Obama to Vets: Afghan War Is 'of Necessity'

Prez also assures VFW confab that medical benefits won't change

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 17, 2009 3:06 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Obama defended the war in Afghanistan, spoke optimistically about Iraq, and tried to iron out misconceptions about health care reform today in a speech at a VFW convention, the Washington Post reports. “The insurgency in Afghanistan didn't just happen overnight. And we won't defeat it overnight,” he told veterans. But “I will not hesitate to use force to protect the American people,” he said to applause.

The gathered veterans also warmed to Obama’s pronouncements on health care. “One thing that reform won't change is veterans' health care,” the president said to cheers. “No one is going to take away your benefits. That is the plain and simple truth.” He also reiterated the promise that “for America, the Iraq war will end” in 2011, and said the US will take care of vets “whether you left the service in 2009 or 1949.”

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (1)]

President Barack Obama addresses the 110th Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention today in Phoenix. (AP Photo)

President Barack Obama waves as he ends his speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention in Phoenix. (AP Photo)

In this Friday, May 1, 2009 photo, U.S soldiers of 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division patrol during a search operation to hunt members of Taliban in Nerkh district of Wardak province in west of Kabul. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 11 comments

armywife

Aug 18, 2009 12:51 PM CDT

what makes afghanistan "so much more important that iraq" is that afghanistan is where the actual terrorists are, the ones who plot against america, the ones who are hiding bin laden, the ones who blew up the world trade center. iraq is a hot mess too, but a mess that we made, and for the most part they are just killing other iraqis, and are not the same immediate threat to american soil and people (aside from soldiers) that afghanistan is. that is why afghanistan is "so much more important" than iraq. he is bringing the troops home from the hopeless and pointless war effort in iraq so that we can focus our forces on the hopeless and pointless war in afghanistan.

cognitivefilter

Aug 18, 2009 5:23 AM CDT

yeahhh we gettin ready to install that trans-mesopotamian pipeline! i don't believe obama for a second on this, how is the safety of american people at risk? the safety of our soldiers is as risk. ps. i'm not a konservative krazy

armywife

Aug 18, 2009 4:42 AM CDT

reader, no i dont support having our troops in afghanistan - you might reread my post and note that i referred to it as a hopeless pointless war. my husband and friends are the ones fighting the war, and if i thought it was winnable, i'd support it. but i dont think it is. i was just attempting to explain the government's rationale behind taking troops out of iraq but leaving them in afghanistan. doesnt mean i agree with their decision.

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health care reform • Iraq war • Afghanistan war • Veterans of Foreign Wars • Veterans Administration • Obama administration • President Obama • VFW

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Obama to Vets: Afghan War Is 'of Necessity'