Candidates Scramble To Clarify Iraq Vision

Washington Post: Both Obama, McCain Forced To Refine Stances Based On Changing Events On The Ground

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Anne E. Kornblut and Michael D. Shear.

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Sen. Barack Obama on Tuesday dismissed criticism that he is abandoning his principles to move toward the political center, saying he has been consistent in embracing moderate views on several issues, especially his belief that pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq must be done "carefully."

Obama addressed what he called "this whole notion that I am shifting to the center, or that I am flip-flopping," with a firm denial that he has tilted his emphasis away from swiftly bringing the war to an end. "Don't be confused: I am going to bring the Iraq war to a close when I am president of the United States of America," Obama said.

The remarks came as both candidates scrambled to clarify their visions for Iraq in the face of changing events on the ground. Sen. John McCain, who has repeatedly derided calls for a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, suddenly found himself confronted with the American-backed Iraqi leadership raising the prospect of exactly that.

For the first time, Iraqi President Nouri al-Maliki said Monday in a statement that the two countries should consider deciding the future of U.S. troops with "a memorandum of understanding to put a timetable on their withdrawal."

On Tuesday, McCain's top foreign policy adviser declined to criticize Maliki, and his campaign sought to portray those comments as consistent with the Republican nominee's long-standing position. "Senator McCain has always said that conditions on the ground -- including the security threats posed by extremists and terrorists, and the ability of Iraqi forces to meet those threats -- would be key determinants in U.S. force levels," senior adviser Randy Scheunemann said.

McCain continued to express confidence that any withdrawal would come after victory in Iraq. Campaigning in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, he told reporters he is "confident" that Maliki's decision-making "will be directly related to the situation on the ground, just as they have always said. And since we are succeeding and then I am convinced, as I have said before, we can withdraw and withdraw with honor, not according to a set timetable."

Their party nominations in hand, Obama and McCain have calibrated their firm stands on Iraq to adapt to changing events on the ground, namely a post-"surge" reduction in violence, to target a more centrist audience. Obama plans to visit Baghdad in the weeks ahead, and will be eager to demonstrate a facility with the complexities there without succumbing to the "flip-flop" charge that dogged Democratic nominee Sen. John F. Kerry four years ago.

Maliki's comments suggest that there are trapdoors for McCain on Iraq as well. In speeches, town hall meetings, interviews and campaign commercials, he has said a timetable would provide terrorists the knowledge of how long they have to wait until U.S. troops are gone.

McCain has repeatedly said that setting a date for withdrawal would lead to "chaos, genocide and we will be back with greater sacrifice." And he accused both Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of endangering Americans by advocating a specific timetable for withdrawal.

"It would be an unconscionable act of betrayal, a stain on our character as a great nation, if we were to walk away from the Iraqi people and consign them to the horrendous violence, ethnic cleansing and possibly genocide that would follow a reckless, irresponsible and premature withdrawal," he said in a California speech.

Obama made his remarks in response to a question at a town hall meeting from a self-declared "reformed Republican" who sympathetically encouraged the senator to set the record straight on his Iraq position. Obama spent most of last week explaining his remark that he would "continue to refine" his Iraq proposals -- which was widely interpreted as a softening of his promise to end the war and as a general-election shift to the center.

Obama, egged on by a raucous audience, said on Tuesday that he has always held centrist views -- not only on Iraq but also on faith and what he called "personal responsibility."

"The people who say this apparently haven't been listening to me," he said. "And, I have to say, some of them are my friends on the left and some of the media. I am somebody who is no doubt progressive." He listed issues in which he views himself as progressive -- on providing universal health-care coverage, increased teacher pay -- then said that on other matters, he believes in thinking more creatively about nongovernmental solutions.

On Iraq, Obama declared unequivocally his commitment to withdrawal. And he said that he has always advocated caution.

"I have also consistently said, once we were in, we had to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in, because once you get in you've got to make sure our troops are safe," he said. "You've got to make sure the country doesn't collapse, so what I've called for is a phased withdrawal, a phased redeployment."

He continued: "Now, assuming that I take office in January, then that means that we would still have our troops there for about two more years from now. There's nothing rushed about that. . . . When I hear John McCain saying we can't surrender, we can't wave the white flag -- nobody's talking about surrender. We're talking about common sense."

Obama said: "I am going to bring this war to an end."

Shear reported from the McCain campaign in Washington and Pittsburgh.

