The president said a peaceful resolution to the nuclear weapons standoff would be "far better."

President Obama kicked off his State of the Union address Tuesday by listing his major foreign policy achievements, from ending the war in Iraq to the death of Osama bin Laden.

“For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq,” Obama said. “For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country.  Most of al Qaeda’s top lieutenants have been defeated.  The Taliban’s momentum has been broken, and some troops in Afghanistan have begun to come home.”

A six-month review of the Pentagon’s finances by a House Armed Services Committee panel found the Defense Department is “on the right path” to be ready for an audit, but there are still many hurdles to overcome before the Pentagon is audit-ready.

The Pentagon is slated to have a full audit in 2017, and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wants the department to complete an audit by 2014.

With all U.S. troops now out of Iraq, an advocate group for veterans wants President Obama to talk during Tuesday’s State of the Union about helping soldiers who have returned to the United States find jobs.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) said that now was the perfect time for Obama to “rally support for the New Greatest Generation,” with U.S. troops withdrawn from Iraq after an eight-year war.

The House passed a bill Tuesday that would allow religious symbols to be placed on war memorials and cemeteries.

The legislation, which was approved in the House by voice vote, was crafted in response to a Ninth Circuit Court federal appeals decision that found a cross on a San Diego war memorial was unconstitutional.

Col. Ginger Wallace was one of nearly two dozen people invited to watch the address with the first lady.

President Obama will touch on his record of foreign policy successes, including withdrawing troops from Iraq and killing Osama bin Laden, according to a set of talking points on the State of the Union address issued by the White House legislative affairs office.

“For the first time in nine years, there are no Americans fighting in Iraq,” the memo reads. “We’ve decimated al Qaeda’s leadership, delivered justice to Osama bin Laden, and put that terrorist network on the path to defeat. We’ve made important progress in Afghanistan, and begun a transition so Afghans can assume more responsibility. We joined with allies and partners to protect the Libyan people as they ended the regime of [Moammar Gadhafi]."

Click here to read the full preview of the president’s speech.

The percentage who think Iran is the greatest threat has more than doubled in the past year.

President Obama nominated four officials to top Pentagon positions late Monday, including three undersecretaries.

James Miller was nominated to succeed Michele Flournoy as undersecretary of Defense for policy, after Flournoy announced last month she was stepping down. Miller was Flournoy’s top deputy.