Obama: Clinton Can't Be Trusted On Iraq

Illinois Senator Says Rival Only Started Opposing War When She Began Presidential Run

(AP)  Barack Obama suggested Wednesday that Hillary Clinton could not be trusted to end the Iraq war because she only started opposing it when she began her bid for president.

In a speech not far from North Carolina's Fort Bragg military base, the Democratic presidential hopeful told military families and local officials that the war has emboldened al Qaeda, the Taliban, Iran and North Korea.

"Ask yourself," Obama told the crowd, "Who do you trust to end a war: someone who opposed the war from the beginning, or someone who started opposing it when they started preparing a run for president?"

Obama used the five-year anniversary of the Iraq invasion to again cast himself as the only true anti-war candidate, one who openly opposed the invasion as a state lawmaker. He renewed criticism of Clinton for voting to authorize the use of force against Iraq.

Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer responded: "The reality is that Senator Obama took practically no action to end the war until he started his White House run while Senator Clinton has been a consistent critic of Iraq for many years."

Obama also teased likely Republican nominee John McCain for a foreign policy gaffe Tuesday in which McCain, touring the Middle East, said several times that Iran was training al Qaeda in Iraq. Iran is a predominantly Shiite Muslim country and has been at pains to close its borders to al Qaeda fighters of the rival Sunni sect. After another senator on the trip, Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., whispered into his ear, McCain finally corrected himself to say Iran was training Shiite militants.

"Maybe that is why he voted to go to war with a country that had no al Qaeda ties," Obama said to laughter and applause. "Maybe that is why he completely fails to understand that the war in Iraq has done more to embolden America's enemies than any strategic choice that we have made in decades."

In the days before she won primaries in Texas and Ohio, Clinton argued that she was better prepared to be commander in chief and broadcast a television ad that asked who could handle a middle-of-the-night crisis. Obama countered that Clinton had bungled her crisis moment when she voted to authorize military force to oust Saddam Hussein.

Obama alluded to that ad in his speech.

"What we need in our next commander in chief is not a stubborn refusal to acknowledge reality or empty rhetoric about 3 a.m. phone calls," he said. "What we need is a pragmatic strategy that focuses on fighting our real enemies, rebuilding alliances and renewing our engagement with the world's people."

He said Clinton and likely Republican McCain talk tough on national security yet they make decisions that leave the country less secure.

"This is why the judgment that matters most on Iraq — and on any decision to deploy military force — is the judgment made first," Obama said.

Special forces from Fort Bragg were among the first soldiers in Iraq during the 2003 invasion and its paratroopers led last year's troop increase. President Bush visited the base to deliver his 2005 Independence Day speech, where he warned that setting a timetable to withdraw from Iraq would only embolden terrorists.

McCain has issued similar remarks and Obama squarely rejected them.

"These are the mistaken and misleading arguments we hear from those who have failed to demonstrate how the war in Iraq has made us safer," Obama said.

Mark Salter, a senior adviser to McCain, responded: "John McCain wants American forces to come home when our clear and serious interests at stake in Iraq, which nearly 4,000 Americans have given their lives to secure, are truly safe, when al Qaeda is defeated; Iran's influence is contained, and the potential for a truly cataclysmic civil war in Iraq is remote. That, I think, is what is called 'making us safer."'

Obama also defended his contention that the United States should act on intelligence about top terrorist targets in Pakistan even if President Pervez Musharraf refuses — a statement last year that drew criticism from Republicans.

"We have a security gap when candidates say they will follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell, but refuse to follow him where he actually goes," Obama said, referring to McCain's vow to chase down bin Laden.

North Carolina holds its primary May 6. Obama was scheduled to travel to Charlotte on Wednesday evening for a town hall meeting and a fundraiser.

[future_watch]

Search "Flag Officers for Hillary" on YouTube and see for yourself how our military leaders view Senator Clinton''s readiness to serve as Commander-in-Chief.

