Mitt Romney

thank you __PUNCT__ senat talent __PUNCT__ for your veri kind introduct __PUNCT__

ed __PUNCT__ it is alwai a pleasur to be with my mani friend at the heritag_foundat __PUNCT__ and it an honor to give the first of the seri of speech heritag will sponsor as part of it protect_america month __PUNCT__

i ow heritag a great debt of gratitud __PUNCT__

when i serv as governor __PUNCT__ i drew extens on the research and think of thi foundat __PUNCT__

your scholarship and counsel were invalu as we dealt with our budget crisi __PUNCT__ with marriag and taxat and especi in the case of health_care __PUNCT__

our program to extend privat health_insur to all citizen of massachusett ha result in __NUM___peopl who were uninsur now have coverag __PUNCT__

we prove that govern doesn't have to get in the health_insur busi to get peopl insur __PUNCT__

the presid and leadership of congress haven't learn that lesson yet __PUNCT__ which is why we go to need the influenc of heritag more than ever in the great health_care care_debat to come __PUNCT__

it is honor to be here at the unit_state navi memori __PUNCT__

it humbl to be remind __PUNCT__ in the word of america the beauti __PUNCT__ of __PUNCT__ hero prove in liber strife __PUNCT__ who more than self their countri love __PUNCT__ and merci more than life __PUNCT__ our liberti and secur have come at a great price __PUNCT__

we can never repai those who di for us __PUNCT__ but we can honor their sacrific by defend freedom and extend it frontier across the world __PUNCT__

more than __NUM__ of our peopl in uniform ar still deploi to theater of war __PUNCT__

and ani discuss of america nation_secur ha to begin with those war __PUNCT__ and the absolut necess of win them __PUNCT__

the mission in iraq and afghanistan don't receiv as much attent as in year past __PUNCT__

it wasn't long_ago that most politician and pundit had pretti much decid iraq wa a lost caus __PUNCT__

but our former presid wa undet __PUNCT__ and instead of retreat he move_forward with a surg of oper __PUNCT__

the astonish success of our soldier ha silenc the critic __PUNCT__

and most importantli __PUNCT__ it ha preserv freedom for million of peopl __PUNCT__ deni jihadist a base from which thei could financ and launch attack __PUNCT__ and elimin the threat iraq repres to the region __PUNCT__

event have proven the critic wrong __PUNCT__ and the come victori in iraq will be to the last credit of the american servicemen and women who have fought in the finest tradit of the american_militari __PUNCT__

just a few dai from now __PUNCT__ we will mark the __NUM___anniversari of d __PUNCT__ dai __PUNCT__

i sure mani of you have been to normandi __PUNCT__

i have __PUNCT__

i saw the beach __PUNCT__

i saw the acr upon acr of cross and star that mark the rest place of those who gave the last full_measur of devot to their countri caus __PUNCT__

thei were sent by an awaken american_nation to liber a contin __PUNCT__

in the shadow of world_war_ii desol __PUNCT__ thei resolut shoulder the burden of defend freedom __PUNCT__

that burden did not end with that war __PUNCT__

sinc that time __PUNCT__ american_soldier have fought in remot place __PUNCT__

america sacrif the blood of it son and daughter and sent treasur abroad __PUNCT__ help nurtur democraci and human right all over the world __PUNCT__

we sustain a network of allianc and built militari prowess that at first contain and then defeat soviet_commun __PUNCT__

becaus of what america did in the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__ there ar hundr of million of peopl around the world who now live in freedom __PUNCT__ who __PUNCT__ but for the price paid by the unit_state __PUNCT__ would have live in despair __PUNCT__

i know of no other such exampl of nation selfless in the histori of mankind __PUNCT__

that is why america is the hope of the earth __PUNCT__

that is also why __PUNCT__ with all due respect __PUNCT__ i take issu with presid_obama recent tour of apolog __PUNCT__

it not becaus america hasn't made mistak __PUNCT__ we have __PUNCT__ but becaus america mistak ar overwhelm by what america ha meant to the hope and aspir of peopl throughout the world __PUNCT__

the presid also claim on arab tv that america ha dictat to other nation __PUNCT__

no __PUNCT__ america ha sacrif to free other nation from dictat __PUNCT__

britain guardian newspap note that mr __PUNCT__ obama ha been more critic of hi own countri __PUNCT__ while on foreign soil __PUNCT__ than ani other presid in american_histori __PUNCT__

