Tuesday, December 1, 2009

President Obama's Afghanistan Speech (VIDEO)

I haven't commented because I literally flipped on the television just as President Obama was giving his last few lines:

This vast and diverse citizenry will not always agree on every issue – nor should we. But I also know that we, as a country, cannot sustain our leadership nor navigate the momentous challenges of our time if we allow ourselves to be split asunder by the same rancor and cynicism and partisanship that has in recent times poisoned our national discourse.

It is easy to forget that when this war began, we were united – bound together by the fresh memory of a horrific attack, and by the determination to defend our homeland and the values we hold dear. I refuse to accept the notion that we cannot summon that unity again. I believe with every fiber of my being that we – as Americans – can still come together behind a common purpose. For our values are not simply words written into parchment – they are a creed that calls us together, and that has carried us through the darkest of storms as one nation, one people.

America – we are passing through a time of great trial. And the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering. We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes. Thank you, God Bless you, God Bless our troops, and may God Bless the United States of America.

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Actually, what I did see was a different president, and uncomfortable president, not the uplifting presdident of old. The weight of office is wearing on the man.

Ann Althouse speaks for me:
He sounded oddly stern, like he was lecturing us. Annoyed at us. The words were meant to be inspirational but there was no lift... no lift of a driving dream. Is he tired of being Obama? Or was it the vibe in the room? I don't think those West Point folk liked him too much. He made some pauses that felt awkward in advance of grudging applause, and the response at the end was minimal. The camera searched among the faces and found only grim ones. No one glowed with the fire of Obama-love.
More at Memeorandum. See especially, Fred Barnes, "A Disappointing Speech in Support of the Right Policy."

7 comments:

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Dave said...

Impeach his ass, if for no other reason that he preempted the Amurrican cartoon classic Charlie Brown.

It's Christmas, after all, not Ramadan.

-Dave

Norm said...

President Obama is begging the Taliban to hold off their campaign for the next two or three years. This will allow America to increase our troop levels, declare the country pacified, and leave with a "victory" for Obama's re-election campaign. Then the Taliban can come back and take over the country.

The above is exactly what Obama told the Taliban last night. Will the Taliban comply...I think these guys just like to fight.

The Muslim world is laughing at Obama's weakness.

Grizzly Mama said...

I couldn't watch it, Donald. I just couldn't. Him even stepping foot on West Point property is a joke to me.

Our men and women in the service deserve better.

Dennis said...

It is hard to know what to think of a very strange speech. Obama seems to understand that if we do not prevail in Afghanistan then Pakistan is going to fall to the radicals and this would not be in our interests. Taking away sanctuary on both sides of the border is important.
Given the weakness of the Pakistani government and a significant number of people who can relate to the Taliban, a radical takeover of a nation with nuclear weapons would be a catastrophe of major proportions. Obama just seems that he cannot stay away from trying to play politics instead of doing what would be in our best interest.
What he seemed to accomplish with a some what poor example of Solomonic wisdom was to alienate both sides. The attempt at setting a date in 2011 was pure politics and had little or no meaning except to mollify his hard Left base until they figure it out. Interesting that the 2011 date would be just before the next presidential election.
A lot of "I"s and no mention of victory or even what the "surge" was to really accomplish. It was a very strange speech.

Dave said...

Our colossal fraud of a CIC (choke, hurrrrrrrrrl and f'ing puuuuuuuke) Barry Hussein Obama hath thus decreed we will shove our tails up our asses and cut and run from Afghanistan 18 months hence.

Afghanistan is lost, and has been since this hideous fraud of a community agitator was elected POTUS last November.

Time to bring our people home, as I would hate to see any more brave Americans die for nothing, as over 50,000 of their fellow soldiers did in Vietnam.

-Dave