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The End of the Combat Mission in Iraq
Poziom:
Temat: Społeczeństwo i nauki społeczne
President Obama:
Good evening.
Tonight, I'd like to talk to
you about the end of our combat
mission in Iraq, the ongoing
security challenges we face,
and the need to rebuild
our nation here at home.
I know this historic moment
comes at a time of great
uncertainty for many Americans.
We've now been through
nearly a decade of war.
We've endured a long
and painful recession.
And sometimes in the
midst of these storms,
the future that we're trying
to build for our nation --
a future of lasting peace
and long-term prosperity
-- may seem beyond our reach.
But this milestone should serve
as a reminder to all Americans
that the future is ours to
shape if we move forward with
confidence and commitment.
It should also serve as a
message to the world that the
United States of America intends
to sustain and strengthen our
leadership in this
young century.
From this desk, seven
and a half years ago,
President Bush announced
the beginning of military
operations in Iraq.
Much has changed
since that night.
A war to disarm a state became
a fight against an insurgency.
Terrorism and sectarian warfare
threatened to tear Iraq apart.
Thousands of Americans
gave their lives;
tens of thousands
have been wounded.
Our relations abroad
were strained.
Our unity at home was tested.
These are the rough waters
encountered during the course
of one of America's longest wars.
Yet there has been one constant
amidst these shifting tides.
At every turn, America's
men and women in uniform
have served with
courage and resolve.
As Commander-in-Chief,
I am incredibly proud
of their service.
And like all Americans, I'm
awed by their sacrifice,
and by the sacrifices
of their families.
The Americans who have served
in Iraq completed every mission
they were given.
They defeated a regime that
had terrorized its people.
Together with Iraqis and
coalition partners who made
huge sacrifices of their own,
our troops fought block by
block to help Iraq seize the
chance for a better future.
They shifted tactics to
protect the Iraqi people,
trained Iraqi Security Forces,
and took out terrorist leaders.
Because of our troops and
civilians -- and because of the
resilience of the Iraqi people
-- Iraq has the opportunity
to embrace a new destiny, even
though many challenges remain.
So tonight, I am announcing that
the American combat mission in
Iraq has ended.
Operation Iraqi Freedom is over
and the Iraqi people now have
lead responsibility for the
security of their country.
This was my pledge to
the American people as
a candidate for this office.
Last February, I announced a
plan that would bring our combat
brigades out of Iraq, while
redoubling our efforts to
strengthen Iraq's Security
Forces and support its
government and people.
That's what we've done.
We've removed nearly
100,000 U.S. troops from Iraq.
We've closed or transferred to
the Iraqis hundreds of bases.
And we have moved millions of
pieces of equipment out of Iraq.
This completes a transition
to Iraqi responsibility for
their own security.
U.S. troops pulled out of
Iraq's cities last summer,
and Iraqi forces have moved into
the lead with considerable skill
and commitment to
their fellow citizens.
Even as Iraq continues to
suffer terrorist attacks,
security incidents have been
near the lowest on record since
the war began.
And Iraqi forces have
taken the fight to al Qaeda,
removing much of its leadership
in Iraqi-led operations.
This year also saw Iraq hold
credible elections that drew
a strong turnout.
A caretaker administration
is in place as Iraqis form
a government based on the
results of that election.
Tonight, I encourage Iraq's
leaders to move forward with
a sense of urgency to form an
inclusive government that is
just, representative, and
accountable to the Iraqi people.
And when that
government is in place,
there should be no doubt: The
Iraqi people will have a strong
partner in the United States.
Our combat mission is ending,
but our commitment to Iraq's
future is not.
Going forward, a transitional
force of U.S. troops will
remain in Iraq with
a different mission:
advising and assisting
Iraq's Security Forces,
supporting Iraqi troops in
targeted counterterrorism
missions, and protecting
our civilians.
Consistent with our agreement
with the Iraqi government,
all U.S. troops will leave
by the end of next year.
As our military draws down,
our dedicated civilians --
diplomats, aid workers, and
advisors -- are moving into
the lead to support Iraq as
it strengthens its government,
resolves political disputes,
resettles those displaced by
war, and builds ties with
the region and the world.
That's a message that Vice
President Biden is delivering
to the Iraqi people through
his visit there today.
This new approach reflects our
long-term partnership with Iraq
-- one based upon mutual
interest and mutual respect.
