Obama said: “We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” This is the exact line attributed to him in a campaign speech in Colorado.

FactCheck.org says the claim is a “badly distorted version” of Obama’s remarks, and quotes the broader context: “We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” The article explains that Obama was referring to expanding AmeriCorps, the Peace Corps, USA Freedom Corps, and the Foreign Service, not an armed force.

Fox News aired the clip and transcribed Obama as saying: “We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”

A YouTube-uploaded recording of the speech shows Obama saying: “We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”

The White House archived page states that the Obama administration worked to “promote diversity and inclusion in our national security workforce,” describing a workforce of “more than three million dedicated military and civilian personnel” across diplomacy, development, defense, intelligence, law enforcement, and homeland security. This shows Obama later used the term “national security workforce” in a civilian-and-military staffing context.

This e-mail features a prominent reference to something we’ve dealt with before: A July 2, 2008, speech in Colorado Springs by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. Obama talked there about building up “a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” as our military force. But the doomsayers left out the context: Obama was proposing strengthening the Peace Corps, Americorps, the USA Freedom Corps and the ranks of the State Department’s foreign service officers.

In prepared remarks at the National Defense University, President Obama said: "America must also balance and integrate all elements of our national power. We cannot continue to push the burden on to our military alone, nor leave dormant any aspect of the full arsenal of American capability. And that's why my administration is committed to renewing diplomacy as a tool of American power, and to developing our civilian national security capabilities." This restates the idea of strengthening civilian national security roles, though without the exact 2008 phrasing about a "civilian national security force."

{ts:1007} we cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the National Security objectives that we've set we've got to have a civilian National Security Force that's just as powerful just as strong just as well funded. {ts:1026} we need to use technology to connect people to service we'll expand USA Freedom Corps to create online networks where Americans can browse opportunities to volunteer. {ts:992-998} and we're going to grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy.

"The burden of service has fallen almost exclusively onto the backs of our military," Obama said at a rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado. "We have got to have a civilian national security force that is just as strong." Obama said his administration would do its part to expand opportunities to volunteer in local communities, boost programmes to serve in US aid agencies abroad, and would offer university tuition subsidies to students in exchange for civil service.

Another YouTube video titled "Obama - Civilian Security Force" presents the same Colorado Springs remarks, with the transcript showing: "we cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the National Security objectives that we've set we've got to have a civilian National Security Force that's just as powerful just as strong just as well [Applause] funded and we're going to grow our Foreign Service open consulates that have been shuttered and double the size of the Peace Corp by 2011 to renew our diplomacy."[6] The video then repeats the line: "we cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the National Security objectives that we've set we've got to have a civilian National Security Force that's just as powerful just as strong just as well funded."[6] This source shows both the quote and nearby sentences referring to the Foreign Service and Peace Corps expansion.[6]

The quoted line is reproduced as a headline quote attributed to Barack Obama: “We cannot continue to rely only on our military... We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.” The page identifies the source as a YouTube channel clip from July 17, 2008.

Media Matters, in critiquing commentary about Obama’s proposal, quotes from the Colorado Springs speech: "And we're going to grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered, and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy. We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." It notes that this came in a section calling for expansion of AmeriCorps, the Foreign Service, and other programs and that some commentators interpreted this as Obama wanting "his own army" or a "national police force."

In a later national security address at the National Defense University, President Obama reiterated the theme of balancing military and civilian tools: "America must also balance and integrate all elements of our national power. We cannot continue to push the burden on to our military alone, nor leave dormant any aspect of the full arsenal of American capability." He linked this to renewing diplomacy and strengthening civilian national security capabilities, though not repeating the 2008 "civilian national security force" phrase verbatim.

Reporting on President Obama’s final national security speech, U.S. Central Command notes that he spoke at MacDill Air Force Base to service members and referred readers to a full transcript. The linked transcript (PDF) contains Obama’s broader reflections on American national security strategy, the role of the military, and the importance of diplomacy and development as complementary tools, reflecting his continued emphasis on integrating civilian and military components in national security.

To succeed, we must improve our civilian capacity. The finest military in the world is adapting to the challenges of the 21st century. But it cannot counter insurgent and terrorist threats without civilian counterparts who can carry out economic and political reconstruction missions -- sometimes in dangerous places. As President, I will strengthen these civilian capacities, recruiting our best and brightest to take on this challenge. I will increase both the numbers and capabilities of our diplomats, development experts, and other civilians who can work alongside our military.

In remarks on the review of signals intelligence, President Obama framed national security in terms of intelligence, privacy, and civil liberties: "the directive makes clear that the United States only uses signals intelligence for legitimate national security purposes" and that bulk collection would be used only to meet specific security requirements such as counterterrorism and cybersecurity. While not referencing a "civilian national security force," this speech illustrates his broader approach to national security policy beyond strictly military means.

To protect the American people and our values, we have banned enhanced interrogation techniques. We are closing the prison at Guantanamo. We are reforming Military Commissions, and we will pursue a new legal regime to detain terrorists. I can stand here today, as President of the United States, and say without exception or equivocation that we do not torture, and that we will vigorously protect our people while forging a strong and durable framework that allows us to fight terrorism while abiding by the rule of law.

That’s why I’ve proposed an additional $1 billion in non-military assistance each year, with meaningful safeguards to prevent corruption and to make sure investments are made – not just in Kabul – but out in Afghanistan’s provinces. This prepared national security speech emphasizes increased non-military assistance and civilian efforts, consistent with Obama’s broader theme of strengthening civilian capacities alongside the military.

A PDF fact sheet titled "BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN ON DEFENSE ISSUES" outlines Obama’s proposals for civilian roles in national security, stating: "I will increase both the numbers and capabilities of our diplomats, development experts, and other civilians who can work alongside our military. We can't just say there is no military solution to these problems. We need to integrate all aspects of American might."[7] The document describes a plan to "Create a Civilian Assistance Corps (CAC)" as "a national CAC of 25,000 personnel" composed of doctors, lawyers, engineers, city planners, agriculture specialists, police, etc., to be "trained and organized to help their nation when it needs them."[7] This written campaign policy shows that Obama’s concept of civilian contributions to national security focused on diplomats, development experts, and a Civilian Assistance Corps rather than an armed domestic force.[7]

Today, Vice President-elect Biden and I are excited to unveil our national security team. The following is a rephrased version of President-Elect Barack Obama's announcement regarding his National Security Team, as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions. This text focuses on personnel appointments and does not repeat the “civilian national security force” phrase, but shows Obama’s framing of national security in terms of a team of civilian and military leaders.

In a July 2, 2008 campaign speech in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Barack Obama told his audience: "We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded." This line has since been widely circulated and debated, often without the surrounding context about expanding volunteer service programs and civilian capacities.

A quote-aggregation site attributes the statement to Barack Obama: "We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we've set. We've got to have a civilian national security force that's just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded."[2] The page presents this as a standalone quotation from "Barack Obama, American president" without surrounding context.[2] This reflects how the line is often circulated as an isolated quote.[2]