AteUp
07-03-2008, 04:47 PM
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25519279/
Obama opens door to altering his Iraq policy
Democrat says his upcoming trip could change his troop withdrawal plan
updated 31 minutes ago
FARGO, N.D. - Democrat Barack Obama opened the door Thursday to altering his plan to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq in 16 months based on what he hears from military commanders during his upcoming trip there.
"I am going to do a thorough assessment when I'm there," he told reporters on the airport tarmac here. "I'm sure I'll have more information and continue to refine my policy."
During his presidential campaign, Obama has gone from the hard-edged, vocal opposition to Iraq that defined his early candidacy to more nuanced rhetoric that calls for a phased-out drawdown of all combat brigades that, at a rate of one or two a month, could last 16 months. He has said that if al-Qaida builds bases in Iraq, he would keep troops either in the country or the region to carry out "targeted strikes."
Republicans, who have been goading Obama to return to Iraq to see conditions for himself, pounced.
"There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience," said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the national Republican Party. "Obama's Iraq problem undermines the central premise of his candidacy and shows him to be a typical politician."
http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/ap/8013173d-e54b-4bf6-ba82-c319bb5e4417.hmedium.jpg
Obama: 'We have to begin to end this war now'
Sept. 12, 2007: Calling for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq, Barack Obama says, "We have to begin to end this war now."
Obama's GOP rival, John McCain, has been a vocal supporter of the Iraq war and war policy has been a central disagreement between the two candidates.
But Obama insisted that his position has not changed at all.
He said he is saying now what he always has: The war was a mistake and needs to be brought to "a responsible end," but "we need to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in." This means, he said, that his 16-month timeline was always premised on troops being safe and Iraq being stable.
"I'm going to continue to gather information to see whether those conditions still hold," he said. "My goal is to end this conflict as soon as possible."
Although he did not specifically mention his 16-month timeline on Thursday, Obama called it "pure speculation" to suggest he has been softening or even backing off his position as conditions improve in Iraq.
"I continue to believe that it is a strategic error for us to maintain a long-term occupation in Iraq at a time when conditions in Afghanistan are worsening, al-Qaida is continuing to establish bases in areas of northwest Pakistan, resources there are severely strained and we are spending $10 to $12 billion a month in Iraq that we desperately need here at home, not to mention the strains on our military," Obama said.
Obama plans a visit this summer to Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The Illinois senator also has said he intends to visit Iraq and Afghanistan this summer as part of an official congressional trip that would be separate from the campaign-funded Mideast and European tour. It would be his second trip to Iraq.
Obama opens door to altering his Iraq policy
Democrat says his upcoming trip could change his troop withdrawal plan
updated 31 minutes ago
FARGO, N.D. - Democrat Barack Obama opened the door Thursday to altering his plan to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq in 16 months based on what he hears from military commanders during his upcoming trip there.
"I am going to do a thorough assessment when I'm there," he told reporters on the airport tarmac here. "I'm sure I'll have more information and continue to refine my policy."
During his presidential campaign, Obama has gone from the hard-edged, vocal opposition to Iraq that defined his early candidacy to more nuanced rhetoric that calls for a phased-out drawdown of all combat brigades that, at a rate of one or two a month, could last 16 months. He has said that if al-Qaida builds bases in Iraq, he would keep troops either in the country or the region to carry out "targeted strikes."
Republicans, who have been goading Obama to return to Iraq to see conditions for himself, pounced.
"There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience," said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the national Republican Party. "Obama's Iraq problem undermines the central premise of his candidacy and shows him to be a typical politician."
http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/ap/8013173d-e54b-4bf6-ba82-c319bb5e4417.hmedium.jpg
Obama: 'We have to begin to end this war now'
Sept. 12, 2007: Calling for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq, Barack Obama says, "We have to begin to end this war now."
Obama's GOP rival, John McCain, has been a vocal supporter of the Iraq war and war policy has been a central disagreement between the two candidates.
But Obama insisted that his position has not changed at all.
He said he is saying now what he always has: The war was a mistake and needs to be brought to "a responsible end," but "we need to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in." This means, he said, that his 16-month timeline was always premised on troops being safe and Iraq being stable.
"I'm going to continue to gather information to see whether those conditions still hold," he said. "My goal is to end this conflict as soon as possible."
Although he did not specifically mention his 16-month timeline on Thursday, Obama called it "pure speculation" to suggest he has been softening or even backing off his position as conditions improve in Iraq.
"I continue to believe that it is a strategic error for us to maintain a long-term occupation in Iraq at a time when conditions in Afghanistan are worsening, al-Qaida is continuing to establish bases in areas of northwest Pakistan, resources there are severely strained and we are spending $10 to $12 billion a month in Iraq that we desperately need here at home, not to mention the strains on our military," Obama said.
Obama plans a visit this summer to Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The Illinois senator also has said he intends to visit Iraq and Afghanistan this summer as part of an official congressional trip that would be separate from the campaign-funded Mideast and European tour. It would be his second trip to Iraq.