Obama on Iraq, Take Two
Barack Obama held a second press conference today to respond to numerous web posts suggesting he was either backing away from his planned Iraq troop withdrawal timelines or laying the groundwork to do so.
See these posts as examples:
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/07/03/obama_softens_on_iraq_withdraw.html; http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/07/barack-obama-ir.html; http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/obama-open-to-refine-iraq-withdrawal-timeline/
As a result of this coverage, Obama met with reporters a second time to explain what he meant at his first press conference.
Here is his opening statement:
“We are going to try this again apparently I wasn’t clear enough this morning on my position with respect to the war in Iraq. I have said throughout this campaign that this war was ill conceived that it was a strategic blunder and that it needs to come to an end. I have also said that I would be deliberate and careful in how we got out, that I would bring the troops home at a pace of one to two brigades a month and that at that pace we would have our combat troops out in 16 months.
That position has not changed. I have not equivocated on that position. I am not searching for maneuvering room with respect to that position. What I said this morning and what I will repeat because it is consistent with what I have said over the last two years in putting this plan together. I will always listen to the advice of commanders on the ground but that ultimately I am the person making the strategic decisions.
It is my view that strategically that for us to perpetuate this war in Iraq the way that John McCain has proposed and neglect the extraordinary problems that we are seeing in Afghanistan, to continue to spend 10 to 12 billion dollars a month, to continue to put enormous burdens on our military and military families is not the best way to make the American people safe.
So we are going to go visit Iraq. I want to have conversations with commanders on the ground and Iraqi officials. When I come back that information will obviously inform how we shape our plans moving forward. For example, what is the current training situation and how many residual troops might be needed in order to train Iraqis to stand up both the army and the police? What is the current posture in terms of negotiations between the various Iraqi factions on critical issues like how oil is distributed oil revenues are distributed?
But, you know, let me be as clear as I can be. I intend to end this war. My first day in office I will bring the Joint Chiefs of Staff in and I will give them a new mission and that is to end this war responsibly deliberately but decisively.
And I have seen no information that contradicts the notion that we can bring our troops out safely at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month and again that pace translates to having our combat troops out in 16 months time.
So the last point I would just make is this is the same position that I had 4 months ago, it is the same position that I had 8 months ago, and it is the same position I had 12 months ago.”
More on the questions and answers soon…..
“The Black George Bush”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hell, if she keeps this up, I might even vote for the girl.
Mr Obama seems to spend a lot of time, clearing up ..what he meant. Or what he meant to say.. Or saying Im sorry for what someone else said. You think his Presidency might be a case of ..”What I really meant was……………”
Mr. Obama is not a trustworthy individual to trusted with the office of the presidency. Yes, ithe time is right for someone of colour to be president of the USA, but he is certainly not the one. The election of Obama is the end of democracy as Americans know it. It will simly become another balkanization of this country to be another african state.
I almost feel sorry for Obama having to time and time again have to answer some invisible opposition that continues to try and try to discredit him. You just can’t discredit him. It’s okay that he’s honest. There are honest people in the world. Obama happens to be one of them. This is refreshing to me. It’s Obama vs. the media and Obama and his team is absolutely obliterating the opposition. Poor guy. Bigger fish to fry you’d think.
“Combat” troops means leaving support troops and 160000 soldiers of fortune.
He has said he doesn’t expect to be out until 2013 .What gives?
I can’t wait to see the spin the other side puts on this.
Like any leader, changes are made when new evidence merits a rethink followed by a subsequent amendment in plans or procedures. I dare anyone to call either candidate a “flip-flopper” who alters his platform based on reconsiderations made in this manner.
Carol Cole-Lewis
http://ccolelewis.wordpress.com
Fox news straight up sucks. It is a corporate mouthpiece. Go out and get involved in your community, and meet someone that is not like you. Its a beautiful world out there.
It’s not uncommon for politicians to re-state their intentions when blogs sometimes distort their original message. Words mean different things to different people. Clarifying meanings is completely understandable.
This is truly absurd. Obama has no qualifications to determine where to pitch a pup tent in his own back yard. Yet, here he is, freshman senator barely half-way into his first term, no military experience, no education at all in international relations, and not even on the appropriate committee to learn even a 10th of what he should know prior to second guessing true experts like Gen. Petraeus and his hand-picked advisors. How is it that this empty suit is not a laughing stock? Did he not claim that the US was entering it’s 4th century as a nation and quote the wrong passage while claiming to repeat the preamble his dear mother used to read to him? He has made so many factual errors on the stump it would be all over were he Dan Quayle or some other Republican rather than a media darling who gets a do-over on the same day. Absolutely amazing. How can any sane and rational person even consider making this inept and arrogant rookie the leader of the free world?
What did he say this morning?
“What is the current posture in terms of negotiations between the various Iraqi factions on critical issues like how oil is distributed oil revenues are distributed?”
Haha….he is just another imperialist bush!
