and build democratic institutions, to grow its economy,
and, like other European nations, diversify its energy sources, because no
country should ever be held hostage to another nation that wields energy like
a weapon. We’ll continue to offer training and assistance to help the
Ukrainian military grow stronger as they defend their country. And since
ultimately there is no military solution to this crisis, we will continue to
support President Poroshenko’s efforts to achieve peace. Because, like all
independent nations, Ukraine must be free to decide its own destiny.

At the NATO Summit in Wales, the President will meet with President
Poroshenko of Ukraine "to show that our 28 nations are united in support of
Ukraine's sovereignty and its right to defend its territory." He called on
NATO to make concrete commitments to help Ukraine modernize and strengthen
its forces.

The President called the situation in Ukraine "a moment of testing," as the
violence kills thousands and forces more to flee. He urged the people of
Estonia and the Baltics to have faith in a brighter future they can help
create:

In the face of violence that seems intractable and suffering that is so
senseless, it is easy to grow cynical, and I think tempting to give in to the
notion that peace and security may be beyond our grasp.

But I say to all of you here today, especially the young people, do not give
into that cynicism. Do not lose the idealism and optimism that is the root of
all great change. Don’t ever lose the faith that says, if we want it, if we
are willing to work for it, if we stand together, the future can be
different; tomorrow can be better.