that would be a most unfortun distinct at ani time __PUNCT__

but it is particularli so todai __PUNCT__ with all that is transpir in the world __PUNCT__ in iran __PUNCT__ north_korea __PUNCT__ georgia __PUNCT__ somalia __PUNCT__ iraq __PUNCT__ pakistan and afghanistan __PUNCT__ thi is the time for strength and confid __PUNCT__ not for apolog to america critic __PUNCT__

i do not believ that the caus of freedom end with the close of the last centuri __PUNCT__ nor that america can afford complac in it defens __PUNCT__

america is still the hope of the world __PUNCT__

we must confront clearli and courag the threat to freedom __PUNCT__ and we must resolut sustain the capabl we need to protect our secur and sustain the caus of liberti __PUNCT__

there ar four compet nation or group of nation __PUNCT__ repres four differ wai of wai of life __PUNCT__ that ar vy to lead the world befor the end of thi centuri __PUNCT__

on is the world democraci __PUNCT__ led by america __PUNCT__

our strategi is base on two principl __PUNCT__ free_enterpris and individu_liberti __PUNCT__

these have led us to becom the most power_nation in the histori of the world __PUNCT__

china repres a differ strategi __PUNCT__

their is also base on two principl __PUNCT__ free_enterpris is on of them __PUNCT__

thei wit the bankruptci of commun first hand __PUNCT__ and have adopt free enterpris like it wa their own __PUNCT__

as a result __PUNCT__ hundr of million of their poor have been lift from poverti __PUNCT__

but their second strateg dimens is not freedom __PUNCT__ it is authoritarian __PUNCT__

anoth competitor is russia __PUNCT__

like china __PUNCT__ their strategi is also base on authoritarian __PUNCT__

but unlik china __PUNCT__ their econom might is deriv not from industri __PUNCT__ but from energi __PUNCT__

thei seek to control the energi of the world __PUNCT__ fill their treasuri and empti everyon els as we pai for what thei have in abund __PUNCT__

the fourth strategi is that of the jihadist __PUNCT__

by mean of escal violenc __PUNCT__ thei intend to caus the collaps of the other three compet vision __PUNCT__ drag the entir world back into a mediev dictatorship rule by mullah and ayatollah __PUNCT__

of these four compet strategi __PUNCT__ notic that onli on includ freedom __PUNCT__

onli if america succe will freedom endur __PUNCT__

do not imagin for a singl_moment that china __PUNCT__ russia and the jihadist have no intent of surpass america and lead the world __PUNCT__

each is entir convinc that it can do so __PUNCT__

freedom is threaten not just by those who aspir to world leadership __PUNCT__ but also by the rogu and malevol __PUNCT__

north_korea ha made it abundantli_clear that thei ar not onli intent on perfect nuclear_weapon __PUNCT__ but thei ar contemptu of the concern of the unit_state and the world at larg __PUNCT__

it wa no accid that thei launch their missil while the presid wa address nuclear non __PUNCT__ prolifer __PUNCT__ and execut their nuclear_test to coincid with memori_dai __PUNCT__

the messag is clear __PUNCT__ the on __PUNCT__ again __PUNCT__ off __PUNCT__ again talk and diplomaci and agreement have been noth but stall maneuv __PUNCT__

while diplomat celebr yet anoth agreement __PUNCT__ convinc that all their work ha made the world safer __PUNCT__ north_korea continu down the nuclear path kim jong il ha long pursu __PUNCT__

arrog __PUNCT__ delusion tyrant can not be stop by earnest word and furrow brow __PUNCT__

action __PUNCT__ strong bold_action come from a posit of strength and determin __PUNCT__ is the onli effect deterr __PUNCT__

it is time to appli comprehens __PUNCT__ regim __PUNCT__ crippl sanction to north_korea __PUNCT__

asset should be seiz __PUNCT__ intern_financi capabl termin __PUNCT__

north_korea should be recategor as a state_sponsor of terror __PUNCT__

and __PUNCT__ most importantli __PUNCT__ the presid should immedi revers hi recent decis and strongli_support complet our ballist_missil missil_defens system __PUNCT__

missil defens is a non __PUNCT__ nuclear __PUNCT__ entir defens system_design to protect not just america but the world from a catastroph attack __PUNCT__

