This transcript is automatically generated
President Barack Obama speaking from -- barred from our air base in Afghanistan concluding.
Busy day in which -- you signed a strategic.
Partnership group Hamid Karzai the president of Afghanistan.
-- Turning to your reaction first to them to the president's speech.
I thought it was a good speech largely accused the commander in chief he was updating the people about a war that's responsibility the president keep the public informed what are we doing why are we there.
Which -- purpose where we going.
I thought there are some political notes I could've done without myself.
Maybe a little bit too much poetry especially toward the end about -- should been more war speech more of a brass -- speech.
But it was certainly better than some of these celebratory shenanigans he's engaged in the last couple of days much better.
He was more the president and -- the -- but of course partly account -- You agree 100% -- and 800%.
Candidate noting on a constant basis villages right about the poetry.
That this has been tenure process making sure that extended -- him so -- give -- the great man would take in this great nation out of this extraordinary crisis when in fact.
Let's be real we're -- more wars in more places than we were when he walked nor.
This is all about politics and the reason why did it today on the anniversary or close to -- of the murder of -- so about Osama bin Laden.
I was to show that he is strong because that polling data must show that he appears weak to the American public that's why this is going on of this kind of pomp and circumstance.
Police here are your thoughts some on -- all I candidate commander in just.
Like candidate but I was sort of shock of the that there -- beginning -- Lou and I should look at its efficacy said well -- be many more lives that are lost and -- and yet still here's our our map our plan.
While he and then that extent and that -- that you're sitting at the poetry of it about it and think harder than sending back -- -- that message to people -- -- the dust -- Then that's opposite to politicians and don't tell us about two and a half more years but we don't know what we're going.
Juan Williams your thoughts.
-- -- -- Jane Hanks which positions there for a minute I was curious to listen and but I must -- idea I thought he did a fine job -- me he didn't seemingly overly political in that presentation.
He was pretty clear about the desire to end war.
And I think if you look at the polls right now the American people don't want to be in Afghanistan.
At the same time he spoke to the left and right why can't we get out right now.
Because we don't want Afghanistan to become a breeding ground for future terrorist and he says.
When people say to him well why I think any date because he said we're not in the nation building business so to me that hits the right tell.
I don't -- I think that you earlier Lou I think it's unseemly a little bit to play on the death of bin Laden -- exercise as I understand we're in a political season so I I just take it with a big grain of salt and hope he doesn't continue down that path.
And he said we are pursuing a negotiated.
Peace.
And made it very clear that that piece negotiation is -- the Taliban.
And how do you think that's gonna go down with the American people.
It's a little hard to swallow but we can't beat them out right.
The Taliban.
We just can't perhaps be some co opting.
Of them that have some sort of role of governments of Afghanistan -- too numerous and there's some Gordon die hard extremists and terrorists murderers you have to.
Coax them it's a tricky business that Americans are used to people used to a clear enemy we go when we smash and we're done.
That's sort of war we like and that's sort of war we can't happen Afghanistan.
And this incredibly frustrating.
Doesn't bother you go a little bit that President Obama -- the talent that indicates that interest and reconciliation.
-- bothered me.
Over the Taliban destroying images of of voters -- been in the country -- -- -- of destroying people of being you know we saw the dispatches here in the west -- very clear.
This a great you know risk on the president's part hopefully it'll -- -- but you know I cannot imagine for minute.
Dwight Eisenhower or some other presents then there and doing this I just can't see that.
We paid -- terrific brightest people we know died on that soil.
-- to protect this extraordinary nation it's just that.
It was a little show off the I wouldn't have gone on this day.
My support gonna wait to show Aussie and -- you know we're we're not babes in the woods suite and we're not too pure about politics and nobody has some of us.
But and I'm Republican and a fairly partisan guy.
But still I thought this is pretty disgusting and would've thought.
Thought I thought it even more if -- been one of my own -- I'm a Republican president doing this and I would even get more disgusted because would have been.
Tied to me is tolerable collar guy who who got lucky in this and got to do this for a living and I must tell you that people out of the social -- that I came out of fought this war.
And they ought to been treated with a little bit more dignity in this ought not to be made such political.
But the -- itself was good to finish the job we start up everywhere responsibly that was a good mom trapped.
Montrose motto slogans.
This chamber of at all one is that it all.
It doesn't seem to amount to the truth the truth is this is the longest running conflict in American history.
We're not talking about a negotiated peace we're talking about a resolution.
-- through which we can extricate ourselves and our troops.
It ended wasn't put forward in plain simple language but that seems to be to me at least the point of at all.
I think that's exactly right you know what we've got a situation here where we are going to put a lot of money still.
Into Afghanistan we're gonna have some kind of deal with NATO so that they will have a continued international presence I don't think there's any question about that.
So the truth as he was this were describing it Lou if they continued political and military commitment of the party United States.
There's -- hope again in political terms that the US will be pulling out.
And I think that in very political terms.
What you're seeing is a Democrat who says his administration is strong on national security Mitt Romney may want -- say Jimmy Carter would have made that call on all that.
But Jimmy Carter's mission in Iran didn't work.
Morocco Obama's mission to get bin Laden did and you know -- goes where credit's due.
There's so little credit.
Do our generals who have not brought us victory in Afghanistan.
So much pride in the troops who font valiantly it was great sacrifice and Afghanistan.
But much accounting to be done on the part of this congress and this government.
For.
Far too long -- far too high -- cost in blood and treasure.
We thank you for being with us we pre show richer or staying over with this 11 William sort of -- -- and or going -- thank you.