--- title: Obama's West Point Speech Was Not Exciting description: And he will be criticized for that. There was nothing "new" in his address to the West Point graduates, some will say. Others--neo-conservatives and blood... canonical: https://time.com/124440/obamas-speech-was-not-exciting/ author: Joe Klein article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-05-28T17:00:38.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:01:17.381Z article:section: Politics og:title: Obama's West Point Speech Was Not Exciting og:description: And he will be criticized for that. There was nothing "new" in his address to the West Point graduates, some will say. Others--neo-conservatives and blood... og:url: https://time.com/124440/obamas-speech-was-not-exciting/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5543c2ba598428b4/698691123bc9996dbb1a3a73/president-barack-obama-west-point.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4162 og:image:height: 2341 og:image:alt: U.S. President Barack Obama arrives to deliver the commencement address to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point's Class of 2014 on May 28, 2014, in West Point, N.Y. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama's West Point Speech Was Not Exciting twitter:description: And he will be criticized for that. There was nothing "new" in his address to the West Point graduates, some will say. Others--neo-conservatives and blood... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5543c2ba598428b4/698691123bc9996dbb1a3a73/president-barack-obama-west-point.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Obama's West Point Speech Was Not Exciting > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. 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Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=cf6a61b3-b17d-42b4-8882-e8c8e6fe4ae5&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Watch: Obama's Speech Highlights [Watch (HLS stream): Watch: Obama's Speech Highlights](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/w75pNUSr.m3u8) (2:31)  _Published 2014-05-30. Watch: Obama's Speech Highlights_ by [Joe Klein](https://time.com/author/joe-klein/) ## Joe Klein May 28, 2014 5:00 PM UTC  U.S. President Barack Obama arrives to deliver the commencement address to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point's Class of 2014 on May 28, 2014, in West Point, N.Y. U.S. President Barack Obama arrives to deliver the commencement address to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point's Class of 2014 on May 28, 2014, in West Point, N.Y. Susan Walsh—AP by [Joe Klein](https://time.com/author/joe-klein/) ## Joe Klein May 28, 2014 5:00 PM UTC And he will be criticized for that. There was nothing “new” in his address to the West Point graduates, some will say. Others–neo-conservatives and blood curmudgeons like John McCain– will say that it was a ratification of the President’s policy of weakness and retreat. And while those of us who generally agree with the President on foreign policy might have hoped for some pyrotechnics, a more passionate defense of his policy, the substance of the speech was solid, just as the net substance of his actions overseas have been. He began with a deliberate oversimplification: --- > “” --- As a “self-described” realist, I can’t think of a member of my sect who believes that the conflicts mentioned are “not ours to solve.” We’re just extremely reluctant to use military force or—in the case of Syria—military supplies to solve them. There are other diplomatic, humanitarian and economic means that we need to use more effectively. The one initiative he did announce, the $5 billion counter-terrorist partnership fund, is a step in the right direction (especially if it helps ease the Syrian refugee crisis). If there is a realist gripe against the President, it’s his handling of the details—his foreign policy staff isn’t very smart or subtle when it comes to the close work of diplomacy. Indeed, that’s an actual point of agreement between realists and interventionists: too often the President’s words have no consequences. He says “Assad Must Go” and Assad stays; indeed, Assad is bolstered by a chemical weapons deal that Obama blunders into. His Secretary of State, John Kerry, says something dangerously undiplomatic almost every week. Everything is ad hoc, in the moment; there is very little long-term strategic thinking. That said, this was a realist speech. The President made no threats or promises that he couldn’t carry out, which was a relief. He refused to cave to his feckless domestic opponents–and he paid no commitment other than lip service to the human rights activists who represent a significant strain on his foreign policy staff. He offered no bright line “Obama Doctrine,” which is probably a very good thing. The last President who stood at West Point and offered a Foreign Policy Master Plan was George W. Bush, who made the case for pre-emptive war in 2002\. We know where that led. The only appropriate doctrine in a world where the American military–and military spending–is peerless has to be subtle and humble: We’ll take each case as it comes. We’ll lead coalitions to help solve the problems of the world, but we also reserve the right to defend ourselves unilaterally against direct security threats. We will be prudent in word and deed. We won’t bluster about our “indispensability” but will prove it through our actions. If there is a bright line test for presidential success in foreign policy, it’s Hippocratic: First do no harm. Obama has passed that test, with a few painful, if relatively minor, exceptions. He has ended wars, not started them, while using appropriate levels of force–drones, special operations–to continue the battle against Islamic radicalism. He has been calm and yes, realistic. He has been unfairly bludgeoned by opponents “engaged in partisan politics” and by a media that, all too often, looks at foreign policy as a “winning the day” proposition when the real purpose of diplomacy is to slowly win the future. He allowed himself to be pushed into making this speech by those forces. But he did not allow them to change his policy, for which we should be grateful. ## Transcript As frustrating as it is, there are no easy answers there. No military solution that could eliminate the terrible suffering anytime soon. As president, I made a decision that we should not put American troops into the middle of this increasingly sectarian war, and I believe that is the right decision. I believe in American exceptionalism with every fiber of my being, but what makes us exceptional is not our ability to flout international norms and the rule of law. It is our willingness to affirm them through our action. Tragically, no American security operation can eradicate the threat posed by an extremist group like Boko Haram, the group that kidnapped those girls, and that's why we have to focus not just on rescuing those girls right away, but also on supporting Nigerian efforts to educate its youth. I also believe we must be more transparent about both the basis of our counter- terrorism actions and the manner in which they are carried out. We have to be able to explain them publicly, whether it is drone strikes or training partners. I will increasingly turn to our military to take the lead and provide information to the public about our efforts. Class of 2014, you have taken this time to prepare on the quiet banks of the Hudson. You leave this place to carry forward a legacy that no other military in human history can claim. You do so as part of a team that extends beyond your units or even our armed forces. For in the course of your service, you will work as a team with diplomats and development experts. You'll get to know allies and train partners, and you will embody what it means for America to lead the world. To the entire class, let me reassure you in these final hours at West Point. As Commander in Chief I hereby absolve all cadets who are on restriction for minor conduct offenses. [ LAUGH ] Let me just add that nobody ever did that for me when I was in school. 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