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Tony Gutierrez / AP
President Barack Obama speaks to troops and military families Friday at the 1st Aviation Support Battalion Hangar at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.
Fort Bliss, Texas – On the second anniversary of the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, President Barack Obama returned to the same Army base he visited in 2010 to announce the mission’s end. The message from the president to the troops Friday:
“When you take off that uniform, we are going to help you fully participate in our economy. Every single one of you has defended the American dream for the rest of us and every single one of you deserves the chance to live the American dream for yourselves.”
As a part of the aid, the president explained that he signed a new executive order designed to give troops, veterans and military families better access to mental health care.
But while the visit was billed as an “official” White House event, meaning the president wasn’t technically in campaign mode, it was hard not to hear campaign themes and fighting words in the president’s speech.
Speaking about his 2008 campaign promises to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said, “Ending these wars is letting us do something else: restore American leadership. If you hear anyone trying to say that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, don't you believe it, because here's the truth: our alliances have never been stronger.”
While that felt like a veiled swipe at GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, the president’s tough talk toward Congress was not hidden at all. He told the audience of 5000 troops and civilians that “some folks” were trying to scare them when talking about the looming defense cuts that were a result of a congressional deal to raise the debt ceiling last year:
“Understand, nobody wants these cuts … There's no reason those cuts should happen, because folks in Congress ought to come together and agree on a responsible plan that reduces the deficit and keeps our military strong. That's what needs to happen,” the president said forcefully.
The backdrop of men and women in fatigues was all the more prominent Friday in the face of Romney omitting any mention of troops serving in Afghanistan during his nomination acceptance speech Thursday night.
One Obama campaign official said, “In an almost 45-minute speech, Romney didn’t find a moment to mention our troops in Afghanistan or how we’re providing for veterans when they return home.”
The president also vigorously emphasized the promises he believed he has kept during his presidency (pulling all combat troops out of Iraq last year, “taking the fight to al Qaida,” trying to help returning veterans) with a line he repeated three times, “I meant what I said.”
Obama’s “Road to Charlotte” campaign swing officially begins Saturday with two stops in Iowa followed by visits to Colorado, Ohio and Virginia. He will also tour Hurricane Isaac damage in Louisiana on Monday afternoon.
Leave a Comment:
The President doing his job. He cares about the troops, not just with lip service. He won't cut support for vets and active service people like his opponent will.
That was one helluva speech today by our president, and received a lovely welcome from our troops.
Comment over @ The Obama Diary:
What about that story POTUS told about the soldier he met in the hospital in Afghanistan, how the soldier reach up his hand and shook the President’s hand. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Then when he was visiting Walter Reid, he met that same soldier who had gone through surgery, and he was standing on his feet.
Bullwinkle. The existing troops can't get good timely care and the DOD won't pay for cognitive therapy for blast injuries. Step up Obama. No need for cuts to poorly funded care to start with.
We must do more, but.....Thank You President Obama!
Betcha Willard won't mention it, just like he didn't mention our troops, Iraq or Afghanistan in his acceptance speech last evening!
It would seem a deal of some sort could be made here, but I wouldn't count on Republicans to give Obama any kind of a win, or near win on anything.
The only speech I want to hear from Mitt Romney is his concession speech on Election Night.
Thanks, Mr. President, our returning troops need help from you, their commander-in-chief....
affordable healthcare, for example, would be nice.
Make sure that none of them will end up on the streets - homeless, because a significant numbers of them from past wars ended up homeless in the past - after all the initial attention to returning veterans disappeared.
Republicans would rather see the entire country destroyed rather than,
well,
Anything.
That is why they are working so hard to obstruct any initiative that might help the USA.
You might try reading next time before engaging your mouth and reduce all doubts you're an idiot!
It Takes A Village...to help our war heros (to borrow from Hillary's book title), but Republican't policy of budget cuts can really hurt our veterans.
Our neighbors can help them with some regular chores, our colleges can help train them to have skills, our businesses can provide jobs, our leaders can raise awareness to care for our veterans...
We can volunteer our time to help with all the above... This is America, here people rule.
Romney would outsource our military. He hates government jobs
Adler
This is just shy of 2 months shy of Election day. EVERYTHING IS POLITICS.
Obama has had 3 years to do this, why now? HMMMMMMM V O T E S !
dal
Since you didn't get the memo.
Romney N E V E R, E V E R Outsourced Jobs. Those thing started being done at Bain A F T E R H E L E F T.
Tell it to the troops still in AFGHANISTAN Barry............. And what about Isaac? Yosemite? The economy? Or anything else a PRESIDENT should be doing instead of playing golf & crying about his own UNEMPLOYEMENT in January.............
DB,
But while he was still the CEO of record
Morons for Obama. Obama can drop his pants, put his head between his legs and kiss his a@@ goodbuy.
adler - "The President doing his job"
Really? Traveling to military bases to give a political pep-rally, while a major U.S. city is once again turned into a federal disaster zone is "doing his job"?
Romney was the one doing the presidents job today.... Obama, as always, was out campaigning.
Obama is going to make sure returning troops participate fully in the economy?
Uh oh. What that translate to is, they have a choice-
A minimum wage job- or not joining the civilian labor force at all.
Those are the way most folks participate in Obama's economy.
More promises to spend money and raise taxes. The taxman cometh!
Now exactly how many people are going to believe that the federal government is going out and help a minority without taxing the majority in order to buy votes. The military does and show get paid for doing its job and should and does get benefits. That's what they get for putting their lives on the line. BUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT there has to be a truism and the truism is that the rest of the population has to pay for it. There is no free lunch and Obama saying there is, is a lie.
There is no way except increasing taxes and giving businesses a tax credit for hiring veterans is this going to work. If you give businesses a tax credit then you have to increase taxes somewhere else. Take the ropes off the economy and businesses will be free to increase jobs. Stop exporting jobs and businesses will increase hiring. But OBAMA has to put his finger in the pie to stir things up instead of using what is in front of his face just to buy some votes.
Aww, Isn't that so Nice Obama, You Take away Benefits from the Army, you Try to take away their right to Vote, then you Label all Veterans as "Terrorists".
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★☆★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ Libertarian ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★☆ ★ ☆ ★
People’s President | Gary Johnson | The R[̲̅ə̲̅٨̲̅٥̲̅٦̲̅]ution Continues
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@Trashy Rednecks for Romney you know who hates Veterans Even more? Obama! Obama has Labeled all veterans as "Terrorists". Face the Facts.
I have Heard the American Communist Party have Picked their 2012 Presidential Candidate, guess who it is, Barack Obama! Why? Because Obama is a COMMUNIST.
dal there is a reason to hate people in government jobs. I am helping a citizen of a foreign country get a document which says he is a citizen in a foreign country so he can invest in the U.S.A. and it has taken over two months to get a simple one page letter from Social Security that says he is not a U.S. citizen.
They are sitting on it after we expressed mailed the document to the proper office with all the documents saying he is not a U.S. citizen and needs a document with a number that states he is not a U.S. Citizen. There is one of the reasons that government employees are despised.
All of us Americans are looking forward to the day when all our troops are back on American soil. I know why some people kiss the ground when they land. I landed at Oakland/Alameda Airport, which is in one of the roughest areas in the city, and I wanted to hug the pavement.
Obama wants what we want. Romney avoided military service, but has already told Israel that he is cool with them bombing Iran. This is not a secret, people.
Let's end this current war and keep hypocrites like Romney in the private sector.
The biggest obstacle that veterans face in finding a job in the civilian world is the monumental ignorance of those doing the hiring. Went I got out, I interviewed for a corporate training position. One of the interviewers actually informed me that if I was hired, I wouldn't be able to hold 6am PT formations for the employees. Not even the POTUS can overcome that kind of clulessness!
Gee, Starderup, FDR "avoided" military service too, but he did a pretty good job as commander-in-chief during WWII. Was he a hypocrite too, genius?
How does Oblameo plan to actually help the troops that are mustering out at the end of their term of enlistment: by giving minimum wage jobs? He has already 1.8 million illegal immigrants a free ride to take jobs away from legal American citizens. Where is he going to find jobs for all the military that he wants to cut out of the Pentagon budget: by taking them away from what is left of the employed people and increasing the ranks of the unemployed yet again, or are these shovel-ready jobs that he has been hiding for almost four years? Promises, promises, promises!
Another four years of Obozo will give us a country with no defense capability, more debt, no nuclear weapons (giving those away to Putin, Iran, and Pakistan), more debt, no conventional weapons, more debt, no border control, more debt, no more jobs, more debt, more people on welfare, more debt, more people on food stamps, more debt.
Do I need to draw a bigger picture or is that enough?
OBAMA Shows to be everything Romney is not and that's a Leader !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What's up with Romney's Tax returns, what is he hiding ?????????????
OBAMA / 2012 Guaranteed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How did the "DEBT-CLOCK" get from Reagan's Library to the GOP Convention !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yep, this is a "heads up" to our brave military men and women. When the "automatic" budget cuts take effect next year, there will be literally thousands of military men and women who will be "asked" to leave the service because of DOD budget cuts.
Maybe Mr. Obama should make sure that this will be a "carry over" item for Gov. Romney to take care of once Gov. Romney is elected as the next President and moves into the White House.
