State of the Union offers few new military, vet proposals

President Obama praised the end of the combat mission in Afghanistan and vowed to continue "to hunt down terrorists" but offered no new military or veterans proposals in his annual State of the Union speech Tuesday.

"We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy, when we leverage our power with coalition building, when we don't let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents," he said. "That's exactly what we're doing right now, and around the globe, it is making a difference."

He also offered only a passing mention of veterans issues in the hour-long speech, lauding efforts to ease the job hunt for transitioning troops but largely ignoring last year's Veterans Affairs wait time and records manipulation scandals.

Republicans seized on both issues as more rhetoric without solid planning from the commander in chief. In the Republican response, new Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst — a lieutenant colonel in the Army reserves and an Iraq War veteran — said the threat of global terrorism "can't just be wished away" by the president.

"The forces of violence and oppression don't care about the innocent," she said. "We need a comprehensive plan to defeat them."

Obama repeated his request that Congress pass a new authorization of military force for U.S. military operations against islamic militants in Iraq and Syria, and reiterated promises to snuff out terrorists like the ones responsible for the recent attacks in France and Pakistan.

But he again emphasized diplomacy over brute force, saying that approach has helped rebuild the country's reputation and alliances after more than a decade of taxing wars.

"We're upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small, by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine's democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies," he said. "That's how America leads — not with bluster, but with persistent, steady resolve."

Obama vowed new action on cyber threats in the wake of recent headline-grabbing attacks, calling it a security and economic threat to the country. But that will also take action from Congress, and the president again chastised lawmakers for not already moving on those proposals.

The president will have to work with a Republican-controlled Congress on all his domestic and national security priorities, and conservatives found little to applaud in the president's address this year.

Several lawmakers blasted Obama for failing to discuss the military budget and oncoming spending cuts. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, said that sequestration threatens the possibility "our military will come to a grinding halt" but the president never broached the issue.

For his part, Obama said he's not interested in political bickering, only results.

"I have no more campaigns to run," he said. "My only agenda for the next two years is the same as the one I've had since the day I swore an oath on the steps of this Capitol, to do what I believe is best for America."

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