Here’s Why:

Is Evelyn Pringle still among us somewhere?

I worry about her safety. It’s been a few weeks since we have heard from her.

Obama’s Iraq plan: Bringing our troops home
By Sam Graham-Felsen - Sep 12th, 2007 at 2:08 pm EDT

In October of 2002, Barack Obama declared, “I don’t oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war.”

He had the judgment and prescience to know that this was a war we should have never waged — a war he believed would lead to an “occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs and undetermined consequences.”

More importantly, he the courage to speak out against it when so many others were cowed into supporting, and even cheerleading, Bush’s disastrous policy. He was right on the war when it mattered — before it was popular or politically savvy — and now he has the right plan to end the war.

Senator Obama wants to end the war responsibly, and today he’s delivering a comprehensive and detailed plan to turn the page on Iraq.

The first step in Obama’s plan is to starting bringing our troops home immediately. Each month, one to two combat brigades would redeploy, with all of our troops engaged in combat out of Iraq by the end of next year. Barack understands that bringing our troops home is the best way to pressure the Iraqi government to make political accommodations and begin healing the nation’s sectarian rifts.

Here’s what he had to say today in Clinton, Iowa:

Let me be clear: there is no military solution in Iraq, and there never was. The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraqs leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year now. We should enter into talks with the Iraqi government to discuss the process of our drawdown. We must get out strategically and carefully, removing troops from secure areas first, and keeping troops in more volatile areas until later. But our drawdown should proceed at a steady pace of one or two brigades each month. If we start now, all of our combat brigades should be out of Iraq by the end of next year.

Obama Says That His First Action as President Would be to Bring U.S. Troops Home from Iraq

Is Obama playing us for fools on Iraq?
by kingsbridge77, Wed Jun 18, 2008 at 01:14:25 AM EST

Our nominee, Barack Obama, has vowed to withdraw our troops from Iraq at a relatively fast pace. But today’s Washington Post reports that in a recent meeting with the Iraqi foreign minister, Obama said, Whatever decision he will reach will be made through close consultation with the Iraqi government and U.S. military commanders in the field.”Previously, he had given us a detailed withdrawal plan which is described in his website barackobama.com: Obama has a plan to immediately begin withdrawing our troops engaged in combat operations at a pace of one or two brigades every month, to be completed by the end of next year.But now things change, and what was a decision taken by Obama is now up to him AND David Petraeus and/or any other warmongering general who may or may not decide that troops must stay in Iraq for X amount of time. Obama’s meeting with foreign minister Zebari was so reassuring that Zebari doubts that there is any significant difference between Obama and…hold on to your seats…John McCain. Mr. Zebari says he believes U.S. forces can and should be drawn down. His point is that reductions should be made gradually, as the Iraqi army becomes stronger. The foreign minister said “my message” to Mr. Obama “was very clear. . . . Really, we are making progress. I hope any actions you will take will not endanger this progress.” He said he was reassured by the candidate’s response, which caused him to think that Mr. Obama might not differ all that much from Mr. McCain.

Get our troops out by the end of 2009 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. Currently, we are spending $9 to $10 billion a month. The notion is that we are going to sustain that at the same time as we’re neglecting what we see happening in Afghanistan right now, where you have a luxury hotel in Kabul blown up by militants and the situation continues to worsen.

Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Las Vegas Jan 15, 2008

No permanent bases in Iraq My first job as president is going to be to call in the Joint Chiefs of Staff to responsibly, carefully, but deliberately start to phase out our involvement there and to make sure that we are putting the onus on the Iraqi government to come together and do what they need to do to arrive at peace. I have been very specific in saying that we will not have permanent bases there. I will end the war as we understand it in combat missions. But that we are going to have to protect our embassy. We’re going to have to protect our civilians. We’re engaged in humanitarian activity there. We are going to have to have some presence that allows us to strike if Al Qaida is creating bases inside of Iraq. So I cannot guarantee that we’re not going to have a strategic interest that I have to carry out as commander-in-chief to maintain some troop presence there, but it is not going to be engaged in a war and it will not be this sort of permanent bases and permanent military occupation that Bush seems to be intent on.

Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Las Vegas Jan 15, 2008 Obama Denies Change In Iraq Policy

FARGO, N.D. Democrat Barack Obama struggled Thursday to explain how his upcoming trip to Iraq might refine, but not basically alter, his promise to quickly remove U.S. combat troops from the war.

A dustup over war policy _ one of the main issues separating the Illinois senator from his Republican opponent, John McCain _ overshadowed Obama’s town-hall meeting here with veterans to talk about patriotism and his plans to care for them. Republicans pounced on the chance to characterize Obama as altering one of the core policies that drove his candidacy “for the sake of political expedience.” He denied equally forcefully that he was shifting positions.

Arriving in Fargo, Obama hastily called a news conference to discuss news of a sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, but the questioning turned to Iraq policy and his impending trip there.

“I am going to do a thorough assessment when I’m there,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll have more information and continue to refine my policy.”

He left the impression that his talks with military commanders there could refine his promise to remove U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office.

Less than four hours later, after the town hall meeting, Obama appeared before reporters for another statement and round of questions to “try this again.”

“Apparently I was not clear enough this morning,” he said. He blamed any confusion on the McCain campaign, which he said had “primed the pump with the press” to suggest “we were changing our policy when we haven’t.”

“I have said throughout this campaign that this war was ill-conceived, that it was a strategic blunder and that it needs to come to an end,” he said. “I have also said I would be deliberate and careful about how we get out. That position has not changed. I am not searching for maneuvering room with respect to that position.”

He promised to summon the Joint Chiefs of Staff on his first day in office “and I will give them a new mission and that is to end this war, responsibly and deliberately, but decisively.”

He said that when he talked earlier about refining his policy after talking with commanders in Iraq, he was referring not to his 16-month timeline, but to how many troops may need to remain in Iraq to train the local army and police and what troop presence might be needed “`to be sure al-Qaida doesn’t re-establish a foothold there.”

“I will bring our troops out at a pace of one two brigades a month” which would mean the United States would be totally out of Iraq in 16 months. “That is what I intend to do as president of the United States.”

But later in the session, he said it is possible the 16-month timeline could slip if the pace of withdrawal needs to be slowed some months to ensure troop safety. “I have always said … I would always reserve the right to do what’s best,” Obama said.

During his presidential campaign, Obama has gone from the hard-edged, vocal opposition to Iraq that defined his early candidacy to more nuanced rhetoric that calls for the phased-out drawdown of all combat brigades that, at a rate of one or two a month, could take 16 months. He has said that if al-Qaida builds bases in Iraq, he would keep troops either in the country or the region to carry out “targeted strikes.”

Republicans, who have claimed Obama needs an update on the situation in Iraq, e-mailed a midday broadside.

“There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience,” said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the national Republican Party. “Obama’s Iraq problem undermines the central premise of his candidacy and shows him to be a typical politician.”

McCain, has been a vocal supporter of the Iraq war and war policy has been a central disagreement between the two candidates.

But Obama insisted his position has not changed at all. He pointed out he has always said, “We need to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in.” This means, he said, that his 16-month timeline “was always premised on” not endangering either U.S. troops or Iraq’s stability, which he had previously been told by commanders was possible.

“I’m going to continue to gather information to see whether those conditions still hold,” he said. “My goal is to end this conflict as soon as possible.”

“I continue to believe that it is a strategic error for us to maintain a long-term occupation in Iraq at a time when conditions in Afghanistan are worsening, al-Qaida is continuing to establish bases in areas of northwest Pakistan, resources there are severely strained and we are spending $10 to $12 billion a month in Iraq that we desperately need here at home, not to mention the strains on our military,” Obama said.

Obama plans a visit this summer to Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. The Illinois senator also has said he intends to visit Iraq and Afghanistan this summer as part of an official congressional trip that would be separate from the campaign-funded Mideast and European tour. It would be his second trip to Iraq.

Obama’s Web site contains this direct promise about Iraq: “Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. Obama will make it clear that we will not build any permanent bases in Iraq. He will keep some troops in Iraq to protect our embassy and diplomats; if al-Qaida attempts to build a base within Iraq, he will keep troops in Iraq or elsewhere in the region to carry out targeted strikes on al-Qaida.”

