As Americans marked Veterans Day November 11, President Obama spoke at Arlington Cemetery, where many who served in U.S. wars are buried.

The president spoke a great deal about those currently serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. “For those who are serving in far-flung places today, when your tour ends, when you see our flag, when you touch our soil, you will be home in an America that is forever here for you, just as you’ve been there for us,” he said.

Obama also made an unannounced visit to the section of the cemetery where victims of those wars are buried and spoke with relatives of the fallen. Video of his speech is available on the White House Web site.

President Obama spoke at another solemn ceremony the day before, this one a memorial for those killed at the Fort Hood military base November 5. To family members of the victims, he said, “your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched.” Text of the president’s remarks is available on the White House Web site.

President Obama congratulated Afghan President Hamid Karzai on his re-election after his opponent Abdullah Abdullah withdrew from the race. The two candidates were to face each other November 7 in a run-off after no presidential candidate received a majority of the vote in an August contest.

“Although the process was messy, I’m pleased to say that the final outcome was determined in accordance with Afghan law, which I think is very important, not only for the international community that has so much invested in Afghan success, but most importantly, is important for the Afghan people that the results were in accordance with and followed the rules laid down by the Afghan constitution,” Obama said.

Obama said the American people are committed to helping Afghanistan achieve prosperity and security, but that the Afghan government must play its part to fight corruption and strengthen governance. A text of the president’s remarks is available on America.gov.

In the early morning hours today as most Americans slept, President Obama made an unannounced visit to Dover Air Force base in Delaware to pay respects to the families of 18 Americans who died in Afghanistan earlier this week. Dover base is typically the first point of entry for bodies of those killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the New York Times, Obama had a private discussion with family members and saluted as the bodies were transferred. Very little information about the event was made public.

By the way, an image like the one used in this blog entry is still pretty rare. Earlier this year the Pentagon ended an 18-year ban on media covering the return of Americans killed in war. Today these returns can be photographed with the permission of the victim’s family.

President Obama said he welcomes the news that Afghanistan will hold a run-off presidential election between current President Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah after neither managed to win at least 50.1 percent of the August 20 vote.

“I congratulate the Afghan people on the patience and resilience they have shown throughout this long election process,” Obama said. The second election will be held November 7.

For more information, see “Obama Lauds Afghan President’s Participation in Runoff Vote.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki came to the White House July 22 to meet at “an important moment,” president Obama said during their joint press conference.

“We’re in the midst of a full transition to Iraqi responsibility and to a comprehensive partnership between the United States and Iraq based on mutual interests and mutual respect. The success of this transition is critically important to the security and prosperity of our people, and it is a top priority of my administration,” Obama said.

The United States is committed to withdrawing combat brigades from Iraq by August 2010 and to remove all troops by 2011, Obama said. But “America stands ready to help the Iraqi government build their capacity to provide basic services and to promote the rule of law,” he said.

Across the world, Americans celebrated the United States’ 233rd birthday. At the White House, the Obamas invited military families to watch the fireworks.

“Just imagine the extraordinary audacity it took, 233 years ago for a group of patriots to … put ideas to paper that were as simple as they were revolutionary: that we are equal; that we are free; that we can pursue our full measure of happiness and make of our lives what we will,” Obama said.

The Obamas had another birthday to celebrate July 4 – daughter Malia turned 11 that day.

Vice President Joe Biden spent the July 4 holiday with U.S. troops serving in Iraq, among those troops, 237 new U.S. citizens. Biden oversaw their swearing in ceremony. Biden also had the opportunity to see his son Beau, a member of the Delaware National Guard, currently serving in Iraq.