Photos: Barack Obama delivering a policy speech on Iraq today in Clinton, Iowa

[flpoljunkie]

Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., delivers his policy on Iraq speech, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007, in Clinton, Iowa. Obama called for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq, with the pullout being completed by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)


Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., greets supporters after delivering his policy on Iraq speech, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007, in Clinton, Iowa. Obama called for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq, with the pullout being completed by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

[AtomicKitten]

1. Go get 'em, Obama.

Thanks for the great photos!!!

[flpoljunkie]

2. AP photographer Charlie Neibergall always takes great pics of Obama.

[AtomicKitten]

4. I love seeing Obama in a sea of people.

:bounce:

[flpoljunkie]

12. You are most welcome, AK!

[SteppingRazor]

3. Man, he looks tired.

Of course, I'm sure he is. A presidential campaign is basically a year of your life with no sleep.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Check these out, SteppingRazor.

Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., greets supporters after delivering his policy on Iraq speech, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007, in Clinton, Iowa. Obama called for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq, with the pullout being completed by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)


Democratic presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., delivers his policy on Iraq speech, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2007, in Clinton, Iowa. Obama called for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. combat brigades from Iraq, with the pullout being completed by the end of next year. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

[SteppingRazor]

10. Yeah, he looks a little better when he's smiling. I saw him just a few weeks ago...

down here in South Florida, and he didn't have that sort of exhausted look in his eyes that he has in many of these pictures. I actually took some shots myself. I should get to posting those sometime! :)

[flpoljunkie]

11. I look forward to your Obama photos.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. Clinton, Iowa, eh?

How auspicious.

[sandnsea]

6. Text of EXCELLENT speech

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/09/12/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_23.php

"..keep neighbors from meddling, isolate al Qaeda, and support Iraq's unity. That means helping our Turkish and Kurdish friends reach an understanding. That means pressing Sunni states like Saudi Arabia to stop the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq, increase their financial support of reconstruction efforts, and encourage Iraqi Sunnis to reconcile with their fellow Iraqis. And that means turning the page on the Bush-Cheney policy of not talking to Syria and Iran."

"Iran poses a grave challenge. It builds a nuclear program, supports terrorism, and threatens Israel with destruction. But we hear eerie echoes of the run-up to the war in Iraq in the way that the President and Vice President talk about Iran. They conflate Iran and al Qaeda, ignoring the violent schism that exists between Shiite and Sunni militants. They issue veiled threats. They suggest that the time for diplomacy and pressure is running out when we haven't even tried direct diplomacy. Well George Bush and Dick Cheney must hear - loud and clear - from the American people and the Congress: you don't have our support, and you don't have our authorization for another war."

Lots more good stuff, perfect Iraq speech.

One more good snip:

"..These are not the consequences of a future withdrawal. They are the reality of Iraq's present. They are a direct consequence of waging this war. Two million Iraqis are displaced in their own country. Another two million Iraqis have fled as refugees to neighboring countries. This mass movement of people is a threat to the security of the Middle East and to our common humanity. We have a strategic interest - and a moral obligation - to act.

The President would have us believe there are two choices: keep all of our troops in Iraq or abandon these Iraqis. I reject that choice. We cannot continue to put this burden on our troops alone. I'm tired of this notion that we either fight foolish wars or retreat from the world. We are better than that as a nation.

There's no military solution that can reunite a family or resettle an orphaned child. It's time to form an international working group with the countries in the region, our European and Asian friends, and the United Nations. The State Department says it has invested $183 million on displaced Iraqis this year -- but that is not nearly enough. We can and must do more. We should up our share to at least $2 billion to support this effort; to expand access to social services for refugees in neighboring countries; and to ensure that Iraqis displaced inside their own country can find safe-haven..."

[flpoljunkie]

7. Thanks, sandnsea.

[sandnsea]

8. Should be a separate post

hint hint :)

Oops, I see it is. Yeah!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3514761&mesg_id=3514761