Why hasn't Mr. Obama released his college transcripts and Student Loan documentation ? Guess he spent another $ 4,000,000 to make sure they are NEVER RELEASED. What is Mr. Obama HIDING ???
Now why is the DEBT CLOCK on the Internet for everyone to see how much they owe ?????
Romney-Ryan 2012 to take back America from the Progressives and Radicals.
The GOP Convention was so boring I Dozed off, when I see a party support a Draft Dodger that's it for me, I'm voting for President Obama !!!!!!!!!!
Heck, saw the headline and my thought was, of course he wants the troops to participate in this economy, but the problem is that no one else wants to participate in it. He's made it so bad that all people want is a GOOD economy! Ain't gonna happen under Obama as he has yet to do anything to get the economy going forward. He's raised the national debt and threatened to raise taxes on those who create jobs. What kind of an idiot thinks that's going to spur job creation?
Barry claims he's going to do WHAT?
"According to congressional assessments, a retired Army colonel with a family currently paying $460 a year for health care will pay $2,048."
"The new plan hits active duty personnel by increasing co-payments for pharmaceuticals and eliminating incentives for using generic drugs."
Remember his last promises..... transparency in government, posting of all legislation prior to votes, NO INCREASED taxes for anyone making less than $250k......
How much of the Obama administration goes on behind closed doors? "We have to pass this legislation so we can find out what's in it." And our taxes.... I mean PENALTIES, they are just getting started.
Guess some people still "trust" the lies Barry tells...........
I read an article that Obama campaign was called "American Heroes) My only hero is Chesty Puller.
Obama is a sham. A imposter. Hero My ASS!!
AUGUST 31, 2012
Why Bondholders Can’t – and Shouldn’t – be Paid
Wall Street’s War on the Cities
by MICHAEL HUDSON
The pace of Wall Street’s war against the 99% is quickening in preparation for the kill. Having demonized public employees for being scheduled to receive pensions on their lifetime employment service, bondholders are insisting on getting the money instead. It is the same austerity philosophy that has been forced on Greece and Spain – and the same that is prompting President Obama and Mitt Romney to urge scaling back Social Security and Medicare.
Unlike the U.S. federal government, most states and cities have constitutions that prevent them from running budget deficits. This means that when they cut property taxes, they either must borrow from the wealthy, or cut back employment and public services.
For many years they borrowed, paying tax-exempt interest to wealthy bondholders. But carrying charges on these have mounted to a point where they now look risky as the economy sinks into debt deflation. Cities are defaulting from California to Alabama. They cannot reverse course and restore taxes on property owners without causing more mortgage defaults and abandonments. Something has to give – so cities are scaling back public spending, downsizing their school systems and police forces, and selling off their assets to pay bondholders.
This has become the main cause of America’s rising unemployment, helping drive down consumer demand in a Keynesian nightmare. Less obvious are the devastating cuts occurring in health care, job training and other services, while tuition rates for public colleges and “participation fees” at high schools are soaring. School systems are crumbling like our roads as teachers are jettisoned on a scale not seen since the Great Depression.
Yet Wall Street strategists view this state and local budget squeeze as a godsend. As Rahm Emanuel has put matters, a crisis is too good an opportunity to waste – and the fiscal crisis gives creditors financial leverage to push through anti-labor policies and privatization grabs. The ground is being prepared for a neoliberal “cure”: cutting back pensions and health care, defaulting on pension promises to labor, and selling off the public sector, letting the new proprietors to put up tollbooths on everything from roads to schools. The new term of the moment is “rent extraction.”
So having caused the fiscal crisis, the legacy of decades of property tax cuts financed by going deeper into debt are now to be paid for by leasing or selling off public assets. Chicago has leased its Skyway for 99 years to toll-collectors, and its parking meters for 75 years. Mayor Emanuel has hired J.P.Morgan Asset Management to give “advice” on how to sell privatizers the right to charge user fees for previously free or subsidized public services. It is the modern American equivalent of England’s Enclosure Movements of the 16th to 18th century….
http://www.counterpunch.org/
Pat in Boston
Why don't you move to the White House so you can kiss his A#$ up closer than from Mass.
For everyone on the fence about Romney.. read this article. He is truly trying to lie his way to the white house.
What he has done is frightening with no remorse. Dems and Republican alike this is our last chance to save this country from Romney. Our democracy is being bought by international billionaires.
(remove the spaces on the url to see article)
www. rollingstone.com/ politics/news/greed-and-debt-the-true-story-of-mitt-romney-and-bain-capital-20120829#ixzz254uMfAxe
Wow the haters are out tonight! The GOP are having Teatantrums over their solution-less, laughable convention. I can smell their desperation. Sooner or later the lack of any policy proposals and denial of malfeasance with the facts is gonna catch up with you,
Oh the Vitriol, but here we are 2 months away and Romney still has not stated any SOLUTIONS. No ideas no jobs plan...just tax breaks for the wealthy and trickle down fairy dust.
Man, Romney's gonna get crushed by the actual solution questions coming Romney's way in the debates (chuckle) ...cant wait. Willard 'waffle house' Romney is gonna have to actually tell America what he plans to do. The core-less wonder will have to actually answer a hard policy question
And oh, the Dem convention is next week. Nice that the Foo Fighters are on the bill.....better than say an American icon with bed-head talking to imaginary people in empty chairs. Love Eastwood though. Hes pro choice and pro environment. Then again its quite emblematic of the RNC convention. Aging whiite males all performing campy improv routines instead of telling America what they will do.
I hear the DNC was going to put up a Romney 'Fllp Flop ' video montage in the hall but it was gonna take up 1/2 the convention. That's even after narrowing it down to one issue.
Got Solutions?
Obama/Biden 2012.
Steve - Before I debunk you whole "claim" regarding retired and active military insurance let me ask you first: Are YOU a veteran? Yes I am with 20 years of service.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL There is no doubt that when you write something it is idiotic. Same olde rhetoric as if it means something. Have you told your bosses that you are using the internet on their time to send idiotic statements? NOW lets see what big mouth has to say about using work time to be on the net and taking money for it!
HEY AUTHOR, THE LAST TIME THE US MILITARY (US ARMY) WORE "FATIGUES" WAS DURING THE 1980s. US Army Fatigues (aka "pickle suits", "service station uniform" with baseball cap) to BDUs (Battle Dress Uniforms) to ACUs.
The Proof that PT Barnum was correct:
Go read the Army Times, Air Force Times, Navy Times, Marine Corps Times, and Federal Times. President Obama as US Military Commander In Chief has Ordered the current Reduction In Forces (RIF) of 90,000 US Military Personnel to be thrown on Unemployment. And Ordered the current US Defense Budget Cuts that will throw 108,000 US Civilians on Unemployment.
"Deal of Some Sort". Sure we are playing Let's Make a Deal. TOO F**KING BAD President Obama keeps picking the ZONKS for you, then blaming you or anyone else for that.
Yes, that would be nice. TOO BAD President Obama sold himself out to the Insurance Corporations, Medical Device Corporations and Pharmaceuticals Corporations with his ACA. Before all of you say No, No, No, blah, blah, blah, go read the whole f**king thing like I already did, I can tell you the Section that gives the Insurance Corporations $67 Billion, Medical Device Corporations $23 Billion, and Pharmaceuticals Corporations $20 Billion as Quid Pro Quo for them giving President Obama $1 Billion in Campaign Contributions.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL,
How about asking Former US Army General Erik Shinseki about how well his boss President Obama is doing pertaining to Veteran's Affairs:
https://iris.custhelp.com/app/ask/session/L3RpbWUvMTM0NjQ5MjYzNy9zaWQvWjVuVXA4NWw%3D
PS don't lie to me, General Erik Shinseki is a longtime friend of the family. Sure the US Military Veterans are going to need increased Mental Health Care, as they are dumped on the streets, unemployed, lose their homes, lose their families, with President Obama's RIF, just like before with other RIFs.
Far too many veterans are homeless in America—between 130,000 and 200,000 on any given night
Thank you President Obama throw more US Citizens on Unemployment. Those in the audience at Fort Bliss, Texas, don't know that most of them will be kicked to the curb soon, the numbers by MOS are already published in the Army Times.
dirp,
LAME EXCUSES. Dog ate my homework. "Obstructionist" US Congress, blah, blah, blah, LAME EXCUSES. More and More HOT AIR Adding to Global Warming. You really don't have any idea about this do you, President Obama has already proved he knows how to circumvent US Congress "The Will of the People":
http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions
Proof you are NOT currently in the US Military, as the 92% of US Citizens that have NEVER Served.
President Obama already Outsourced the US Military to the over overpaid expensive 3,000Contractors (not including the Foreign Contractors) as some of his major campaign contributors and supporters, especially those hired for his August 2009 and still going on as President Obama's Civilian Surge to Afghanistan.
Sigmund Freud had a name for people that call themselves names. By the way the Southern Democrat previous Slave Owners aka your "Trashy Rednecks" as the Origin of the "Popular Party" aka Democratic Party would NEVER vote Repugnant previous "Federalists" Party.
WHO SAID THIS, "Anyone Returning from the Wars is a Potential Homegrown Domestic Terrorist". Hint: Was NOT a Repugnant.
Really, President Obama's April 2009 Policy and August 2009 Policy, "US Military will not be used to secure US Borders". Legalization of the over 23 Million Illegal Aliens at the US stated to AP August 2009. All those US Military back on American Soil being thrown on Unemployment (currently with President Obama's RIF). You want that.
