President Obama returned to Ft. Bliss Friday two years to the day after he declared the end of U.S. combat operation in Iraq at the El Paso, Tex., Army base.
Obama told the troops at Ft. Bliss that the announcement two years ago marked a “historic moment” for the nation, and that he followed through on his pledge to get all U.S. troops out of Iraq.
“At the time I know some folks didn't believe me. They were skeptical. Some thought the end of combat was just word games and semantics. But I meant what I said,” Obama said. “Today Iraq has a chance to forge its own destiny, and there are no American troops fighting and dying in Iraq.”
Obama also addressed the war in Afghanistan, saying it was being brought to a close “responsibly” so that Afghanistan will never again be the source of terrorist attacks against the United States.
“If you hear anyone trying to say that America is in decline or that our influence has waned, don't you believe it, because here's the truth: Our alliances have never been stronger,” Obama said.
The president’s address at Ft. Bliss also included an executive order he issued to improve mental healthcare and suicide prevention services for veterans.
The visit was an official White House trip, but it had campaign implications one day after Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney accepted the nomination and ahead of the Democrats’ convention next week. Both campaigns have been making an effort to reach out to veteran.
Behind the scenes ahead of Obama’s speech, his campaign and the White House criticized Romney for not mentioning the troops in Afghanistan during his acceptance speech.
“In an almost 45-minute speech Romney didn’t find time to mention our troops in Afghanistan,” Obama campaign spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said on a conference call with reporters.
For more on Obama's remarks, click here.