Of course, violence will not
end with our combat mission.
Extremists will continue
to set off bombs,
attack Iraqi civilians and
try to spark sectarian strife.
But ultimately, these
terrorists will fail
to achieve their goals.
Iraqis are a proud people.
They have rejected
sectarian war,
and they have no interest
in endless destruction.
They understand
that, in the end,
only Iraqis can resolve
their differences and
police their streets.
Only Iraqis can build a
democracy within their borders.
What America can
do, and will do,
is provide support for the
Iraqi people as both a friend
and a partner.
Ending this war is not
only in Iraq's interest
-- it's in our own.
The United States has paid a
huge price to put the future of
Iraq in the hands of its people.
We have sent our young men
and women to make enormous
sacrifices in Iraq, and spent
vast resources abroad at a time
of tight budgets at home.
We've persevered because of a
belief we share with the Iraqi
people -- a belief that
out of the ashes of war,
a new beginning could be born
in this cradle of civilization.
Through this remarkable chapter
in the history of the United
States and Iraq, we have
met our responsibility.
Now, it's time to turn the page.
As we do, I'm mindful that the
Iraq war has been a contentious
issue at home.
Here, too, it's time
to turn the page.
This afternoon, I spoke to
former President George W. Bush.
It's well known that he
and I disagreed about the
war from its outset.
Yet no one can doubt President
Bush's support for our troops,
or his love of country and
commitment to our security.
As I've said, there were
patriots who supported this war,
and patriots who opposed it.
And all of us are united in
appreciation for our servicemen
and women, and our hopes
for Iraqis' future.
The greatness of our democracy
is grounded in our ability to
move beyond our differences, and
to learn from our experience as
we confront the many
challenges ahead.
And no challenge is more
essential to our security than
our fight against al Qaeda.
Americans across the political
spectrum supported the use of
force against those who
attacked us on 9/11.
Now, as we approach our 10th
year of combat in Afghanistan,
there are those who are
understandably asking tough
questions about
our mission there.
But we must never lose
sight of what's at stake.
As we speak, al Qaeda
continues to plot against us,
and its leadership remains
anchored in the border regions
of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
We will disrupt, dismantle
and defeat al Qaeda,
while preventing Afghanistan
from again serving as a
base for terrorists.
And because of our
drawdown in Iraq,
we are now able to apply
the resources necessary
to go on offense.
In fact, over the
last 19 months,
nearly a dozen al Qaeda leaders
-- and hundreds of al Qaeda's
extremist allies -- have
been killed or captured
around the world.
Within Afghanistan, I've ordered
the deployment of additional
troops who -- under the command
of General David Petraeus -- are
fighting to break the
Taliban's momentum.
As with the surge in Iraq, these
forces will be in place for a
limited time to provide space
for the Afghans to build their
capacity and secure
their own future.
But, as was the case in Iraq,
we can't do for Afghans what
they must ultimately
do for themselves.
That's why we're training Afghan
Security Forces and supporting a
political resolution to
Afghanistan's problems.
And next August, we
will begin a transition
to Afghan responsibility.
The pace of our troop reductions
will be determined by conditions
on the ground, and our support
for Afghanistan will endure.
But make no mistake: This
transition will begin --
because open-ended war serves
neither our interests nor the
Afghan people's.
Indeed, one of the lessons of
our effort in Iraq is that
American influence around
the world is not a function
of military force alone.
We must use all elements
of our power -- including
our diplomacy, our
economic strength,
and the power of America's
example -- to secure our
interests and stand
by our allies.
And we must project a vision of
the future that's based not just
on our fears, but also on
our hopes -- a vision that
recognizes the real dangers
that exist around the world,
but also the limitless
possibilities of our time.
Today, old adversaries
are at peace,
and emerging democracies
are potential partners.
New markets for our
goods stretch from
Asia to the Americas.
A new push for peace
in the Middle East will
begin here tomorrow.
Billions of young people want
to move beyond the shackles of
poverty and conflict.
As the leader of the free world,
America will do more than just
defeat on the battlefield those
who offer hatred and destruction
-- we will also lead among those
who are willing to work together
to expand freedom and
opportunity for all people.
Now, that effort must begin
within our own borders.
Throughout our history, America
has been willing to bear the
burden of promoting liberty
and human dignity overseas,
understanding its links to
our own liberty and security.
