President Obama, who has never used the word “democracy” to describe U.S. goals in Iraq, today told U.S. troops they have given Iraq a chance to have “a democratic country.”
To troops in Camp Victory, he said:
“You have performed brilliantly in every mission that has been given to you. Under enormous strain and under enormous sacrifice, through controversy and difficulty and politics, you've kept your eyes focused on just doing your job. And because of that, every mission that's been assigned -- from getting rid of Saddam, to reducing violence, to stabilizing the country, to facilitating elections -- you have given Iraq the opportunity to stand on its own as a democratic country. That is an extraordinary achievement.”
In a speech to Marines at Camp Lejeune two months ago, the president seemed to go out of his way to avoid noting the establishment of democratic institutions in Iraq. It was as if mentioning Iraq’s free speech, free press and free elections would somehow call into question his own opposition to Iraq’s liberation.
Frank Warner
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