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Obama to Troops: No 'Victory Lap' in Tuesday Night Speech on Iraq

1 year ago
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David Wood
David Wood
Chief Military Correspondent
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President Obama promised thousands of soldiers at Fort Bliss, Texas, Tuesday that he won't do a "victory lap'' for fulfilling his promise to end the formal U.S. combat role in Iraq and shrink American forces there to below 50,000.
In his Oval Office address to the nation Tuesday evening, Obama told the soldiers he intends to express his "deepest gratitude to military personnel who served in Iraq – and to their families who waited for their return home."
"I'm going to make a speech to the nation tonight, it's not going to be a victory lap. It's not going to be self-congratulatory. There's still a lot of work that we've got to do to make sure that Iraq is an effective partner with us,'' the president said during a lightning visit to Fort Bliss, home of the 1st Armored Division.
"But the fact of the matter is that because of the extraordinary service that all of you have done, and so many people here at Fort Bliss have done, Iraq has an opportunity to create a better future for itself, and America is more secure," he said.
Barely a month after taking office in January 2009, Obama vowed, if conditions on the ground permitted and if his combat commanders concurred, to end combat operations in Iraq and to bring the troop levels there down to 50,000 – from a high of 171,000 in October 2007.
Gen. Ray Odierno, the departing commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, has endorsed the gradual drawdown of American combat forces as domestic violence in Iraq has dramatically subsided over the past two years.
Recent terrorist attacks in Iraq, including a deadly series of coordinated bombings by Islamist extremists in 13 cities across the country that killed 56 people last week, have raised fears among Iraqis and Americans that the war is not over. Some 47,500 armed U.S. troops remain on duty in Iraq on a variety of missions that include joint patrols and combat missions with Iraqi forces and track-and-snatch operations against Iraqi terrorist targets.
Obama said the work remaining, for troops and American diplomats, is "absolutely critical.''
Given the continued violence and risk to American military personnel in Iraq, critics of the Obama administration have said too many troops are being withdrawn too fast.
The president acknowledged the criticism in his talk at Fort Bliss, but he called for Americans to come together in praise of the troops and their families.
"There are times where, in our country, we've got political disagreements," he said. "And appropriately we have big debates about war and peace. But the one thing we don't argue about is the fact that we've got the finest fighting force in the history of the world," the president said.
The president also referred in his evening speech to the war in Afghanistan, where nearly 100,000 troops are battling a resurgent Taliban.
That fight "is going to be a tough slog,'' Obama told the Fort Bliss troops. "But what I know is that after 9/11, this country was unified in saying we are not going to let something like that happen again. And we are going to go after those who perpetrated that crime, and we are going to make sure that they do not have safe haven.''
Click play below at 8p.m. Tuesday to watch a live stream of Obama's Iraq speech:

Filed Under: Iraq, Terror, Obama Administration, Afghanistan, Military, Middle East, White House
Tagged: obama fort bliss, obama iraq, obama iraq war, obama speech, Taliban
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194 Comments

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Janice

The same way we want Iraq to become 'self-sufficent' and use their oil to 'substain themselves', We too should become self-sufficent through our own means of energy.

August 31 2010 at 8:57 PM Report abuse +11 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Janice's comment
kingnus

Iraq will be getting U.S. foreigh aid for ever.

September 01 2010 at 2:14 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
msgee675

i stand by my president!!!..period!!!

August 31 2010 at 8:43 PM Report abuse -7 rate up rate down Reply
Cristina

God Bless Obama !!! God Bless America !!!

August 31 2010 at 8:42 PM Report abuse -5 rate up rate down Reply
Patty

President Obama's speech has left me deeply humbled.

August 31 2010 at 8:22 PM Report abuse -4 rate up rate down Reply
stikfigure513

Obama wants to increase funding for the troops, provide them with the health benefits they need, and help them receive a college education... OK republicommies, exactly what part of that agenda screams "socialist"?

August 31 2010 at 8:21 PM Report abuse -3 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to stikfigure513's comment
codifex maximus

Actually, the whole thing. In Socialism, the govt has control of all the means of production and doles out all the goodies. That said, the govt is supposed to take care of the military so it's a moot point. Your question didn't make a whole lot of sense.

August 31 2010 at 8:50 PM Report abuse +1 rate up rate down Reply
Mike

I do not suport this guy at all

August 31 2010 at 8:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Mike's comment
sunchld0

No, it was President Bush who was wrong about Iraq from day one. After they got rid of Saddam and his two sons, the United States should have left Iraq.

August 31 2010 at 9:45 PM Report abuse +2 rate up rate down Reply
donaldpmrd

The reduction in the level of U.S. military forces in Iraq was agreed to during the Bush/Cheney administration, and signed on November 17, 2008. It is known as the "U.S.-Iraq Status of Forces Agreement". Pres. Obama and VP Biden are attempting to take credit for the withdrawal, despite the fact that they both opposed the surge when they were Senators. If they had any consideration for truth, they would give credit to the prior adminstration for liberating millions of Iraqis from a brutal dictator responsible for killing and torturing hundreds of thousands of his Iraqi citizens. Now, the rest is up to the Iraqis to take advantage of the opportunity given to them by our military personnel, and our citizens.

August 31 2010 at 8:02 PM Report abuse +18 rate up rate down Reply
3 replies to donaldpmrd's comment
MrScott

I am so glad I'm no longer in the military, I could never respect a Commander and Cheif like Obama.

August 31 2010 at 7:59 PM Report abuse +8 rate up rate down Reply
CoolRep

WEll duh, he can't do any dances he was totally against the surge which brought Irag around. Best just say a few things and move on.

August 31 2010 at 7:57 PM Report abuse -4 rate up rate down Reply
Jimmy

Bush/Cheney Incorporated lied to get us into the war in Iraq. Latest figures show that 80% of Americans do not believe the war was worth the cost in brave American troop lives. The Billions of $$$$ wasted in this war was scoffed up by Cheney cohorts like Haliburton etc. Have we found the weapons of mass destruction that these "liars" said existed and threatened us? Ignorance of the truth is bliss (making Bush/Cheney believers deliriously happy). It is time to break out your copy of "My Pet Goat". Heartfelt thanks goes to our brave troops and a proper "welcome home".

August 31 2010 at 7:55 PM Report abuse -4 rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Jimmy's comment
CoolRep

jimmy you are so full of it 80% lmao oh and Obama is so transparent huh lol the troops are fighting for America in spite of Obama.

August 31 2010 at 7:59 PM Report abuse +8 rate up rate down Reply

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