Words Aside, Obama's Actions Have Validated the Iraq Surge

As the nation awaited President Obama's Iraq speech from the Oval Office, Charles Krauthammer raised an important point on Fox. Many conservatives were holding out hope that Obama would acknowledge President Bush's bold decision to order the 2007 troop surge. Bush exercised his "decider" role in the face of shrill Left-wing opposition (including spectacularly inaccurate predictions from his would-be successor) and despite deep-seated public skepticism about the plan.

The events of the intervening three years have demonstrated that George W. Bush made the correct call, and that Barack Obama was wrong about the effectiveness of the surge.

Even though Obama didn't explicitly credit Bush's strategy in his speech--although he came close in one short passage--Krauthammer points out that his decisions as Commander-in-chief vindicate Bush's decision. Obama has retained Bush's Secretary of Defense. He has ordered a surge in US forces to Afghanistan. He has directed Bush's Iraq war Quarterback (Gen. Petraeus) to oversee operations in Afghanistan due to his indisputable record of success in Iraq. "Imitation is the highest form of approbation," Krauthammer said of Obama's actions, and he's right.