27°Obama: U.S. combat in Iraq over, 'time to turn page'
Sep 01
2010
Claiming no victory, President Barack Obama formally ended the U.S. combat role in Iraq after seven long years of bloodshed, declaring firmly Tuesday night: ''It's time to turn the page.'' Now, he said, the nation's most urgent priority is 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. Fiercely opposed to the war from the start, he said the United States ''has paid a huge price'' to give Iraqis the chance to shape their future — a cost that now includes more than 4,400 troops dead, tens of thousands more wounded and hundreds of billions of dollars spent.
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. He said the Iraq war had stripped America of money needed for its own prosperity, and he called for an economic commitment at home to rival the grit and purpose of a military campaign.
Watch video of the President's address by clicking on the player below.
In his remarks of slightly less than 20 minutes, only his second address from the Oval Office, Obama looked directly into the TV camera, hands clasped in front of him on his desk, family photos and the U.S. and presidential flags behind him. His tone was somber.
Even as he turns control of the war over to the Iraqis — and tries to cap one of the most divisive chapters in recent American history — Obama is escalating the conflict in Afghanistan. He said that winding down Iraq would allow the United States ''to apply the resources necessary to go on offense'' in Afghanistan, now the nation's longest war since Vietnam.
As for Iraq, for all the finality of Obama's remarks, the war is not over. More Americans are likely to die. The country is plagued by violence and political instability, and Iraqis struggle with constant shortages of electricity and water.
Obama is keeping up to 50,000 troops in Iraq for support and counterterrorism training, and the last forces are not due to leave until the end of 2011 at the latest.
Print
Facebook
Twitter
Email.jpg)
Sold to the highest bidder!
Comments
Share your thoughts and opinions with your community. All comments on our site are governed by our Discussion Guidelines. You must have a valid account to post comments.
12:22 AM
I says
Actually, Obama tried to surrender to Iraq shortly after he took office. While negotiating the terms, Iraq insisted that they be given the state of Arizona as reparation for the war, but Obama refused. He stated that Mexico had dibs on Arizona for when the U.S. surrenders to Mexico. Obama did offer Ohio to them, instead...Iraq wasn't interested. The rest is history.
03:19 PM
EZOB says
I stronglt ooposed going to Iraq. Because certain people have a bad memory, I'll tell you exactly what I said: "Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord". Like Vietnam, there is no easy way out!
10:58 AM
brutus smith says
Can't handle it can you. Come on, I want to see you kick that big dude in the knee. Come on, have some credibility.
10:32 AM
6079 Smith W says
Again: How many Dems voted for the Iraq War? It was a few more than three wasn’t it?
Lookin' forward to Obie's press conference? Do ya think that he'll miss his teleprompter?
09:50 AM
brutus smith says
So according to your thinking the Repubs own the stimulus bill because 3 voted for it. Alright, I like that thinking.
09:34 AM
6079 Smith W says
09:01 AM
brutus smith says
So if all Repubs vote for something and some Dems, it's the Dems fault? Interesting.
07:50 AM
6079 Smith W says
$3 trillion? Remind me again how many Dems voted for the Iraq War. Let’s see, there was Hillary…
08:31 PM
brutus smith says
The true cost of the Iraq war: $3 trillion and beyond
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/03/AR201009...
05:08 PM
brutus smith says
The surge worked? Are you and ezob ready to book your vacation yet? That way you can tell the Iraqi people personally that the surge worked. Good luck and good night.
03:46 PM
stormy says
Obama took care of Iraq for Bush????
No, the surge did that; the surge that Obama opposed. He just had the good sense NOT to reverse it after coming into office, because it was working by then.
I was against the invasion of Iraq, and still think it was a bad idea. We would've had Bin Laden's head on a pole years ago, if we hadn't gone into Iraq. But let's not give Obama credit where it isn't due.
02:34 PM
brutus smith says
ezob, aren't you the one who said the surge worked? I know, as do most THINKING people, that Iraq will continue to have a civil war. That's one thing I give Bush 1 credit for. He left Saddam in place because he knew what would happen. And besides, Iran and Iraq checked each other because they hated each other. Now that "W" drove 2.5 million Iraqi's to Iran, we have a bigger problem.
Repubs have nothing, nada, zilch.
02:17 PM
EZOB says
An armed soldier still isn't able to walk etc.
02:16 PM
EZOB says
Now that Iraq is "all cleaned up" I think it's a good place for all the Left-Wing Liberals to go on vacation. An armed soldier still is able to walk down a street during daylight hours and you people think it's a done deal. We'll have troops there in the year 2020, doesn't make a bit of difference who is President other than myself. I Have the B@#!s to bring them all home and protect our borders.
