PATSNUTme

I wanted to hear what Obama had to say last night to hopefully gain more information in order to support the Libyian polcy. I didn't hear anythng that I already didn't know.

He totally lost me when he had to take cheap shots and both Bush and Clinton. Why does he do this? It's not the first time. Even if the speech was written for him, he should have had the class not to go there. Does he really need to bring up what other presidents have done to make himself look good?

I wanted a serious speech with more information, because as an American, I want to support our Presidents policy when it comes to military conflict. But instead I heard a "look at me" speech and got up and walked away before it was over.

chicowalker

What were the "cheap shots"?

(I've stopped listening to speeches for the most part -- nothing is usually said.)

Gainzo

What did he say?

PATSNUTme

He pointed out how long it took us & NATO to get involved in Bosnia. And, how we went into Iraq without broad based partners.

All this compared to lightning fast way he went into Libya with the whole world holding hands (implied not direct quotes).

He could have pounded his own chest without bring Bosnia and Iraq into the speech,IMO. Both Bosnia and Iraq were much more complex situations than Lybia.

Mrs.PatsFanInVa

Do you mean this in regard to Bush? The task that I assigned our forces – to protect the Libyan people from immediate danger, and to establish a No Fly Zone – carries with it a UN mandate and international support. It is also what the Libyan opposition asked us to do. If we tried to overthrow Gaddafi by force, our coalition would splinter. We would likely have to put U.S. troops on the ground, or risk killing many civilians from the air. The dangers faced by our men and women in uniform would be far greater. So would the costs, and our share of the responsibility for what comes next.

To be blunt, we went down that road in Iraq. Thanks to the extraordinary sacrifices of our troops and the determination of our diplomats, we are hopeful about Iraq’s future. But regime change there took eight years, thousands of American and Iraqi lives, and nearly a trillion dollars. That is not something we can afford to repeat in Libya.

And this in regards to Clinton? To summarize, then: in just one month, the United States has worked with our international partners to mobilize a broad coalition, secure an international mandate to protect civilians, stop an advancing army, prevent a massacre, and establish a No Fly Zone with our allies and partners. To lend some perspective on how rapidly this military and diplomatic response came together, when people were being brutalized in Bosnia in the 1990s, it took the international community more than a year to intervene with air power to protect civilians.

To address the former - how is stating fact a "cheap shot??" And, honestly, is it something you think we can afford to repeat in Libya?

As to the latter: If he was taking a shot at anyone he was taking it at The U.N. Security Council for dragging their feet. Interfering in another country's civil strife isn't something we'd want America to do on it's own, is it? Isn't that what we have the U.N. Security Council for?

Transcript of President Obama's speech on Libya - Washington Times

Anyhow, neither of them sounded like "cheap shots" to me. Cheap shots are things like, "He's not an American citizen," or "that's a phony birth certificate," or "He's not a Christian." Assuring us that he's not planning on taking us down the road to another Iraq is not a cheap shot. It's good policy.

PATSNUTme

Why did he have to bring Bosnia and Iraq at all to make his point? They came off as cheap shots to make him look good.

I really wanted to be able to support the effort and policy. I got nothing to help me. I think there were many other people who wanted the same thing, I doubt if they were helped either.

He is the POUS, not a message board poster.

Mrs.PatsFanInVa

Show me anyone who holds a political office of any kind who does not attempt to make themselves "look good," whenever possible and I'll show you someone who's either suicidal or not planning on running for reelection.

Did he have to bring Bosnia into it? Maybe not, although it doesn't hurt because alot of people were unhappy with the fact that we did not get involved in Bosnia when we should have/could have made a difference and drawing the comparison is valid and a memory-booster.

Did he have to bring Iraq into it? Of course. People are terrified of another Iraq happening - how could he assure them (us) that this was a different case and being handled in a totally different manner?

He did not mention either Carter or Bush by name, which he certainly could have done - he did not directly lay blame at either their of their feet.

Bringing up history is not a bad thing, PATSNUT, we need to be reminded of it now and then - you know what they say happens when people forget it.

Gainzo

In this political climate nothing Obama does/says would make him look good as he will be attacked from both sides.

I didn't see him making himself look better in last night's speech, but if you did that's cool.

Nikolai

I guess I could see how it would be construed as a couple of cheap shots, but I also don't think his bringing up those conflicts is out of the blue. After all, when people are talking about this or criticizing this "military action" in the press, those conflicts have been brought up (though, I notice he didn't mention Somalia, the other oft-compared conflict). It was relevant for him to put perspective, whether one agrees with it or not, on this conflict vis-a-vis Bosnia and Iraq.

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Harry Boy

He's a Chicago ass hole.

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