Barack Obama intends to bring the war to a close in 2009

[bigtree]

With the war in Iraq dominating the headlines, Barack Obama reminded a crowd, Wednesday of about 1,500 at a high school in the heart of Republican Chester County that besides costing thousands of American lives, the war has hurt the U.S. economy and its standing on the world stage.

"This is why I opposed the war in 2002 and why I intend to bring the war to a close in 2009," Obama said. Earlier today, Hillary Clinton told a crowd in Aliquippa, Beaver County, that she was the only candidate they could count on to pull the troops of out Iraq.

Without naming her, Obama made veiled reference, in response to a question about her "3 a.m." political advertisements, that Clinton voted in favor of using force in Iraq.

"The person you want answering the phone at 3 a.m. is the person who has read the intelligence reports and is asking the tough questions about why we want to invade a country like Iraq that had nothing to do with 9-11," Obama said.





In South Bend, Indiana, an excited crowd of more than 3,500 greeted presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama at Washington High School Wednesday night.

It was a late night, made just a little bit later by the fact that Obama didn't take the stage until around 10:40 p.m.

When Obama finally took the stage, they welcomed him with a roar. But despite the raucous welcome, Obama was all business Wednesday night, thanking a short list of supporters, including Washington High School staff for allowing him to speak there, then launching into his key campaign topics.

They included the war in Iraq, and what he called "the fierce urgency" to develop a plan to bring U.S. troops home. He also spoke about the future of education, and the U.S. economy, from mortgages and foreclosures to gas prices — which he called "a crisis" without a solution from the Bush administration.

All, he said, are the real reasons he was in South Bend Wednesday night.

"We can't afford to wait. We can't wait to fix our schools. We can't wait to fix our health care system. We cannot wait to provide good jobs and good wages to Americans. We can't wait to free ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil. We cannot wait to bring this war in Iraq to a close. We cannot wait. And that's why I'm running for President of the United States of America," he said as the crowd cheered.




“When I decided to run there were some people they asked me, Barack why you are running this time?" he told the crowd. Why are you running so soon? You’re a relatively young man, why now? You can afford to wait. I had to explain to people I'm not running because of some long held ambition, I’m not running because I think it’s somehow owed to me, I’m running because of what Dr. King called the “fierce urgency of now.” The fierce urgency of now. Because I believe there’s such a thing as being too late and that hour is almost upon us.”

"I don’t want to just end the war;" he said, "I want to end the mindset that got us into war, which means restoring a sense of diplomacy to our foreign policy. I said earlier in this campaign, I won’t just meet with folks I like, I’ll meet with folks I don’t. Hillary Clinton, John McCain, George Bush; they all said ‘you can’t do that.’ I said ‘yes I can.’”

“If we can spend billions of dollars a month in Iraq, we can spend some of that money right here at home — putting people back to work, getting our economy in order,” Obama said.




The war in Iraq has now lasted longer than the two world wars and the Civil War, costing trillions of dollars and thousands of lives while not making people safer, he said.

"I have been running for president for about 15 months now," he said. "And that means there are children who are born and now walking and talking since I started running for president."

Some people, he said, felt he was too young at 46 and could wait.

But, he said: "I believe there's such a thing as being too late, and that hour is almost upon us."






video of Sen. Obama at Washington HS

pt. 1: http://www.wsbt.com/news/election/2008/17450694.html?video=pop&t=a

pt. 2: http://www.wsbt.com/news/election/2008/17452869.html?video=pop&t=a

more photos: http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=SB&Dato=20080409&Kategori=News&Lopenr=128776503&Ref=PH


Barack Obama | Iraq
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/

Barack Obama | Foreign Policy
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/foreignpolicy/

Barack Obama | Veterans
http://www.barackobama.com/issues/veterans/

March 19, 2008
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: The World Beyond Iraq
http://www.barackobama.com/2008/03/19/remarks_of_senator_barack_obam_55.php

March 20, 2008
Remarks for Senator Barack Obama: The Cost of War
http://www.barackobama.com/2008/03/20/remarks_for_senator_barack_oba_2.php

Sen. Obama Confronts Petraeus and Crocker on 'Major Strategic Blunder' in Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5432579&mesg_id=5432579

[kid a]

1. K & R

Barack Babies rock!