11:50 AM
kURT says
Yea winnie fight by rules of engagement;(Bush) OH WAIT! You never served!
11:50 AM
6079 Smith W says
08:50 AM
brutus smith says
observer, you posted so much garbage in one post I'll have to dissect it. WMD's, you mean the mustard gas and other poisons given to Saddam by Cheney and Rumsfeld during the Reagan administration? Oh OK, when he used it on the Kurds during George H.W. Bush's presidency? And you wanted Saddam to follow UN directives at the same time you are telling the UN to go to h@11, you can't tell us what to do?
What guarantees did we get with Bush's bailout of the banks? (TARP) I see you posted before Fox news Sunday came on. Wouldn't want to miss your daily orders would you?
Repubs have nothing, nothing but hate and disdain for our country and it's people.
07:26 AM
observer says
It was said that nothing Obama ever did would satisfy Republicans.... Not so. As soon as he does something for the good of the country, this conservative will appreciate it. Since he hasn't so far, obviously the Republicans cannot be satisfied yet.
Then someone sarcastically mentioned that "W" claimed Saddam had WMD's. Now it's just plain stupid to say that he didn't if you've ever heard the comments from virtually every congressman in office at the time. They all agreed he did and not only that, we all saw the hundreds of thousands of his (Saddam's) own people gassed and left laying dead in the streets. Come on morons, WMD's are not all nukes like some of you seem to think. And best I can tell, "W" or nobody else claimed he had nukes, only that it was suspected he had nukes. The question of whether or not he had WMD's is not debatable. The only question debateble is whether or not he ever had nuke WMD's. What is clear is either he never did or he did and removed all traces of them to Seria during the time he was ignoring all those UN sanctions and claiming that he DID IN FACT have nuke WMD's.
And in his speech, Obama failed to mention how he had touted the surge would not work, and yet it did. Hummm, you'd think he'd at least give a nod to the man responsible for it's working, maybe even admit he was wrong in opposing it. And somehow he couldn't even bring himself to say the words "won" or "victory". Hard to understand that logic, or lack of it as the case may be.
Then he says the economy has to be 'our' number one focus now that the war is over. Jeeze, ya think? It should have been the number one focus that whole year and a half wasted on ramming a so-called healthcare reform package down our throats when time after time the majority of Americans screamed they didn't want it. Time after time they said "It's the economy stupid"! He didn't listen and now keeps saying more Americans will like the POS once they understand it better. Well, that's a hell of a thing to say by a man who admittedly didn't read it, along with most every other POS in congress. Frankly, I'm pretty damned tired of hearing him and others say how stupid I must be to not understand how that POS is good. If it had been all that good, he wouldn't have had to waste the billions of dollars on the bribes and deals just to get it to the floor for a so-called vote.
Oh, and the economy would have already been better if not for the bailouts he made to repay his cronies in the big unions. That's right, let me explain. In most instances, bonds are protected by law in that if a company should go under, the bond holders are guaranteed their money in event of a bankruptcy. But, with GM and Chrysler, Obama simply over-ruled every bond contract and paid off the big union pension plans first, then paid pennies on the dollar to the investors who had basically propped up these companies. Sad to see the money roll that way, but even sadder to see the prez of our country so blatently ignore the law of the land and do whatever was necessary to repay his supporters.
There are other equally dumb statements in this thread, but I'll stop here except to say this. He ran on a pledge of uniting this country and had the best opportunity to do so of anyone who possibly could have run. Instead he constantly chooses to show his arrogance in everyday activities. How simple would it be for a real leader to salute our country's flag? Or to not bow to foreign leaders like this country is some little whipped puppy? How hard would it be for him to support our constitution instead of leading the charge to rewrite it when it's not convenient for his needs.
I for one can say, yes I'd be satisfied if he did something right. As soon as he does I'll post it right here with exclamation points!
11:25 PM
katelih says
Obama gave me $8000.00 for buying a home in 2009.
07:57 PM
brutus smith says
Let's see, President Obama took care of Iraq for Gwb,, he is getting back the money Bush gave the banks, he is taking care of Bush's financial disaster. Just like a typical Repub, break a toy and whine and cry until someone else fixes it, because lord knows you aren't capable of fixing anything.
06:49 PM
6079 Smith W says
Ah poor Obie! [sniffle, sniffle, sniffle] He’s obviously not up for the job eh?
06:34 PM
brutus smith says
Afghanistan, one more of Bush's mess that President Obama has to clean up.
