Obama says will back Petraeus for new military job

[CONN]

Source: Reuters

President George W. Bush has nominated Gen. David Petraeus, who led the buildup of troops in Iraq, to be in charge of operations across the Middle East and Central Asia.

If confirmed by the Senate, Petraeus will still be in that job when the next president replaces Bush at the White House in January 2009. Obama hopes that person is him.

"Yes," Obama told "Fox News Sunday" when asked if, as a senator from Illinois, he would approve Petraeus. "I think Petraeus has done a good tactical job in Iraq."

Obama has said he would start pulling out more troops as soon as he became president.<snip>

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2741128120080427

[peace13]

1. Funny....

that's not the way I heard it.

[Ian David]

3. What DID you hear? Because this has me pissed. n/t

[peace13]

18. The major point was that Obama would listen to Petraeus.

Here he says, 'I will listen to General Petraeus given the experience that he has accumulated over the last several years," Obama said. "It would be stupid of me to ignore what he has to say."
His point was that he would listen to Petraeus. He was being reasonable in the fact that it would be totally arrogant to say anything less. I heard no promise of a job though. Peace, Kim

[Ian David]

20. Thanks. That's a little more nuanced than what I originally heard.

If he'd said anything else, that would have dominated the newscycle for a week and shifted the discussion considerably.

I hope he comes loaded for bear during the confirmation hearing.

[CONN]

22. Here's the transcript....

He did said he would vote to confirm Petraeus. The guy who has been helping beat Bush's war drums against Iran... Not that I have questions for him at the confirmation...

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/27/transcript-obama-on-fns/

WALLACE: And we are back for one final segment with Senator Barack Obama. Senator, this week President Bush named David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, to be the head of Central Command, which controls overseas military operations across the Middle East and Central Asia. Will you vote to confirm his nomination?

OBAMA: Yes. I think Petraeus has done a good tactical job in Iraq. I think as a practical matter, obviously that’s where most of the attention has been devoted from this administration over the last several years.

[Ian David]

26. Wallace: "Would you vote to confirm his nomination?'" Obama: "Yes. I think Patraeus...

Yeah, that kind of looks like a "Yes" but a "qualified yes."

Kind of like:

WALLACE: Would you vote for Hillary Clinton?

IANDB1: Yes. I think Hillary has done a good tactical job in her campaign. However, I have questions...

[AZ Criminal JD]

52. Good spin. LOL

[midnight]

27. NO Mr. Obama it would not be stupid to NOT listen to a General

whose name has says Be Tray Us. In fact please do.....

[Ian David]

2. Ass-kissing little chickenshit. I hate people like that. n/t

[LibDemAlways]

4. I second that. A sorry excuse for a human being.

[David Diderot]

24. Are you talking about Obama, Petraeus or both? :)

[Ian David]

25. Now that I have been properly informed, just Betrayus.

That's how his boss, Admiral Fallon, described him.

[indepat]

5. Done a good tactical job in Iraq and a meritorious job in beating the war drums: how can

Obama's judgment be trusted going forward? :shrug:

[Dessalines]

7. You have to have more of a reason to vote against a general

then you don't he should have done what the Presidents asked him to do. Do you think Bush is gonna appoint anybody that does not do exactly what he tells them?

[indepat]

8. Generals can follow their code of honor and resign rather than dishonor their uniform: that's what

generals can do rather than violate their code. :D

[Ian David]

12. That's what everyone under Betrayus, and his boss Admiral Fallon did.

He's only being given the position because everyone else was too honorable to do what Betrayus is being asked to do.

He's General Bork.

[balantz]

6. I don't really have words to express my feelings about this.

If I did I would be called a traitor...or something.

But I am not surprised to hear this from him.

[acmavm]

9. Typical.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Muttocracy]

11. That doesn't make me happy though the rest of the article gives more context.

I'd like to think he was trying to be diplomatic about it rather than having the GOP say "he doesn't support the troops' beloved leader!!!!" or something.

More from the article:

"My hope is that Petraeus would reflect that wider view of our strategic interest," he said on "Fox News Sunday."

"I will listen to General Petraeus given the experience that he has accumulated over the last several years," Obama said. "It would be stupid of me to ignore what he has to say."

"It would be my job as commander in chief to set the mission, to make the strategic decisions in light of the problems that we're having in Afghanistan, in light of the problems that we are having in Pakistan, the fact that al Qaeda is strengthening," Obama said."

...

