It amazes me how many people are under this illusion that Senator Obama will pull our troops out of Iraq within 16 months of assuming office. Why do I doubt that he’ll actually pull out within 16 months?
Well, lets take a look at the history of Obama’s stances on Iraq:
- First, in September of 2007, Obama said, “So let me be clear. There is no military solution in Iraq. There never was. The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq’s leaders to resolvetheir civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year, but now.”
- Then, as his campaign picked up steam during the primary, he said in primary debates that he’d have our troops out of Iraq within 6 months of assuming office.
- Then on January 15, 2008, he changed it to the end of 2009 (a little over 11 months): “I have put forward a plan that will get our troops out by the end of 2009. We already saw today reports that the Iraqi minister suggests that we’re going to be in there at least until 2018, a decade-long commitment.” So that was an increase of 5 months.
- Obama’s current plan is to have troops out within 16 months, another increase of 5 years months (sorry – my bad).
But is that statement even true? This is an excerpt from his website:
Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began.
Under the Obama-Bidenplan, a residual force will remain in Iraq and in the region to conduct targeted counter-terrorism missions against al Qaeda in Iraq and to protect American diplomatic and civilian personnel. They will not build permanent bases in Iraq, but will continue efforts to train and support the Iraqi security forces as long as Iraqi leaders move toward political reconciliation and away from sectarianism.
He never actually even says how many troops will be left there. And how is this any different than what McCain wants to do? McCain wants to leave as soon as possible, just like Obama, but McCain wants to make sure the job is done well.
And Obama, before going to Iraq, told reporters:
And as I’ve said before, and this was true during the heat of the primary, it was true when we posted this Web site. I have always said, and again, you can take a look at the language, that as commander-in-chief, I would always reserve the right to do what’s best in America’s national interests. And if it turned out, for example, that, you know, we had to, in certain months, slow the pace because of the safety of American troops in terms of getting combat troops out, of course we would take that into account. I would be a poor commander-in-chief if I didn’t take facts on the ground into account.
And he also said (before he went to Iraq), “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…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.”
Even Matt Sous, the President of Students for Obama at Central Michigan University said during a debate last year, “Our goal is not to get out of Iraq, but to put pressure on the leaders there.”
When Senator Obama says that he will have us out within 16 months, it is nothing more than a ploy to get votes. He’ll keep saying, “5 more months” whenever the deadline gets near, and we’ll be there just as long as Senator McCain would keep us there. The difference is that Obama refuses to admit that he will keep us in Iraq just as long as Senator McCain would.
Hopefully people begin to see the light, and start supporting Senator McCain.
Done Ranting,
Ranting Republican
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Tags: 2008 Election, 2008 Primary, Barack Obama, Debate, Democrat, Democrats, Dishonesty, Election, General Election, Iraq, John McCain, Military, Military Base, Politics, Primary, Republican, Soldier, Troops, War
October 14, 2008 at 5:00 PM
“Obama’s current plan is to have troops out within 16 months, another increase of 5 years.”
MORE math—LESS ranting!
October 14, 2008 at 5:32 PM
Sorry – my bad. Thanks.
October 24, 2008 at 12:57 AM
I am not in a position to leave this country, but thought of the next two years
kind of makes wish I could relocate to another country.
Would a Obama administration be bad? It will probably be a duplication of Carter’s stay in the White House. The only thing that would open his supporters eyes, is for him to be elected, and then it will be too late. Unlike some people, I do not necessarily think Obama is a bad person, it is more like he is on the wrong track, but then, what do I know?
It is does not appear that Senator McCain will win, but even if he did. the Democrats would be at war with him.
November 4, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Prices will go up under Obama, much as they did under Carter; that much is plain. I said will go up, because it appears Obama will win the election.
Concerning the Middle East; It appears Obama has NO clue as to what is
going on there. But that said, we will have to wait and see.
Concerning the economy: Wealthy blacks and whites will go back to their
nice houses; poor blacks and whites will go back their shacks and trailers; no change their.
As for the energy crisis: it will get worse, no doubt.
November 12, 2008 at 1:57 AM
[...] la rue par les requins de Wall Street, ces banquiers sans morale et sans scrupules, Obama vient de décréter qu’il ne sortira pas de l’Irak avant un autre 16 [...]
November 23, 2008 at 7:33 PM
[...] I’ve said before, Obama is all talk, on taxes, on Iraq, and on a lot of what he says. He was elected on promises that he never intended to fulfill, but [...]
March 30, 2009 at 11:54 PM
The American people trust that Barack Obama will conscientiously address Iraq issues.
LONG LIVE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA!
Speaking of Barack Obama:
Barack Obama is a racial-minority individual and does not like racism:
(I) I do solemnly swear by Almighty God that George W. Bush committed hate crimes of epic proportions and with the stench of terrorism which I am not at liberty to mention. Many people know what Bush did. And many people will know what Bush did—even until the end of the world. Bush was absolute evil. Bush is now like a fugitive from justice. Bush is a psychological prisoner. Bush often worries. In any case, Bush will go down in history in infamy.
(II) It is opined that Bill Clinton committed terrifying, racist, hate crimes during his presidency, and I am not free to say anything further about it.
(III) What if basically all racial-minority people would subscribe to the interpretations that George Herbert Walker Bush committed monstrous, racist, hate crimes while he was the President of the United States? It will eventually come out: it is only a matter of time.
(IV) I know it may be hard to believe. However, it is absolutely true that Ronald Wilson Reagan committed horrible, racist, hate crimes during his presidency. Numbers 32:23: “Be sure your sins will find you out.”
- A.W.
(I can type 90 words per minute, and there are thousands of copies on the Internet (as of March 29, 2009) indicating the contents of (I), (II), (III), and (IV). And there are thousands of copies in very many countries around the world.)
“BAD NEWS FROM THE UNITED STATES: ON THE HATE CRIMES AND ETERNAL INFAMIES OF GEORGE W. BUSH, BILL CLINTON, GEORGE H.W. BUSH, AND RONALD REAGAN” BLOG OF ANDREW YU-JEN WANG
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‘If only there could be a ban against invention that bottled up memory like scent & it never faded & it never got stale.’ Off the top of my head, it came from my Lower Merion High School yearbook.
April 17, 2009 at 1:26 PM
[...] Obama first started running for office he promised the voters that he would start pulling out troops from Iraq within 6 months. He later extended this time frame. Then extended it again. Some people believe that the reason he [...]
April 20, 2009 at 4:37 PM
[...] Obama first started running for office he promised the voters that he would start pulling out troops from Iraq within 6 months. He later extended this time frame. Then extended it again. Some people believe that the reason he [...]