Hot air adding to Global Warming.
Shows how illiterate you are. Go read Joseph Biden's Biography, as well as why he lost his Presidential Campaigns in his own State. I wish I would have been rich and had $20,000 to buy a Medical Deferment from a known Anti War Doctor.
Nope. Almost Four Years later and still no solutions, just lame excuses and blame game.
Real proof of lack of education. First the Founding Fathers established the United States of America as a Constitutional Republic; NOT a Democracy, as they argued that a Democracy is "Mob Rule". Second, blah, blah, blah you don't even read the labels of what you bought, like President Obama's Buddy, "Mr. Corporate America".
After the Insurance Corporations took over US Military Health Care from the US Military Medical Service Corps, Steve-446003 is correct, as that increase is part of President Obama's sell out to the Insurance Corporations (mis)management of US Military TriCare.
Just like President Obama knew about this and did NOTHING in his ACA about this:
President Obama, Face the Nation, September 20, 2009:
And since President Obama believes in the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, Uncle Sam, etc... Sorry to burst everyone's naivety, Uncle Sam stated by President Obama above is the US Taxpayer.
The other sell out by President Obama was his attempt to get the US Civilians that stole everyone's 401K Money to get involved with the US Military's Retirement, changed from current to 401Ks (so those crooks that stole all the US Civilians 401Ks know how to do the same to the future US Military Retirees). Those 401K "Banksters" Lobbyists in 2011 bribing the US Politicians.
Before you say it, yes, I am a Veteran, some say a "Three time Loser" (US Military Veteran Three Times (Three previous DD-214s), Retirement Three Times, will be Four if they stop denying accepting my Retirement Packet (again) and stop with that with that "Special Category" Recalls). So yes, I was around when the US Military Medical Service Corps managed US Military Health Care, before the corrupt Insurance Corporations got their Lobbyists to bribe the US Politicians to get into US Military Health Care to make more Profits.
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL The way I see it, you are using at least $150 a week of your bosses time to be on the net every day when you should be working at your job. So figuring 50 weeks a year, you are taking $7,500 from your bosses every year to be on the net when you should be working. Easy to figure out and calculate when one sees the amount of comments you make and the time it takes to view and comment on what you see. Then there is the amount of time you spend THINKING what to write and that must consume a lot of time!!!!!
Then we are bored to tears at your disparaging comments you make about your job and bosses. If they only saw one day of your comments or just one comment how and why you hate your bosses and what you think about them, you would be out of a job and in the welfare office. I doubt your bosses would believe it wise to give you a letter of recommendation.
Hey look on the bright side. You will have more time to read articles and write the repeating idiotic comments. Hey NSBC is downsizing! Make a list of your comments and try for a job with them. You can't do any worse than the interns!
.Obama the promise BREAKER!! Equals a LIAR!!! BIG EMBARRASSMENT to the USA!!!
Obama’s promise that his healthcare proposals would “never be purchased with [a] tax increase on middle-class families.” The SUPREME COURT & JUSTICE DEPT say it is a TAX!!! .Attack on the middle Class! Taxation by misrepresentation
…….…NOW Obama wants to invade Syria and Iran!!!
..mr. American businessman..YOU DID NOT MAKE THAT!! It was stolen from the back of the worker---PURE MARXISM!!
Remember these?
THE OBAMA CHRONICLES:
“I promise 100% transparency in my administration.”.
“I promise NO NEW TAXES on a family making less than $250K a year.”.
“I will allow 5 days of public comment before I sign any bills.”.
“I will remove earmarks from PORK projects before I sign any bill.”.
“I will end Income Tax for seniors making less than $50K a year.”.
"I will bring ALL of our troops home within ONE year."
“I’ll put the Health Care negotiations on CSPAN so everyone can see who is at the table!”.
“I’ll have no lobbyists in my administration."
"I'll close Guantanamo."
"I'll resign if I don't cut the deficit in half by the end of four years."
"I'll unite the people of this great country."
“The TROOPS will be home for CHRISTMAS.” WHY ARE MORE LEAVING EVERYDAY???? AND DYING every day…
NOW Obama invokes Executive Privilege( as a Sen. called it’s use a RUSE!) for Holder on GUN SMUGGLING and killing US Agent Brain Terry!!! That only applies if Obama was part of it!! Obama & Holder should be on trial for giving Machine Guns to the Mexican Drug cartels!!
BETTER KNOWN AS LIES.
Fool me once shame on YOU!
Fool me twice shame on ME!
Even Biden has endorsed ROMNEY for prez!!!
David - As a military veteran(retired 3 times huh?) I know what that term means and believe me that's nothing to be proud of but anyway to address your "claim" as well.
If you know anything other than the conspiracy theory you mentioned about health care. How about checking out the tricare site and actually reading all the information regarding the increase and who actually fought against the increase in veteran's insurance. I'm sure you would be amazed that it wasn't the republicans BUT Obama. The Republicans tried 5 times to increase the premiums on veterans and even tried to do away with some of the privileges and services we receive. It will come to no ones surprise who lead that charge, non other that the republican VP pick, Paul Ryan himself. See they believe that when you retire you shouldn't have access to Tricare but actually go out and get your own coverage through the private sector but at the same time when they leave office they get to keep the same good medical coverage the want to do away with for the military. Don't believe me....Go to Tricare.mil and you will see all the info as well as links that support this.
And as for Steve's wild claim as our annual premium will quadruple, not so. I have a family of four and I pay and annual premium of $270. Care to know what my annual renewal will be under the current law? $539. Hardly the $2600 that your friend Steve is claiming. Again, the actual rates are on the Tricare website and how much the premiums are. And my deductible doesn't change.
Come on, keep the myths coming. I love educating the uneducated in a very respectful way........
LOL, What a joke. The solders met Obama's speech with stony silence. It was so bad CNN and NBC broke away half way through the speech and didn't cover the rest of it, trying to cover up what a flop it was.
The men and women of the military are not fools; they know the disaster Bozobama has been to our military, plus all the cuts he's put in place and that he plans for later, when the voters can't reject him. This lying sack of manure needs to go in November, or we'll never recover from the damage this fool plans! Nobozobama 2012!
As George Orwell said “There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them.”
Anyone who believes Suddenly POMPUS Obama Supports the "Troops" is Obviously an intellectual!
America......We may not have much of a choice left to US anymore but we can choose to Refuse To Reward ANY Corporate Owned Wall Street Corrupted Criminals....Refuse To Re-Elect ANY Incumbent in 2012.
If they are a Democratic Incumbent....Vote for the Republican!
If they are a Republican Incumbent....Vote for the Democratic!
Let Back Door Barry Prove He Supports the Troops And Resign before Starting Any More Not Wars in Syria or Iran just to get Re-Elected!
Let US take care of OUR War Wounded and Maimed for once instead of just starting more Not Wars for Corporate Fun & Profit!
President Obama gave a terrific speech. I don't recall the exact name of the administration's program but it is helping veterans find jobs. Obama and democrats passed the most significant improvements to the GI Bill since it was originally made law; Bush threatened to veto that bill so it never was passed until he left office. The GOP is quick to send the military to fight endless and sometimes unnecessary wars but they do little for them when they return except talk big about supporting our troops.
No offense First Read but it is presidential election season, just anything President Obama does can be viewed through the campaign lens but so what? Romney's visit to Louisiana is all about the campaign and he can't do a thing for Jindal, the other officials or the people except disrupt the efforts.
Bingo Jody. Romney can't do a thing, except hope for a good photo opp. President Obama has been dealing with the needs of LA for several days, ensuring they get what they need. And no, Jindal won't thank the president. He'll thank everybody else, except the president. And then invites Romney down.
Pathetic.
Romney left out his health care plan in Massachusetts and the wars last night? I wonder why?
He must of thought Clint was going to mention them. Oh, that's right, Clint was talking to an empty chair. Well slap my a$$ and call me Susan! As Mitt always says "we'll get back to that later."
Best I can do is slap your ass and call you Feisty! ☺
"On the SECOND anniversary of the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq"
What you been doing for the past TWO YEARS Barry?
Guess you needed a headline for MSNBC today after Eastwood kicked your butt last night......
He reads from his teleprompter very well. Does crappy job as President. The man is a liar and total loser. He is pretty good at playing golf and going on vacation. He has been MIA since he was elected
By the way, please put Biden back in his cage. The man is totally stupid.
The Romneys can give THEIR OWN money to help those impacted by the storm- and have.
Let's see- when is Obama going to show up? And how much of HIS OWN cash will he contribute?
Oh- the answers are- in three days- and none.
Of course the broad who claims rape disrupts ovulation will source her unsubstantiated claim? lol
PULEEZE... show us where the Romney royalty has given a freakin dime to those affected by the disaster... all knowing one!
Come on Snookie-Joe dazzle us with your best shot...
Jody, Iowa What does Obama do besides giving speeches?
Feisty:
Your tone has become a lot nastier since the RNC convention.
I guess you have started to realize that Obama is DONE.
Sorry SWEETY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOT
This is true, Jody. I wonder about the timing. I'd expect after that debacle that was the 2012 RNC Convention that they would go into hurry up mode in damage control. Maybe beating Obama there is a way to prove he is a 'go getter' and 'businessman'.
