The president spoke on national security issues last night (this text from an earlier press release):
As we take the fight to al Qaeda, we are responsibly leaving Iraq to its people. As a candidate, I promised that I would end this war, and that is what I am doing as President. We will have all of our combat troops out of Iraq by the end of this August. We will support the Iraqi government as they hold elections, and continue to partner with the Iraqi people to promote regional peace and prosperity. But make no mistake: this war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home.
Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform -- in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world - must know that they have our respect, our gratitude, and our full support. And just as they must have the resources they need in war, we all have a responsibility to support them when they come home. That is why we made the largest increase in investments for veterans in decades. That is why we are building a 21st century VA. And that is why Michelle has joined with Jill Biden to forge a national commitment to support military families.
Even as we prosecute two wars, we are also confronting perhaps the greatest danger to the American people - the threat of nuclear weapons. I have embraced the vision of John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan through a strategy that reverses the spread of these weapons, and seeks a world without them. To reduce our stockpiles and launchers, while ensuring our deterrent, the United States and Russia are completing negotiations on the farthest-reaching arms control treaty in nearly two decades. And at April's Nuclear Security Summit, we will bring forty-four nations together behind a clear goal: securing all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world in four years, so that they never fall into the hands of terrorists.
These diplomatic efforts have also strengthened our hand in dealing with those nations that insist on violating international agreements in pursuit of these weapons. That is why North Korea now faces increased isolation, and stronger sanctions - sanctions that are being vigorously enforced. That is why the international community is more united, and the Islamic Republic of Iran is more isolated. And as Iran's leaders continue to ignore their obligations, there should be no doubt: they, too, will face growing consequences.
That is the leadership that we are providing - engagement that advances the common security and prosperity of all people. We are working through the G-20 to sustain a lasting global recovery. We are working with Muslim communities around the world to promote science, education and innovation. We have gone from a bystander to a leader in the fight against climate change. We are helping developing countries to feed themselves, and continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS. And we are launching a new initiative that will give us the capacity to respond faster and more effectively to bio-terrorism or an infectious disease - a plan that will counter threats at home, and strengthen public health abroad.
Nothing really extraordinary here, other than that President Obama announced most of these goals earlier last year, and he meant it. He's making good progress on national security issues, and he's focusing on nuclear and biological weapons. But best of all, he's pulling our combat troops out of Iraq. That will be a good day - but he's mincing words. There will still be US military forces in Iraq, he just isn't calling them "combat forces." The combat goes on in Afghanistan, and it would have been nice for him to announce an end-state for that conflict. Too soon, I guess. He had better announce one at the next SOTU address.
As promised by the White House, the speechwriters snuck a line into the speech about responding to bioterrorist incidents. What does this mean? Hard to say right now, but based on past statements by the DHHS secretary, it probably means "helping" Big Pharma with tax breaks and subsidies to develop new drug manufacturing processes. I hate to say it, but this is at least partially because of the relentless grind and publicity of the Graham-Talent comedy act and their backers in the Alliance for Biosecurity. Well, you can't win them all. I just hope they don't dodge too many FDA regulations when they do it. They need to fix the FDA, build it up, not bypass it.
Oh yeah, he also called for the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The camera panned to the military service chiefs then, who looked just thrilled... It was a great speech, but we already knew he was a great talker. Time to walk the walk now.
2 much 2 soon. Shrink gov't and get out of the way. In less than two minutes near the end he said he was going to end DADT, Get equaller pay for women, and fix immigration enforcements. On top of the other eight arguments identified prior to that. I get he won't quit, he also won't get anywhere cause he ain't an octopus, and if he had Doc Oc's getup, he would still be four arms short. November can't come soon enough.
Posted by: NVH | 28 January 2010 at 10:38 AM