On Tuesday night, a somber President Barack Obama announced the end of combat operations for American forces in Iraq.
It was clear in the Oval Office speech to the nation that the president was walking a verbal tightrope.
He described an end to a war that hasn't really ended, one that he never wanted to occur in the first place, yet one that he has had to lead since January 2009.
There could be no "mission accomplished" exultations, yet Obama had to exude strength, to show that the United States under his leadership won't be pushed around.
We sensed that this was not the speech that Obama would have liked to give. Were he not the leader of the free world, perhaps he would have been free to tell it more like it is.
That would have included how he and many others believe that Iraq was invaded seven and a half years ago under false pretences, that no weapons of mass destruction were ever found, that the reasons for the war kept changing, from battling an almost non-existent al-Qaida in Iraq to building a democracy that would be friendly to the United States.
And how more than 4,000 Americans lost their lives unnecessarily and how many more were injured and will have mental health issues for the rest of their lives.
But he couldn't say all that. It was not the proper time or the proper setting. Instead, he praised the architect of the war, former President George W. Bush, for "his love of country and commitment to our security."
More than anything else, Obama showed what we believe is a sincere respect for the troops who have fought the battles and continue to serve in Iraq.
"At every turn," he said, "America's men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve. As commander in chief, I am proud of their service. Like all Americans, I am awed by their sacrifice, and by the sacrifices of their families."
While the address did not have a political tone, nothing a president says is free from politics. By stating that he had kept his promise to have combat forces out of Iraq by Aug. 31, Obama was surely hoping to shore up his anti-war left-wing base.
By prominently mentioning that the end of the combat operation could enable the country to devote more resources to the economy, he was trying to appeal to independents before the November elections.
Most of all, Mr. Obama wanted to appear presidential. In this, he succeeded. How that could help him deal with the challenges to come, however, is yet to be determined.
Opinion
Obama walked tightrope in speech
- Opinion
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