[bigtree]

7. heh

:kick:

[Tellurian]

33. "I'm running because of what Dr. King called the “fierce urgency of now."

Thats a Lie right there.. Dr King is not one of Obama's role models. He's had 20 yrs to model himself after Dr King's philosophy. Instead, Obama chose Rev Wright, and agreed with his "HATE" Speech, sitting there soaking up his "God Damned America" theme and agreeing the victims of 9/11 deserved what they got because "THE CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME TO ROOST".. Obama is a carpetbagging fraud!

I’m running because of what Dr. King called the “fierce urgency of now.”

[leftofcool]

2. Yea and leave half the troops over there

[Catherina]

3. Thank you Bigtree.

AFAIC the war issue trumps all. Thanks for your important thread. K&R

[bigtree]

9. I just saw the senator on television remark on Iraq

He was in Gary, Indiana . . . it'll probably take about an hour or so for excerpts in the local media. Maybe someone's blogging it . . .

[Catherina]

11. If you catch them, let me know or add it to your journal

so I can read about it. I'm stuck at work all day. :hi:

[bigtree]

16. Gary

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama spoke to a crowd of people at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Gary, Indiana Thursday. When discussing the war in Iraq, Obama said that Bush had to reduce the length of rotations because the military had no other choice. "The Army was saying it can't sustain the rotation these people are on."

"I want to bring this war in Iraq to a close. We will do it at a careful pace."

"Our troops have done everything that has been asked of them. They have performed magnificently."

http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/Obama-I-want-to-bring-war-to-a-close-/1207850804.html



Obama said Bush's announcement means 140,000 troops will be in Iraq until the end of the year. "In other words there is no end in sight under the Bush policy," he told a few thousand people at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Gary, Ind. Obama also said that Bush had to reduce the length of rotations because the military had no other choice. "The Army was saying it can't sustain the rotation these people are on," he said.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h5g6j9jCMUKAPB08_aMvC8XnQqIQD8VV68H80

[Catherina]

17. Thank you

140,000 troops will be in Iraq until the end of 2009? I wish we had the luxury of getting our hands on his plan and examining it very closely. Didn't Clinton say she'd commit to withdrawing one or two combat brigades per month? Is Obama committing to any numbers?

What a mess we've gotten into!

[Alter Ego]

"The fierce urgency of now."

That reminds me strongly of William Daniels' portrayal of John Adams in "1776".

When James Wilson tells Adams that we are not yet "ready" for independence, Adams stares at him and says "For once in your life, Wilson, take a damn chance. I say the time is NOW."

[MethuenProgressive]

4. Bill Richardson says Obama will leave troops there until at least 2013.

http://action.richardsonforpresident.com/page/content/2013/obamarecord/

OBAMA RECORD
Refuses to Pledge to Get Our Troops Out by 2013, the End Of His First Term
RUSSERT: "Will you pledge that by January 2013, the end of your first term, more than five years from now, there will be no U.S. troops in Iraq?"

OBAMA: "I think it's hard to project four years from now, and I think it would be irresponsible. We don't know what contingency will be out there.

What I can promise is that if there are still troops in Iraq when I take office -- which it appears there may be, unless we can get some of our Republican colleagues to change their mind and cut off funding without a timetable -- if there's no timetable -- then I will drastically reduce our presence there to the mission of protecting our embassy, protecting our civilians, and making sure that we're carrying out counterterrorism activities there. I believe that we should have all our troops out by 2013, but I don't want to make promises, not knowing what the situation's going to be three or four years out."
-- From 9/26 DNC Debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Would Leave a Residual Force of Up to 60,000 troops in Iraq
"My plan for ending the war would turn the page in Iraq by removing our combat troops from Iraq's civil war."
-- Speech in Clinton, Iowa 9/12/2007.

