Obama’s Iraq Speech
Barack Obama is 100 percent correct when he says that the interests of the United States have been hurt more than helped by our adventure in Iraq. Afghanistan — where the real threat was and where there was strong worldwide support for invading — has been shunted aside to press a war in Iraq that was (as I’ve said before) ill advised, as well as poorly planned and executed. Meantime, Osama bin Laden is still at large, uncaptured. The Taliban is regrouping and is launching military offensives in Afghanistan. It’s another job half done by the Bush Administration.
As Obama pointed out today, the surge has produced some short term success in Iraq. But it’s come at the cost of further stretching an already overstretched military and adding more national debt for our children to pay off. Obama has pledged to end this war and to begin the pull out within 16 months of becoming president. I don’t know if that’s a viable schedule — I don’t know that it isn’t — but I trust him on this issue more than I trust McCain, who’s willing to have troops in Iraq much longer than Obama (and most of the nation).
When Obama goes to Iraq later this summer, I hope he listens to General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker. But I hope he returns as committed as ever to ending this war in Iraq. The people demand it. The military demands it (even if they won’t publicly say it) — they need to rest, retool and train for the next time they’re needed. They can’t do that if they’re bogged down fighting two wars.
McCain might know how to win wars, as he said today. But he’s promising more of the same as Bush. Stay the course in Iraq. Stay the course in Afghanistan. We need something new. Only Obama is promising that.
Deanna — I trust that Obama will show respect and listen to all who he has to on the ground but I also trust that he will give them clear instructions that we must exit Iraq with care once he is President.
With McCain I have no doubt that we will end up in Iran and that might be an invitation to Russia to get involved since Russia and Iran are ‘friends’. If Russia gets involved then China might get involved in the conflict because they are communist comrades. China has an army of 1 million. The world does not need world war III — no way!
Obama 08!!!
I’m sure Obama will listen to those on the ground. He tends to listen, from what I’ve seen. I’m just encouraging him to do so. My father, when he was an army lieutenant in Vietnam, made sure to listen to his sergeant. It’s the same thing. Sometimes people need to be reminded of the obvious. I know I do from time to time.
I don’t want to even contemplate a war in Iran and kicking off WW III. Scary, scary thought.