Or maybe it wasn't the big disaster that needed a hero. Just a lot of rain on his parade.
I'm going with Obama, the GOP did enough damage to this Nation !!!!!!!!!!!
OBAMA / 2012 Guaranteed !!!!!!!!!!!
Barry must be going out of his mind.... the press is starting to ask him REAL questions..... can't wait to see him put under the pressure of a DEBATE with Mitt......
GO MITT GO........
GO AWAY BARRY GO AWAY
Why is it now that Vets are only allowed 5 yrs of support from the VA. Get you butt blown up and lose
limbs and only get 5 yrs of help. The Gov. doesn't care about Vets except to fight your GOOFY wars.
Thanks America and you GOOOFY LIBS.
As George Orwell said “There are some ideas so absurd that only an intellectual could believe them.”
Anyone who believes Suddenly POMPUS Obama Supports the "Troops" is Obviously an intellectual!
America......We may not have much of a choice left to US anymore but we can choose to Refuse To Reward ANY Corporate Owned Wall Street Corrupted Criminals....Refuse To Re-Elect ANY Incumbent in 2012.
If they are a Democratic Incumbent....Vote for the Republican!
If they are a Republican Incumbent....Vote for the Democratic!
Let Back Door Barry Prove He Supports the Troops And Resign before Starting Any More Not Wars in Syria or Iran just to get Re-Elected!
Let US take care of OUR War Wounded and Maimed for once instead of just starting more Not Wars for Corporate Fun & Profit!
What is the Lame Excuse for being Uneducated or too lazy to even research the Historically Documented Facts for all those that voted for your nonsense.
Iraq: President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" justification Section 2 Weapons of Mass Destruction (NOT BUSH) and Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein, that later on becomes US Military Operation Iraqis Freedom until 2011.
Afghanistan: Senator Charles Wilson, Democrat, Texas, demands US Involvement as "Charlie Wilson's War" as Operation Cyclone (if you think that was fun being a participant/survivor (flips middle finger at you)).
By the way how about asking blabber mouth Senator Lieberman about President Obama's Secret Wars (not Iraq nor Afghanistan).
I WANT PRESIDENT OBAMA TO FULL FILL HIS CAMPAIGN PROMISE (VerbalContract) AS HIS SOLUTION TO THE CONSTANT DEPLOYMENTS OF THE US MILITARY. Presidential Candidate Obama's Solution, forcing the 92% of US Citizens that have NEVER Served in the US Military to do their "Civic Duty" by instituting the Selective Service and or Mandatory Compulsory US Military Service. As Candidate Obama's, "US Military Service is a Civic Duty", "US Citizenship is not an Entitlement".
THEN people like you, Jody, Iowa, unPatriotic American U.S.A., Pat Boston MA., et al (other Demoncraps) will find out just how screwed up YOUR Politicians (bought by Corporate America) are. And based on current events, like President Obama as Commander In Chief Ordered previous April 2009 Defense Budget Cuts of the USAF and USN, that means your arses will be going to the US Military Ground Combat Forces of the US Army or USMC and not cush safer jobs of the USAF or USN. PS don't give that lame excuse that you are a woman and not allowed in Combat, my Lionesses will kick off in your arse just to prove they can whoop arse better than any man.
And I will be pointing at you and laughing as I do the duffle bag drag going back on Retirement as you are boarding an aircraft for repeated deployments (if you survived previous deployments). Hint, if you cannot do basic Math: President Obama as US Military Commander In Chief Ordered RIF of 90,000 US Military Personnel means less US Military Personnel to go on deployments, that means more deployments and longer tours. Also to the brain farts that do not keep up with current events and say well we are out of Iraq so we don't need the US Military was there; wrong those US Military Forces were withdrawn to Kuwait, then moved to Jordan due to the Syria situation; as well as, the other LIE, as the US Military currently providing security (Combat Patrols "Outside the Wire") at the 104 Acres of the US Embassy Compound ($1 Billion Disneyland Resort and Spa, that takes $1 Billion per year to operate) at Iraq.
All of your academic idealistic popularity based emotive opinionatednon factual nonsense has no basis in Fact in the Real World Life or Death School of Hard Knocks (aka Firsthand Experience).
That is only true if you don't get your Benefits downgraded by the Veterans Affairs Medical Review Board.
Still haven't located a source for your blatant lie... eh...Snookie? lol
Ummm... not at all!
If anything it't the RWNJ's who have been more belligerent than usual this week...
Not a positive comment out of any of you on the
conventioncircus?Why would that be?
Wasn't this suppose to be your time to shine in the spot-light and show America what you're made of? lmao!
Its all Political Lip Service
Including your comment?
While Romney was the one visiting New Orleans, no less.
Imagine the liberal crying that we would all have to listen to if Bush did this... yet for some reason the sheep are silent when Obama ignores the situation. No cries of "Obama doesn't care about black people" no matter how much he clearly displays that he cares more about pandering for votes to save his own butt.
Obama was already scheduled to go to Louisiana and has offered any support he could to the affected people.
Someone stated Obama takes vacations too much, this is crazy talk. He has been one of the least vacationing presidents in history.
Republicans think that the president can do everything. Government, however, is a system of checks and balances, with the House, Senate, Executive Branch, and Judicial. Go figure, to get anything done in congress, you need 60 votes in the Senate, which Obama really never had because of Ted Kennedy, and Al Franken (he wasn't able to take office until July '09, because of Republican horse play in Minnesota. Kennedy died in August '09). There are certain Executive orders that can be given, these can't be used on everything though. Democrats will move us forward into the future, Republicans want us to live in the past, police the world, and fall behind in technologies that we should be number 1 in the world in.
Obama/Biden 2012
The GOP Convention drawed some very strange looking characters !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Where did Obama's kid go on a trip with her friend? Paid for with your dollars. Mexico ring a bell?
miscreint - Those well pointed facts regarding how government is run is only a "distraction" to those that just hate Obama. After all that's the last thing they want to hear.....FACTS.
If you care about you family,
If you care about your country,
If you care anything about the truth,
If you have the courage to do this,
then
Watch this video described and available at this link
http://Bruce-1628250.newsvine.com/_news/2012/09/02/13615732-when-mitt-came-to-town
This could be the most valuable thing you do before deciding how to cast your vote for the President of The United States of America in 2012.
This could be the most important election you will ever cast a vote in, during your entire lifetime.
Don't blow it by being uninformed!
He better "vow" something. With over 800,000 being laid off they are going to need that "three letter word" Biden was talking about ...JOBS !
He better "vow" something? Who are you kidding?
President Obama isn't the one who threw the troops out in the cold as they finished their tours. He and the First Lady and Jill Biden have been working endlessly to assist our troops.
Obama promised he would close Gitmo during the first year of his Presidency. That didn't happen. I guess he wanted to have hostages to negotiate with the terrorists, then release them.
America didn't get anything from Russia after Obama killed the missile defense program per their demand. The almighty negotiator at work....again... if reeelected he will be more "flexable"
His "vows" are meaningless.
Republicans made it impossible for him to close Gitmo. If Romney's elected he'll have the same problem.
Obama was all for keeping those prisoners in the US, alas, Republicans are afraid of the terrorists.
No more, then by all means vote Republican. You know, the party that denied closing Gitmo?
Please, vote Republican and see what the troops get. Which will be nothing. The Bush Admin with the likes of Cheney and Rumsfeld sent those troops to war with nothing. And when they came home, they got the same thing.
Nothing.
All that veterans, troops, women disabled, poor, minorities, anyone can expect from the GOP is a firm shove out the door into the waiting arms of DEATH.
They are reporting that Obama's speech to the soldiers was met with silence. I wish I had speaker.
No-More-For-44
Ah...NoMore...I see you're back grasping at irrelevant straws. It must really suck when you read about the President doing something for service members and veterans when your candidate hasn't even mentioned them. Well he has made vague references to sending them back to war...but nothing positive.
I understand the Gallup poll showed veterans 55% for Governor Romney and 38% for President Obama. That poll was taken in May. That's heartbreaking.
Is there a more current poll somewhere?
thetotas,
The speech was not met with silence. There was applause -- polite applause, not rowdy and not enough to drown out the band in the beginning.
Against regs. to show strong emotion one way or the other, however, showing the troops that wanted to shake the President's hand was indicative of his popularity, especially with the younger ones. The Military is supposed to be apolitical, ergo polite applause.
Obama 2012
Pat Boston MA. Have you actually read what benefits veterans get? That is what makes the army attractive to join. And unless you are a complete moron and can't read, you know before hand how long you enlist for. You can use the army to get skills or learn or fight. Once your enlistment is up, you move on. Are you aware that an average family moves 7 times during their life time? That means a worker changes jobs every 7 years. And when he quits a job, he is gone. Does Obama have a plan to help these American workers who change their job every 7 years?
We can't close Gitmo is because we can't get rid of the people who are held there. Their countries don't want them back. Other countries we've asked won't take them. That's the reason President Bush couldn't close it and that's the same reason President Obama can't.
Correct, Candice. Plus to be fair, some of them ARE terrorists and a high percentage (about 25%) of those that have been released have gone back to being terrorists.
Also, Congress refused to let us transfer them to a US mainland facility. Can't transfer them and close down Gitmo without funding.