"Obama also said he was a "big respecter" of Petraeus' predecessor Adm. William Fallon, who resigned after a magazine article depicted him as openly criticizing Bush administration policy over Iran.

"It was unfortunate that the administration wasn't listening more to the observations of Fallon, that we have to think about more than just Iraq, that we've got issues with Iran and Pakistan and Afghanistan, and our singular focus on Iraq I think has distracted us," Obama said.

[Ian David]

13. Fallon needs to be forced to testify at Betrayus' confirmation hearing. n/t

[mcollier]

14. See the entire interview - With Obama on Fox here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9nla552bH8">Fox News Sunday - Barack Obama pt1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD-yph99blk">Fox News Sunday - Barack Obama pt2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbS9ULVwuKs">Fox News Sunday - Barack Obama pt3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue7Bjd_Epjk">Fox News Sunday - Barack Obama pt4

[Muttocracy]

17. thanks, will watch later. nt

[Pastiche423]

40. In which part does he talk about Betrayus?

[bluesmail]

15. I neither support Obama or Clinton

this is outrageous, IF its what he means speaking on FauxNews. He could be twisting the truth like Faux.

[defendandprotect]

16. The answer should have been that Bush didn't ask him who to appoint . . .

and he will be making his own decisions ---

[Muttocracy]

19. yes, that's what I would have preferred

*I'll make my own appointments and

*It's not appropriate for me to comment on specific people or military strategy

[Sam Ervin jret]

23. He and Clinton have to vote up or down on the appointment in the senate.

I think all people who have supported Clinton or Obama from the start of the race need to take a three week political vacation.

No posting, no reading political papers or sites, no radio or TV news.

Just go out and enjoy the sun.

Believe me when you come back, you will have missed nothing and you will feel a lot better.

[defendandprotect]

42. Did Bush ask Obama who to nominate . . . ???

Nor should Bush or anyone else expect Obama to ask them who to nominate ---

Meanwhile, how many generals has Bush been thru?

Something like 20?

Most of them becoming whistleblowers -- or trying to be -- while they served and later!

[Mike Nelson]

21. Awful, but...

both Obama and Hillary will, I assume, keep him on.

[cstanleytech]

28. *sigh* So what.

He did not say he would follow the generals suggestions nor did he say he would keep him on the job for good and only a fool would replace the general as soon as he is sworn in without reviewing all his work, the current intelligence as well as looking at possible solutions among which might be eventually replacing the guy.

[CONN]

30. He's expanding Petraeus role before he might get elected...

I think he should vote NO to Petraeus' promotion. If this general gets expanded powers, then who knows what new problems there will by the time Obama becomes President (or not).

[cstanleytech]

41. Well I agree I dont

trust the general, he is in my opinion a bootlicker and hopefully Obama can find someone who can help pull us out of the fubar that bush has made of Iraq.

[Zhade]

29. delete

Not what I thought at first, but still not great.

[jasmine621]

31. So, Obama is backing conflict with Iran?

That's what this entire mover is about. We (with Israeli help) are getting ready to set off an hostile incident to cover for bombing Iran.

[madrchsod]

34. what leads you to believe he would?

[Tyler Durden]

36. Because BetrayUS is down with that.

Why else would Bush have "Made" him?

[madrchsod]

32. so as soon as obama takes over in jan he should fire petraeus?

that would be plain stupid on many levels.

[Spiffarino]

33. So it'll be more fun to watch as Obama replaces him in January. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

35. See now MoveOn.org

Is on both sides of the street here. Betray Us, but we will vote for you! Convoluted as can be.

[heliarc]

49. As much as we see him...

As a knight of the Bush Regime, he will be a democrat's knight come January...

Might be nice to have a knight or two to play with ... rather than sacrificing a knight now and having only pawns to play with when the time comes wouldn't you say?

[Pastiche423]

37. Since my state hasn't voted yet

and after hearing these disgusting remarks by Obama, I believe I will fall back to my original thought and write in the person I want.

He won't be able to bring our troops home in sixteen months as he has stated, if he believes in Betrayus.

I am very upset over this.

[Muttocracy]

39. I feel better having watched the real interview (links above)

The text doesn't reflect all that he said. Also the posts near the very top with part of the transcript.

[Pastiche423]

43. In what part of the interview does he talk about Betrayus?

I'm not about to watch 4 videos from FOX just to find out.

Did he or did he not say he would hire Betrayus?

