The reality on the ground in Iraq is much different than what we are hearing in the media. The US is on the brink of winning the Iraq War, Al-Qaeda is defeated, and the government has reached 15 of the 18 benchmarks.
So it was bound to happen...
Obama squirmed when he was asked about the success of the surge in the past, but today he could deny it no longer.
Obama admitted the Bush Surge is working:
(55 seconds)
Today, Obama finally admitted to the great success of the Bush Surge:
"If current trends continue and we were in a position where we continue to see reductions in violence and stabilization and continue to see some improvements on the part of the Iraqi Army and the Iraqi police, then my hope could be that we could draw down in a deliberate fashion in consultation with the Iraqi government at a pace that is determined in consultation with General Petraeus and the other commanders on the ground."This is a far cry from what Obama said about the surge last year:
"We cannot impose a military solution on what has effectively become a civil war. And until we acknowledge that reality, uh, we can send 15,000 more troops; 20,000 more troops; 30,000 more troops. Uh, I don't know any, uh, expert on the region or any military officer that I've spoken to, uh, privately that believes that that is gonna make a substantial difference on the situation on the ground."** The Military Times has more on Obama's latest positions on Iraq.
Today's interview is a far cry from his promises to retreat.
Just last year Obama wanted America to be confident that he would be the one to end this war in Iraq:
This was Obama's platform throughout the primaries.
But, now Obama is finally admitting the Bush surge is working.
Halleluiah!
Babalu has more on Obama's newest spin term- "residual forces."
And, The Campaign Spot has more on his ever evolving positions on Iraq from his interview today.
Hat Tip B. Nelson
Every politician (or journalist / pundit) who said "It's a civil war" needs to be asked --
ReplyDelete-- Was it really, at the time you said it, not to mention now?
-- If so, Who won? Who lost?
-- Is it over? When did it end?
If I 'admit' that the sun will rise in the East tomorrow, do I rate one of those Halleluiahs! as well ?
ReplyDeleteOr do I have to have insisted for years that the sun will never rise again or if it does it will be from the West before I qualify?
This guy is a clueless, pandering, ideologically suspect, incompetent. That he might become President of the most powerful county in the World is a truly scary prospect.
Hell I KNEW the surge was working 9 months ago and I'm not even very bright. And I don't get to read all those confidential briefing documents that supposedly spell things out for the elites in Washington. I just read people like you, Michael Yon, and others actually ON THE SCENE in Iraq.
What a shame that American politics has come down to this.
This guy is a complete disgrace.
"I was against the surge before I was for it."
ReplyDeleteBTW - think about this: this neophyte has never ordered any police action, let alone a WAR.
he has never even been in charge of any disaster response. not a flood, not an earthquake. nothing.
AND YET PEOPLE THINK HE IS QUALIFIED TO BE POTUS and COMMANDER IN CHIEF!?!?
What McCain lacks in executive experience he makes up for in his proven bravery, courage, integrity DURING WAR, during captivity, and while serving during the last three decades in the House and Senate - where he took on ALL the important issues of his day.
I care about as much about what Obama has to say in matters of war as I would what he has to say on matters of quantum mechanics.
He knows little about either and is unfit to lead any enterprise involving either.
God help us please if he is elected.
Hey Obama, THAT WASN'T THE DEAL DUDE!
ReplyDeleteIT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE TROOPS OUT LIKE, YESTERDAY!!
DAMN THE TORPEDOS, FULL RETREAT AND THE IRAQI'S CAN HANG!!
LIAR!
BAMBOOZELER!
FLIM FLAMMER!
NEO-CON!!!!
++
ReplyDeletethe only CHANGE America has witnessed in the past several decades has been afforded to US by the ACTIONS of President George W. Bush.. the only HOPE America has witnessed in the past several decades has been the FREEDOM afforded to over 50 million people by President George W. Bush..
God Bless Soldiers everywhere for putting THEIR
lives on the line to protect us ALL from terrorism!
God Bless America & God Bless GWB!!
Obama's only HOPE is to be able to CHANGE his mind as many times as political expedience will afford him..
==
Well said all, well said BG.
ReplyDeleteTrue Change, True Hope.
Bush has set free 50 million people from the Taliban and from Saddam.
For the first time in Middle East history, Bush has forced a democracy to emerge; albeit precarious, it is still a represnetative government that must answer to the people.
WTG President! Soldiers! Generals!
And God Bless the 60 million that voted for Victory in 2004!
God Bless McCain for insisting upon victory and the surge as well. He was proven correct in his assessments and unlike the Democrats that fought for defeat of America and destruction of Iraqis, he stood firm for Victory!
Victory for Iraqis as well! Where thy now have freedom of the press in thousands of media publications, online internet, bloggers, etc.