[future_watch]

Check out Admirals and Generals for Hillary Clinton on YouTube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=HOE2YumlXO4

[future_watch]

I am really quite tired of listening to Barack Obama as he seeks to divert attention away from his mistakes and weak experience by making claims against others. That is the oldest political trick in the book and he claims to be a new kind of politician. He uses the same tactics as most other politicians. Mr. Obama, why don''t you provide 15 or 20 or more years worth of tax returns, calendars and schedules, personal associations, and while your at it, let''s see what your wife has been doing too. Quit trying to hide your past and start answering for it. If you want to make your judgment a cornerstone of your candidacy, then lets talk about the choices you have made in your life. Until you do that, you''ll not earn my vote now or in November. And, by the way, more than 30 Flag Officers have offered their support of Hillary for our next Commander-in-Chief. Many of our best and brightest military commanders do trust Mrs. Clinton''s ability to lead our armed forces.

"Ask yourself," Obama told the crowd, "Who do you trust to end a war: someone who opposed the war from the beginning, or someone who started opposing it when they started preparing a run for president?"
=================
Ask yourself, who do you trust to unify America over the great racial divide: someone who sat in a pew for 20 years with his wife and his children and listened (didn''t hear?) the hate-mongering anti-white rhetoric of his closest mentor, but suddenly had discovered for him the error of his omission after he had the delegate lead for the nomination? I am not worried about Rev Wright. God does not take orders from Rev. Wright. God makes His own decisions. Man rejects them at his own peril. But Obama? He told us if we reject Wright we reject the black community. He told us that the fears of blacks are justified on the basis of their tribulations at the hands of whites, and the fears of whites are a product of efforts to make restitution to the blacks. He told us that his white grandmother was a typical white person. Maybe in Chicago! But how does he get off telling anybody what a typical white person is? Or even a typical black? He is neither. But the really interesting point in this contrast of black and white "reality," is that all he learned at his grandmother''s knee about white perceptions of blacks was before he found Christ; everything he learned about whites since has been at the preacher''s knee AFTER he found Christ. God Help America.

[stirg]

melchg-given that all you said is true-you are not running for president of all the people of the united states-i would hope we have higher standards now, than wjen we(they) voted in pres Bush twice-I''m looking real hard and i don''t like what i see-If he thinks he can change the attitudes of americans why could''nt he influence his pastor of 20 years-not a good track record.

[lukas24-2009]

Ok, this Wright stuff is disturbing, very. But the bigger problem I have for Mr. Obama is his pattern of saying one thing and then distancing himself from those words when the opposite is revealed at a later date. That is called "spin", people. We have a need and right to know Senator Obama from every angle and what he believes when he talks of equality and a "vision" for America.

To say that Clinton +/or Obama is at fault for the direction the Democratic campaign has headed, is ludicrous and short-sighted. America is a melting pot of races, genders, culture, etc. and we each have a personal interest in seeing "ourselves" in our President. With that connection comes passion and emotional investment. However, it also must be tempered with information about the candidates (good and bad, without negative "label" attached to said information) so that we can make informed choices, rather than only emotionally-driven ones. To Americans: try to take off the blinders of opinion polls, media spin, mud and excitement. That person is Senator Clinton. She has worked hard and diligently for all Americans, and spent years building strong relationships because she has a passionate vision of what America can be, not just because she''s running for President. Vetted, intelligent, tested and hardworking.

Senator Clinton is the right choice for me in ''08

[beebopareebo]

Senator Obama''s then chief foreign advisor went on the record on the BBC saying that the Senator''s 16 month pull out was not a "plan," but was a best case scenario. Senator Obama has enough issues with his own credibility to work on before he points his crooked finger at whether his opponent can be trusted.

Maybe someone in his campaign should start writing down all of his comments and getting them on teleprompter since that appears to be the only way he can deliver a cogent thought that inspires without compromising fact.

[mudrose-2009]

Billary can''t be trusted on the war. And RamaLamaObama can''t be trusted. It''s all that liberation theology and all the misgivings he has about white america, poverty, and equality. He''s got his issues and Billary''s got hers and neither one can be trusted. They make a splendid pair.

