While watching the oval office speech delivered by President Obama, it seemed like he was trying to cover all the hot topics and hit all the main points rather then talking about what a true failure the American mission in Iraq has turned out to be. We have not been able to accomplish much, but President Obama was proud to point out that we were able to stop the conflict-- a promise he made in the campaign. Congratulations on keeping your promise! But we would like to see some results from a war that has lasted nearly ten years and cost $1 trillion and 4,400 troops' lives. That is a price too high for failure!
President Obama spend a great deal of time discussing the economy and the middle class in America. In the speech that was supposed to be about the Iraq withdraw of troops, felt more like a candidate speech. I expected more out of a great speaker like Obama.
The address was indeed an important one that was reported by the right person, in the right setting. In a way, he would never be able to win such an argument no matter what he said. How can he announce any accomplishment from the war when the main things that came from it (that would affect Americans) was financial fumbles and thousands of deaths? I would completely understand if he was in office at the start of the mission, then made the address about the failure years later. In that case, the Americans would have every right to be pissed because he was responsible for "starting something he couldn't finish". We already know that its been more of a bust than an accomplishment. If his administration were to continue the mission, and a positive change is made, then he could rightfully announce an achievement on his part. I think that he didn't harp on the fact that nothing was accomplished because he didn't want to take jabs at the Bush administration. Is there a definite way he should have went about it?
ReplyDeleteHe did announce several achievements that came from what the former president started. He made a stop at Fort Bliss in Texas right before he did this address and he had VERY positive things to say about the war, the sacrifices made and the accomplishments and positive changes that have come from it. Amazing how less than 24 hours before he made this address, he was saying there were so many things that had been accomplished that we should be proud of what we had done. A case for speaking to your audience and not on your beliefs, maybe, but nonetheless it occured.
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