yet the presid plan to cut the missil_defens defens_budget by __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__ cut fund for missil_defens site in europ by __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__ and reduc the number of plan interceptor in alaska __PUNCT__

that is a grave miscalcul __PUNCT__ given the provoc from north_korea __PUNCT__ iran near __PUNCT__ nuclear statu __PUNCT__ pakistan instabl __PUNCT__ and the complet failur of the non __PUNCT__ prolifer_treati __PUNCT__

rare in histori ha ani develop carri such aw possibl as a nuclear __PUNCT__ arm missil in the hand of evil men __PUNCT__

and rare in histori ha ani program had the promis to do more good or spare more suffer than a system of missil_defens __PUNCT__

i know the liber have oppos missil defens ever sinc ronald_reagan propos it __PUNCT__

but thi is too big an issu for ideolog or polit to prevail over nation_secur __PUNCT__

i repeat __PUNCT__ it is essenti that congress fulli fund and deploi a multi __PUNCT__ layer missil_defens shield that alon can protect our peopl from the terribl threat that is gather around us __PUNCT__

in light of both the long_term challeng to our leadership and the immedi threat to our secur __PUNCT__ i am also deepli concern about the presid broader plan for our militari __PUNCT__

at the most fundament level __PUNCT__ our militari might depend on the long term strength of our economi __PUNCT__

the presid plan budget and multi __PUNCT__ trillion_dollar deficit __PUNCT__ financ by a level of borrow never befor attempt by ani nation __PUNCT__ put our whole economi in jeopardi __PUNCT__

he mai take us past the tip_point and creat a crisi of confid in the dollar that would burden us for year __PUNCT__

the presid should instead rein in hi plan for massiv new spend and reform entitl __PUNCT__

but i fear instead that he will look to the militari_budget to find the biggest cut and financ hi domest prioriti __PUNCT__

in real_term __PUNCT__ presid_obama is plan to shrink the defens_budget everi year over the next decad __PUNCT__ from __NUM__ percent of our economi todai __PUNCT__ he would take it to __NUM__ percent __PUNCT__

liber have long complain that we spend too much on defens __PUNCT__

when i wa on the campaign_trail __PUNCT__ on of the frequent sight at gather wa a billboard trailer that claim defens_spend wa more than half of the total feder_budget __PUNCT__

thei knew better __PUNCT__ of cours __PUNCT__

the offici budget doesn't includ our entitl_spend __PUNCT__

when that ad in __PUNCT__ defens is about __NUM__ percent of the total __PUNCT__

the argument is also made that our defens_spend is grossli disproportion to that of either china or russia __PUNCT__

in __NUM___china defens_budget wa report to be __MONEY___billion __PUNCT__ about on tenth our own __PUNCT__

but we need to look more close at the number __PUNCT__

china __PUNCT__ for instanc __PUNCT__ doesn't includ in it budget the cost of strateg defens __PUNCT__ research and develop __PUNCT__ or procur from other countri __PUNCT__

when those ar ad in __PUNCT__ you get a budget in the rang of __MONEY__ to __MONEY__ billion __PUNCT__

and if those figur ar adjust for purchas_power pariti __PUNCT__ the amount continu to climb __PUNCT__

but even then __PUNCT__ we not finish __PUNCT__

think about it __PUNCT__ a soldier cost china a fraction of what it cost us __PUNCT__

china spend about __NUM___billion billion_dollar for troop while we spend __NUM___billion for our __PUNCT__

and yet thei have on third more soldier than we do __PUNCT__

that kind of dispar also hold_true for the cost of build submarin __PUNCT__ artilleri piec __PUNCT__ tank __PUNCT__ and other militari platform __PUNCT__

take into account the differ in cost __PUNCT__ our advantag over the russian and chines is not __NUM__ to on __PUNCT__ it more like two to __NUM__ __PUNCT__

thei ar closer to half our level than thei ar to on tenth __PUNCT__

and then consid all the thing we expect from our militari that thei do not expect from their __PUNCT__

we respond to humanitarian crise __PUNCT__ protect world ship and energi lane __PUNCT__ deter terror __PUNCT__ prevent genocid __PUNCT__ and lead peac __PUNCT__ keep mission __PUNCT__