[hook1950]

Obama is exactly right. The war pig and her husband governed by polls, and will always do so. They have absolutely no sense of right and wrong.

[trinityusa]

Who didn''t support the war in the beggining? I''m sure that at the time when we were being attacked and so unsure on what was going to happen next it looked like a good idea. It''s like when they decided to have the Civil War, it seemed like a good idea at the time and now look. It was a great idea! I supported the idea in the beggining, but now I feel that it was the wrong dicision. I don''t think Obama or any candidate should have the right to ask that question becaus I don''t think it''s the matter of wheather or not we should have or shouldn''t have gone to war; it''s on how we handled the situation and how unprepared we were as well as not doing it correctly. I think that if we would have went in there with the knowledge we have now, then the outcome would have been completely different and then Hillary would be pounding those like Obama who didn''t support the surge. It is not Hillary''s fault that Bush and his admin. made huge mistakes. Even the republicans admit that they made mistakes in the war on Iraq. What if Bill or a dem. was the President and we went to war, the out come could have been different. We could have pulled out earlier after Suddam was taken out of power??? No ones knows. So Obama, that is a very weak point you make!!!!!!!

[beader59]

Get over yourself Obama. Leaders can realize the errors of their ways. Let''s see, Obama was a drug user. Should we trust him. He goes to a racist church, should we trust him not to protect the whites rights as well??? He hasn''t released his House records, what is he hiding. Shut up Obama and clean your own house.

[tigerjcs]

Obama is a liar and a racist. He has duped his followers.
Obama, I hope you can answer Lanny Davis questions:
1. If a white minister preached sermons to his congregation and had used the "N" word and used rhetoric and words similar to members of the KKK, would you support a Democratic presidential candidate who decided to continue to be a member of that congregation?

2. Would you support that candidate if, after knowing of or hearing those sermons, he or she still appointed that minister to serve on his or her "Religious Advisory Committee" of his or her presidential campaign?

Hillary 08!

[demslie]

Don''t worry Democrats. Right now, today, Democrats in the major News Media are creating stories for the "October Suprise". News stories are being fabricated by CBS,ABC,NBC the NYT for their employers at the DNC. The timing and substance of those new stories (lies) will be planned for the most damage and negative impact to Republicans. So take heart Democrats. The lying cheating Democrat controlled "NEWS" media will not let you down. They start sending out "Smoking Gun" stories any time now. This is the "New Change for America" The Democrats promised us.

[truthfulken]

I''m African-American. Mr. Obama you have brought extreme shame to all African-Americans and all the people of the USA. You have severely divided the Democratic Party and the People of the USA. We the People of the USA will not tolerate a Corrupt, Racist, Black Supremacist and Islamic Extremist President. Concede the Presidential Race to Hillary. This will make it easy for the DNC to give back seats to the FL and MI delegations at the Democratic convention. Your poor judgment will prevent you from making good decisions on Iraq and Afghanistan to see why read on. Vote for Hillary for the following reasons. Mr. Obama%u2019s Pastor and Church is Black Supremacist, Sexist, Gender Biased, Racist, Marxist, and Islamic in its beliefs and structure. Mr. Obama lied on PBS when he said I never heard Rev. Wright say any of the Sexist, Racial, or anti-American or other things in his widely publicized sermons. If I had I would have quit the Rev. Wrights Church.

[truthfulken]

In his speech on racism he said he had heard Rev. Wright%u2019s racial anti-American statements and other statements in Church. Obama still goes to the church and counts Rev. Wright as a Family member like and Uncle and Spiritual Advisor. Mr. Obama has for 20 years considered Rev. Wright to be a Friend, Family Member an Uncle, Spiritual Advisor and has supported Rev. Wright%u2019s Church for over twenty years. He married Obama and his wife. Rev. Wright baptized both of his daughters. Obama has given Rev. Wrights Church thousands of Dollars. Nothing has changed except Rev. Wright is no longer an official member of Obama%u2019s campaign but still is considered a Friend, Family Member and Spiritual Advisor and an unofficial member of Obama%u2019s campaign on the sly. The Law of Attraction says like attracts like. Obama is a Sexist, Gender Biased, Racist, Marxist, Islamic and believes in Black Supremacy or he would have changed churches over 20 years go. Another example of the Law of Attraction is Obama and his politically and criminally corrupt friend Rezco and Rezco%u2019s cronies. Obama is also politically and criminally corrupt too.

