War

A new style in announcing an old war

Bob CollinsBob Collins Sep 23, 2014
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U.S. President Barack Obama delivers a statement on the recent airstrikes against ISIS on the South Lawn of the White House. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images.

It was odd staging when President Obama announced a new war for the United States today. He did so on the lawn of the White House rather than behind a desk in the Oval Office. He was about to depart for the climate summit in New York.

Everything in the visual was fine, until he walked away as reporters shouted questions.

President Barack Obama leaves after speaking about the participation of five Arab nations in airstrikes against militants in Syria., Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2014, on the South Lawn the White House, in Washington, before heading to the United Nations. The president said the participation of five Arab nations in airstrikes against militants in Syria "makes it clear to the world this is not America's fight alone." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

This prompted us to look back at how other recent presidents announced military attacks.

In 1991, President George H.W. Bush launched the first war in Iraq, which had invaded Kuwait.

In 1998, President Clinton lobbed cruise missiles into Iraq. And sat alone on camera to tell us about it.

Three years later, Oct. 7, 2001, President George W. Bush announced we were at war in Afghanistan.

In 2003, the Oval Office was the scene again when Bush announced war in Iraq.