When President Obama addresses the nation from the Oval Office on Sunday evening on the topic of terrorism, it will be just the third such speech he's given in his seven years in office, and the first since 2010. Here's what he spoke about on his previous two speeches:
Aug. 31, 2010 — President Obama addresses the nation to announce the end of the War in Iraq. He lays out the plan to withdraw the few remaining troops involved in "Operation Iraqi Freedom" and announces a new focus: One that would "advise and assist" Iraq's security forces.
"Ending this war is not only in Iraq’s interest -- it’s in our own. The United States has paid a huge price to put the future of Iraq in the hands of its people. We have sent our young men and women to make enormous sacrifices in Iraq, and spent vast resources abroad at a time of tight budgets at home. We’ve persevered because of a belief we share with the Iraqi people -- a belief that out of the ashes of war, a new beginning could be born in this cradle of civilization. Through this remarkable chapter in the history of the United States and Iraq, we have met our responsibility. Now, it’s time to turn the page."
— President Obama, Aug. 31, 2010.
June 15, 2010 — In the midst of the clean-up efforts following the explosion of the BP oil well "Deep Water Horizon," President Obama addresses the nation on the progress of the efforts and how the spill would impact the economy of the Gulf Shore.
"Already, this oil spill is the worst environmental disaster America has ever faced. And unlike an earthquake or a hurricane, it’s not a single event that does its damage in a matter of minutes or days. The millions of gallons of oil that have spilled into the Gulf of Mexico are more like an epidemic, one that we will be fighting for months and even years.
But make no mistake: We will fight this spill with everything we’ve got for as long as it takes. We will make BP pay for the damage their company has caused. And we will do whatever’s necessary to help the Gulf Coast and its people recover from this tragedy."
— President Obama, June 15, 2010.
Alex Hider is a writer for the E.W. Scripps National Desk. Follow him on Twitter @alexhider.
