President Obama's Speech at U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

December 2, 2009 — The long awaited response by the President on the war in Afghanistan was delivered last night at the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. The text of his message can be read here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34231058/ns/politics-white_house/ and I would recommend that it be read by every American. A video of the speech can be linked from this page also. It was, in my opinion, a very good speech and can be broken up basically in six major areas. Each of these I will discuss below. If nothing else, this President is an excellent orator.

Part 1 - History

The President clearly defined what caused us to enter into the war in Afghanistan. How the brutality of the acts of 9/11 brought forth a resolve in America to fight back against terrorism and put an end to it at every turn. He reminded us of our resolve by stating..."Just days after 9/11, Congress authorized the use of force against al Qaeda and those who harbored them - an authorization that continues to this day."

He continued with the historical perspective by discussing the war in Iraq and how it has taken away from resources for the war in Afghanistan. I felt this was a clandestine effort to take a slap at the previous administration. He did not dwell on this point, but it was included and while it may yet prove to be true I will leave that for the military historians to vet out in the years to come.

His presentation of the history behind our involvement in Afghanistan was clear, concise, and well done.

Part 2 - The Review Process

The area the President has taken the most criticism for by his critics, including me, is why he has taken so long to answer directly the request of his military commanders in the field. He noted the situation in Afghanistan had deteriorated and acknowledged that Gen. McChrystal found "that the security situation is more serious than he anticipated. In short: the status quo is not sustainable. " More importantly the President told the Corps of Cadets this:

"As cadets, you volunteered for service during this time of danger. Some of you have fought in Afghanistan. Many will deploy there. As your Commander-in-Chief, I owe you a mission that is clearly defined, and worthy of your service. That is why, after the Afghan voting was completed, I insisted on a thorough review of our strategy. Let me be clear: there has never been an option before me that called for troop deployments before 2010, so there has been no delay or denial of resources necessary for the conduct of the war. Instead, the review has allowed me ask the hard questions, and to explore all of the different options along with my national security team, our military and civilian leadership in Afghanistan, and with our key partners. Given the stakes involved, I owed the American people - and our troops - no less."

He then went on to say this:

"This review is now complete. And as Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan."

In my book he gets a BRAVO for this although I do not agree with the setting of an arbitrary withdrawal timeline. When in a time of war has withdrawal deadlines been set? He later when on to say "...we will execute this transition responsibly, taking into account conditions on the ground." A good point!

The President stated he did not take this decision lightly and provided the reasons why...the burden it was causing on our military and their families, the disunity of the people in America over the war and our loss of resolve that was so strong immediately after 9/11.

It was clear in the speech that the President recognizes the threat of terrorism is as strong or stronger today as it was at the time of 9/11. It is also apparent from the speech of his resolve to fight terrorism during his presidency.

For myself, I now have a better understanding of why his review took so long.

Part 3 - Objectives

The President clearly defined three objectives for the action that he is taking and how those objectives will be met:

1) Increased military action against the Taliban and al Qaeda.
2) Pursue a more effective civilian strategy in Afghanistan through the UN and our other allies.
3) Strengthen our relationship with Pakistan.

Objective #1 is best left to the military commander's in the field and I believe and hope it is the President's intention to do so. NATO countries must take on more responsibility and commitment so that the burden is not solely on our military and their families.

Objective #2 is a tough one. In my opinion, the UN and some of our other allies are forever reluctant to take a strong stand through concrete action in addressing problems in our world. They are strong in word...but are lacking in action. We must demand there affirmative action in meeting this second objective. They are affected by terrorism as much as we are and must take responsibility for stopping it wherever it occurs.

Objective #3 can only be accomplished if we and other nations quit treating Pakistan with kid gloves. They either become part of the solution to the problem or suffer the consequences for being a part of the problem.

Part 4 - Answering the Critics

The President answered three points that his critics, again myself included, have called him to account on. These are:

1) Comparison of this war to the Vietnam War.
2) Maintain the status quo; stay, but no more troops.
3) Opposition to a timeline.

He answers these starting on page 4 of the above linked article. I can agree with his answer to #1 as along as he and his administration stay out of making tactical military decisions. I agree with all the points he made in answering #2. I oppose a timeline, but do understand that from the standpoint of making it clear to the Afghans that at some point this all ends and they have to take responsibility for their own security. But what about al Qaeda? What if we have not completed the job of making them ineffective when the timeline end arrives? Would this all be for naught then? It would be such a terrible waste and tragedy that surpasses the events of 9/11 that started it all.

Part 5 - A Call for Responsibility and Unity

The President could not have made it more clear to the Afghan people when he looked directly into the camera and told them that our commitment in their country is not boundless. He was clear on what is expected from the Afghan government and that we will move forward to forge a partnership and not as a patron.

He was clear to the American people that now is the time to better understand the importance of all of this, how it affects us economically, how the threat of terrorism has not gone away and the threat must be answered, and how it is through the strength of unity that we stand tall in the world and can shoulder our burdens and carry on successfully.

Part 6 - Conclusion

The conclusion of his speech is noteworthy and provided here:

"It is easy to forget that when this war began, we were united - bound together by the fresh memory of a horrific attack, and by the determination to defend our homeland and the values we hold dear. I refuse to accept the notion that we cannot summon that unity again. I believe with every fiber of my being that we - as Americans - can still come together behind a common purpose. For our values are not simply words written into parchment - they are a creed that calls us together, and that has carried us through the darkest of storms as one nation, one people.

America - we are passing through a time of great trial. And the message that we send in the midst of these storms must be clear: that our cause is just, our resolve unwavering. We will go forward with the confidence that right makes might, and with the commitment to forge an America that is safer, a world that is more secure, and a future that represents not the deepest of fears but the highest of hopes. Thank you, God Bless you, God Bless our troops, and may God Bless the United States of America."

All-in-all I believe this to be a speech clear in purpose and statement and a resolve to support our military as it wages this fight against terrorism. It further demonstrates why we as Americans should stand together in this fight. Together as one people...it's what really matters!