Oct. 25 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995

Remarks at the Harry S. Library Institute Legacy of Leadership Dinner October 25, 1995

Thank you very much, Clifton, for that very Dining Room, and for the first time in 160 fine introduction, and I hope that what you said years, the First Family no longer had to go is true about both of us. President Ford, Presi- downstairs to dinner at night. And I thought dent Carter, thank you for your service to our this was quite a great thing, you know, and Nation and for what you said and for the work so I thought we should have dinner in this room you have done to continue America’s mission with the beautiful Revolutionary wallpaper that since you have left office; the work you have Mrs. Kennedy put up. done in supporting our common efforts in ex- And we got sort of into the dinner. We were panding trade; and for that very unusual trip having a wonderful conversation; I was mar- President Carter took to Haiti not very long veling at how much reminded ago, which has now given them one year of me of her father. And so, as the conversation freedom and democracy. Thank you, sir, for warmed, I said, ‘‘Tell me, Margaret, how do that. you like this ?’’ And she Vice President Gore; General and Mrs. Daw- got a very stern look in her face, and she said, son; my good friend Lindy Boggs; Mr. and Mrs. ‘‘Well, Mr. President, I like you.’’ But she said, Hackman; Senator and Mrs. Nunn; Governor ‘‘You know, I just don’t think people should and Mrs. Carlin; Mr. Symington; David and eat on the same floor they sleep.’’ [Laughter] Rosalee McCullough; Congresswoman McCar- And I thought to myself, the Trumans are still thy; the other Members of Congress who are speaking their mind. [Laughter] And thank God here. I always love to be at events honoring for that. Harry Truman because I come from a family I have been asked to talk about the meaning that was for him when he was alive. [Laughter] of Harry Truman’s legacy for today and tomor- I loved hearing the story about the—that row. And because of the meetings that I have President Ford told about the tour President just had at the United Nations and the work Truman gave of the . You know, that we are doing 50 years after its beginning, President Truman oversaw the last great renova- I thought it might be worth my sharing with tion of the White House, although many fine you a few thoughts about Harry Truman’s legacy things have been done within the house by sub- and what it means for today and tomorrow. sequent Presidents and their wives. And he gave Every American President, including my two us the , and fated almost as distinguished predecessors who spoke here to- much heat for that as he did some of the more night, has followed in Harry Truman’s footsteps famous things he did. Every first family since in carrying forward America’s leadership in the then has thanked their lucky stars for Harry world. This tradition of sustained American lead- Truman’s persistence in hanging on to the Tru- ership and involvement has been so successful man Balcony. and has been so consistently maintained by It was my great honor, along with the First Democratic and Republican Presidents alike that Lady, who had the privilege of hosting many some of us forget what a bold departure it was. of you at the White House today, to have Mr. Just before I came here tonight I was with Daniel’s parents come to dinner. Margaret Tru- Prime Minister Rabin at another meeting talking man Daniel was uncommonly kind to my wife about peace in the Middle East. Harry Truman and to my daughter during the course of the was the first world leader to recognize the State ’92 campaign and on occasion thereafter. And of Israel. And his commitment to giving us the we wanted to have them for dinner. And as capacity to lead and work for peace started a we were having dinner in the Family Dining single silver thread that runs right through the Room upstairs, which used to be the room in terrific accomplishments of President Carter and which Margaret Truman had her piano and did all of the things which have been done since. her practicing—it was her room—and President But we forget what a bold departure it was. and Mrs. Kennedy converted it into the Family The , the , the

