US Presidency
1983

I can't say enough in praise of our military-Army rangers and paratroopers, Navy, Marine, and Air Force personnel those who planned a brilliant campaign and those who carried it out. Almost instantly, our military seized the two airports, secured the campus where most of our students were, and are now in the mopping up phase. It should be noted that in all the planning, a top priority was to minimize risk, to avoid casualties to our own men and also the Grenadian forces as much as humanly possible. But there were casualties, and we all owe a debt to those who lost their lives or were wounded. They were few in number, but even one is a tragic price to pay. It's our intention to get our men out as soon as possible. Prime Minister Eugenia Charles of Dominica, I called that wrong; she pronounces it Dominica, she is Chairman of OECS. She's calling for help from Commonwealth nations in giving the people their right to establish a constitutional government on Grenada.