F ear O. ligarchy X. enophobes.
05:42 PM
6079 Smith W says
06:14 PM
6079 Smith W says
News flash!
The U.S. news media ain't telling you about Afghanistan's financial meltdown:
http://www.businessinsider.com/afghanistans-massive-bank-run-is-getting-worse-2010-9
We've got little choice, we've gotta bail 'em out!
What Obie's doing for the Afghan economy, he can certainly do for ours.
03:11 PM
stormy says
Irrelevant??? Hardly. If you're going to come on here and give political opinions, you need to do so in decent English. Otherwise, you not only make yourself look illiterate and foolish, you also undermine your own arguments. Comments like yours only bolster the arguments of people like 6079 Smith, who perceive the current President as the champion of the ignorant, the freeloader and the great unwashed.
It doesn't really surprise me that you get gratification from picking your nose; it surprises me that you can SPELL "gratification."
Hey; how is it that everyone else on here has an avatar, and you have an actual picture of yourself?
09:29 PM
exbanger says
Stormy i actually get more gratification in picking my nose than replying to ur comment that is totally irrelevant to any of this discussion ! there was your two minutes of fame so go snatch a purse or something and wait until ur chain is pulled!
03:48 PM
brutus smith says
I don't blame the state for your ignorance.
F. ear O. ligarch X.enophobes.
03:41 PM
6079 Smith W says
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY7PDpLiJwE
03:22 PM
stormy says
Ex-b, wherever you got your degree, its accreditation should be revoked. You want to write in text-ese, go hang out with teen-agers.
02:00 PM
Lucius says
I am suprised that brutus told someone to "get educated." According to liberals, isn't it the duty of society to educate people? So if someone is not educated then wouldn't it be the fault of the state and not the individual? With that said, can we even blame the individual for his or her ignorance?
10:19 AM
exbanger says
ITS REALLY HARD TO SOMETIMES TO COMPREHEND : Do you actually think about what u write before you write it? Dude if thats the only thing that u can make a complaint about ls some vacationing i feel sorry for your understanding of life in general. And these are not just Obamas problems ! these are all of our problems except for yours because you live in a world of your own. Your right no presidents guaranteed a smooth ride, and his ride isnt smooth but hes riding. Please name one good thing that bush has done in the past years.
09:45 AM
brutus smith says
Get educated and you might be able to explain yourself better.
F. ear O. ligarthy X. enophobes.
09:20 AM
Americanonly says
Anyone would realize I didn't mean PRESIDENTAL TERM LIMITS.... It was actually an after thought about the Sent. and Cong. of our country. But I realize from all the other statements you make that you are a LIBERAL and it's really hard to sometimes to comprehend... I should have made myself a lot plainer. so just for your information.........I THINK SEN. & CONGRESSMEN SHOULD HAVE TERM LIMITS.... NOW I'VE MADE MYSELF PERFECTLY CLEAR.... Every President needs a vacation.......maybe you like paying for the amount of vacations this one seems to enjoy on the backs of the taxpayer. It's time to stop blaiming Bush for Obama's problems... if he couldn't handle the heat he should have stayed out of the kitchen!!!! Not one President is guaranteed a smooth road ahead.
07:52 PM
44846GWP says
Oh Winnie, there you go again. Grab a shovel folks, Winnie is spreding the same old b.s. again. Its old Winnie, get a new soap box.
07:38 PM
exbanger says
You didnt have to say it you implied it! And as far as health care goes, you wont think that way when you have a relative that something happens to that cant afford insurence and doesnt get the adequate treatment that they need. The health care plan still helps out because it guarantees that the doctors get paid as they deserve to. And with the crap that Obama walked into he dam well deserves a vacation, multiple ones at that. How many unemployed are there in this country at this time? If it wasnt for that stimulus where would they be now, I bet the crime rate would be alot higher. And as far as the bell outs at least they were in our own country and not remodling a country that we tore up. And by the way there is a term limit of 2 wich is 8 years homie. Maybe u should run next term! Americanonly for president! NOTT !
05:24 PM
Americanonly says
Never said anything about you being a felon ... So don't get your shorts in a bunch!!! You mentioned how Obama is doing a lot more good than bad..........also mentioned that he can't spin straw into gold....no but he can sure spin the crap ...... He hasn't done anything of any substance since he's been in office except fly around the country and then have the nerve to tell us we need to sacrafice, even while his wife was spending our tax dollars on her trip and what about all those vacations they go on? His health care crap he shoved down our throats is a joke, his bailing out companies with OUR tax dollars is a joke, and he would rather climb a tree to tell a lie than to stand on the ground and tell the truth to the American people. As for you having a degree in health care .... I really could care less what degree you have. You don't need a degree to know whats right and whats wrong with our Government today. I do hope you agree that Washington needs a good cleaning out.........I also think there should be term limits ...
