Obama dedicates memorial honoring wounded veterans
Source: AP-Excite
By KEN THOMAS
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama paid tribute to disabled U.S. veterans on Sunday, pointing to the dedication of a new memorial honoring those severely injured in war as a symbol of the nation's perseverance and character.
Obama marked the opening of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, which honors disabled veterans both living and deceased from conflicts throughout the nation's history. The president said the memorial would commemorate two centuries of Americans who have stepped forward to serve, leaving behind loved ones, and returned home forever altered by war.
"America, if you want to know what real strength is, if you want to see the character of our country, a country that never quits, look at these men and women," Obama told more than 3,100 people gathered at the dedication.
The monument of granite and glass near the U.S. Capitol opened as the U.S. disentangles itself from more than a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, where about 50,000 military personnel have been injured in conflict. In recent months, Obama has grappled with the rise of the Islamic State group militants now wreaking havoc in Iraq and in neighboring Syria.
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President Barack Obama speaks during the dedication ceremony for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014. (AP Photo/Molly Riley)
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