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Bush, Cheney Promise to Improve US Armed Forces
US President-elect George W. Bush pledged Friday that his administration will strengthen the American armed forces in the new century.
The goal "will be to have a military prepared, trained and ready to fight and win war, to therefore prevent war from happening in the first place," Bush claimed when meeting with veterans.
"We will make sure our soldiers are well-paid and well-housed," he said in a pre-inauguration salute to veterans.
Bush is sworn in as the 43rd president of the United States Saturday.
Vice President-elect Dick Cheney promised veterans that the new Republican administration will give the armed forces better training, clearer missions and an "era of purpose and pride" like that seen in the Ronald Reagan years.
Cheney, who was secretary of defense during the Gulf War, said that of all the duties President-elect Bush will assume when he is sworn in Saturday, "none is greater than preparing our military for the challenges and dangers to come."
Rebuilding the military was a major campaign theme for the Republican ticket. Cheney, taking the lead, criticized the Clinton administration for running down the armed forces by spending too little on defense budgets while deploying soldiers on myriad peacekeeping missions.
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