04:05 PM
6079 Smith W says
Letterman Jabs Obama:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn-SCepbiTM
03:56 PM
exbanger says
Americanonly, im sure u consider yourself sum super patriot or sum bs of that sort. U assume jus because of my user name that im some felon thats never voted or something of that sort. NEWS FLASH! im not a felon ,ive never been imprisoned, and i do vote! wow picture that, and in fact i have a degree in health care, and im a local multi business owner. Its not that im just some obama fanatic or sumthing, but the fact is that he is doing alot moore god than bad at this time, he cant spin straw into gold. Pull your head outta your a** long enough to take a look around and get a grip. And Mikel just because we didnt have any right going into those countries doesnt mean we should be there now. We were wrong then and we are wrong now! There is no good that ever came from any war period. And Obama didnt send us to war, he,s tring to bring us home so whats the gripe about?
12:38 PM
6079 Smith W says
10:36 AM
Americanonly says
Yes Captain Gutz... you have the LEGAL right to complain but not the MORAL one... there is a difference. If you don't care enough to vote then you don't care who gets elected..... so why does your opinion mean anything on this issue?
09:41 AM
mikel says
wow alot of whiners on here about bush not having any business going into iraq. have you read any history books? did we have any business going into europe during ww1 or ww2? did we have business going into korea or nam? with the exception of the japs bombing us during ww2 none of the above referenced wars were actually fought because we were attacked.
06:31 AM
Captain Gutz says
Sorry Americanonly, but all US Citizens have the right to complain, whether they vote or not.
05:23 AM
Americanonly says
Exbanger... maybe you need to get a viza and go move to another country. Yes we have our problems galor here but it's still the best country in the world to live in. Obama hasn't done anything but spend us into bankrupcy... but at least in our great America we have a chance to change that in 2012 which means we all have a chance to vote ... if you like the way Obama is running the country them you can vote for him, if not you have the opportunity to vote for someone else. The sad part is if you look at the statistics, you will find that way too many American's choose NOT to vote at all. If a person doesn't vote, then they have NO RIGHT TO COMPLAIN... they are part of the problem. Granted sometimes the choice of people we have to pick from isn't the greatest, but more could run but won't because of all the MUD slinging that goes on in politics. Everyone has skeletons in their closets and I do mean everyone.... Look at everything and make a judgement call and VOTE... that's the only way to make our voices heard. I myself think Washington needs a good housecleaning.... so lets all get to work and get envolved and learn everything you can about the candidates then make a decision.
09:47 PM
exbanger says
U cam cry Obamacrap all u want! But if it wasnt for pirate Bush oh i mean president Bush and his own little selfish vendetta, we wouldnt be in this situation in the first place. Thousands of troops dying and killed, billions of dollars spent remodeling a country of savages who doesnt appreciate it or want our assistance anyway, and for what, what good came from this war? Can anybody tell me? We have our own problems and civil wars here in the states to worry about, Hell atleast Obama is helping out the unemployed wit the stimulus. Every one was just so for the war in the begining and now look at the out come. And people talk about crips and bloods when the real gangsters are in congress. But i forgot thats how this country was founded from theft, hatred,rape, racketering, and rascism GOD BLESS THE GOOD OLE US OF A!
07:29 PM
columbus avenue says
I love taxes.
05:05 PM
6079 Smith W says
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/fox-news-wins-obamas-address-about-combat-ending-in-iraq-2010-9#ixzz0yJi5cVQd
01:30 PM
6079 Smith W says
From POTUS Obama’s address:
Wow! Compared to the usual bile, it sounds like a love fest for Mr. Bush!!! Get a room you two!
01:28 PM
kURT says
Sam all I did was remind the people what the canidates stated before the elections.
Obama did what he said on this - similar 2Nixon, he got US out of Vietnam.
As far as Bush.........look what happened under the elder, we could have taken Iraq but we were stopped - only to return under his son's reign.
Fing politics.
01:19 PM
Sam says
kURT, I did not reference McCain, I referenced Bush who under his doctrine all troops would be withdrawn by 2011, the same timetable as Obamacrap.
Yet another example of Obamacrap,
http://www.youtube.com/v/Yb-AhVH1Hjg?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param
democraps have higher taxes, no natinal defense policy.
12:44 PM
Taxpayer says
After the second LIE, I decided it was "time turn the page." So I changed the channel.