WTG, WTG!
Now... lets continue to support the Iraqis as they move forward in their Provincial elections. Lets support this new democracy, like we supported Europe, Japan and South Korea, so that Iraq may now enter upon the stage of Free Countries!
So 1215 worn out overstretched troops reenlisted in 'Iraq' on the 4th of July. Those without service to the country or those that were failures at service to their country will never understand this. When will they start the conspiricy tale that the troops were held at gunpoint and forced to 'once again take the oath'? Too bad members of congress and democrat presidents don't take their oath as serious as a military member does.
ReplyDeleteRetired military-22 yrs/Volunteer Firefighter/Volunteer EMT-15 yrs.
Let's continue to pray the voters are smarter than the Junior Senator come November!
ReplyDeletechuckles Padre, that is a mighty big wompom prayer service ;-)
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, prayer that they see thru the media bias as well, or that the media finally realizes and wakes up to the weak candidate they pushed upon America.
ReplyDeleteThe little statement at the end was telling...
"and if OTOH you have a deteriorating situation of something, then, uh, and, uh thats going to have to be taken into account"
Like what Mr Obama? Like staying there longer Mr. Obama? Like making sure the Iraqis keep their freedoms? You mean like a reasonable action to keep tyrants from taking over again? I sure hope someone runs that back at him and questions him on more detail.
Ahmad Batebi is free and in the United States!! You can find him on Facebook!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Jim and great comments, especially Joshua and Doug, who may not be the messiah but is a lot smarter than he claims he is.
ReplyDeleteJim, it would be great if you added to your post that not only did Obama say the Surge would fail, he said it would make things worse.
Anyone who couldn't distinguish between a civil war and an insurgency supported by al Qaeda and Iran isn't fit to be POTUS.
There is no question, however that Obama is the perfect Panderer-in-Chief.
"he has never even been in charge of any disaster response. not a flood, not an earthquake. nothing.
ReplyDeleteAND YET PEOPLE THINK HE IS QUALIFIED TO BE POTUS and COMMANDER IN CHIEF!?!?"
He's never "done" anything. A close review of his record reveals that it's over run with errors, misteps, and outright failures.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/06/27/grim_proving_ground_for_obamas_housing_policy/
There's one good example.
"Messiah? His lefty supporters are going to call him Judas if he gets elected."--Posted by Henry Louis Gomez at July 7, 2008 12:39 PM
ReplyDeleteGiven bobama's articulative malleability main feature, one would be hard pressed to find anyone who won't call him Judas if he gets elected--friend or foe, ally or opponent. That's the inevitable result of trying to please all of the people all of the time. This fauxny is a loser, whether he gets the Oval Office or not. With him, all that matters, the essence of American life is lost. I don't need to wait for the election to recognize that BHO is a Judas.
'This isn't the surge I knew."
ReplyDeletedruu222 - you forgot the other obvious question - "what led you as an elected official to lie about it in the first place?"
ReplyDeleteNow that's some change I can believe in! Off to the lefty-blogs to watch their heads explode. FUN!
ReplyDeletelol - you guys are so obsessed with Iraq it's pathetic.
ReplyDeleteObama is not staying in Iraq.
Get a clue.
Once again, Republicans are totallly obsessed with Iraq to the exclusion everything else.
And once again, you will lose huge in November because of it.
I bet you were surprised by the '06 midterm results weren't you? Get ready to be surprised again. Suckers.
BTW - Malaki wants a timetable for withdrawal. Which means the Iraqi government, Iraqi citizens, American voters and Obama all agree on getting out. You lose.
++
ReplyDeletegolgi..
the MSM always make a big stink out of this every year..
ipso facto: Maliki & Bush have always wanted a time table.. one that stipulates w/d according to Iraqi capability.. trust me, you'll see..
besides, we're already on a w/d time table..
==
lovemyUSA says:
ReplyDeleteHey golgi, WE aren't obsessed with Iraq--remember--you Obamabots were obssessed, and the entire Democratic Congress for the last 4 years! That's all we heard untill the Surge started working and we started winning. You guys sound like a broken record--couldn't admitt you candidate can't even make up his mind which way to go on Iraq--some Commander in Chief! Hillary was right--Obamasiah hasn't the experience or guts.
golgi ... here, have a clue and stop with the simplistic parrottage.
ReplyDeleteYou aren't going to spin this like it was made by Pratt & Whitney ... for this "withdrawal" isn't what you think it is.
BTW, when you click on the link above, go to my 8:50 comment, and get your clue.
ReplyDeleteWhere does he say the surge is working?
ReplyDeleteFrom what I see in the quote, he never even mentioned the surge.