Under the Obama plan, American troops may remain in Iraq or the region. These American troops will protect American diplomatic and military personnel in Iraq, and continue striking at al Qaeda in Iraq. If Iraq makes political progress and their security forces are not sectarian, we would also continue training othe Iraqi Security Forces.
-- Barack Obama: Turning the Page in Iraq. BarackObama.com

The Center for American Progress estimates that such an undertaking in Iraq would require a force of around 60,000 troops.
-- "Strategic Redeployment 2.0: A Progressive Strategy for Iraq." The Center for American Progress. By Lawrence Korb and Brian Katulis. May 2006.

Claims to Want to End War, but Votes for Half Measures
Senator Obama has again and again advocated ending the war in Iraq, but has settled for half measures, including an amendment proposed by Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) that, by Senator Levin's own admission, would only, "cut troop levels in Iraq by more than half."
-- From "Senate Blocks Bill on Combat Tours." Associated Press. By Anne Flaherty. 19 September 2007.Text

edit, fixed link

[babylonsister]

6. From the Richardson for President site? BWHAHAHA! Is that the

best you can do? From 2006? Gimme a break. :eyes:

[loveangelc]

30. is that why he endorsed him?

[bahrbearian]

5. Ya sure , and give the guard rest between deployment.s

and expand the military to its largest levels ever. Why do we deploy the national guard overseas? What are we deploying them to do?

Fom his web site:

Expand the Military: We have learned from Iraq that our military needs more men and women in uniform to reduce the strain on our active force. Obama will increase the size of ground forces, adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army and 27,000 Marines.

New Capabilities: Obama will give our troops new equipment, armor, training, and skills like language training. He will also strengthen our civilian capacity, so that our civilian agencies have the critical skills and equipment they need to integrate their efforts with our military.

Strengthen Guard and Reserve: Obama will restore the readiness of the National Guard and Reserves. He will permit them adequate time to train and rest between deployments, and provide the National Guard with the equipment they need for foreign and domestic emergencies. He will also give the Guard a seat at the table by making the Chief of the National Guard a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

[bigtree]

20. right. we need to return the Guard to its traditional role

. . . and pull these part time troops away from these opportunistic engagements.


Date: Thursday, May 10, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today sent the following letter to President Bush requesting that he ensure that the National Guard has the resources necessary to respond to domestic emergencies and disasters:

Dear President Bush:

I’m troubled by reports that our emergency response capabilities continue to be hampered because National Guard resources have been diverted overseas. The Guard provides our first defense against disasters that strike on our soil. In light of the tragic events in Greensburg, Kansas, I’m writing to ask you that the federal government ensure that the National Guard has the resources necessary to respond to disasters here at home.

In my home state of Illinois, the Air National Guard reports shortages of trucks, earth movers, and other equipment critical to emergency response. According to the Government Accountability Office, the Illinois National Guard only has 45.6% of its dual-use equipment on hand. That’s under half of what we need to dam the Mississippi if it overflows. That’s under half of what we need to respond to deadly tornadoes. That’s under half of what we need to evacuate wounded civilians from an attack.

Our National Guard should never be overstretched to the point where we allow our homeland security and emergency response capabilities to erode. We must provide our troops with all of the resources they need to perform their missions overseas, but we must also ensure that civilians at home are protected from natural disasters and security threats.

Governor Sebelius was right to question the diversion of the Guard’s resources and personnel overseas. There’s no question that this has undercut our emergency preparedness and our homeland security. While the Emergency Management Assistance Compact allows states to cooperate in times of emergency, you know that during a disaster, time equals lives, and the extra time needed to mobilize outside assistance cannot compare with the effectiveness of having people and equipment positioned and ready to respond to a disaster. Your administration should make available all aid necessary to help the residents of Greensburg recover from the tragedy that leveled their homes. The National Governors Association has requested budget authority to reequip Army and Air National Guard units returning from overseas missions – and that authority should be granted.