and most significantli __PUNCT__ our militari is requir to maintain a global presenc __PUNCT__ their is not __PUNCT__

it is a far more demand task to keep worldwid commit than simpli to build a forc that can accomplish region object __PUNCT__

china in particular is bent on acquir the capabl to exclud american naval and air asset from the strait of taiwan __PUNCT__

china ha bought carrier killer missil from russia and is develop it own variant __PUNCT__

it ha acquir fighter aircraft capabl of challeng air superior even against our f __PUNCT__ __NUM__ __PUNCT__

it ha built a larg nuclear submarin base on the island of hainan and ha commiss __NUM__ new submarin __PUNCT__ bring it fleet to __NUM__ onli __NUM__ fewer than the unit_state __PUNCT__

it ha the most activ ballist_missil program in the world __PUNCT__ ad___NUM__ new missil everi year __PUNCT__

we needn't consid china to be an eventu enemi of the unit_state __PUNCT__

in fact __PUNCT__ i hope china can be a true partner for peac and prosper __PUNCT__

but that the whole point __PUNCT__ the stronger china becom rel to the unit state __PUNCT__ the more tempt china will be to achiev it nation ambit through aggress tactic __PUNCT__

it is strength __PUNCT__ not weak __PUNCT__ that preserv the peac __PUNCT__

as ronald_reagan wa fond of sai __PUNCT__ of the four war that have occur in my lifetim __PUNCT__ none happen becaus america wa too strong __PUNCT__

the right wai to scale america defens_budget is to add up the requir for each of our mission __PUNCT__ begin with strateg defens __PUNCT__

america nuclear_arsen need to be modern __PUNCT__

while other have been test and updat their strateg capabl __PUNCT__ we have done littl to maintain our deterr power __PUNCT__

russia is also insist that nuclear reduct talk encompass onli strateg nuclear_weapon __PUNCT__ but not theatr weapon __PUNCT__

of cours that what thei want __PUNCT__ thei have mani time the number of theatr nuclear weapon that we have __PUNCT__

you can count on the russian to bargain in their own interest __PUNCT__ just as you can count on some liber and politician to sign ani agreement that look good on the surfac __PUNCT__ even if it put us at a sever disadvantag __PUNCT__

the presid must not fall into that trap __PUNCT__

a second defens mission is to be prepar to fight and win land war and counter __PUNCT__ insurg __PUNCT__ includ the war we ar now fight __PUNCT__

those who shout __PUNCT__ no more iraq __PUNCT__ should rememb that we ar still in a counter __PUNCT__ insurg war in afghanistan __PUNCT__

and it wa not so long_ago that __NUM___troop were need to fight in desert storm __PUNCT__

it is not hard to imagin futur scenario that would requir america to put boot on the ground __PUNCT__ particularli given the develop in pakistan __PUNCT__ or even russia appar design on it former satellit __PUNCT__

we have a great_deal of work to do to prepar for thi mission __PUNCT__

much of our militari_equip ha been destroi or damag __PUNCT__

it should be replac as soon as possibl __PUNCT__

the armi also need to upgrad all of it track vehicl and mani of it tank __PUNCT__

and our ground forc have been serious deplet __PUNCT__

in the clinton_year __PUNCT__ the armi wa reduc from __NUM__ divis to __NUM__ __PUNCT__

as a consequ __PUNCT__ the armi __PUNCT__ as well as the marin_corp __PUNCT__ ha been stretch to the break_point in iraq and in afghanistan __PUNCT__

our reserv have had to bear a heavi and unanticip burden __PUNCT__

when our arm_forc ar short __PUNCT__ staf __PUNCT__ the inevit result ar higher casualti __PUNCT__ more long __PUNCT__ term health impact __PUNCT__ greater risk to our secur __PUNCT__ and more adventur by tyrant __PUNCT__

these human and nation cost ar simpli too high to bear __PUNCT__

in the defens of liberti __PUNCT__ there is no substitut for the brave men and women of the unit_state militari __PUNCT__ and we should start take better care of them __PUNCT__

a third mission is to continu to control the common __PUNCT__

our militari is abl to move freeli on the sea __PUNCT__ in the air __PUNCT__ and in space __PUNCT__ that allow us to protect trade __PUNCT__ respond to humanitarian crise __PUNCT__ provid essenti support to our ground forc __PUNCT__ as well as project our power to restrain the ambit of tyrant and enhanc our credibl as an alli __PUNCT__