The people who need clarification on the spoken words are often those who don’t comprehend the spoken word. If I told you yobs the cat was black, inevitably one of you would want clarification, much like Major Garrett in the, of all places, THE BOURBON ROOM. What kind of cat? Is it all black? That’s not what Herbie heard, he thought you said the cat was only partially black, and you said that last week. My God. If you morons just listened to what the man said you might understand. Want a thrill? Listen to McSamo.
We shouldn’t have gone into Iraq in the first place, but now that we are there with relative stability this “kid” wants to go in and kick the very foundations of the new government out from under them.
This guy hasn’t a clue how to run his own bank account, yet alone the largest government in the world.
McCain contradicts himself every time he speaks, of course you will not read anything like that on FAUX “newz”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioy90nF2anI
This comment will probably not even be posted.
Hey, tell Karl Rove I said hello, will YA?
I hope al-Qaeda is listening and understands that they are expected to cooperate with Mr. Obama because otherwise his proposed new “blunder” of surrender would not leave us is a good spot.
There are honest people in the world. Obama happens to be one of them.
Such as “I did not know Rev. Jeremiah Wright made those comments on the pulpit after 9/11″.
Thats what i admire about Obama, if something is misinterpreted or taken out of context he will nip it in the bud right away……..and we can all agree that the media does take things out of context….
here let me simplify another bluner from Fox’s candidate of choice, McCain……How many years in Iraq? “how bout 100, that’d be fine with me”……..I can take that out of context too…..
But unlike most people, I know what mccain meant because i saw the video of his speech, not the snipits from the media……..so the same goes for everyone……
Watch the video’s, it helps clear things up
bush Obama macCain neither one is difrent all the same they all get their orders from TelAviv israel.
Sadly I don’t think white america will put up with a black president. These continuos attacks by the white owned press only goes to reinforce that fact. Not to mention all the new oil contracts that the good old boys in the texas oil industry have signed recently…
What is it that FoxNews cannot understand? Obama said, “That position has not changed. I have not equivocated on that position.” There is no question about his position at all. Only FoxNews has questions? Why must Obama always talk down to the lowest common denominator- FoxNews?
Obama is doing his best to try and look like seasoned expert on issues such as foreign policy and the economy. We are truly in trouble if this neophyte gets elected!
I understand he wants to go to Iraq and see for himself. I just hope the commanders
over in Iraq don’t paint a rosy picture and lie just to keep us there.
I think our troops have done great and it’s time they come home.
I hope Obama sees the real truth over in Iraq and ends this war.
Bush is nothing but a WAR MONGER and thank God he will soon be
leaving. I don’t want McBush in the White House either.
I’ve had it with a President that Lies, and Lies, and Lies some more.
Bush has no morals, no conscience, no brains.
Americans are hungry to beleive in themselves again, hungry to be perceived in positive terms on the world stage, hungry to feel like we can take on challenges and solve problems. Bush never asked anything of us, never asked us to sacrifice as a people, never called us to a higher purpose. Instead, he snookered a couple hundred thousand young men and woman and their families into sacrificing their honor in a war that defied the Geneva Conventions and required the rest of us to pay homage to that lest we be perceived as unpatriotic. He allowed his favorite companies to profit from the war, let the national debt skyrocket so the rich could pocket their money, and allowed everyday Americans to sink into financial oblivion. Obama uttered the word “change” and people were drawn like a magnet to him. Add his gift of rhetoric and understanding of the people that only a community organizer can have and it equals the power of his candidancy. If elected, he will build on this new, but quintessentilly American vision of power and create a new politics. My guess is that the people whose power he has tapped into, will require that of him, and he, savvy politican that he is, will deliver. (Huffpost)
Obama may be saying the same thing but it definitely doesnt sound the same. He doesnt say anything about it being an illegal and immoral war. He doesnt mention how the American people were tricked and deceived by a President. Nor does he say preemptive is not going to be his policy. He does mention oil distribution and keeping Americans safe through military. If he were true to his promise of change he would take the troops out immediately because his diplomacy would keep America safe. Now that he has the nomination we are seeing his true Republicrat colors. Get real Obama either your a populist candidate or your not. Dont deal the Rovian rhetoric card so early.
I think that a politcian’s position that he takes first is his real position if it is clost to their action of their adult life. Obama has to move right toward the center to get elected. He will also have stay somewhat clost to the center or he will not be reelected (If he is elected). Moving to his (it seams) original position and remove the troops as fasted as he said he would now preside over a defete in Iraq. There will be very few Dems who demanded Bush get out of Iraq NOW will not do it now. The shoe will be on the other foot then!!!
Republicans don’t seem to be attacking Obama on anything legitimate. They seem intent on saying “gotcha” on issues like this that Obama never even slipped up on.
correct, gotha politics is all they have. They need to be against Obama and find the smallest faults with him because Republicans have a hard time being for John McCain. The conservative movement has been defeated and they are lashing out with their last ounce of power.