This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/22/world/middleeast/rise-of-isis-deprives-obama-of-a-mantle-of-war-stopper.html
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Rise of ISIS Deprives Obama of a Mantle of Peacemaker | Rise of ISIS Deprives Obama of a Mantle of Peacemaker |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| WASHINGTON — Under the original plan, this was to be the State of the Union address in which President Obama would be able to go before the nation and declare that he had fulfilled his vow to end two overseas wars. Only the wars did not exactly cooperate. | WASHINGTON — Under the original plan, this was to be the State of the Union address in which President Obama would be able to go before the nation and declare that he had fulfilled his vow to end two overseas wars. Only the wars did not exactly cooperate. |
| Mr. Obama pulled American troops out of Iraq in 2011 and ordered all “combat forces” out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014. But before he could seize the mantle of peacemaker in Tuesday night’s speech, the rise of a terrorist group called the Islamic State prompted Mr. Obama to send forces back to Iraq, and security challenges in Afghanistan led him to leave a slightly larger residual force. | Mr. Obama pulled American troops out of Iraq in 2011 and ordered all “combat forces” out of Afghanistan by the end of 2014. But before he could seize the mantle of peacemaker in Tuesday night’s speech, the rise of a terrorist group called the Islamic State prompted Mr. Obama to send forces back to Iraq, and security challenges in Afghanistan led him to leave a slightly larger residual force. |
| The total American military commitment overseas has shrunk significantly since Mr. Obama took office, with just 15,000 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, down from 180,000 six years ago. The situation in both countries, however, is not as clean or as settled as the president had hoped. Instead of ending American wars abroad, he now faces the prospect of finishing his presidency in two years with at least one of them still unresolved. | The total American military commitment overseas has shrunk significantly since Mr. Obama took office, with just 15,000 troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, down from 180,000 six years ago. The situation in both countries, however, is not as clean or as settled as the president had hoped. Instead of ending American wars abroad, he now faces the prospect of finishing his presidency in two years with at least one of them still unresolved. |
| Even so, Mr. Obama asserted on Tuesday night that his more restrained approach was the wiser course. “The question is not whether America leads in the world, but how,” he said. “When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads, when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military, then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts.” | Even so, Mr. Obama asserted on Tuesday night that his more restrained approach was the wiser course. “The question is not whether America leads in the world, but how,” he said. “When we make rash decisions, reacting to the headlines instead of using our heads, when the first response to a challenge is to send in our military, then we risk getting drawn into unnecessary conflicts.” |
| Mr. Obama said his strategy represented a “smarter kind of American leadership” that would eventually degrade and destroy the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS. Working with allies, the United States “is stopping ISIL’s advance” without “getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East,” he said. | Mr. Obama said his strategy represented a “smarter kind of American leadership” that would eventually degrade and destroy the Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS. Working with allies, the United States “is stopping ISIL’s advance” without “getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East,” he said. |
| But he acknowledged that destroying the Islamic State “will take time,” and he called on Congress to pass legislation formally authorizing the use of force “to show the world that we are united in this mission.” | But he acknowledged that destroying the Islamic State “will take time,” and he called on Congress to pass legislation formally authorizing the use of force “to show the world that we are united in this mission.” |
| Referring to this month’s attacks in Paris, Mr. Obama renewed his vow to fight terrorists, despite questions from critics about his commitment. “We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks,” he said, “and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we’ve done relentlessly since I took office.” | Referring to this month’s attacks in Paris, Mr. Obama renewed his vow to fight terrorists, despite questions from critics about his commitment. “We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks,” he said, “and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we’ve done relentlessly since I took office.” |
| While the address offered no new international initiatives, it did hint at the two areas in which Mr. Obama sees hope of shaping his foreign policy legacy by transforming relations with two longtime adversaries, Cuba and Iran. | While the address offered no new international initiatives, it did hint at the two areas in which Mr. Obama sees hope of shaping his foreign policy legacy by transforming relations with two longtime adversaries, Cuba and Iran. |
| A month after announcing that he will resume diplomatic relations with Cuba after more than 50 years, Mr. Obama called on Congress to lift the longstanding embargo against the island nation. “We are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date,” he said. | A month after announcing that he will resume diplomatic relations with Cuba after more than 50 years, Mr. Obama called on Congress to lift the longstanding embargo against the island nation. “We are ending a policy that was long past its expiration date,” he said. |
| He also repeated his intent to veto any legislation that would threaten new sanctions against Iran if negotiations over its nuclear program did not succeed, saying such legislation “will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails” and force an armed conflict. “The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom,” he said. | He also repeated his intent to veto any legislation that would threaten new sanctions against Iran if negotiations over its nuclear program did not succeed, saying such legislation “will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails” and force an armed conflict. “The American people expect us to only go to war as a last resort, and I intend to stay true to that wisdom,” he said. |