[truthfulken]

Hitler said very similar things when he was cornered for having attended a White Supremacist Church. I grew up with my friends who attend this church didn%u2019t know my friends or the pastor were White Supremacist%u2019s. The Arch Bishop of the Catholic Church in Germany declared Hitler a Saint. Mr. Obama%u2018s cult followers have declared Mr. Obama to be the Messiah and he can walk on water.

[truthfulken]

Hitler and Obama had or have little or no experience as leaders. Both Mr. Obama and Mr. Hitler have and had hidden agendas (give no substance of the changes that will be made) and avoid or avoided answering questions. Both Mr. Obama and Mr. Hitler are and were skilled at lying and deceiving the people in their empty unsubstantial inspirational speeches for unity, change and hope. The people of the USA love Obama and the people of Germany loved Hitler so much they act and acted like they belong to a cult and respond with hate if any body says or said anything bad about them. Obama and Hitler are two of the greatest manipulators and con men of their times. Both use and used the exact same tactics in their speeches and Q%u2019s & A%u2019s. It is so plain to see if you know your history. The young White, Latino, Independents, Well Educated, Rich and Jewish people follow Obama lovingly emotionally blind like sheep over a cliff. Just like the Jewish people followed Hitler lovingly emotionally blind to their deaths. Wake up Obama lovers get out of your emotional frenzy for Obama and start using your minds again. Restore your reasoning skills, your common sense, your logic, your intuition and let go of your insane frenzied irrational emotions. Come back to earth.

[truthfulken]

You will see that Hillary is the best choice for President of the USA. People please vote for Hillary Clinton for President. Hillary is the best candidate with most experience, knowledge, and ability to bring about true and inspiring change that will greatly benefit all Americans. Hillary will be the President of the people who will restore the Constitution and restore the Checks and Balances to our Government. Hillary will unite all Americans and both political parties to do what is best for America. Hillary has 30 plus Generals, Admirals 2 former Secretaries of State and a Colonel who say she is the best to end the Iraq War and win the war in Afghanistan. Hillary will bring home jobs and create new jobs all across America, end the war in Iraq responsibly, win the war in Afghanistan, raise dollar amount of Pell grants for college students, lower interest rates on student loans, solve the housing crisis, solve the k-12 educational problems, create green jobs, lower costs of health care and make sure every American has insurance, and so much more for the American people. Hillary is more genuine, compassionate, listens to people, is more diplomatic and answers people%u2019s questions in a direct manor.

[truthfulken]

. Mr. Obama just talks. He doesn%u2019t have good listening skills and evades the answers to questions and twists the words of Hillary and McCain around so that it sounds like they said totally different things than what they actually said in their speeches and Q&A. Example: In Texas on the night of primaries and caucuses Obama said that McCain and Hillary had been saying all along the people who told Obama, McCain and Hillary their life stories were using empty words just political rhetoric that has no meaning or substance. What McCain and Hillary said all along was that Obama%u2019s words were empty and had no substance to back them up. Mr. Obama said the people%u2019s words are empty have no substance, are not very important words and have no meaning. Mr. Obama%u2019s words expressed his True feelings about the American people Obama hates the People of the USA. Hillary has a whole lot more experience, knowledge, diplomacy skills to unite the people of the USA, both parties, and foreign leaders so that real honest inspirational beneficial change will happen. Vote for Hillary and Democracy and Vote against McCain and the Aristocracy.

[truthbug]

OBAMA''s advisers:

Economy & Health - REZCO the scumlord
Religion & Unification - WRIGHT the racist
Military - FARUZ the muslim