We cannot afford to learn a lesson about unmet needs each time a disaster strikes. The National Guard is the essential mechanism through which states prepare for and respond to emergencies. If your administration chooses to divert state resources to assist the military overseas, this gap should be filled in order to protect Americans at home.

http://obama.senate.gov/press/070508-obama_asks_pres/

[thevoiceofreason]

26. Kick

Good post - thanks

[hisownpetard]

8. Thanks, bigtree.

:hi:

[endarkenment]

10. Thanks for posting something actually positive.

It is such a breath of fresh air in here. Plus, aren't you still a Clinton supporter? You get three extra scoops of ice cream, and a pony!

[Catherina]

12. The whipped cream's on me

BigTree makes me wish I could look past and forgive Senator Clinton for the things I hold against her. That's no small feat.

[samsingh]

13. intent and making it a reality aren't necessarily the same thing

shrub and his criminal regime have caused a lots of destruction that can't be undone that easily.

some things are just too broken

[emilyg]

15. The road to hell is

paved with intentions.

[bigtree]

14. kick

:kick:

[Megahurtz]

18. It's about time!

[bigtree]

21. Senator Obama's statement from today

Statement of Barack Obama on President Bush's Stay the Course Iraq Strategy

CHICAGO, IL - Senator Obama released the following statement on President Bush' strategy of staying the course in Iraq:

President Bush gave no answer to the most important question about the way forward in Iraq: how will we end this war that is not making us safer? After five years, over four thousand lives, and over half a trillion dollars, we have a blank check strategy in Iraq that is overstretching our military, distracting us from the other challenges we face, burdening our economy, and failing to pressure the Iraqi government to take responsibility for their future. We cannot press Iraq’s leaders to resolve their differences and spend their money if our plan is to stay in Iraq indefinitely. We cannot relieve the enormous strain on our military and our military families unless we restore adequate time at home for our troops – 12 month deployments represent a step forward, but we need to give our troops adequate dwell time at home. We cannot finish the fight in Afghanistan and focus on Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda’s core leadership unless we end this war that should’ve never been authorized. The decision to go to war in Iraq was an enormous strategic blunder, and President Bush is only adding to his disastrous legacy by refusing to show the American people any clear goal or any clear plan to end the war. When I am President, I will bring our combat brigades home in 16 months, engage in the direct diplomacy in the region that is necessary to stabilize Iraq, restore our military strength, and renew our security and standing in the world. Our heroic troops have accomplished every mission that we have given them in Iraq and they have done so brilliantly; it is time to bring them home, and to ask the Iraqis to take responsibility for their country.


http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGBcQn

[bigtree]

19. kick

:kick:

[azmouse]

22. K&R

[bigtree]

23. kick

:kick:

[azmouse]

27. ...

[peoli]

24. This post is an Ogasm! K&R!

[bigtree]

25. like a kid with a new toy

cheeky inditer

[IsItJustMe]

28. K&/r

[bigtree]

29. kick

:kick:

[totodeinhere]

31. Let's face it. Obama and Clinton have identical Iraq policies.

Both favor an "orderly" withdrawal which would have most troops out by 2009 but which would leave a contingency force to go after Al Qaeda if necessary.

[bhikkhu]

32. K&R - Thanks for a great post

and thanks for its partner too - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5445320&mesg_id=5445320

's why the party is worth it.

[bigtree]

36. .

:thumbsup:

[intaglio]

34. Thanks, bigtree

I wish that my posts could be as substantive as this. I seem to recall a line from somewhere that it is the quiet voices that make the most noise in the world, you have a quiet, bipartisan voice.

[grantcart]

35. k and r

[liberaldem4ever]

37. Thanks for the great post and pictures

:kick:

[bigtree]

38. no prob

I'm looking for as much current stuff (post Petraeus) from the senator on Iraq as I can find. I get the feeling that I'm missing a lot of what he's actually said in the past few days on this. Extremely important, I think, given Bush's posture yesterday. The candidates can influence the debate NOW. I'm looking to highlight that.

[quantass]

39. k&r