[Muttocracy]

44. I think it was 3 or 4 - sorry, don't remember. Maybe look at the transcript? nt

[Pastiche423]

46. The transcript states...

WALLACE: ...Will you vote to confirm his nomination?

OBAMA: Yes.

There is nothing left to be explained. He will vote for Betrayus.

I am glad I found this out now, than after my ballot arrives in about two weeks.

Now I am more fervently hoping for a brokered convention.

[Muttocracy]

47. Is there another general who you think would be best for Centcom?

And if not Obama, are you voting for Clinton, or someone else? Has she answered the same question? I haven't seen anything about her take on it.

[Pastiche423]

51. Betrayus is a * ass licker

Obama will vote for a * ass licker. I will not vote for anyone that will vote for a * ass licker.

It doesn't matter to me how Clinton would vote. There is no way n hell that I would vote for her.

[Muttocracy]

61. sorry, didn't go back far enough in your posts - now I see the write-in. nt

[Pastiche423]

62. I was not going to write-in

my choice for president until I read and heard what Obama said.

I do not understand why Obama said what he did. Does he not listen to those of us that are anti-imperialistic war?

He claims he is all about change. Voting to confirm the asshole general that is a puppet to the * cabal IS NOT CHANGE.

I am so disappointed.

[peace13]

54. Ignorance is bliss. n/t

[Pastiche423]

60. What am I ignornat of?

Did Obama state on tv that he will vote for Betrayus or did he not?

[Infinite Hope]

38. You aren't going to get a liberal appointment...might as well support a skilled and known commodity.

I agree with Obama here.

[daleo]

45. The more things change... n/t

[heliarc]

48. What seems to me...

on face value a sort of gross mistake, may be the formation of an attempt to appeal to a broader swath of the American Political landscape. On a day where Barack also mentioned possibly appointing Republicans alongside democrats it strikes me as a more positive attempt at appealing to the logic of Middle American Republicans. The shift seems to be in direct response to Hillary's negativity in championing the Bible thumpers and their guns...

I think this is a smart move, and I hope that this charms a military that I think surprisingly may appreciate Barack's unwillingness to hang a decorated General out to dry. Petraeus will have to be an ally when all is said and done, and he may be sending Petraeus a message that reads "I will be your friend if you work with me to end this mess"

The way I see it Petraeus has been remarkably talented at riding the waves of sentiment in the Congress and among his own military. Generals that smart will be important when attempting a withdrawal from Iraq. Obama just demonstrated how shrewd he can be with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[AZ Criminal JD]

53. The excuses come. List some more. I know you can do it.

[heliarc]

58. Whatever.

I'm a Chilean American who has had his fair share of hatred for the US military don't forget it... Their role in destroying the Chilean democracy is long proven, but I'm not about to fault our democratic nominee for trying to cozy up to the US military. He will be commander in chief don't forget. Hillary and Obama both haven't made any real commitments to bringing the troops home, but Obama was the first to argue against Blackwater and actually propose measures to fix similar problems with our sordid exercise in Iraq. I choose him not because he is a pie in the sky anti-war hippie, but because I feel like he is going about the politics in the most measured and inclusive way.

Excuse for what? Telling the Joint Chiefs that you want to work with them to find solutions? That sounds like a reasonable man to me. Hillary is just blabbing off the things she thinks the right wing wants to hear about obliterating Iran. This is an actual olive branch.

[Neshanic]

50. Well, there you have it.

Nuff said.

[Seabiscuit]

55. As expected, Obama caves in to the neocons. nt

[Donnachaidh]

56. CHANGE huh? Exactly WHERE is the change?

Or are we talking about bling getting into blue pockets, rather than red? So convinced he's going to win, he's already showing that he's not going to do that CHANGE thing. Keep talking, there's still LOTS of undecideds out there. :rofl:

[BobbyVan]

57. Petraeus is not the problem. FOCUS people!!!

[heliarc]

59. Exactly right.

There is some real stupidity in this thread. Anyone, Hillary or Obama who takes the Commander in Chief hotspot will have to cozy up to the Joint Chiefs and solve the Iraqi problem. Expecting Obama or Hillary to lambast Petraeus with anti war slogans is NOT conducive to getting our nominee (whoever that may be) elected. Appealing to the Military's tactical chief in the field is an important step in making friends that our nominee will need when s/he takes office.

[superconnected]

63. How hillary of him. I guess we won't have to celebrate bush being gone

with the way obama and clinton are posed to sell us out.