Obama: ‘History ... has always been up to us’

President urges allies and rivals to work now to resolve world conflicts

COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France - President Obama urged the world Saturday to live up to the sacrifice made by thousands of Allied soldiers who struggled to shore here 65 years ago on D-Day, telling a hushed audience that "the selflessness of a few was able to change the course of an entire century."

"For you remind us that in the end, human destiny is not determined by forces beyond our control," Obama said during a ceremony commemorating the invasion. "Our history has always been the sum total of the choices made and the actions taken by each individual man and woman. It has always been up to us."

Obama's speech at the bluff-top cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach served to underscore the message he has sought to deliver throughout his trip to the Middle East and Europe. Using a mix of criticism and understanding, he has urged rivals and allies to work now to resolve conflicts based on his view of how their national interests coincide with those of the United States.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31150343/