Sources:
http ://www .washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/8/congress-deals-death-blow-gitmo-closure/
http ://online .wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704774604576036520690885858.html
Honestly, President Obama tried but he was shut out by Congress. So now of course he is being blamed (IMO, unfairly) by some for for "breaking a promise."
skyparrot,
I understand regulations and protocol. Looks like regs were waived when President Bush visited, and not when President Obama did. I can't find video of President Clinton, first President Bush or Reagan. I wonder if regs overruled for them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ68SkaljaU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIHz5tevLAw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mSTYhdHcL8
Quite a contrast.
Sort of sad.
Hi, Matthew.
Yes funding was cut - by Congress that consists of both Republicans and Democrats. In addition, they re-wrote the rules on how to proceed with processing the detainees and made the rules so convoluted getting those who should go to trial probably never will. Secretary Panetta has the authority to issue waivers or overrides. He won't, though -- it's too politically charged.
President Obama did promise but that's before he understood the details. (Which is why politicians should not make promises). Criticizing either President on not closing Gitmo-- then and now-- is easy but unfair. Once again, you and I agree.
Yes we do.
Dirty Harry becomes Dirtbag Harry, was Harry on something because he looked like he was in a daze ?????????
Patriotic American U.S.A. Don't you wish that you had 1/100 of what Clint Eastwood is worth? And don't you wish you had the brains and the money to consult the best investment analysts in the U.S.A to invest that money.
Talk is cheap in your case. Earn his money and have his brains to invest what he has and America won't be in the @!$%# pile it is in now.
From the beginning Obama has been standoffish. If it wasn't for the 94% black vote, he wouldn't be sitting in the WHITE house today.
Really it is disheartening when people vote by party affiliation, one issue or because it has always been that way or skin color.
Check unemployment statistics. Under Obama black male unemployment has DOUBLED yet the blacks will overwhelmingly vote for him as if he really did something for them.
There is a black charter school that I donated $5,000. to and yes I am white. I called the school up as it was reported that for three years in a row ever single graduating senior has been accepted by a certified 4 year university. Now this high school is in Obama's back yard, Urban Prep Charter Academy and there is a long list to get into it. I sent Obama a letter with all the details and the suggestion that he form an academic committee to investigate the TWENTY high schools in the U.S. that get every one of their seniors into a 4 year college and got back a form letter.
I put my money where my mouth is. Obama uses his office to put his money in his pockets.
Instead of TALKING ABOUT BETTER EDUCATION find out how better education works and DO IT! Urban Prep took the worse of the worse from Chicago high schools and made successes out of them. AND the school did it cheaper than the Chicago school system and is tuition free. Of course the school does not have unions, the school day is longer, Saturday classes and tons of homework, a dress code and an honor code.
Obama is a fool, a fake and a fraud. Here is a guaranteed success story waiting to be copied and put into place tomorrow and he does nothing.
Candice
Do you know that at Gitmo these are people that want to behead you. You are an Infidel. You are unclean and you deserve to die. Give more to our vets and forget Gitmo.
Why do you Libs want Gitmo closed when the people there want you dead.
PAUSA
You are nothing but a keyboard Commado. Post nothing but spew. If you ncome face to face with someone you will shiver and beg "I didn't say that"
Ofcourse1 - Couple of things.
First: Have YOU ever been in the military? Have YOU even know how the military operates regarding military moves? And before you asked, I am a military vet of 20 years.
Second: Do you really think for one second that the President reads EVERY letter/postcard he gets? If so, I want some of what you are smoking. Case in point, I sent Obama an invite to my retirement ceremony from the Navy, I got back the same type of "standard" letter, thanking me for my service. I already knew before I sent it, there was a very slim chance he would even see or know about it.
Third: To even "assume" the only reason Obama is in the white house is because of the black vote is laughable at best. The "black" vote alone was definitely NOT a deciding factor. As far as unemployment, It has ALWAYS been higher if not doubled what the national average is. If you are black(which I am), it's not too surprising. If you look at history, you would understand why but I'm sure you won't as facts don't seem to be too important to you. Besides you can say the same for those die hard republicans that will vote for Romney KNOWING he will do nothing to for them UNLESS they are part of the 1% and they will do so simply because they hate Obama.
Lastly: Think about this. If you REALLY want Obama to do something about education (because according to Romney, we all really wanted the President to be successful), how about getting rid of those in Congress that have done nothing but obstruct and stand in the way of progress.
Common Sense 23 What you lack is COMMON SENSE! OBAMA works for us and is paid by us. You don't want your president to address a pressing common sense issue and listen to you when something is so obvious that he ignores you? You just line up at the polling booth and blindly pull the lever that says democrat. Call up the Urban Prep School and read the list of sponsors and who gave what! Only an idiot in the White House would ignore success in his own back yard.
It takes two minutes to read a letter, get someone interested to read their financial and social report on the net and decide that it is a good thing to investigate.
But Obummmer will not do it! You know why???????? Because he would have to fly in the face of the UNIONS! The unions dictate that they need 1-2 years to fire a bad teacher! And because the school unions have to be consulted for every pencil and piece of paper that is ordered and used. Once you get rid of teacher unions you can move faster. Also these TEACHERS work longer hours and SATURDAYS! What school union is going to allow that????? The reason these schools are successful is that they make the students work and do remedial work! You need dedicated teachers who want to see successful students and not count the minutes to run out the doors with the students. OBAMA NEEDS THE UNIONS! HIS SKIN COLOR GUARANTEES THE BLACK VOTE, NO MATTER WHAT! Your are a person without principles and morals. You believe that intelligent people don't know these facts. If Obama fires all teachers in the summer like Reagan did the Air Controllers and said we ARE GOING TO PUT A NEW SCHOOL SYSTEM IN PLACE THAT WILL GUARANTEE A NEW CLASS OF INTELLIGENT CHILDREN, Obama would lose the union vote and the election. TEll ME DIFFERENTLY!
Ofcourse1 - I see I struck a nerve as you had to resort to name calling which is typical of those who have no recourse or facts to back up "wildly" claims. You see the President, as all heads of major companies, corporations, etc...have what they call a list of priorities. Somehow I don't believe Education sits very high on that list when he is busy trying to get the economy, debt and jobs under control. Don't get me wrong, I do believe that education ranks somewhere up there and if you take a little time to realize he does have people addressing that issue. Having said that, let me educate you a little.
One: Let me AGREE with you that it does only take a couple minutes to read a letter and I will AGREE with you that the President works for us and gets paid by us. I believe those are given facts. But once again you fail to understand that the President is a very busy and just like congressman, have "handlers" that read and respond to everything that comes into their office. Only the important correspondence is sent to the president. Once you understand this FACT, then you will understand why you got that "standard" letter.
Second: I know all about the schools as they have been featured many times on 20/20, 60 minutes, and a host of other shows to name a few. Many of the kids go through a lot of adversity while attending those schools and the teachers are very attentive and supportive to the needs of the students. We do need more teachers like that but sadly there are some teachers that don't perform up to standards and again I AGREE that teachers that don't perform should be terminated and I AGREE that the unions do protect these teachers AS IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY but what you also fail to realize is that those same unions can and will choose not to defend these same teachers if conduct doesn't improve. Also to add to your other bit, It wouldn't be Obama flying in to see those unions, it would be his Educational secretary that would handle that responsibility so let's just be real for a second.
Third: I am an independent thanks to the 2000 election AS WELL AS a retired military veteran, so for you to "believe" that I that I go to the polling booths "blindly" and vote, you are sadly mistaken. I investigate not only the "major" politicians but those that also run for local office as I don't want to vote someone into office that I believe will not do "for the people" as the job dictates. Sadly there are not many that will so I am forced to vote for the lesser of the two evils. Again to imply that I am a person without morals or principles, again you don't know me or the kind of person I am and if I didn't have morals OR principles, I would be stooping to your level of intelligence and start calling you names as well.
Fourth: To imply that Obama's skin colors guarantees the black vote, again, you are greatly mistaken. Obama is struggling with minorities. All one has to do is look around at the different cities and states that have massed massive protest against the president. Again you are ill conceived if you believe that Obama needs the unions as well. You obviously are not as "educated" as you claim to be or you would see that most unions are not endorsing the President for his current policies that are in conflict with them.
Lastly: In order to improve the school system, we must first "retool" the teachers. By this I mean let the teachers "teach" like that did when I was going to school instead of "teach" to a test. I'm sure you will agree that these mandatory test put undue stress on these teachers which CAUSES them to work long hours and some Saturdays. Let the teachers "teach" and you will dramatically see an improvement in the educational process.......
So,
Tell that to the 90,000 US Military Personnel that President Obama as US Military Commander In Chief has ordered to be RIF'ed.
Yep, with mandatory Resume Writing Classes and Interview Classes, before they get kicked to the curb.
LOL. The Russian Federation Citizens know more about things at the US than you via Russian Television (RT):
Naomi Wolf: 'Obama can lock any US citizen up without trial'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLSeD19m3UE
skyparrot - showing the troops that wanted to shake the President's hand was indicative of his popularity, especially with the younger ones.
The younger ones with no Operational Experience, minimal training (not much invested in them), no maturity, etc. that do not know that they are the ones that are currently the first to be considered to be RIF'ed under President Obama as US Military Commander In Chief Ordered current Reduction In Forces of the US Military.
HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ABOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JANUARY 21, 2009 PATRIOT ACTS (Plural, not the same as President Bush's Patriot Act (Singular Law)). And before any of you say anything my comment is, "Ignorance of the Law(s)is NOT a Valid Defense"; as yes, I know what most of President Obama's January 21, 2009 Patriot Acts state (You are so F**ked).
President Obama shown during a staged news media event, January 22, 2009 signing his Patriot Acts into US Laws, 04:38 minutes of 11:55 minutes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLSeD19m3UE
(Unclassified). LOL. Most of you do not know that there were many of President Obama's Guantanamo Islamic Jihadists transferred to President Gaddaffi's Prisons, after Candidate Obama became US President in his attempt to close Guantanamo.
(Unclassified). After President Gaddaffi announced his Libyan Oil Nationalization to take control from the European Oil Corporations, the European Oil Corporations lobbied the G meeting at France attended by SOS Clinton to Overthrow President Gaddaffi to stop his Libyan Oil Nationalization. In February the European Oil Corporations started to evacuate their personnel.
(Unclassified). The Fundamentalist Islamic Jihadists of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, Al Quada Saudi Arabia (AQ), Al Quada Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Al Quada Syria (AQS), Al Quada Yemen (AQY), Hezbollah, Al Quada Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), etc. aka "The Rebels" had already gone to Libya as Fully Supported by the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran to Overthrow Gaddaffi the Collaborator to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers; and to release the Fundamentalist Islamic Jihadists held at Gaddaffi's Prisons; and to seize Gaddaffi's weapons like the 20,000 shoulder launched SA-7 anti aircraft missiles to shoot down US Civilian Airlines; create another Islamic Nation; get the Libyan Oil for Iran's Ally the Chinese and stop the Strategic Oil for the US European Allies; gain Mediterranean Ports for the Islamic Jihadists and Iran to attack the US Ally European Crusaders. Previously, these Islamic Jihadist Organizations were trained armed funded by the Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran's Special Forces, Quds, to conduct Asymmetric Warfare (Insurgency) to get "the People" to fight for their Cause(s) for perceived or real injustices by starting a Civil War to Overthrow US Allies Established Governments.
(Unclassified) As Usual, President Obama and SOS Clinton do not listen to their "Experts"; just like the President Obama gave the Fundamentalist Islamic Hamas Warlords at Palestine $900 Million that was then used by the Hamas Warlords to get more neutral Palestinians to join Hamas or starve and face daily beatings. The UN Aid Workers told him not to. To make matters worse shortly afterwards SOS Clinton gave the Fundamentalist Islamic Hamas Warlords $400 Million, then claimed ignorance, Did Not Know Hamas would take the US Aid by Armed Force. After joining Hamas these new Hamas to prove their Loyality to the Hamas Warlords are trained and then become Hamas Foreign Fighters sent worldwide to kill Christians, Jews, Unbelievers in accordance with the 109 Suras of the 114 Suras of the Holy Koran's Calls to All Islamic Believers to War Against the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers (enforced Death Penalty for non participation in the War Against Christians, Jews, Unbelievers by current Islamic Laws). The captured Hamas Foreign Fighters at Afghanistan trying to kill us, indicated that they must serve as Hamas Foreign Fighters for a minimum of nine months; however, if you prove more valuable they will keep you longer (a better life than at Palestine and paid a significant amount of money from the Trillions USDs per year as provided by the Mandatory Islamic Tithes as required by Islamic Law of 1.5 Billion Islamic Believers Worldwide).
what did they say about a leader yesterday????
He leads from his behind ?
Looks like leadership to me.
He's telling the troops he'd like to help them but the Republicans won't let him. Doesn't sound like leadership to me.
He's telling them they're being used as pawns and that is so disparaging. He should have moved heaven and earth to keep that from happening.
Candice, ryan has voted no for each vet bill introduced in the house since the President was elected. Ryan's marvelouse budget calls for a 13% cuts from Veterans Affairs budget. OMB and google.
Obama 2012
skyparrot - the President stood before the troops and told them, "Congress doesn't care about you, but I think you're great." That's not leadership. That's insulting.
Funding for defense was made a bargaining consequence by the President and by Congress. (Which was shameful in the first place). With benefits for the troops at stake. a meaningful deal should have been made. A capable and determined leader would have got that done. A leader who honors the service of our troops wouldn't have made them bargaining chips in the first place.
After awhile, "I tried" doesn't cut it. Especially where our soldiers are concerned.
Candice - on this one we disagree.
First, the President had to mention the potential cuts because for him not to would have been perceived as ignoring or glossing over them. Our military knows they might be coming so it's more honest to mention them. Secondly, the cuts are in place specifically because Congress was at a buget impass. This is well known, same as its well the cuts will happen IF Congress doesn't get its collective act together. There was no need to ignore or gloss over the facts. Leadership requires honesty. The President was being honest.
“Understand, nobody wants these cuts … There's no reason those cuts should happen, because folks in Congress ought to come together and agree on a responsible plan that reduces the deficit and keeps our military strong. That's what needs to happen,” the president said forcefully." This is a simple fact. Congress writes the budgets and they do need to come together and agree.
Yes, the President signed The Buget Control Act. He signed it in order to keep things running and continue to provide services to ALL Americans. His other choice would have been to let things shut down. If that had happened, we'd have been in worse shape now than we are. Leadership is making tough choices. He did so.
Lastly, I think the comment "A leader who honors the service of our troops wouldn't have made them bargaining chips in the first place" is misdirected. Again, this was the budget control act agreed upon by Congress. Congress made them the bargaining chips (not the President) because there had to be pressure on all Congressional members to make them come together to create a "true" budget. There had to be pressure to overcome the direct and pre-planed obstructionism to all economic policies of the President as well as the obstruction to the conservative economic policies that contained "right wing social engineering." If there was no skin in the game, their would be no incentive to overcome the obstructionism for anyone.
Good morning, Matthew. Yes, we're going to disagree on this one.
There are two things that should never be dragged into politics - children and the military.
The President was being honest. If he was really being honest he would have said something along the lines of:
"...the debt and deficit debacle got out of hand. Congress is split more than ever and, as your President, I am charged with the responsibility of getting these two stubborn and distracted sides working together for the good of all Americans. Because defense, the military, soldiers and their families, are so vital and important, both houses of Congress and both sides of the aisle chose to use the threat of defense cuts to motivate each other to strike a deal. It was unfathomable that, considering the stakes, a deal wouldn't be cut but that's what happened. I failed in the bringing the two sides together while risking your funding and that's deplorable...." .......something honest like that.....
Matthew, I understand the President has a really sucky job and dealing with adults acting like children in Congress has to be a miserable and seemingly futile endeavor. I guess I'm stuck on the "buck stop here" philosophy of leadership. (Because I am bi-partisan in my thoughts on this one - I blame Boehner and Reid on this too).
I wish President Obama could have worked magic and inspired everyone to work together, but he was unable to. And no one is better off for it. When leadership failures hit our soldiers it's worse.
A little late - he had 3 years and 9 months to get this done, hasn't done it, but "promises" he will.
Hard to believe anything he says anymore.
Wow!-553181
Hey wow, have you bothered to research what Obama's done for service members and veterans? No, of course not. If you had a barium enema tomorrow morning you couldn't find your a$$ in the afternoon with both hands and a gieger counter.
ol doc boy.......just another donkey taking a dump......
Just like Obama giving illegals a free ride just before the election. If he cared so much, why did he not do it sooner? BECAUSE OL Azzhole, it is politics....
Another ol man.
You cannot believe the president but you can believe two backtracking, lying scoundrels like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan. All those Republican lies told at the Republican convention were politics also I guess. You Republican's are such hypocrites.
All that chest thumping at the GOP Convention showed them as fools, it looked more like a Circus !!!
Ol Doc.
Right on my Man.
Pat Amer Usa. Like I said in another you are a keyboard Commando. Shake like a dog S^%$#&$ gravel if you faced anyone one this vine. USMC and PROUD
It's nice to have someone how will FINALLY support our men and and women in the sevice of this country.
After the deadliest single loss of American lives in Afghanistan over the last decade or so, and Barack Obama couldn’t even take the time to sign his name a few times with a pen. He rubber-stamped the condolence letters to the families....what a great guy he is.
Another LIE from the GOP..... not surprised you are using the deaths of hero's to malign the Commander in Chief.
when you have no facts to run on, make up lies, repeat them enough times and the stupid, uninformed may start to believe them. Been the Teapubs recipe for the last few years.
Hey No more, let's see some credible proof of that. If not, then stfu.
How do you know the Tea Party are the American equivalent of the Taliban?
Ideological purity
Compromise as weakness
A fundamentalist belief in scriptural literalism
Denying science
Unmoved by facts
Undeterred by new information
Hostile fear of progress
Demonization of Education
A need to control women's bodies
Severe xenophobia
Tribal mentality
Intolerance of dissent
Pathological hatred of US government
Any questions?
http://www.inquisitr.com/317754/grieving-seal-team-6-families-received-form-letters-from-the-president/
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2012/08/confirmed-obama-sent-form-letters-to-families-of-fallen-seals/
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/08/white-house-disputes-charge-president-uses-auto-pen-for-letters-to-lost-soldiers-grieving-families/
After winning the Nobel he sends 30k more troops to Afghanistan and gets more troops killed than Bush did...
Yup, Obama has your back all right, with a knife in it.
