Obama Might ‘Refine’ Iraq Timeline

cnredd · #1 (**permalink**) 07-03-2008, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Senator Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot sustain a long-term military presence in Iraq, but added that he would be open to “refine my policies” about a timeline for withdrawing troops after meeting with American military commanders during a trip to Iraq later this month.

Mr. Obama, whose popularity in the Democratic primary was built upon a sharp opposition to the war and an often-touted 16-month gradual timetable for removing combat troops, dismissed suggestions that he was changing positions in the wake of reductions in violence in Iraq and a general election fight with Senator John McCain.

“I’ve always said that the pace of withdrawal would be dictated by the safety and security of our troops and the need to maintain stability. That assessment has not changed,” he said. “And when I go to Iraq and have a chance to talk to some of the commanders on the ground, I’m sure I’ll have more information and will continue to refine my policies.”

As he arrived for a campaign stop in North Dakota, Mr. Obama told reporters on Thursday that he intended to conduct “a thorough assessment” of his Iraq policy during a forthcoming trip to the country. He stressed that he has long called for a careful and responsible withdrawal of American forces, but he declined to offer a fresh endorsement of his plan to remove one to two combat brigades a month.

“My 16-month timeline, if you examine everything that I’ve said, was always premised on making sure that our troops were safe,” he said. “I said that based on the information that we had received from our commanders that one to two brigades a month could be pulled out safely, from a logistical perspective. My guiding approach continues to be that we’ve got to make sure that our troops are safe and that Iraq is stable.”

He added, “I’m going to continue to gather information to find out whether those conditions still hold.”

So what he's saying is "All of this time my beliefs were held because I did NOT talk to the commanders in Iraq, so I've been ignorant. I might not be so ignorant once they give me an update, so I may have to come out later and say to hell with my original position."...

If he does that (and joins the crew of rational people that KNOW the surge is working), the Left will NOT be pleased...

Mikeyy · #2 (**permalink**) 07-03-2008, 07:10 PM

I just want him to do what works well. If he needs to change it because of changing conditions. It doesn't bother me. What is bad is the partisans who will make a big deal out of it. On both sides. I don't want someone who has a solid plan laid out point by point. I want someone who judges the situation at hand and deals with it without too much political intervention.

cnredd · #3 (**permalink**) 07-03-2008, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikeyy

I just want him to do what works well. If he needs to change it because of changing conditions. It doesn't bother me. What is bad is the partisans who will make a big deal out of it. On both sides. I don't want someone who has a solid plan laid out point by point. I want someone who judges the situation at hand and deals with it without too much political intervention.

But Obama's position from the time he first proposed his 16 month timetable up until he actually goes to Iraq and meets with the commanders shows that he did NOT "judge the situation at hand" and DOES have a "solid plan laid out point by point."

By doing so he's going to run into a buzzsaw from one side nomatter what...

If he comes back from meeting with the commanders and sticks with his original gameplan of timetable withdraw and not withdrawing based on conditions, he'll be seen as pandering to his base by sticking with a pre-surge mindset and not listening to the boots on the ground.

If he comes back from meeting with the commanders and says "Ya know what?...the conditions have changed since I made up that withdraw timetable and now it wouldn't be right for us to leave yet.", it would be the correct response, but his base will be FUMING!!!...

If he was smart and originally said "I will base my message on the way things progress" instead of his "I don't give a rat's ass how they're progressing...I want them out in 16 months nomatter what!" attitude, he wouldn't be in this position...

Mikeyy · #4 (**permalink**) 07-03-2008, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

But Obama's position from the time he first proposed his 16 month timetable up until he actually goes to Iraq and meets with the commanders shows that he did NOT "judge the situation at hand" and DOES have a "solid plan laid out point by point."

By doing so he's going to run into a buzzsaw from one side nomatter what...

If he comes back from meeting with the commanders and sticks with his original gameplan of timetable withdraw and not withdrawing based on conditions, he'll be seen as pandering to his base by sticking with a pre-surge mindset and not listening to the boots on the ground.

If he comes back from meeting with the commanders and says "Ya know what?...the conditions have changed since I made up that withdraw timetable and now it wouldn't be right for us to leave yet.", it would be the correct response, but his base will be FUMING!!!...

If he was smart and originally said "I will base my message on the way things progress" instead of his "I don't give a rat's ass how they're progressing...I want them out in 16 months nomatter what!" attitude, he wouldn't be in this position...

This is where politics gets silly. I hope that if he thinks we should stay that the right backs him up. I would laugh my ass off. From what it sounds like the situation in Afghanistan is in some serious need of attention. And we are going to have to draw down in Iraq like it or not. And we can't really afford much more Iraq.

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