But we have also understood
that our nation's strength and
influence abroad must
be firmly anchored in
our prosperity at home.
And the bedrock of that
prosperity must be a
growing middle class.
Unfortunately, over
the last decade,
we've not done what's necessary
to shore up the foundations of
our own prosperity.
We spent a trillion
dollars at war,
often financed by
borrowing from overseas.
This, in turn, has short-changed
investments in our own people,
and contributed to
record deficits.
For too long, we have put off
tough decisions on everything
from our manufacturing
base to our energy policy
to education reform.
As a result, too many
middle-class families find
themselves working
harder for less,
while our nation's long-term
competitiveness is put at risk.
And so at this moment, as we
wind down the war in Iraq,
we must tackle those challenges
at home with as much energy,
and grit, and sense of common
purpose as our men and women in
uniform who have served abroad.
They have met every
test that they faced.
Now, it's our turn.
Now, it's our responsibility to
honor them by coming together,
all of us, and working to
secure the dream that so many
generations have fought for --
the dream that a better life
awaits anyone who is willing
to work for it and reach for it.
Our most urgent task is
to restore our economy,
and put the millions of
Americans who have lost
their jobs back to work.
To strengthen our middle class,
we must give all our children
the education they deserve, and
all our workers the skills that
they need to compete
in a global economy.
We must jumpstart industries
that create jobs,
and end our dependence
on foreign oil.
We must unleash the innovation
that allows new products to roll
off our assembly lines, and
nurture the ideas that spring
from our entrepreneurs.
This will be difficult.
But in the days to come, it
must be our central mission
as a people, and my central
responsibility as President.
Part of that responsibility is
making sure that we honor our
commitments to those who
have served our country
with such valor.
As long as I am President,
we will maintain the finest
fighting force that the
world has ever known,
and we will do whatever it takes
to serve our veterans as well as
they have served us.
This is a sacred trust.
That's why we've already made
one of the largest increases in
funding for veterans in decades.
We're treating the signature
wounds of today's wars --
post-traumatic stress disorder
and traumatic brain injury --
while providing the health
care and benefits that all
of our veterans have earned.
And we're funding a Post-9/11 GI
Bill that helps our veterans and
their families pursue the
dream of a college education.
Just as the GI Bill helped those
who fought World War II --
including my grandfather --
become the backbone of our
middle class, so today's
servicemen and women must have
the chance to apply their gifts
to expand the American economy.
Because part of ending a war
responsibly is standing by
those who have fought it.
Two weeks ago, America's final
combat brigade in Iraq --
the Army's Fourth Stryker
Brigade -- journeyed home
in the pre-dawn darkness.
Thousands of soldiers and
hundreds of vehicles made the
trip from Baghdad, the last of
them passing into Kuwait in the
early morning hours.
Over seven years before,
American troops and coalition
partners had fought their
way across similar highways,
but this time no
shots were fired.
It was just a convoy
of brave Americans,
making their way home.
Of course, the soldiers
left much behind.
Some were teenagers
when the war began.
Many have served
multiple tours of duty,
far from families who bore a
heroic burden of their own,
enduring the absence
of a husband's embrace
or a mother's kiss.
Most painfully,
since the war began,
55 members of the Fourth
Stryker Brigade made the
ultimate sacrifice -- part of
over 4,400 Americans who have
given their lives in Iraq.
As one staff sergeant said, "I
know that to my brothers in arms
who fought and died, this day
would probably mean a lot."
Those Americans gave their lives
for the values that have lived
in the hearts of our people
for over two centuries.
Along with nearly 1.5 million
Americans who have served in
Iraq, they fought in a
faraway place for people
they never knew.
They stared into the darkest of
human creations -- war -- and
helped the Iraqi people
seek the light of peace.
In an age without
surrender ceremonies,
we must earn victory through the
success of our partners and the
strength of our own nation.
Every American who serves
joins an unbroken line of
heroes that stretches from
Lexington to Gettysburg;
from Iwo Jima to Inchon;
from Khe Sanh to Kandahar --
Americans who have fought to see
that the lives of our children
are better than our own.
Our troops are the steel
in our ship of state.
And though our nation may be
traveling through rough waters,
they give us confidence that our
course is true and that beyond
the pre-dawn darkness,
better days lie ahead.
Thank you.
May God bless you.
And may God bless the
United States of America,
and all who serve her.