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NATO alliance, each was a step unlike anything deepening, not withdrawing, from our security before. cooperation. Indeed, NATO, which President Truman Today, with the overarching threat of com- rightly considered one of his finest achieve- munism gone, the faces of hatred and intoler- ments, was our very first peacetime alliance ance are still there with different faces: ethnic ever. We never had a military alliance in peace- and religious conflicts, organized crime and drug time before NATO. This decisive change grew dealing, state-sponsored terrorism, the spread of out of the belief that was shared by General weapons of mass destruction. America cannot Marshall, Senator Vandenberg, and Dean Ach- insulate itself from these threats any more than eson and so many others that we could never they could insulate themselves after World War again remain apart from the world. We had, II. Indeed, we have less option to do so because after all, isolated ourselves after the First World the world is becoming a global village. War, and because of that, we had to fight an- By joining with our allies and embracing oth- other. Harry Truman was determined that would ers who share our values, we can’t insulate our- not happen again. And he had to face, almost selves from these threats, but we can sure create immediately, the chilling prospect of the cold a better defense. NATO’s success gives us proof war and to make all of the decisions which set of what we can do when we work together. in motion the policies which enabled, ultimately, NATO binds the Western democracies in a com- mon purpose with shared values. And I strongly freedom to prevail in that war. believe that NATO does not depend upon an He had to do it with a nation that was weary ever-present enemy to maintain its unity or its from war and weary from engagement, where usefulness. people were longing to just focus on the little The alliance strengthens all of its members everyday things of life that mean the most to from within and defends them from threats most of us. But because he did it, we just cele- without. If you just compare the stability, the brated 50 years of the United Nations. No more economic strength, the harmony in Western Eu- world war, no nuclear device ever dropped rope today with the conditions that existed just again, and we see the movement for peace and a few decades ago in President Truman’s time, freedom and democracy all over the world. you can see that. The alliance has brought What are we going to do to build on his former foes together, strengthened democracy, achievement? What do we have to do to secure and along with the Marshall plan, it sheltered a peace for the next century? Freedom’s new fragile economies and got them going again. It gains, I believe, make it possible for us to help gave countries confidence to look past their an- to build a Europe that is democratic, that is cient hatreds. It gave them the safety to sow peaceful, and that, for the first time since na- the prosperity they enjoy today. tion-states appeared on that continent, is undi- By establishing NATO, of course, America vided. also did something even more important from We can build a Europe committed to free- our point of view. We established the security dom, democracy, and prosperity, genuinely se- that we require to flourish and to grow. Now cure throughout the continent and allied with we have to build upon President Truman’s ac- other like-minded people throughout the world complishments. He said when he announced the for the first time ever. And I am committed Truman doctrine, ‘‘The world is not static. The to doing what we can to build that kind of status quo is not sacred. We have to adapt Europe based on three principles: First, to sup- NATO, and I believe we should open NATO’s port democracy in Europe’s newly free nations; doors to new members.’’ The end of the cold second, to work to increase economic vitality war cannot mean the end of NATO, and it in Europe with America and other partners cannot mean a NATO frozen in the past, be- through open markets and expanded trade and cause there is no other cornerstone for an inte- to help the former Communist countries com- grated, secure, and stable Europe for the future. plete their transition to market economies, a NATO’s success has involved promoting secu- move that will strengthen democracy there and rity interests, advancing values, supporting de- help to block the advance of ultranationalism mocracy and economic opportunity. We have and ethnic hatred; and finally, we’re building literally created a community of shared values the transatlantic community of tomorrow by and shared interests as well as an alliance for

1683 Oct. 25 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 the common defense. Now the new democracies One of our former colleagues, President of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Nixon, who is no longer with us, wrote me a Soviet Union want to be a part of enlarging letter about Russia a month to the day before the circle of common purpose and, in so doing, he died, which I still have and reread from increasing our own security. time to time, emphasizing the extraordinary his- That’s why we established the Partnership For toric significance of Russia’s courageous reach Peace. In less than 2 years, we’ve brought 26 for democracy and liberty. nations into a program to create confidence and Russia, too, has a contribution to make in friendship, former enemies now joining in field the new Europe, and we have offered them exercises throughout the year, building bonds a strong alliance with NATO and working together instead of battle plans against one an- through the Partnership For Peace. Let me just other. This has been good for us and good for tell you, that partnership is going to deepen. Europe. Tomorrow, and Russian armed Now those nations in the region that maintain forces will begin a peacekeeping exercise to- their democracies and continue to promote eco- gether at Fort Riley, Kansas, under the auspices nomic reform and behave responsibly should be of the Partnership For Peace. We want our rela- able to become members of NATO. That will tionships with them to be daily, comprehensive, give them the confidence to consolidate their routine. We want to go every step of the way to build confidence and security and a demo- freedom and to build their economies and to cratic Russia. But we don’t think NATO’s open- make us more secure. ing to the East and our relationship with Russia NATO’s completed a study of how it should are mutually exclusive choices. bring on new members. We intend to move I want to emphasize one other thing. NATO carefully and deliberately and openly and share is at work for us right now, as we speak, dem- the conclusions of that study with all of those onstrating in Bosnia how vital it is to securing who have joined us in the Partnership For the peace in Europe. The efforts of our nego- Peace. But we have to move to the next phase tiators, the military changes on the ground, and in a steady, careful way, to consider who the NATO’s air strikes have brought these parties new members should be and when they would to the negotiating table and to an agreement be invited to join the alliance. Throughout this, on the basic principles of a settlement and a I will engage with the Congress and the Amer- nationwide cease-fire. ican people and seek the kind of bipartisan part- Next week, in an historic meeting, the Presi- nership that made Harry Truman’s important dents of Bosnia, Croatia, and Serbia will travel work possible. here to Dayton, Ohio, to resolve the remaining Let me emphasize one important point: issues. The political settlement that is taking Bringing new members into this alliance will shape will preserve Bosnia as a single state and enhance, not undermine, the security of every- provide for a fair territorial compromise. It will one in Europe, including Russia, Ukraine, the commit the parties to hold free elections, estab- other former Soviet republics. We’ve assured lish democratic institutions, and respect human Russia that NATO is as it has always been, a rights. defensive alliance. Extending the zone of secu- There are many people who have played a rity and democracy in Europe can help to pre- role in bringing this process this far. I want vent new conflicts that have been building up, to thank one of them tonight for his extraor- in many cases, for centuries. For Russia and dinary efforts, President Carter. Thank you so all of her neighbors, this is a better path than much for what you have done. the alternative. I want to say to all of you, there is no guar- I also want you to know, as you saw from antee of peace, but it is possible in large meas- the laughing photograph with President Yeltsin, ure because of NATO. And let me ask you we are still building a positive relationship with one final thing. If the peace is negotiated, Russia. Those of you familiar with the history NATO must be prepared to help implement of that great country know that its heroic effort the agreement. There will be no peace without to become a confident and stable democracy an international military presence in Bosnia, a is one of the most significant developments of presence that must be credible. NATO is indis- our time. pensable