| Critics found little to praise in Mr. Obama’s foreign policy. “President Obama has spent much of his presidency spreading false hope that the ‘tide of war’ was receding despite mountains of evidence to the contrary,” said Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the Republican majority leader. “Although the Obama administration sought to declare the war on terrorism over, the terrorists have only increased their assaults against free and moderate societies who do not share their extremist worldview.” | Critics found little to praise in Mr. Obama’s foreign policy. “President Obama has spent much of his presidency spreading false hope that the ‘tide of war’ was receding despite mountains of evidence to the contrary,” said Representative Kevin McCarthy of California, the Republican majority leader. “Although the Obama administration sought to declare the war on terrorism over, the terrorists have only increased their assaults against free and moderate societies who do not share their extremist worldview.” |
| Speaker John A. Boehner said the troubles in Afghanistan and Iraq revealed the weaknesses of Mr. Obama’s foreign policy. “President Obama is more interested in keeping arbitrary, political deadlines than defeating the terrorist threat in Afghanistan,” his office said in a statement. | Speaker John A. Boehner said the troubles in Afghanistan and Iraq revealed the weaknesses of Mr. Obama’s foreign policy. “President Obama is more interested in keeping arbitrary, political deadlines than defeating the terrorist threat in Afghanistan,” his office said in a statement. |
| “President Obama’s decision to withdraw from Iraq paved the way for ISIL’s rise and a terrorist resurgence in Iraq, which caught the administration off guard,” Mr. Boehner’s office said in another statement. | “President Obama’s decision to withdraw from Iraq paved the way for ISIL’s rise and a terrorist resurgence in Iraq, which caught the administration off guard,” Mr. Boehner’s office said in another statement. |
| In a further shot at Mr. Obama, Mr. Boehner announced on Wednesday morning that he had invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to address a joint session of Congress on Feb. 11, his first such address in nearly four years. | |
| “I don’t believe I’m poking anyone in the eye,” Mr. Boehner said at a news conference. “There is a serious threat that exists in the world, and the president last night kind of papered over it. And the fact is is that there needs to be a more serious conversation in America about how serious the threat is from radical Islamic jihadists and the threat posed by Iran.” | |
| In his speech, the president mocked those who question his toughness and made Russia his case in point. A year ago, during the height of the crisis in Ukraine, Mr. Obama said some had suggested that President Vladimir V. Putin was demonstrating strength while America was on the defense. | In his speech, the president mocked those who question his toughness and made Russia his case in point. A year ago, during the height of the crisis in Ukraine, Mr. Obama said some had suggested that President Vladimir V. Putin was demonstrating strength while America was on the defense. |
| “Well, today it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters,” he said. “That’s how America leads — not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve.” | “Well, today it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters,” he said. “That’s how America leads — not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve.” |
| What he did not mention was that Russia maintains control of Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine, and continues to support pro-Russian separatists who are at war with Ukraine’s government despite a cease-fire that has failed to stop violence. Russia’s economy has indeed taken a huge hit, in large part because of the fall in oil prices, but so far Mr. Putin shows few signs of backing down. | What he did not mention was that Russia maintains control of Crimea, the peninsula it annexed from Ukraine, and continues to support pro-Russian separatists who are at war with Ukraine’s government despite a cease-fire that has failed to stop violence. Russia’s economy has indeed taken a huge hit, in large part because of the fall in oil prices, but so far Mr. Putin shows few signs of backing down. |
| Mr. Obama has imposed a raft of sanctions that have taken a toll but has refused to put into effect more punitive measures passed on bipartisan votes by Congress because he is trying to maintain solidarity with Europe, which remains more leery of open confrontation with Moscow. | Mr. Obama has imposed a raft of sanctions that have taken a toll but has refused to put into effect more punitive measures passed on bipartisan votes by Congress because he is trying to maintain solidarity with Europe, which remains more leery of open confrontation with Moscow. |
| Just hours before the speech, Mr. Obama spoke by telephone with President François Hollande of France and discussed Ukraine, but a solution to the crisis remains elusive. In Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, the Ukrainian president, Petro O. Poroshenko, cut short his attendance at the annual World Economic Forum to rush home after saying more Russian troops had crossed the border. | Just hours before the speech, Mr. Obama spoke by telephone with President François Hollande of France and discussed Ukraine, but a solution to the crisis remains elusive. In Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, the Ukrainian president, Petro O. Poroshenko, cut short his attendance at the annual World Economic Forum to rush home after saying more Russian troops had crossed the border. |
| As it happened, Mr. Obama made no mention of his next foreign policy challenge. After a quick two-day swing to Idaho and Kansas to promote his State of the Union domestic agenda, the president will leave this weekend for a trip to India, the second of his presidency. | As it happened, Mr. Obama made no mention of his next foreign policy challenge. After a quick two-day swing to Idaho and Kansas to promote his State of the Union domestic agenda, the president will leave this weekend for a trip to India, the second of his presidency. |
| While participating in the country’s annual Republic Day parade and touring the Taj Mahal, Mr. Obama hopes to shore up relations that have been strained at times over the years. But it is unclear whether he will be able to strike an agreement to fight climate change like the one he made with China last year. | While participating in the country’s annual Republic Day parade and touring the Taj Mahal, Mr. Obama hopes to shore up relations that have been strained at times over the years. But it is unclear whether he will be able to strike an agreement to fight climate change like the one he made with China last year. |