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The President's Speech
By The Armorer on September 1, 2010 | Permalink | Comments (14) |
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It wasn't awful, but it was weak tea, and disingenuous - as all speeches
like this tend to be.
"But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans that the
future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and
commitment. It should also serve as a message to the world that the
United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our
leadership in this young century."
Heh. If I'm going to hear this from a Democrat sitting in the Oval
Office, I much prefer the JFK version:
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall
pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend,
oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of
liberty...."
Then there's this rich vein of pandering:
"These are the rough waters encountered during the course of one of
America's longest wars. Yet there has been one constant amidst those
shifting tides. At every turn, 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"
What's missing from that of course, is any admission that as a Senator
and candidate for President, to paraphrase, "I thought your sacrifices
to be in vain, a waste of blood and treasure, and that you were flailing
and failing, and threatened to defund you. Tonight - I would like to say
that you and your leaders proved me wrong."
Yeah, right. This is what we got instead:
"The Americans who have served in Iraq completed every mission they were
given. They defeated a regime that had terrorized its people. Together
with Iraqis and coalition partners who made huge sacrifices of their
own, our troops fought block by block to help Iraq seize the chance for
a better future. They shifted tactics to protect the Iraqi people;
trained Iraqi Security Forces; and took out terrorist leaders. Because
of our troops and civilians --and because of the resilience of the Iraqi
people -- Iraq has the opportunity to embrace a new destiny, even though
many challenges remain."
Despite Senator Obama.
Now he gets to take credit for that which he called a failure in the
making. Truly, success has many fathers, and failure is an orphan. But
he does get to take credit, and should. Even if he can't bring himself
to say so - he got those briefings only Presidents get, and changed his
mind. Too bad he can't bring himself to give his predecessor any credit
on the issue at all. Because it was his predecessor who facilitated the
changes Mr. Obama talks about in the paragraph above.
Then there's this, a bit near and dear to my heart, third generation
veteran that I am:
"Part of that responsibility is making sure that we honor our
commitments to those who have served our country with such valor. As
long as I am President, we will maintain the finest fighting force that
the world has ever known, and do whatever it takes to serve our veterans
as well as they have served us. This is a sacred trust. ...Because part
of ending a war responsibly is standing by those who have fought it."
I will grant the President this - there is a long way to go in keeping
these promises, and there is much work for Secretary Shinseki and his
successors to do to make the VA "all that it can be" - but the trend is
the most positive in this direction under any of the administrations my
grandfather, my father and I served under - which would run from
President Wilson through President Bush. The test will come after
Afghanistan slips from the front pages, and the flag-drapped boxes quit
coming home, and the rattle of musketry and cannon fade - that is when
the Republic has a tendency to renege on promises made to young folk
bearing arms in the nation's defense.
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14 Comments
By Larry C on September 1, 2010 11:12 AM
Just for a moment imagine the possible impact and difference it could
make if a tour of duty, in any branch of our Military, become a
requirement to be President. This person automatically becomes the most
powerful man/woman in the World. Should they not have some
idea/perspective as to what it takes and what is expected by those he
commands as Comander and Chief?
Semper Fi
By Larry C on September 1, 2010 11:14 AM
Just for a moment imagine the possible impact and difference it could
make if a tour of duty in any branch of our Military ever be a
requirement to become President. This person automatically becomes the
most powerful man/woman in the World. Should they not have some
idea/perspective as to what it takes and what is expected by those he
commands as Comander in Chief.
Semper Fi
By bad cat robot on September 1, 2010 11:26 AM
oo, a *triple* echo! 9.8 from the Russian Judge!
(and the speech gets 3 out of 5 Disdainful Putin Sneers. I've seen
better writing on Craigslist)
By eric on September 1, 2010 12:04 PM
the best speech is from Churchill and just be pleased that you aren't in
the position now that he was then.
By 11B40 on September 1, 2010 12:53 PM
Greetings:
As a printer by trade, I'm very much a "visual" person. Several times,
during our President's speech last evening, I thought I saw the same
look I used to have on my face during my periodic trips to the
principal's office at St. Margaret Mary's Elementary School back in the
Bronx. As much as lying can delay an outcome, it tends to get
exponentially more difficult with the passage of time.
