Obama: ‘I Will End This War’

FAYETTEVILLE — Barack Obama said that ending the war in Iraq would make America safer, and he repeatedly lumped Hillary Clinton with John McCain and George W. Bush, saying that “pragmatic judgment” is more important than Washington experience in crafting a new foreign policy. His speech here, at Fayetteville Technical Community College, came on the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Speaking to an audience of about 150 invited guests — including many veterans and Democratic elected officials — Obama said that as president, he would remove troops from Iraq at a rate of one or two brigades per month. At the same time, he said, he would strengthen the military by increasing the number of soldiers and marines and giving service members more time off between military deployments. That got loud applause from the audience, which included many people with ties to the military base just a few miles away. Obama said:

“From down the road at Fort Bragg, our soldiers have gone abroad with a greater sense of common purpose than their leaders in Washington. They have learned the lessons of the 21st century’s wars. And they have shown a sense of service and selflessness that represents the very best of the American character.”

Obama spent much of his speech addressing Afghanistan and Pakistan, which he called the true front in the war on terror, and the broader global context of American foreign policy. He pledged to double American foreign aid to combat extreme poverty as part of his plan to improve security in the 21st century.

Obama did not take questions, and quickly headed on his way to Charlotte, where he is making another campaign stop today.

The full transcript of Obama’s speech is available here.

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