Tony, i can not post links...but Candice did. Maybe you should "stfu"
Form letter, yes. Rubber stamp or auto-signature as was claimed in post #9, no. And as Candice's link rightfully points out, prior administrations used form letters also and/or personal ones.
To the War Profiting Draft-Dodgers military service is only for the 'Expendables' in our society, let 'them' die for their country. How many times must Veterans come home from war to find the flag-waving conservatives have taken the jobs and treated us as welfare wannabes?
Not long ago a GOP Utah State Legislator blocked a bill to give Guardsman a property tax break for the time served overseas. What this Mormon TeaCon wanted was tax break instead for private golf clubs because they had too much competition from the public golf courses. This can be looked up on the Internet.
I believe Obama and Panetta care about Vets, but there are still too many of the old school 'Veterans Services is Welfare' types in the VA bureaucracy.
Welcome back to the Sandy City, Mr. President, West Texas is with you. Putting Texas back in the Democratic column is a tall order, but I'll do my part.
Iraq war: Republicans built it Obama ended it
Your post really proves that your side has 99% of the stupidty in this country.
Obama did end it, on Bush's plan and time table.
Jody in Iowa needs to back off the corn spirits! Barry's record on supporting the military is a bunch of crap! He has taken lies, dishonesty, deceit, mendacity, subterfuge and obfuscation to low depths. His arrogance by appointing 32 leftist czars and constantly bypassing Congress is impeachable. Barry the weed puffer and want-a-be King is the worst kind of racialist, he is an elitist Leninist with contempt for traditional America and is hell bent on making our great country weaker. He should take some of his stimulus money that he wasted and gave to his contributors and provided the military with large pay raises for their contribution instead of insuring his czars (some devout communist like Van Jones) received big paychecks.
He continues to blow smoke and the liberal nuts who continue to support this moron are so far out of touch with reality, it makes you wonder just want kind of idiots do we still have in America. I have to admit there are a few liberals and others who understand they wasted their vote in 2008 and they no Obozo has not delivered.
The real question is, will they vote for new leadership in Nov or will they continue to ignore reality of a failed and useless president.
For all of you pea brain liberals who think he is doing a great job, you are well beyond hope so we will just write you off as being uniformend and stupid! How is the hope and change going for you??
Rick, still blowing smoke out your a$$. The DoD Contractors all the GOP cares about when it comes to the defense of our country.
I was actually going to respond to your over lengthy rant but as I continued to read it became clear...you are certifiably insane. No discussion, no reason...nothing will be accomplished. Please reference 9.4 above. Even if you do recognize yourself, I doubt if an effective treatment is available...no meds for too long.
Romney will get 65-75% of the active military vote
As for veterans like me, 60% of us will vote for a commander-in-chief that has a backbone and won't let our enemies know when we are leaving.
BrentAZ, do you represent the brain-trust that said 'shock and awe' would have us out of Iraq in a year?
Oh ya, Romney's got a backbone alright. He used it in France on a military deferment while I was in basic training. He also would probably support those who fight so long as he and his sons don't have to. I say "would probably" because the only reference I've heard him make to service members or veterans was a few vague comments about sending them back to war again. He may get 65% of the active duty vote considering the only channel that's playing on post is FOX, but I think you're kidding yourself with the veteran vote.
Ol-- Doc --- Ya - the draft-dodger was in France while we , the service men and women , were in Viet Nan. I , personally , think he's a coward.
Ol_Doc, did you serve with Obama? Just wondering.
Kind of like Clinton, huh old man and ol doc....and you probably still voted for clinton. Hypocrites
No, GCCAl, more like Bush junior, you know the Mission Accomplished, landing on the Fight Deck, pretending he flew the plane cowboy who couldn't saddle a horse if his life depended on it.
The one who dodged the draft and didn't show up for Nat'l Guard.
GCCal ---- I call it like it is . I don't care what POLITICAL party they belong to .And , yes , there are Dem 's that are just as bad.
Clinton was protesting against a bad war in the streets while Rmoney was campaigning for that bad war, and then ran off to France because he was "Too important" to serve his country.
Rick: You are a complete a$$ !! My husband was a Navy Seal and fought for his country and you do all service men/women and the President a great disservice by your horrible words.Here are just a few of the things Obama has done for our military and veterans and they are FACTS: First off Michelle has spent numerous hours helping military families cope and helping with their day to day needs.She also set up programs for families.Obama has given tax credits to businesses that hire veterans,created career services for veterans,provided stable funding for the department of veteran affairs,making mental health for them a top priority,speeding up the claims process,improving access for veterans in rural areas,expanding the post 911 GI bill.You have NO respect whatsoever for our military or the President,therefore you lack any kind of honor !!
No point taking offense Maria, I suspect Rick to be a paid plant courtesy of the RNC or perhaps Americans for Prosperity. He blows through here, drops his talking points then blows out.
Maria, with all due respect, you are full of it.
I am a vet of 33 years.
Talk that smack to someone else.
Actually, Ol_Doc, I think Maria is the plant, paid I don't know.
And ol doc is just taking another donkey dum_
Respectfully Viewer_Ready, thank you for your service. Ms. Maria is correct and you are wrong.
The "VOW to Hire Heros Act" was passed Nov. 21, 2011. Yesterday he used his executive order athority to expand access to mental health services for vets.
With respect to the job seeking, you are ignoring the new "Veteran Gold Card" program, the jobs bank info, and the job assistance system that helps you identify out how your military training and skills can be adapted to the civilian sector. You are ignoring the increases in VA funding in 2009 and 2010.
Google "Michelle Obama and Joining Forces" and that will provide you some info on one of the military programs she has been active in supporting.
As much I'm glad President Obama promises to help those protecting our country; I'm concerned about President Obama's promises. If jobs were available to have, wouldn't that be helping ALL Americans?
Oh, he will find a few.
He is already trying to early retire dedicated civil servants (who maintain and support the military).
For SLOTS.
Balance that out.
Tell that to the outsourcing congress. They could care less if job's are available and Mitt and Paul could care less also. It is all about Corporations making big profits not about job's for American's. If they were true patriots they would make sure job's stayed in America and corporations were not getting big tax cuts to move them overseas.
The "Bring Jobs Home Act" would have provide tax cuts to companies that brought their outsourced jobs back to the US. The "American Jobs Act" would have created 2 million jobs in the US.
Want to guess who filibustered both?
“When you take off that uniform, we are going to help you fully participate in our economy. Every single one of you has defended the American dream for the rest of us and every single one of you deserves the chance to live the American dream for yourselves.”
Man, what a BS artist.
He brought them home to get a vote.
NOW they will be hung out to dry.
All you liberals who have NEVER been in the military will see your heroes in the unemployment line with you.
Since 1973, all military personnel have been career volunteers.
Now, that will all be gone.
Some of those people you wanted to "bring home", wanted that job.
The Taliban and Al Quida are thankful for this election year.
Look at the news.
Pay attention.
The war that we NEEDED to win was just lost by Obama.
Wow look at all the faces of color wearing the uniform standing in the background. Didn't look anything like the Republican national convention, did it?
You mean the front row seating wasn't planned?
See the smiles on their faces?
Our military is NOT stupid.
Yeah, that's the key fact. Count the color of the faces standing behind the candidate, how many white, Hispanic, Afro-American, Asian, Native American, Eskimo, Mulatto, Mongoloid, those with acne, warts, overly dry skin, droppy eyelids, dandroff, or premature thinning hair. We need to note these things, especially in photgraphs. It tells the whole story about the candidates position on the economy, the national debt, their plan to lead recovery of the jobs and especially Afganistran and nuclear weapons. So few understand that. What morons! Oh, I fogot, you got to count the morons in the pictures too! Especially the ones in Capten Dees hats. Sorry. Politics is so hard to keep up with.
This Obama vow has as much chance of getting fulfilled, as hell freezing over. The Obama supporters are still waiting for Obama to fulfill this vow from 2009.
In February 2009, Democratic President Barack Obama stated:
I refuse to leave our children with a debt that they cannot repay. And that means taking responsibility right now, in this administration, for getting our spending under control.
"Remarks at the Fiscal Responsibility Summit." By Barack Obama. Government
Printing Office, February 23, 2009. http://www.gpoaccess.gov/presdocs/2009/DCPD200900102.htm
He bought new paint for Guantanamo.
Disgraceful that Mitt "the draft-dodger" Romney didn't even thank or mention the U.S. troops who have fought valiently and sacrificed so much for this country in Iraq and Afghanistan during his convention speech - but he DID imply that he is now ready to go to war with both Iran and Russia (note that not one of Romney's sons has served in the military, so I guess he has no problem sending other peoples' sons and daughters off to war)!
President Obama is head-and-shoulders above Mitt when it comes to Foreign Policy and the know-how to be an effective Commander-in-Chief.
Higgi
What branch of the military did Obama serve in? He must have volunteered and signed up to one of the military services or how else did he get his Harvard education paid for?
Funny how that is one of the biggest Obama campaign's secrets.
Higgi,
You must have not noticed your Commander-in-Chief's making a promise to Russia that will be delivered "after the elections"... come on! wake up!
Viewer
Oh no your wrong. Obama made a vow in his first campaign to shut down Guantanamo. Every Obama supporters knows that he shut it down. Obama doesn't make vows just to deceive the voters.
