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Gingrich Seeks Support for Infantry Museum
Atlanta, Georgia -- Former Speaker of the
House Newt Gingrich was back in Atlanta Wednesday, commending efforts
to build a new National Infantry Museum and Heritage Park and encouraging
a group of influential Georgia business leaders to support the project.
Gingrich's remarks followed a presentation by the
National Infantry Foundation at the Capitol City Club in Atlanta.
The event was sponsored by Robert Yellowlees, the former Chairman
of Global Payments.
"The young soldiers fighting right now in
Iraq and their families deserve this museum," Gingrich said.
"They deserve to have something good said about them. And it
will be great to have this new museum right here in Georgia."
Gingrich himself grew up a self-professed Army
brat. His father spent 27 years in the Infantry and carried the
family to new posts and new hometowns all over the world. Gingrich
says that exposure to the Infantry was perhaps the most important
factor in shaping his beliefs and goals in life.
Understanding his background, Gingrich joked, helps
people "understand how relatively cheerful I am about getting
hit and still moving forward."
Gingrich, now a Washington consultant, told the
audience that, in his opinion, the United States "has it backwards"
when it comes to the military. He believes speed and technology
are overvalued in this country. "Because," he said, "unless
you want total war – like Hiroshima, Nagasaki or Dresden –
you're going to need a human being, on foot probably, to go in and
dominate. You can destroy from a distance, but you can't dominate
until you get inside." And that, Gingrich said, is what makes
the Infantry so vital.
Gingrich's latest book, Winning the Future: A 21st
Century Contract with America, outlines his take on winning the
war on terrorism. Gingrich said he is open to running for president
in 2008, and will include Iowa and New Hampshire on his book tour
as he tests the political waters in those important primary states.
Other
news releases.
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