Obama: Gadhafi, Iraq Show the U.S. has Renewed its Leadership in the World

The death of Moammar Gadhafi and the announcement of the complete drawdown of troops in Iraq mean the U.S. has renewed its leadership in the world, President Barack Obama said, and it's now time to focus on the economy by passing the $447 billion jobs bill.

"This week, we had two powerful reminders of how we’ve renewed American leadership in the world," Obama said during his weekly radio address. "I was proud to announce that — as promised — the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of this year.  And in Libya, the death of Moammar Gadhafi showed that our role in protecting the Libyan people, and helping them break free from a tyrant, was the right thing to do."

These successes are part of "a larger story," Obama said, that "after a decade of war, we’re turning the page and moving forward, with strength and confidence."

Now, the president said, "we’re focusing on our greatest challenge as a nation — rebuilding our economy and renewing our strength at home."

"We have to tackle this challenge with the same urgency and unity that our troops brought to their fight," he said. "That’s why I’m calling on Congress to pass the American Jobs Act, so we can rebuild our country."

"They’ve met their responsibilities to America," he said of the troops. "Now it’s time to meet ours. It’s time to come together and show the world why the United States of America remains the greatest source for freedom and opportunity that the world has ever known."