President Obama, until Tuesday night, had a presidency filled with limitless aspirations and his prime time speech on the strategy in Afghanistan brought in crashing back down to the harsh realities of difficult choices.

In his campaign, Obama called the Iraq War “reckless” now he has to promise his own troop surge in Afghanistan. He criticized former President Bush’s emergency spending bills to pay for the Iraq War, and could end up proposing his own for the new troop surge.

In his campaign Obama said defined benchmarks were key for any surge to work-and provided none Tuesday night.

However, he was the candidate who said the war in Afghanistan was a “war of necessity” and now as a president, still sees this to be true.

In his speech, Obama gave the impression that all other efforts have been exhausted, and his inherited circumstances have led him down this road as the only choice. He was also seemed weary of the outcome noting that a lot would rely on the previously untrustworthy governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

But he recognized the threat and could not deny what had to be done.

“If I did not think the security of the United States and the safety of the American people were at stake in Afghanistan,” he said. “I would gladly order every single one of our troops home tomorrow.”

But the troops, that have more than doubled in number this year, will have to stay in place, and be joined by 30,000 more to hopefully finish a war that is waning in popularity.

Obama tried to reassure the American people and the West Point cadets he was addressing that the war in Afghanistan would not turn into a Vietnam. He noted the support from NATO allies as well as 43 nations, and of course the Vietnamese weren’t trying to kill Americans at home.

He set a timetable for the withdrawal, something Senator John McCain strongly opposes, to gain popularity for a cause by showing it would be endless and fruitless. I agree a timetable on the war could force the insurgents underground until the forces withdraw.

Regardless, the war is no longer inherited; it is Obama’s war. Just like it is now Obama’s economy, and Obama’s health care bill and his ballooning deficit.

Tuesday night Obama played his hand, and for the country’s sake I hope he’s got something up his sleeve.