politics

A tough-talking Vice President Dick Cheney affirmed U.S. resolve in Iraq and hailed the "Midwestern values" embodied in the Minnesota National Guard Monday during a speech to Guard members and their families at the Air National Guard base at Fort Snelling.

Evoking the memories of Sept. 11, Cheney pledged steadfastness in Iraq, even in the face of national poll numbers questioning continued U.S. participation.

"Progress has not come easy but it has been steady," he said, pointing to Iraqis' voting in elections and ratifying a constitution.

Moreover, increased numbers of trained Iraqi security forces will be able to decrease U.S. troop levels without sacrificing skill levels, he said.

"If the terrorists succeed," Cheney said, "they will return Iraq to the tyrants, make it a source of instability in the Middle East and use it as a staging are for ever greater attacks against America and our allies."

"As President Bush said, they can only win this fight if we quit. And quitting is not an option," he said. "The terrorists will fail because the American military is standing in the way."

The vice president told the crowd the situation on the ground will dictate how many U.S. troops are withdrawn, and when. "As always, the decision about troop levels, will be driven by conditions on the ground, determined by our military commanders, not by artificial timelines set by politicians," he said.

Cheney also saluted the Minnesota National Guard's recent 150th anniversary and recognized its current major deployment to Iraq.

He praised the "Midwestern values" that, he said, helped the state Guard retain and recruit members at some of the highest levels in the country.

Cheney's remarks, which lasted 16 minutes, received a warm but not emotional response. He shook hands with Guard and family members afterward as "Stars and Stripes Forever" played in the background.

'I support him'

"I think it's neat to hear the vice president speak, regardless of political affiliation," said Lt. Scott Smit, 26, of Blaine, prior to Cheney's arrival. He served in Iraq from December 2004 to November 2005.

Smit described his political affiliation as independent.

"I'm glad to come," said another Guard member, Ross Niebur, 26, a training officer who served in Afghanistan from May 2004 to May 2005.

"I support him and they've supported us as well," he said.

Cheney presented an award to Master Sgt. Mark Wasserbauer, who is being honored as the Air National Guard first sergeant of the year.

In addition to serving as a first sergeant in three separate Air Guard units, Wasserbauer devoted more than 500 hours to community support projects.

The vice president departed for Washington, D.C., in the late afternoon accompanied by Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn.