Obama: US combat in Iraq over, 'time to turn page'

[babylonsister]

Obama: US combat in Iraq over, 'time to turn page'
AP
By BEN FELLER, AP White House Correspondent – 17 mins ago


WASHINGTON – Fiercely opposed to the war from the start, President Barack Obama formally ended the U.S. combat role in Iraq after seven long years of bloodshed, declaring firmly Tuesday night: "It is time to turn the page." Claiming no victory, he said the nation's most urgent priority now must be fixing its own sickly economy.

From the Oval Office, where George W. Bush first announced the invasion that would come to define his presidency, Obama addressed millions who were divided over the war in his country and around the world. He said the United States "has paid a huge price" to give Iraqis the chance to shape their future — a price that now includes more than 4,400 dead, tens of thousands of troops wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars spent since March 2003.

In a telling sign of the domestic troubles weighing on the United States and his own presidency, Obama turned much of the emphasis in a major war address to the dire state of U.S. joblessness.

snip//

As the commander in chief over a war he opposed, Obama took pains to thank troops for their sacrifice but made clear he saw the day as more the marking of a mistake ended than a mission accomplished. He spoke of strained relations with allies, anger at home and the heaviest of wartime tolls.

"We have met our responsibility," Obama said. "Now it is time to turn the page."

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100901/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama

[msongs]

1. W's get out of jail free card lol nt

[babylonsister]

3. lol! so typical of you. got any ideas? nt

[theoldman]

2. I think Obama should not have given this speech.

He made Bush look good. He should not have mentioned his name.

[babylonsister]

4. Baloney! He just told millions of people combat operations in

Iraq are over. There are way too many clueless people in this country. I'm glad some are now more informed.

[IndianaGreen]

5. A fierce opponent of the war, like Kucinich or Ron Paul, would have brought all the troops home

last year. In a memorable Paul quote, when asked by a reporter during the GOP debates how he would get all the troops out of Iraq, he replied: the same way they got in.

[VMI Dem]

7. Hey, don't rain on the mission accomplished vibe.

Those 50k are just cooks.

[jenmito]

8. Did YOU watch the speech? n/t

[IndianaGreen]

13. I am commenting on the OP

which obviously you are not.

[jenmito]

14. My post was to VMI Dem. Not you. n/t

[babylonsister]

9. Did you even read the OP, or are you willfully ignorant?

As the commander in chief over a war he opposed, Obama took pains to thank troops for their sacrifice but made clear he saw the day as more the marking of a mistake ended than a mission accomplished. He spoke of strained relations with allies, anger at home and the heaviest of wartime tolls.

[IndianaGreen]

12. 'Fiercely opposed to the war from the start...'

I took issue to the reporter's characterization of "fiercely opposed to the war from the start...", by pointing out what a true fierce opponent of the war would have done.

Never let the generals talk you into staying the course!

[jenmito]

17. Again, the poster was posting a question to VMI Dem. Not you. n/t

[babylonsister]

24. That 'ignored' person is pervasive. I'd love a response from VMI Dem. nt

[jenmito]

25. She sure is. So would I! n/t

[cilla4progress]

26. I liked the speech

and was surprised at the negative reviews by the PBS commentators (Shields and Brooks, I believe). Sure seems like everyone is enjoying piling on lately. Lest we forget - there was a time when no ONE could envision a way out of Iraq (much like Afghanistan, now), so, just the fact that we can make any kind of a decent exit at all, ugly as it is, is pretty remarkable. Are we leaving Iraq in perfect condition, or condition we would have preferred? Hell no. If we had unlimited resources, is there more we could do (non-militarily, if you please)? Definitely. But I do think there is -- and this is a stretch - some honor upon our leaving at this moment. Certainly on the part of the troops who carried out the mission, by and large. It's a good moment to make the move, in any case, an opportunity. Damn shame we went in there in the first place.

On a side note - my daughter and I both noticed a definite strain in the President's voice. It started out kind of high and tight. There were a couple moments later in the speech when I thought he might actually shed a tear. Interested in your observations...

[ProSense]

11. Woulda

There isn't even a shoulda or coulda because they're not President.

Speculation about what hypothetical Presidents would do is useless as a criticism.

[jenmito]

6. I like what he said and that this article portrayed it correctly. It was NOT a speech about

"victory" or "endless war" but, as quoted, "We have met our responsibility. Now it is time to turn the page." Then he spoke about OUR country's needs.

[RandomThoughts]

10. Interesting seniment.

Although turning the page would be accepting that the world should be, or is unjust.

So I personally do not turn the page, other people can, of coarse, do what they think is best.



Although I don't need to win either, so maybe I am different on that.

Bob Seger Traveling Man Beautiful Loser.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzGhc9XRv9Q


Any of you played pool on the road? I did it in a van, and in even in a toyota.

Through the midwest, down the pacific, I use to play a tournament every day.

I met more people in my life, and consider that such a blessed gift, each with a different story, a different place.

Had a girlfriend, she use to say where ever I went people knew me, since every day of the week I was around a different group of 50 or 60 people, across most of the West.

I wont turn the page, why would I, it is really beautiful, even in the more lonely parts. So yea, they gimped me around a decade ago, but I was around thousands of people before they took financing and social environment.

And will be again, when they pay.

[robinlynne]

15. I missed the aprt where he said the war was a mistake. And I heard every word.

I heard him say some patriots are against the war...He knows the antiwar rally is on its way to Washington on OCt.2.

[babylonsister]

16. I didn't know about the rally, and did you miss the part

where he did what he said he would do, end a war he was not in favor of?

I think that was the message for the masses who weren't aware of that.

[robinlynne]

21. but it isn't over...... and there is no "winning" in Afghanistan.

[babylonsister]

22. I know that. He also mentioned in his speech tonight that

we are getting out of there, too, we have a timeline we are following.

Give the guy a break; he's trying to do the right thing. I know he hates this b.s. he has had to deal with. We all do. He's still cleaning up messes.

[robinlynne]

28. babylonsister, I have admired your posts for years, so I'll be quiet.

I voted for Edwards in the primary, exactly because Obama said the republicans would be sitting at the table, and I think historically that is a mistake (letting huge crimes go unpunished means they will continue...)

[hollowdweller]

20. He didn't say it was a mistake

He talked about it having a high cost but I think maybe that reporter who wrote that was sort of putting words in Obama's mouth to maybe make his story stir up some controversy where Obama would have to say later whether it was a mistake or not and then somebody could use it against him?

I heard the speech and while Obama made it clear he opposed it I don't think he came anywhere near saying it was a mistake.

[firedupdem]

18. He did an excellent job tonight. n/t

[ProSense]

19. President Obama

was also at Fort Bliss today.

[babylonsister]

23. He was also quietly at a base yesterday. He's getting around. nt

[burrowowl]

27. And the 50,000 still there

and the mercenaries?