here again __PUNCT__ much of the militari vital equip is old and technolog out of date __PUNCT__

the air_forc main bomber __PUNCT__ the b __PUNCT__ __NUM__ __PUNCT__ is __NUM___year old __PUNCT__

much of the air_forc tanker and cargo inventori is almost as old __PUNCT__

the navi ha a state minimum requir of __NUM__ ship __PUNCT__

it now ha onli __NUM__ __PUNCT__

unless the shipbuild budget is substanti_increas __PUNCT__ the fleet will continu to declin __PUNCT__

we ar head to a navi of __NUM__ to __NUM__ vessel __PUNCT__ a fleet size that no on believ is consist with america_secur or global respons __PUNCT__

a fourth mission is to provid counter __PUNCT__ insurg support for nation under threat from jihadist __PUNCT__

our experi in the philippin ha shown the effect of team compris of intellig personnel and special_forc __PUNCT__

thi is a capabl we should greatli_expand __PUNCT__ and rapidli deploi __PUNCT__

let me note on more prioriti __PUNCT__

we must invest far more resourc to defend against militari discontinu __PUNCT__ that is __PUNCT__ disrupt in commun and other technolog that our forc depend on __PUNCT__

china __PUNCT__ for instanc __PUNCT__ is commit to cyber __PUNCT__ warfar and space __PUNCT__ warfar __PUNCT__

it ha invad our most secur network __PUNCT__ pirat design for our advanc weaponri __PUNCT__

even more disrupt technolog ar all too real __PUNCT__ includ electromagnet puls attack __PUNCT__

while some of these measur mai seem unthink __PUNCT__ thei simpli ar not __PUNCT__

it would be a seriou error to becom so focus on equip ourselv for the war we ar now fight that we under __PUNCT__ invest in our capabl to prevent or prevail in war of the futur __PUNCT__

when i add up the demand of all these defens mission __PUNCT__ i do not come up with budget_cut __PUNCT__

as a simpl matter of budget mathemat __PUNCT__ we cannot fulfil our militari mission without an increas of __MONEY___billion per year in the modern budget __PUNCT__

admir mullen __PUNCT__ the chairman of the joint_chief __PUNCT__ ha repeatedli said that such an increas is necessari __PUNCT__

that is why i support defens_budget __PUNCT__ exclud the cost of iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__ that ar at least four percent of gdp __PUNCT__ not three percent __PUNCT__

it not that __NUM__ __PUNCT__ is a magic number __PUNCT__

it that i can see no reason scenario by which american can spend less and still provid our servicemen and women with the modern equip and resourc thei need to defend us __PUNCT__

the administr is intent on spend less __PUNCT__ but i urg pro __PUNCT__ defens member of congress __PUNCT__ democrat and republican alik __PUNCT__ to hold firm __PUNCT__ and to make the case for a militari that is second to none __PUNCT__

the current leadership in washington is hardli in a posit to complain about the cost of the defens budget __PUNCT__

over the last few month __PUNCT__ it ha pass measur that will add almost __MONEY___trillion to the nation_debt in the short_term and then over __MONEY___trillion over the next ten_year __PUNCT__

none of that monei wa spent on increas the defens modern budget __PUNCT__ a failur that histori will never understand or excus __PUNCT__

for a fraction of the monei that wa spent on variou domest and social_program __PUNCT__ washington could have given our servicemen and women the tool thei need to defend us for a gener __PUNCT__

after all __PUNCT__ the first and highest duti of govern is to provid for the common_defens __PUNCT__

back awai from missil_defens __PUNCT__ and deplet the defens_budget to fund new social_program __PUNCT__ particularli in the face of global turmoil __PUNCT__ would put america and american at risk __PUNCT__

we cannot allow the econom_crisi to conceal the veri real_threat to our nation_secur __PUNCT__

we cannot ignor the intent of competitor who would replac america leadership with their own __PUNCT__ and set back the caus of freedom __PUNCT__

provid ha bless us and trust us to safeguard liberti __PUNCT__ in a time of confus at home and challeng abroad __PUNCT__ let our be the voic of clariti and good_sens __PUNCT__ confid in our caus __PUNCT__ and faith in the care of freedom __PUNCT__

thank you veri much __PUNCT__