Thomas Daschle: “each year, America honors its veterans on this day with solemn pride. But this year, Veterans Day arrives with uncommon…”

“each year, America honors its veterans on this day with solemn pride. But this year, Veterans Day arrives with uncommon poignancy. As we show our gratitude to our veterans here at home, a new generation of soldiers is thousands of miles from their loved ones, facing danger on our behalf. There is an immediacy to this year's Veterans Day. The risks our soldiers are facing today have not yet been softened by memory. Without the filter of history, we see clearly the dangers they face every day when we learn of yet another attack on American soldiers, yet another death, yet another family that must go on without a loved one. At the same time, we see clearly the good that American service men and women can perform when we witness the hopeful faces of Iraqis eager for a better, more peaceful life. Within the service of today's soldiers, we may see a clear reflection of the service of our veterans. Just as our soldiers today, our veterans, too, left families behind. They, too, woke up to uncertain dangers. They, too, saw friends and comrades injured or killed. Yet, knowing both their risks and their obligations, they, too, performed their duty each day.”