President lauds troops' service in 9 years of war

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- President Obama marked the fulfillment of his 2008 campaign promise to end the war in Iraq on Wednesday by celebrating the 1.5 million troops who served in the conflict and welcoming them into their place in American history.

Obama spoke to 3,000 U.S. troops and their families in an airplane hangar, thanking them for their service in the nearly nine-year war that he said connected to them to past generations that fought for the United States.

"The war in Iraq will soon belong to history, and your service belongs to the ages," Obama said.

"Never forget that you are part of an unbroken line of heroes spanning two centuries — from the colonists who overthrew an empire; to your grandparents and parents, who faced down fascism and communism; to you - men and women who fought for the same principles in Fallujah and Kandahar, and delivered justice to those who attacked us on 9/11."

Since Obama announced the definitive end of the U.S. presence in Iraq less than two months ago, thousands of tons of equipment have been packed up and shipped out and now only a few thousand troops remain in country. Today, the flag of the United States Forces-Iraq will be formally cased in a ceremony in Baghdad. The last troops are expected to return home ahead of the Dec. 31 deadline to withdraw all troops.

Notably absent from the speech was any mention of his fierce opposition to the war launched by his predecessor, President George W. Bush.

Obama characterized Iraq as a "dumb war" when he was an Illinois state senator. On Wednesday, however, he made just a fleeting reference to the "great controversy" that included "patriots on both sides of the debate."

Obama focused mainly on his appreciation for the troops.

He recalled the bravery of a Fort Bragg soldier, Lt. Alvin Shell, who ran to help his fellow soldiers after they were attacked. When Shell was later told he was a hero, Shell shrugged it off saying that a "hero is a sandwich" and he's a paratrooper, Obama said.

"We could do well to learn from Alvin and all of you," Obama said. "The most important lesson that we can take from you is not one of military strategy - it is a lesson about our national character."

The president also noted his — and first lady Michelle Obama's — commitment to the caring for veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan.

"We've worked with Congress to pass a tax credit so that companies have an incentive to hire vets," Obama said. "And Michelle has worked with the private sector to get commitments to create 100,000 jobs for those who've served. We are doing this because it's not just the right thing to do by you - it's the right thing to do for America."

The decision to mark the milestone at Fort Bragg — the Army's biggest base in terms of personnel — is not all that surprising. It's home to the XVIII Airborne Corps, the 82nd Airborne Division and the Special Operations Command. Its soldiers have repeatedly deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan; 202 soldiers died in Iraq.

Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney, however, cast doubt on Obama's ability to help America's veterans transition to their post-military lives.

In an open letter to TheFayetteville Observer, the local newspaper, Romney noted that North Carolina's unemployment stands at 10.4% and veterans may face a bleak future.

"Mr. President, words of welcome to our returning soldiers are not enough," Romney wrote. "Every one of the men and women who have just come back from overseas has a future to look forward to. Right now, unfortunately, that future is bleak. Those who will be leaving the service will need to find jobs. Yet jobs are extraordinarily hard to find."

North Carolina is also important politically to Obama — a fact that wasn't lost on some of the soldiers who attended the speech. The president scored a surprising victory there in 2008, and he's hoping to keep the Tar Heel state in the win column in 2012.

"Whether this was for his re-election or whatnot, his coming here means something to the families that lost somebody," said Sgt. Emanuel Santiago, an Iraq veteran. "For the families of those 202 Fort Bragg troops (killed in Iraq) … it means a lot."