John Kerry's letter to the Croatian Fraternal Union

September 23, 2004

Dear Mr. Bernard Luketich:

I would like to offer my greetings and best wishes to you and the Croatian Fraternal Union Federation on your 110th Anniversary. I would very much like to be here with all of you to help celebrate your achievements over more than a century of service to the Croatian American community, but the fight to take back the White House continues to take me far and wide across our great land.

For over a hundred years, Croatians have contributed to the rich diversity of immigrants that have made America what it is today. Our nation owes much to you and your families who sought to better their fortunes here, and who have contributed so much to our culture, our freedom, and our prosperity.

Today, Croatia continues to stand with America in meeting our greatest challenges; with forces fighting in Afghanistan and Croatian doctors treating injured Iraqi children in Zagreb. For all of this, America is grateful. America and the world is safer and stronger when we act with our allies. This administration has walked away from more than a hundred years of American leadership in the world and embraced a new and dangerously ineffective American disregard for the world. Time and again, this administration has confused leadership with going it alone and engagement with compromise of principle - they fail to understand that real leadership means standing by your principles and rallying others to join you.

As president, I will rebuild America's leadership in the world through strength and cooperation with its friends and allies. My administration will seek to expand relations between the U.S. and Croatia through greater dialogue and discussion at the highest levels of government as well as from the input and experience of Croatian-American groups such as the Croatian Fraternal Union.

Croatian Americans have contributed so much to make our country great. I will work to make certain that the United States and Croatia not only remain allies, but that we become even closer partners on issues of security, trade and investment, and culture. And I intend to work with our European allies to see that Croatia is able to take its place as a law-abiding member of the key institutions that helped to win the Cold War, including NATO and the European Union.

Sincerely Yours,

John Kerry