At the height of the Cold War, my father decided, like so many others in the forgotten corners of the world, that his yearning — his dream — required the freedom and opportunity promised by the West.

Three years later, he abandoned little Barry O to pursue the revolution in Kenya.

This is where the two sides met.Ê And on the twenty-fourth of June, 1948, the Communists chose to blockade the western part of the city. They cut off food and supplies to more than two million Germans in an effort to extinguish the last flame of freedom in Berlin.

But the American President then had GUTS. Will you do an airlift to Baghdad, Barry O?

Look at Berlin, where Germans and Americans learned to work together and trust each other less than three years after facing each other on the field of battle.

Look at Fallujah and Baquba, where Sunnis and Americans learned to work together and trust each other less than two years after facing each other on the field of battle, thanks to a strategy you opposed.

People of the world — look at Berlin, where a wall came down, a continent came together, and history proved that there is no challenge too great for a world that stands as one.

Because a courageous Republican President came here and told the oppressor to tear down his wall!

As we speak, cars in Boston and factories in Beijing are melting the ice caps in the Arctic, shrinking coastlines in the Atlantic, and bringing drought to farms from Kansas to Kenya.

Those factories in Beijing are also making your darling daughters’ clothes and toys, and taking away American jobs, while Al Gore wants to tax everything that burns Stateside. Say that too loudly, we might get booted from the Olympics.

American bases built in the last century still help to defend the security of this continent, so does our country still sacrifice greatly for freedom around the globe.

Those American bases you don’t want to visit? We sacrifice for freedom around the globe until you pull the rug out from under the Iraqis?

A change of leadership in Washington will not lift this burden.

So then, let’s not change the leadership in Washington.

In this new century, Americans and Europeans alike will be required to do more — not less.

Required, by you, Barack? Like Michelle said, you will make us work?

Not only have walls come down in Berlin, but they have come down in Belfast, where Protestant and Catholic found a way to live together;

Thanks to Margaret Thatcher sending the troops in to maintain order.

in the Balkans, where our Atlantic alliance ended wars and brought savage war criminals to justice;

About 5 years after the start of the war, NATO finally intervened militarily, and Milosevic died before being brought to justice.

we can join in a new and global partnership to dismantle the networks that have struck in Madrid and Amman; in London and Bali; in Washington and New York.

Like the partnership with the Sunnis in Iraq, which you opposed?

We have too much at stake to turn back now.

Like in Iraq?

we must reject the Cold War mind-set of the past, and resolve to work with Russia when we can, to stand up for our values when we must, and to seek a partnership that extends across this entire continent.

Russia hasn’t been very cooperative lately, and Europe needs Russia’s natural gas. Good luck. Take a long hard look into Putin’s soul.

This is the moment when we must build on the wealth that open markets have created, and share its benefits more equitably. Trade has been a cornerstone of our growth and global development.

Then why don’t you want to trade with Canada and Colombia?

And despite past differences, this is the moment when the world should support the millions of Iraqis who seek to rebuild their lives, even as we pass responsibility to the Iraqi government and finally bring this war to a close.

Exactly what Bush and Petraeus have been doing for the past year and a half.

Sixty years ago, the planes that flew over Berlin did not drop bombs; instead they delivered food, and coal, and candy to grateful children. And in that show of solidarity, those pilots won more than a military victory. They won hearts and minds;

Like Petraeus and his men in Anbar and Diyala.

Will we lift the child in Bangladesh from poverty,

Like Cindy McCain with a little girl with a cleft palate.

shelter the refugee in Chad, and banish the scourge of AIDS in our time?

Like President Bush who sent $15 B in foreign aid to combat AIDS?

Will we welcome immigrants from different lands, and shun discrimination against those who don’t look like us or worship like we do

Will Jeremiah Wright allow white people to worship in your church?

that we can speak our minds and assemble with whomever we choose and worship as we please.

Except bitter people in Pennsylvania who cling to their God. By the way, guess where McCain was yesterday?

Steve Z on July 24, 2008 at 4:23 PM