Unveiling of the Ronald Reagan Statue

04 July 2011

The bronze Ronald Reagan statue at Grosvenor Square

Ambassador Susman:  Chancellor of the Exchequer; Foreign Secretary Hague; Defense Secretary Fox; the Chaplain General; Senators Blunt and Bond; Congressman McCarthy and the Congressional delegation; Secretaries of State; Dr. Rice; Ambassador Tuttle; Mr. Ryan; distinguished guests.

Good morning, I am Louis Susman, the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James. And to the Americans among us, “Happy Independence Day”.

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to this corner of London that is forever America.

Grosvenor Square is steeped in the history of the United States. It is a powerful reminder, for all to see, of our special relationship with the United Kingdom – and a testimony to the strength of that alliance.

As one looks out upon the square we see statues of Presidents Eisenhower and Franklin Delano Roosevelt; we see the building from which D-Day was masterminded; the home of John Adams - the first envoy here from the newly created United States – the Eagle Squadron Memorial to the pilots of World War II; and the sobering and moving memorial to those Britons who perished on 9/11.

All monuments that bear witness to our shared past.

And from this day forth that historical landscape is going to be complemented by this fitting tribute to one of America’s most admired and most respected presidents: Ronald Reagan.

The presence of all the eminent and notable figures here to honor him speaks to the high regard and high affection in which he is held.

Someone not with us, of course, is Nancy Reagan. She was so influential in the President’s life and so instrumental to his success. It would have been wonderful for her to witness this celebration and to see this statue unveiled. Mrs. Reagan we miss you.

I am saddened too that Lady Thatcher has been unable to join us for the ceremony this morning. Her partnership with President Reagan - indeed their friendship - helped re-energize the special relationship. And she was a staunch and willing partner of his in the relentless cultivation of freedom and democracy wherever it took root.

President Reagan knew what Winston Churchill knew before him. That the only thing worse than fighting with allies, is fighting without them.

President Reagan not only reinvigorated the special relationship, he also re-established the power of America abroad.

We should remember his Farewell Address to the Nation. He spoke of how America’s morale had recovered, how America was respected again in the world, and how once more we were looked to for leadership.

It is from his strong support for liberty and democracy that we can today draw strength and inspiration - as we seek to meet the aspirations of those in the Arab world struggling for self-determination, human rights, and human dignity.

President Reagan’s words to the British Parliament almost three decades ago remain as valid today as they were in 1982.

He proclaimed us as “free people, worthy of freedom and determined not only to remain so, but to help others gain their freedom too”. Today, few nations are standing firmer, speaking louder, or fighting harder to defend democratic values around the world than the U.S. and the UK.

It was not just President Reagan’s words, but his actions that lent themselves to freedom’s cause. Evidenced when – thanks in part to his resolve, his dedication to the principles of democracy, and his tireless optimism - the Berlin Wall was torn down and half a continent liberated.

Indeed, it is apt that President Reagan’s statue should stand with the one of President Roosevelt. History tells us that FDR was a hero to Reagan; he was the first President he ever voted for; and the first he actually saw. But above all, he was the President who - like Reagan - knew that hope is always a stronger force than fear.

Their permanent presence in this Square will serve as an enduring reminder of that legacy.

Thank you.

It is now my honor to ask the Chaplain General to conduct an invocation.