[edfrienz]

I believe that Obama said that social security would no longer be taxed if he was elected but now I am unsure what he is saying. There is a site that you can ask that you get an answer back but that does not happen. I believe that social security has been borrowed from and not paid back so pay back social security and give the people decent raises. I do believe you voted your own raises. We want medicare left alone and these other programs should be done away with. People do not understand insurance and do not know what they have until they try to use it. Don''t other countries owe us money? Collect from all of them and also the people who dodge paying taxes.

[greatdrivew]

Obama is the biggest liar in Washington.

Here''s his shell game: Make promises to get votes. Once he gets those votes, break those promises to get more votes. Then, when the first group complains that he broke his promises, he dismisses them and says we weren''t listening. And when that argument fails, he says that we never had an agreement and that we can''t expect to always agree with him.

Fact: We had an agreement, Obama. As you stated, America doesn''t need to spy on its citizens, and it doesn''t need Scooter Libby justice.

So please, Barack, you you lying SOB, explain how and when we were listening. ANd then, explain how this is simply a disagreement. In other words, please tell us agiain that there was no agreement. I dare you.

[ariel133]

The Air Force making improvements-

Appropriate and necessary step to improve the Air Force-what more can we say? That America is it!

Either you are with us or against us!

Without the Military we would not be here. I commend & honor those who fight for us and for those support our country.

A War- sometimes is neccessary to keep our FREEDOMS.

God Bless.

[mycommentspg]

Obama cannot and will not say exactly when the war (or conflict) will end because he doesn''t know. Congress approved the action in error and the end will come when and if Congress (Democrats and Republicans) can find some form of combined intelligence to actually determine how to bring this sad chapter to a safe end for our troops and the people of Iraq. McCain knows this and understands the situation better than Obama. http://mycommentspage.blogspot.com/

[offtheback]

how about we pull out the troops, the leadership in iraq has clearly stated that they want the U.S. out!


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Posted by RGRXX175

Just like normal. You fools don''t know what is good for you so uncle george and rich are here to make your life better. or is that bitter?

[offtheback]

Democratic Congress has been urinating on our military weekly for the past six years. I guess they assume the American public consists of idiots. If this ad works... then they are correct.



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Posted by Ariel133

I, for one would rather be peed on than electrocuted in my shower by a war profiter helping to make the cheney crowd richer.

[ariel133]

"Obama has seemed to move towards the center on a number of highly-charged issues in recent weeks, among them gun control, the intelligence bill known as FISA, and, to some extent, his plan for withdrawing troops from Iraq. Polls suggest that despite the stark differences between dueling advocacy groups over abortion, a middle ground exists should Obama want to seek it out."

NOTHING LIKE THE MEDIA GIVING THIS IDIOT A FREE PASS ON EVERYTHING. I CAN''T WAIT UNTIL HE FALLS FLAT ON HIS FACE. THAT DAY WILL COME. WATCH & SEE

[rgrxx175]

how about we pull out the troops, the leadership in iraq has clearly stated that they want the U.S. out!

[ariel133]

The AFL-CIO will go up on the air tomorrow in Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin with an ad featuring a Vietnam veteran criticizing John McCain on issues related to the Iraq war, veterans and the economy.

A source at the labor federation would only call the buy "significant," saying it would last three weeks.

The new ad is being released in conjuction with the formation of an AFL-CIO Veterans Council. John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, will launch the new group tomorrow in Dayton, Ohio, along with Building & Construction Trades Council Mark Ayers (like McCain, a former Navy aviator) and Jim Wasser, the union member who is featured in the ad. Wasser has also been featured in an AFL mailer and served on a Swift Boat in Vietnam with John Kerry.

There are 2.1 million union veterans and active-duty personnel.

The once great AFL-CIO now become a smear group for the politicians they have bribed, bought and sold. This one is great... tell the country that John McCain does not respect our military ... when the Democratic Congress has been urinating on our military weekly for the past six years. I guess they assume the American public consists of idiots. If this ad works... then they are correct.

[nanging3]

Obama is Not bringing hiome the troops....in his own words...

http://youtube.com
/watch?v=2kFrFIFizkU


Obama plans to DISARM America
...in his own words...

http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=dl32Y7wDVDs


Obama is a chameleon, says whatever he needs to, to get elected !

[liberalme]

Obama has a similar name to Osama Bin Laden.