By fdcol63 on September 1, 2010 1:24 PM
It's not just that Obama and other Dem leaders were wrong and opposed
the Surge.
They threw up every obstacle they could to impede its implementation and
success, and they did everything they could to tarnish the credibility
and reputations of honorable public servants like GEN Petraeus and others.
I don't expect any POTUS to be perfect. They're human and they're gonna
get some things wrong. But I do expect leaders to acknowledge their
errors and acknowledge those who were right.
Considering all the bashing Obama's done, I would have declined to
accept Obama's call if I'd been Bush.
I know. I'm petty. Thank God Bush wasn't ...... in so many ways.
By Grumpy on September 1, 2010 3:47 PM
As I read this, I'm reminded of something a very wise man wrote, not so
long ago. The discussion compared the differences between a soldier and
warrior. Both men fight, so what's the difference?
@LarryC, As I read your comment, in a strange way, this wise old man
answers your question. To paraphrase it, "What do our Troops really
expect from the Commander-in-Chief?" The wise old man wrote,
paraphrasing, 'A Soldier is disciplined and a warrior is not.' "Grumpy,
is the Military the only way to gain this discipline?" My reply, "If you
learn discipline or rebellion, it permeates your whole life. A soldier
takes an oath of loyalty to US Constitution, to honor and obey it, not
try to find ways to circumvent it. There are other places to learn
discipline. If you haven't learned to obey, you're not fit to command!
This is *the* answer."
@11B40, I haven't seen a "President, or even a Presidential candidate",
that I respected, as a person, for decades. History is that nasty,
unforgiving teacher. The more you know, the madder you get.
By John (Not The Armorer) on September 1, 2010 6:24 PM
You cannot believe a word this man says.
Sadly, I believe he does not actually give a darn about the American
soldiers or their families, and views them as a wasteful expense
undercutting his grand socialist strategy.
He has no taste for victory, nor American exceptionalism, nor even the
very concepts of freedom and liberty.
It would have been "better to remain silent and merely thought to be a
fool than to open [The] one's mount and remove all doubt."
Our troops deserve better leadership, deserve greater (and sincere)
thanks for their services, our nation deserves clear vision for our
future, and our enemies need clear warning that we will not tolerate
attacks on freedom. We got none of that, and probably will not until
January 20, 2013. If we are not crumbled into bankrupcty and socialist
servitude to the state by then.
Next time, the networks should run reruns of any show at all. Beavis
and Butthead would provide a reasonable facsimile of the wisdom
available from Obama and Biden.
By LaMigra on September 1, 2010 8:31 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Never_was_so_much_owed_by_so_many_to_so_few
This the one you mean?
By BillT on September 2, 2010 4:12 AM
As much as lying can delay an outcome, it tends to get exponentially
more difficult with the passage of time.
Only a couple of more days before the "Summer of Recovery" kicks in...
By Argent on September 2, 2010 6:45 AM
He speaks so much and does so little. His speeches have a very academic
flow to them. It is as though they are designed to impress some phantom
marker, rather than rouse the public or call to action.
By fdcol63 on September 2, 2010 8:06 AM
Unfortunately, the "Summer of Recovery" will lead into a "Winter of
Discontent".
By BloodSpite on September 2, 2010 8:59 AM
Its funny you mention previous speeches. I said something similar.
I can not stand the fact people label him in Orator. To me he isn't a
orator at all, he's reading a flippin speech. Theres no oration there.
He didn't memorize the speech or work it off the cuff.
Just infuriating
By BillT on September 2, 2010 9:29 AM
I can not stand the fact people label him in Orator.
People have been doing that despite the proof to the contrary in every
speech he gives.
He reads. He can't extemporize without lapsing into
deer-in-the-headlights stuttering. His malaprops are worse than Bush's
were.
I've always said that I could make a fortune by selling dog crap wrapped
in gold foil at a dollar a chunk, and now all I have to do is get some
gold foil and the DNC's voter address list...
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