He's a man you can trust to follow through with his promises and vows, Guantanamo is proof of that.
Congress - both Democrats and Republicans - directly blocked the funding required to shut it down. So now of course the President is being blamed by some for "breaking a promise" on Gitmo . . . yep, that makes lots of sense . . . not!
Sources: http ://www .washingtontimes.com/news/2010/dec/8/congress-deals-death-blow-gitmo-closure/
http ://online .wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704774604576036520690885858.html
Err, is he going to get all the military people jobs before or after he gets the 23000,0000 people who already are looking, a job? Just wondering, a lot of my friends have been looking for one for over a year.
High Plains Drifter
From the article above:
I thought the Tea Party supported our troops.
President Obama does.
This past week's Republican National Convention has emphasized the contrast between Democrats and the Tea Party.
Governor Romney's speech and Clint Eastwood's theater speaks volumes in not what they said, but what they didn't say.
Governor Romney didn't mention the wars nor did he talk about his Health Care legislation in Massachusetts; the blue-print for the PPACA.
Clint Eastwood didn't talked about how the Tea Party House of Representatives has filibustered over 300 pieces of legislation to prevent bringing jobs to Hard Working Middle Class Americans and get America back on its feet again.
In fact, during the entire RNC, no speakers talk about how the Tea Party has purposely obstructed and plotted against this President to fail since he took office in January 2009.
And that is exactly what the Romney campaign is hoping Americans don't understand.
This is President Bush's recession. This is the Tea Party House of Representatives obstruction and destruction of America so they can regain power and continue where President Bush left off.
President Bush FAILED. The Tea Party House of Representatives FAILED. Governor Romney's campaign has FAILED.
It's time to end this perpetual and relentless conservative-media's lying quest to destroy the Middle Class and end America as we know it.
Re-Elect President Obama, and take back the House of Representatives this November.
Salud.
arnold
That's part of President Obama's vision to "build the middle-class out". Still don't know if there is a plan associated with the vision, but I suspect that "we will build it"; we being the taxpayers.
Everyone knows that the Obama plan is to created middle class jobs with his tax reform. It was his plan in his first campaign.
With a democratically controlled congress, Obama supported, pushed for, and got the Bush tax cuts to the rich extended rather than implement is job creating tax reform.
How can anyone trust Obama words as the truth?
If you remember which I doubt you do since.The republican congress held the president hostage . He made the proposal to end tax cuts for the wealthy and extend it for the others But the republican congress would have none of this. So in order to keep the taxes from raising on the middle class he extended the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
what happened, you misrepresent and twist facts to support your biased dialogue. This weakens your position.
Please consider using fact in appropriate context when trying to support your argument.
The President will be getting my vote in November but unfortunately I've been out of the Navy for 5 years, I have a college degree, and I still can't find work.
Kevin
Thanks for confessing to the world that you have educated yourself into stupid by voting for a man that promises jobs for the middle class, but gives tax cuts to himself and his rich friends instead.
That's one big twist "what happened". You're about 180 degrees off.
The "big twist" is that President Obama promised jobs for the middle-class and to tax the rich.
whereRthe jobs?
whereSthe tax?
Ask the Republican's they are holding everything up in Congress. You republicans are so quick to blame the president when the blame really belongs to that republican congress.
Maggiemay
So you took that Obama BS hook, line and sinker. Oh Obama can't get anything accomplished because the republicans are blocking him.
Okay, if that is true please explain how Obama was able to get the Bush tax cuts to the rich extended with a democratically controlled congress rather than implement his job creating tax reform.
How did Obama get Obamacare passed when not one Republican supported, voted for it nor created a filibuster to stop it? Care to explain?
One born every minute.
And now you are EDUCATED TOO?
You need a refund.
Durn shame that some folks can't remember what happened only a few years ago.
PPACA was passed in March 2010 when the Democrats had control of both houses of Congress. Remember that PPACA wll reduce the deficit as well as provide health care to previously uninsured millions of Americans. (source: http ://www .cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/ftpdocs/121xx/doc12119/03-30-healthcarelegislation.pdf )
The Bush Tax Cuts were extended in December 2010 when the Republicans had control of the House and filibuster capabilities in the Senate. They were extended because the Republicans refused to allow unemployment benefits to be extended. The Republicans deliberately held unemployed Americans hostage for money. Note that these tax cuts insured that the bill was unfunded and led to an increase of the deficit. (source: http ://www .cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20026069-503544.html )
In fact, overall the Tax Cuts cost the us more than the stimulus package and have increased the deficit without even being close to the measurable positive job results that the stimulus gave us.
The Republicans did not have control of the House until January. There are ways to get around filibusters. It is called negotiating. But that will never happen with Harry Reid.
Kevin, And you giving your vote to him will not help you as he will continue to punish business owners, whom will continue to cut jobs. Plus with a smaller and weak militar budget other Americans will not even have the opportunity that you had, to service in the armed forces and be able to obtain a college degree.
For you to find a job, someone needs to invest his own money to create it. But that someone is not going to put his/her money at risk in the USA when the President is going to take the return away via taxes. Why invenst in America? If you make it, he will tell you that you owe it to him. If you make it big he will accuse you of not sharing with the rest. That is why there are no "good" jobs available.
Everyone needs to get to work in order to get the economy moving forward. The government needs to stop telling the rich that they are bad people and that they need to pay more taxes. They also need to stop telling the working class that if they dont want to work its ok..
Each time that he extends unemployment benefits he tells people that its ok not to work. Then he increases taxes to business to pay for that [emergency] benefit. The business has now less net/net income, and less money to buy new equipment to expand the business and create a New Job... and the cycle continues, over and over...
At the end, he takes $1.00 in new taxes, pays for part of the gov expense to administrate the program, gives the $0.30 left to the unemployeed and No One Wins...
The Unemployed can barely make it on those 30 cents... The gov. has to borrow money from China to continue to "operate"... the business "lost" 1 dollard that could have invested in created that Job that you are looking for.
I'm not an economist, college graduate or politician...Simply a citizen that started working at age 18 for min. wage, failed at trying to start a small business at 20, worked for a couple of big companies, started a small business again at 30, today employ 80 people, are paying more than double in unemployment taxes in 3 years, additionally pay more than 30% in fed taxes every year, some time have a hard time finding good people for work (no lies)
I have had people walk up to my office to inform me that they are quitting their job because they are buying a new home and they dont qualify for a new program that will pay for part of their expenses because they make too much money.... and others that will pass on an earned promotion because if they make more money they will loose their childcare benefiits... or simply... will quit because they are moving away... to later find out that they went straight to the unemployment office and said that they were laid off, they get denied (of course), then re-apply under the emergency unemployment program and guess what... they get it, and ride it for 12 months...
This is the America that is been built before our eyes, lets please keep them open or face the sad, unAmerican like future...
Eric, you are correct that the House officially changed hands in January 2011. I misstated the Republican position by one month. My apolgies for the inaccuracy.
In December 2010, the extension of the Bush tax cut was included in the extending of the unemployment benefits negotiations because of the November elections which required the Democrats and the President to take into consideration that in January 2011, the Republicans would control the House and be able to filibuster the Senate.
Look at the soldier boy Obama prancing around before a captive audience wrapped in the flag, just like George Bush used to do to make people vote for him and forget what an idiot he has been. Waive that flag, obama.
But no "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED" sign, that must be a draft dodgers gig.
where
Of course there's no "mission accomplished" sign for Obama. Now that he's committed this country to another 10 years of the war in Afghan, how could Obama put up a mission accomplished sign when he vowed to end the war if elected.
Bush said he was going to rid Iraq of Saddam and he did. That is a mission accomplished.
Obama said he was going to end the war in Afghan and didn't. Why is it so hard for you Obama supporters to understand the difference.
How quick you people forget who started these war's. He bought our man out of Iraq something Bush and Cheney would not do. He is trying to get them out of Afghanistan as soon as it permissible.
maggiemay
Who controlled congress and supported the war. Bush couldn't do it without democratic support. They could have stopped him, but they didn't.
Obama not only brought our troops out of Iraq, he redeployed them to Afghanistan.
Obama is going to bring our troops out of Afghanistan as soon as its permissible? You know that is another ten years don't you; apparently not. Obama just signed an agreement with the Afghan government committing this country to another 10 years in that country.
The wars were started by ass holes who keep blowing up things.
AND "HE" is only trying to get the troops out for a vote.
what happened - you sir, continue to provide incomplete assessments of the situations/history and bend facts to support your position.
The Democratic Party assumed control of Congress in 2006 with the election "upset" of Sen. Jim Webb (VA) over incumbent Sen. Allen.
The Afghanistan War started October 7, 2001 - Operation Enduring Freedom. The Afghanistan War was fully justified by the US (and the world) when the Taliban refused to give up al-Queda and bin-Laden. The decision by both parties to support this war was correct.
The Iraq War started March 20, 2003 - Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Iraqi War was started because of lies supported by the Bush administration and, in hindsight, was not justified. The bi-partisan decision to support this war was based on the false information fed to Congress and the public by President Bush's administration.
The Afghan surge was a result of the President and Congress backing the recommendations of the Pentagon (via Gen. McChrystal and Gen. Petraeus) as required to better fulfill the mission and support the needs of the Afghan people.
For details of the ten-year agreement, see:
http :// online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303916904577378080052874406.html
Obama/Biden 2012.