McCain was an early supporter of increasing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq as President Bush did last year. He wants to pursue the current counterinsurgency tactics to give Iraqis time to work out a political reconciliation. He has said he’s willing to see some U.S. troops stay there as much as 100 years but not if they are being wounded or killed in combat. Rather he supports keeping a military presence in that part of the world because of its volatility.

Video: Obama’s Iraq policy speech
By Sam Graham-Felsen - Sep 13th, 2007 at 10:50 am EDT

The New York Times wrote that Senator Obama’s speech in Clinton, Iowa was his “his most extensive plan yet for winding down the war in Iraq.”

Watch the video:

Submitted by BuzzFlash on Sat, 01/05/2008 - 11:26am. Alerts

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

January 5, 2008

In an 11-minute interview with hometown Chicago radio broadcaster and journalist, Roland Martin, Barack Obama revealed that his first act, if elected president, would be to pull our troops out of Iraq as quickly as possible.

You can listen to the interview, conducted the morning after Obama’s victory in Iowa here.

BuzzFlash has excerpted the key Iraq question and answer below. But there’s a lot more interesting stuff to listen to in a rather candid, hoarse conversation between Obama and Martin.

Roland Martin: If you are elected what is the very first thing that you focus on as Commander in Chief of this country?

Barack Obama: Well, we will call in the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I will give them a new assignment and that is to bring our troops home in a careful, responsible way, but to end this occupation in Iraq. I will call in my Secretary of State and initiate the diplomacy that’s needed to make sure that exit is accompanied by negotiations between the Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds.

Obama responds to a number of revealing questions, including discussing how he would stop the tax breaks for the wealthy.

As far as the claim that he lacks experience, Obama pointed out that if he lacks experience how is he out organizing political campaigns that have been running for years.

A good point indeed.

Obama also discusses the echoing of Lincoln and MLK in his speeches.

But his first step as president would be to take the steps necessary to bring our troops home from Iraq.

Clear Message! That’s the best thing about this video and why it would be more effective than others. Visual messages coupled with the verbal just might reach people. Right now, the message about him is muddled. this clears it up, puts out a simple phrase or sentence and emphasizes it with graphics.

This would make a good TV ad, too. The drums and beat are catchy, and you could rotate 3 or so and the message would rotate. You’d never know if a new one was coming, so people would tend to watch - kind of like a serial ad!

That he had held no hearings was the first clue to me as well. Also, after my mother voted for him on Super Tuesday she “fell out of love” when he admitted to holding no hearings in a debate, and his excuse was that he was only the chair since Jan 2007, since the beginning of his presidential campaign.

You’re kidding, right? Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. The question is whether East Jerusalem which was captured by Israel from Jordan in 1967 should remain united under Israeli rule. Other than this I agree with you: NOBAMA!

People need to learn to be impeccable with ones words as they will come back to haunt you..

Lies have a funny way of doing that.

NOBAMA!

do you think they need help? because we are ready any thing they need

He is really good at winking when he speaks to certain groups.

He knows how to line up people as a backdrop for his artful dribble.

He can flip the bird inconspicuously.

He can…

He’s pretty good at threatening people for posting opposing opinions on sites like No Quarter, too. “Fight the Smears” = Gestapo tactics. Come to think of it, he’s learning a pretty good impersonation of Der Fuhrer…

When it becomes all about him. He is certainly one of the most narcissistic and self-absorbed (even for a politician) persons on the planet. His supporters are more like goose-stepping brownshirts. They are one scary bunch–never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

If you have no record, you have to fill your biography with hot air!

Plea to Pres. Clinton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGQgrI9QsRo

AA’s are making a bad decision voting for Obama

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRN7iQWeFOg

FISA falls in his favor if elected. He needs this in place. He knows he will inherit a corrupt administration to his benefit.

His Middle East dealings are a part of his web and he has great plans for his true constituents. He and pawns will need to have protection in place.

…Just like Campaign Financing falls in his favor.

He is very thoughtful.

HRC would be a formidable opponent for McCain; Oblahblah will simply wither under GOP fire. I can’t wait to hear the prolonged whine from the Obamabots in November.

