WEST POINT — President Obama’s address here last night was the single finest moment of his presidency.
It was also the worst.
For one of the first times, Americans saw Obama faithfully fulfill his first duty as commander-in-chief.
Having rocketed from obscurity to the presidency on an antiwar platform, Obama made the courageous and politically selfless decision to escalate the unpopular war in Afghanistan because he knows it is in the best long-term interests of his country — no matter the political consequences.
It was far and away the most difficult decision he has made in the White House.
Obama realizes that to surrender the caves of Afghanistan would allow America’s most fervent and deadliest enemies to regather, rearm and plot twisted new terror schemes against us that would most surely have catastrophic consequences here at home.
It is hard to overstate how much of a loathsome betrayal Obama’s liberal Democratic base finds the decision to send 30,000 more troops to the battlefield.
Many liberals, still in the thrall of puppy love over the new president, are hesitant to publicly condemn Obama. But speaking privately, they can barely contain their horror.
And as much as this decision hurts him on the left, it will do absolutely nothing to win over conservatives who see this as a decision about which he has no other choice.
It was, indeed, a display of political guts.
Yet, as quickly as the courageous words left Obama’s mouth, they were slain from behind by words of cowardice.
The president told Americans — and our patient, stone-age enemies around the world — that we plan to fight hard for a while before beginning to pack up and head for home in 18 months.
Obama assures us that the withdrawal will be done responsibly, recognizing conditions on the ground.
But the president telegraphed to the terrorists that the draw-down of forces will begin in July 2011.
Obama told these brave cadets here — so many of whom will soon be dispatched to the mountains of Afghanistan — that this mission on which he will send them is worth their lives.
It is worth the total commitment of their very last breath.
Because as sure as the sun will rise tomorrow, some of those young men and women listening to their commander last night will not return alive.
But, Obama was telling them, this mission is not worth the total commitment of your country. It is not worth his political sacrifice.
How dare a man sentence so many more to die for a half measure?