A Wartime Leader Ends a War He Never Wanted

By MARK LANDLER
NYT

WASHINGTON — In October 2002, a little-known Illinois state senator joined a rally in Chicago against the Iraq war, declaring: “I’m not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars.” It was a defining moment for the young politician, who used this position to set himself apart in the race for the White House in 2008.

To a remarkable degree, that same distinction between wars, smart and dumb, is still guiding President Obama as he presides over ceremonies to mark the end of the Iraq war and defends his foreign policy in an election year.

In the coming days, Mr. Obama will speak to troops at Fort Bragg, N.C., attend the 112th Army-Navy football game and meet in Washington with Iraq’s prime minister, Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. His goal, the White House said, will be to thank the troops for their sacrifice and put relations with Iraq on a more normal footing.

Administration officials said the events, however solemn, would also serve to remind voters that the president had fulfilled one of his central campaign pledges from 2008: to bring the Iraq war to a responsible close.

(More here.)