Obama to Question Petraeus This Afternoon

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

WASHINGTON -- Barack Obama returns to his "day job" in the Senate today, where he will attend the Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Iraq with Gen. David Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker. This morning, Obama blamed Iraq for distracting the Bush Administration from more pertinent issues such as the economy and the environment.

"Let me remind just remind you, if we can spend $400 million dollars a day in Iraq rebuilding Baghdad if we can spend $10 billion a month rebuilding foreign nation we can spend $10 billion right here in the United States," Obama told the Communications Workers of America Union today.

Obama is expected to press Petraeus and Crocker on the Iraq war's impact on national security and military readiness. He will also discuss the need to pressure the Iraqi government to take a more active role in shaping the country's future.

While on the campaign trail, Obama has continuously emphasized that he is the only current candidate for president who opposed the Iraq war in 2002. He has argued that this demonstrates his ability to lead.

"Just in case you're wondering who you want to answer that phone call at 3 a.m. in the morning, there are 3 candidates left and I think you might want the one who's going to read the intelligence reports and ask some tough questions before authorizing war and to have the judgment to weigh the costs and benefits of any military action. There are 3 candidates left and there's one that already showed the good judgment, you might want to consider that one to answer that phone call."

Obama has repeatedly argued that John McCain will keep troops in Iraq for 100 years, a claim that the McCain campaign disputes.

Obama returns to the campaign trail tomorrow, with scheduled stops in Pennsylvania and Indiana.

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by mattcat25 April 9, 2008 1:06 PM EDT: It%u2019s a disgrace for a United States Military General to be presented as a politically propped stool pigeon. It is clear that the Bush Administration is playing the four corners of the court stall tactic to perpetuate funding diverted to their private interest contractors to the sick tune of $3 Billion Dollars per week.; Reply to this comment


by lagomorph13 April 8, 2008 9:33 PM EDT: Maria writes "Obama has repeatedly argued that John McCain will keep troops in Iraq for 100 years, a claim that the McCain campaign disputes." I would like to clarify that Obama has actually repeatedly argued that John McCain will continue the war and its attendant occupation for 100 years, when in fact John McCain said that he would like us to have a presence in the Middle East for 50-100 years, just as we do today in Korea, Japan, Germany, etc. as long as troops are not harmed. Obama must believe what Joseph Goebbels knew, which is that if you tell a lie often enough it eventually becomes accepted as the truth.

"In September, we were disappointed that Iraq had not yet enacted some key pieces of legislation. In the last several months, however, Iraq''s parliament has formulated, debated vigorously and in many cases passed legislation dealing with vital issues of reconciliation and nation building." - Crocker.
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"When viewed with a broader lens, the Iraqi decision to combat these groups in Basra has major significance. First, a Shia majority government, led by Prime Minister Maliki, has demonstrated its commitment to taking on criminals and extremists regardless of sectarian identity. Second, Iraqi security forces led these operations, in Basra, and in towns and cities throughout the south." - Crocker.; Reply to this comment


by jone775 April 8, 2008 6:44 PM EDT: After the economic destruction the Bush administration has wrought on the U.S., I am AMAZED people in this country still think McCain, who is just a continuation of Bush, is the answer. We are truly becoming a "dumb" society.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 April 8, 2008 5:25 PM EDT: At the price of $12 Billion Dollars a month, each and every month, month after month is like Dad refinancing the house and then skipping out with all the money leaving Mom and the kids left to pay off the debt.

Are the Republicans suffering from a war and violence addiction, or just plane old voracity? (or, both?); Reply to this comment


by elizabethbj April 8, 2008 5:04 PM EDT: Stop the hate... Stop the hate bloggers. Remember we are in this war because Bush lied. Lied! The focus should be on George Bush and his people.; Reply to this comment


by truth-hurts April 8, 2008 3:17 PM EDT: Obama is such a little wimp...watch Petraeus
blow him away.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 April 8, 2008 2:57 PM EDT: The Republicans don%u2019t want their war to ever end, in fact they wish (fantasize?) to continue their shoddy crusade into another oil rich country Iran. We need a national intervention addressing the effect the Republican Party has had on all of us, and with their affliction, affinity and addiction to war.; Reply to this comment