Monday, August 17, 2009

Wire: Obama Slams Defense Establishment, Congress

Off the Wire

Off the Wire:

The President adds more villains to his list....

WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2009 -- Newswire services this afternoon reported that President Barack Obama took on both the defense establishment and freespending lawmakers on Monday, saying they were draining the defense budget with "exotic projects."

Obama accused members of Congress of using the defense budget to protect jobs back home.

The Associated Press reported that Obama, in a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, thanked America's veterans and praised U.S. fighting forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. But he also spoke harshly of a "defense establishment [that] has yet to fully adapt to the post-Cold War world."

Obama's speech in the convention center in downtown Phoenix was respectfully received by the veterans.

The president told the veterans that the U.S. didn't choose to fight in Afghanistan but was forced to invade that country to stop future Sept. 11-style attacks.

As to Iraq, Obama reiterated his commitment to remove all combat brigades by the end of next August and to remove remaining troops from the country by the end of 2011, AP said.

(Report from newswire sources.)

Source: Obama lashes defense establishment, Congress

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