WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama warned in his state of the union address that terrorists were targeting people, from Pakistan to Paris, and pledged to use unilateral military force, including drones, to end this threat.

President Obama also used his annual speech to Congress on Tuesday night to assure his war-weary nation that the US war mission in Afghanistan was over.

US presidents use this annual speech to reflect upon their administration’s performance in the previous year and present their agenda for the coming year.

President asks Congress not to derail efforts aimed at mending ties with Iran, Cuba

Mr Obama, who ends his second and final term in two years, also warned Congress that he would veto any move to derail his efforts to rebuild ties with Iran.

“First, we stand united with people around the world who’ve been targeted by terrorists – from a school in Pakistan to the streets of Paris,” he said. “We will continue to hunt down terrorists and dismantle their networks, and we reserve the right to act unilaterally, as we’ve done relentlessly since I took office to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to us and our allies.”

Mr Obama also mentioned US drone strikes that have taken out dozens of key terrorist leaders around the world.

But he said his administration had worked to “make sure our use of new technology like drones is properly constrained”. His reference to the drones earned warm applause from the Republican-dominated Congress, which wants the administration to continue the strikes and use them more often.

The president said that while the United States spoke out against anti-Semitism, it also “continue(s) to reject offensive stereotypes of Muslims, the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace”.

Afghanistan

Mr Obama, who had promised in his election campaigns to withdraw US troops from both Afghanistan and Iraq, told his nation that he had fulfilled both promises.

“Tonight, for the first time since 9/11, our combat mission in Afghanistan is over,” he said. “Six years ago, nearly 180,000 American troops served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Today, fewer than 15,000 remain.”Mr Obama said that his country had “learned some costly lessons” from his longest foreign war in Afghanistan, which continued for more than 13 years.

“Instead of Americans patrolling the valleys of Afghanistan, we’ve trained their security forces, who’ve now taken the lead”.

President Obama argued that in current conflicts in Iraq and Syria, his administration had taken a “light footprint” approach.

“In Iraq and Syria, American leadership—including our military power—is stopping ISIL’s advance,” he said, referring to the self-described Islamic State jihadi group, which has seized territory in both countries.

“Instead of getting dragged into another ground war in the Middle East, we are leading a broad coalition, including Arab nations, to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group,” he said.

Media commentators, however, pointed out that more than 80 per cent of airstrikes against the Islamic State have been carried out by the US.

President Obama asked Congress to pass “a resolution to authorise the use of force against ISIL,” a measure that will bring in his Republican opponents as well and reduce political risks for the ruling Democrats.

Mr Obama said his government was also supporting a moderate opposition in Syria and was “assisting people everywhere who stand up to the bankrupt ideology of violent extremism”. “This effort will take time. It will require focus.
But we will succeed,” he added.

Iran

Mr Obama, who wants to be remembered as a president who re-established diplomatic ties with Iran and Cuba, warned Congress not to derail his efforts.

Republican lawmakers, and some Democrats as well, have threatened to bring new sanctions against Iran to force it to abandon its nuclear programme. But President Obama opposed the move.

“New sanctions passed by this Congress, at this moment in time, will all but guarantee that diplomacy fails — alienating America from its allies and ensuring that Iran starts up its nuclear programme again,” he said.

“It doesn’t make sense. That is why I will veto any new sanctions bill that threatens to undo this progress.” He also rejected the suggestion to use military force to compel Iran to dismantle its nuclear installations.

“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.

Mr Obama referred to reductions in “nuclear material” in Iran to justify his diplomacy only approach.

“Between now and this spring, we have a chance to negotiate a comprehensive agreement that prevents a nuclear-armed Iran; secures America and our allies — including Israel — while avoiding yet another Middle East conflict,” he said.

Mr Obama, who initiated efforts to normalise relations with Cuba in late 2014, said he was trying to end a policy that was long past its expiration date. “When what you’re doing doesn’t work for fifty years, it’s time to try something new,” he said. “Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere.”

He noted that Russia had annexed parts of the Ukraine and seemed determined to annex more. “We’re upholding the principle that bigger nations can’t bully the small — by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine’s democracy, and reassuring our Nato allies.”

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2015

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