Posted by ChrisL45 at 12:28 PM : Jul

Oh groan--that one is so old--you neocons with an IQ equal to a jar of mayonnaise can''t really come up with anything intelligent--your post is a whole paragraph of nonsense and irrelevant garbage.
Jokes?? The joke is on you.

[liberalme]

Obama is acting elitist and sheding some of USA hatred indoctrines he learned from Wright, which is inevitable, with his statement that Americans should feel imbarressed if they don''''t speak French in France.

What about all the people in the USA who don''''t speak English?

Isn''''t it something that he is concerned about France?


Posted by Ariel133 at 10:25 AM : Jul 09

Well golly gee---that''s almost as bad as an American speaking English but can''t spell!!

That''s imbarressed or should it be embarrassing.

Or should sheding be shedding?
What is indoctrines all about?

Do you live in America Ariel133?

[chrisl45]

Here are jokes on Obama. %u201CBarack%u201D sounds like US barracks, the %u201CO%u201D in Obama is hinting at praise, %u201Cbam%u201D sounds like bomb, and the last letter in his name %u201Ca%u201D could stand for America. If you stitch these together Barack%u2019s name is saying to America %u201Cpraise the bombing of America%u201D. What makes things worst when you think about Barack%u2019s name is Obama has worn muslim cloths, has a bad middle name (Hussein), and attended an anti-semite church. Believe me, it%u2019s just like someone with an Adolph Hitler mustach repeatedly playing football on the lawn of the white house. How could senator Obama do this to the country. Also, I saw the name %u201CBarack%u201D and %u201CObama%u201D and though of the bombing of the US barracks in Beirut, and the bombing of the US barracks in the Gulf War by friendly fire. His initials, %u201CBO%u201D, are like he%u2019s saying if you vote for me you will be making the country stink with radiation. Also, Barack%u2019s name can be seen to be saying %u201Cbaa%u201D like a sheep saying %u201Cbad%u201D (another reference %u201Cbaa-humbug), %u201Crack%u201D pointing directly towards John McCain%u2019s torture at the hands of the Vietnames. %u201Crack%u201D is a term that can be applied to being hung by ropes with your arms behind your back. So, Barack%u2019s recent attacks on John%u2019s war record are because Barack is literally standing on his first name. Obama has a similar name to Osama Bin Laden.

[actornaught]

Posted by OneAmerican- at 12:03 PM : Jul 09, 2008

And you are a liar.

"Return on success". Then it''s time to go home. (Not send home just what''s legally required.)

[oneamerican-]

Notice how the far-left liberals AVOID GOOD NEWS FROM IRAQ like the plague?

Ironic - because liberalism IS the plague...

That is why CBS has quickly buried any stories about the success in Iraq.

CBS''s new slogan:
"CBS News. Cherry-picking the news for the sake of the liberal agenda to destroy America."

But the sad fact is that liberalism''s popularity is sinking into the same quagmire that CBS''s popularity ratings are, along with the Democrat-controlled congress'' miserable all-time low approval ratings.

Liberals are losing their War on America.

[actornaught]

Posted by nanging3 at 11:41 AM : Jul 09, 2008

Funny as all get out when you ''cons post links that show you''re liars.

[oneamerican-]

Notice how the far-left liberals AVOID GOOD NEWS FROM IRAQ like the plague?

Ironic - because liberalism IS the plague...

That is why CBS has quickly buried any stories about the success in Iraq.

CBS''s new slogan:
"CBS News. Cherry-picking the news for the sake of the liberal agenda to destroy America."

But the sad fact is that liberalism''s popularity is sinking into the same quagmire that CBS''s popularity ratings are, along with the Democrat-controlled congress'' miserable all-time low approval ratings.

[ca_ty]

Obama has no core. You are not sure if he will do what he promises during the campaign.

[nanging3]

Obama is Not bringing hiome the troops....in his own words...


http://youtube.com
/watch?v=2kFrFIFizkU


Obama plans to DISARM America
...in his own words...

http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=dl32Y7wDVDs


Obama is a chameleon, says whatever he needs to, to get elected !

[deacon20081]

I am a Veteran and I sure as heck do not think much of Mc Cain. I crawled in the mud while he flew a fighter and dropped bombs. Big deal, that supposedly makes him a "HERO"? I guess anyone that does the bidding of Bush is a HERO huh? The Purple Heart, the Bronze and Silver Stars on my wall seem worth less than ever before. At least my kids and grand babies find them cool to look at...right?