Updated: 8:25 p.m. ET
In an Oval Office speech tonight, President Obama heralded the official end of combat operations in Iraq. But it was not an entirely triumphant moment for the White House, as it continues to be assailed in all directions over the war and the U.S. economy.
“Tonight, I am announcing that the American combat mission in Iraq has ended,” Obama said in prepared remarks. “Operation Iraqi Freedom is over, and the Iraqi people now have lead responsibility for the security of their country. This was my pledge to the American people as a candidate for this office.”
[TPM SLIDESHOW: Goodbye, Iraq: Many American Soldiers Come Home After U.S. Drawdown]
Obama also used tonight’s speech to address at some length the economic challenges facing the country, charging that fixing the economy is one of the many things we owe the nation’s veterans. “Now, it is our responsibility to honor them by coming together, all of us, and working to secure the dream that so many generations have fought for-the dream that a better life awaits anyone who is willing to work for it and reach for it,” he said in his remarks. He then noted the need for job creation, an increased commitment to education and training programs and to “end our dependence on foreign oil.”
In a speech dedicated to the end of the Iraq War — and even highlighting former President George W. Bush’s commitment to the troops — the inclusion of Obama’s domestic wish-list is likely to spark the most controversy among Republicans.
Critics on Obama’s left remain dissatisfied with his performance, cognizant of the fact that 50,000 troops remain in Iraq alongside an increasingly large number of private contractors. And Republicans have been seeking for days to minimize Obama’s political gain, attributing the drawdown to the success of the surge ordered by President Bush in 2006, which then-Sen. Obama opposed.
Earlier today, the White House sought to diminish concerns about the remaining forces, arguing that the end of official combat operations signals a transfer of leadership to Iraqis, and insisting that the administration and the Iraqi government continue to plan on full withdrawal by 2011.
“Certainly when we have 50,000 troops anywhere in the world, they’re combat-capable troops,” acknowledged White House spokesman Ben Rhodes. Their role, he said, will be “advising and assisting Iraqi security forces, who will be in the lead.”
The question of how quickly the remaining troops will be withdrawn ahead of the 2011 deadline remains open.”Our view of that agreement is we are going to implement this plan on our own timeline…but we’re going to honor that agreement,” Rhodes said. “It’s an agreement that both of our government are bound to. We have not sought to renegotiate it. The Iraqis have not asked us to renegotiate it.”
Republicans, meanwhile, weren’t content to celebrate the milestone even before Obama talked about his domestic agenda. Despite celebrating the benchmark in principle, many attacked the President for failing to acknowledge that the surge (which Obama opposed) allowed Obama to follow through on his pledge to draw US-led combat to a close.
“Obama speech tonite may make u dig out ur old Orwell books so rewritten history can be deciphered, depending on who gets credit 4 Iraq surge,” tweeted Sarah Palin.
A number of experts disagree with the GOP analysis, noting that a variety of factors contributed to the slowdown of violence in Iraq, which nonetheless remains mired in chaos. But that didn’t stop Republicans from pressing (in some cases successfully) to wedge Democrats apart over whether the surge was responsible for Obama’s success.
Obama, however, didn’t address their complaint one way or another in his prepared remarks, and chose instead to treat the occasion solemnly (while still taking time to address the economic turmoil the country faces).
“The United States has paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people,” Obama said. “We have sent our young men and women to make enormous sacrifices in Iraq, and spent vast resources abroad at a time of tight budgets at home.
He also used the speech to highlight his Administration’s efforts in Afghanistan and against al Qaeda, and how the drawdown in Iraq will allow the administration to focus on the conflict with the most potential impact on American security. Obama’s remarks stated, partially in response to liberal critics of the surge in Afghanistan, “we must never lose sight of what’s at stake. As we speak, al Qaeda continues to plot against us, and its leadership remains anchored in the border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. We will disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al
Qaeda, while preventing Afghanistan from again serving as a base for terrorists.”