Thank you for the link. That governor and Obama are in this thing up to their eyes. I think you right he’ll be the one to turn on Obama if he thinks for one second he’s going down.

So, Hillary would say or do anything to get elected. She was a panderer, but Obama is strong? We need the equivalent of the Boston Tea Party for the media. Talk about pandering.

WTF?
Did he get a lesson in email correspondance from Donna Brazile?

And whats with “siempre adelente”? Always forward? Wasn’t that a spiritual phrase coopted by Che????

Holy crap! Now the Supser Delegates are threatening us that if we don’t vote for Obama we will be taken away in the middle of the night to a concentration camp?

I am so sick of being threatened by these people? Do they have no shame? No boundaries? How could an attorney put such a threat in writing? Any attorney knows he could be imprisoned for making a threat like this, so I really wonder what he knows that we don’t? What gives him the brazen nerve to make a statement like this? I am very afraid of the Obama machine now!

How could anyone even consider keeping these people in office?

Try to get that to a news source, even if local only, I know I know..they probably won’t report it, but try. I would post it everywhere. Crazy, insulting, out of their minds.

Just an FYI: From the Orange Basement(HUFFPO) “Jason Burnett, Bush Official Who Just Resigned, To Aid Obama”. This should be interesting.
This makes those current administration arguments pale a bit.

I just called this asshole and received an earful of profanities, insults and threats. I decided to write this letter to the Sacramento Bee:

Democratic superdelegate Ybarra threatens voters:

Editor:

Recently democratic superdelegate Steven J.Yabarra, of Sacramento, California, threatened voters with a concentration camp stay if they did not vote for Obama.

Here is what this lawyer said when asked by a number of people to consider new information about Obama that may make him unqualified to be the President of the United States:

“good for you, when the fascists come in the middle of the night to take you to a concentration camp, remember how you voted. Take me off your whiner list.”

I called this individual to express my concern and received the same, threatening response from him, marked by yelling, threats, and profanities.

Is this the kind of superdelegate the democrats are relying on? Is this the way to get a vote for Obama, threaten voters with a concentration camp stay?

This man does not represent what I know to be the democratic party. He should be ashamed of himself, sanctioned, and should know better, as a lawyer, to make threats against voters. It is undemocratic and represents conduct unbecoming of a super delegate.

With a threat like this from Mr. Ybarra, you can be sure my vote will not be for Barack Obama.

There are three places of relative importance to the Train, watching it go by, in front of it or driving it.

If the “Train” is fascism, then this elected representative is saying that your choices are to 1) watch it happen, 2) oppose it and pay the price, i.e., be run over, or 3) get on board and reap the benefits.

Steven J. Ybarra, all that is required for evil to triumph is for ethical midgets like yourself to get on board. Welcome to it. May you relive your choice at the Pearly Gates.

Isn’t that a terroristic threat? You can have people arrested for that since 9/11. Call the cops and homeland security on that b@#tard!

Hey! I have taken to wearing tin foil hats so I don’t turn into a OBAMAZOMBIE! ROTFLMAO

His Army:

Michelle Princeton Thesis, Axelrod, Richardson, Russert, Matthews, Mrs. Greenspan, Z. Brezinski, Wright, Ayres, Rezko, Rita, Auchi, Soros, Alsaamare, Jarrett, Davis, Daley, Uncle Frank, Hidden Away Grandmother, Odingo, Sinclair, Meeks, Phleger, Kennedy, Dead Choir Director, Hamas, Kerry, Edwards, Donna, Howard, Harry, Nancy, Pakistan (to be pronounced ‘Pockeeeston)’, ACORN, HR40, Woods Foundation, Hawaii, Indonesia, atheism, bogus COLB, Mika, Keith, Abrams, No Smears . com, FISA, Refinement, Distraction, Annie Oakley, guns, bibles, antipathy, Carter, Monsanto, Excelon, Dreams of My Father, Audacity, Hope, Change, Inartful, General Clark….I am getting very sleepy…

No wonder. The wicked witch is sending out her flying monkeys into the poppy fields. Kansas? How ironic, my little pretty. Who is the man behind the curtain giving out the false bravado, the heart and brains?

His typical white Grandmother who is currently indispose in Hawaii.