1684 Administration of William J. Clinton, 1995 / Oct. 25 to this to give the parties the reassurance they United States from His Holiness John Paul II. need to make peace. And I spent about a half an hour with him The question I have is this: If Harry Truman alone, and he started with the most unusual were President, would he expect the United conversation I’ve ever had with him or, in some States as the leader of NATO to be a part ways, with any other world leader. He said, ‘‘I of the force in Bosnia? I think you know what want to talk about the world, and I want to the answer is. The answer is, yes. And so must know what you think.’’ I said, ‘‘The world?’’ we. He said, ‘‘Yes, the whole deal.’’ I said, ‘‘Well, My fellow Americans, make no mistake about where shall I start?’’ He said, ‘‘Start in Bosnia.’’ this: If we’re not there, many of our partners So we talked about Bosnia. Then we went will reconsider their commitments; if we’re not around the world. At the end he said, ‘‘You there, America will sacrifice its leadership in know, I am not a young man. I have lived NATO; if we’re not there, we will be making through most of this century. The 20th century a sad mistake. I am determined that we will began with a war in Sarajevo. Mr. President, be part of this NATO mission. you must not let the 20th century end with I am working with Congress, engaging in an a war in Sarajevo.’’ important dialog. I met not very long ago with I ask you to think of this, my fellow Ameri- a bipartisan group of leaders, and I want to cans, that first war in Sarajevo, that was Harry say a special word of thanks to Senator Nunn Truman’s war. That’s the war that he joined for his remarkable contribution to that meeting up in even though he was old enough and his and for his remarkable contributions to our eyesight was bad enough for him to get out country, which we will all miss when he is gone. of it. That’s the war he showed people the kind My fellow Americans, if you want 4 years of leadership capacity he had. And our failures of bloody conflict to end, you have to support after that war led Franklin Roosevelt into an- the United States being involved with NATO other war, led Harry Truman to end that war in enforcing the peace agreement. We have not with a set of difficult painful decisions, including sent troops into battle. We have not taken sides. dropping the atomic bomb, and led him to de- We have not been a part of the UNPROFOR termine that it would never happen again. That’s mission on the ground. But we must do this why he did all the things we celebrate tonight. if you want your country and NATO to be effec- If he were here he would say, ‘‘If you want tive in our time as it was in President Truman’s to really honor me, prepare for the future as vision and in his time. I did.’’ Let me also say again, if we don’t do this, Thank you, and God bless you all. the consequences for our country could be grave, indeed. This is the most serious conflict NOTE: The President spoke at 9:35 p.m. in the on the continent of Europe since World War Main Hall at the National Building Museum. In II. NATO must help to end it. If we fail to his remarks, he referred to Clifton Truman Dan- secure this peace, how can we achieve an inte- iel, President Truman’s grandson; Maj. Gen. Don- grated, peaceful, and united Europe? If we fail ald S. Dawson, USAF (Ret.), president, Harry S. to secure this peace, our success around the Truman Library Institute for National and Inter- world and much of our success at home, which national Affairs, and his wife, Jenny; Lindy Boggs, has come from American leadership, will be dinner chair; Larry Hackman, Director, Harry S. weakened. If we fail to secure this peace, the Truman Library, and his wife, Sandi; Senator Sam conflict in the former Yugoslavia could spread Nunn and his wife, Colleen; Archivist of the to other nations and involve our sons and daugh- United States John W. Carlin and his wife, Diana; ters in a conflict in Europe. master of ceremonies James Symington; and au- Let me say in closing that just a few days thor and historian David McCullough and his ago, we were fortunate to have a visit in the wife, Rosalee.

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