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Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Obama’s Iraq Speech

posted by on September 12 at 16:20 PM

Well-timed (right between the Petraeus hearings and President Bush’s address to the nation tomorrow night), well-promoted (reporters have been getting emails about it for days), and well-received (at least here).

An excerpt:

The American people have had enough of the shifting spin. We’ve had enough of extended deadlines for benchmarks that go unmet. We’ve had enough of mounting costs in Iraq and missed opportunities around the world. We’ve had enough of a war that should never have been authorized and should never have been waged.

I opposed this war from the beginning. I opposed the war in 2002. I opposed it in 2003. I opposed it in 2004. I opposed it in 2005. I opposed it in 2006. I introduced a plan in January to remove all of our combat brigades by next March. And I am here to say that we have to begin to end this war now.

My plan for ending the war would turn the page in Iraq by removing our combat troops from Iraq’s civil war; by taking a new approach to press for a new accord on reconciliation within Iraq; by talking to all of Iraq’s neighbors to press for a compact in the region; and by confronting the human costs of this war.

The whole speech is here.

And here’s a dissent, from liberal blog heavy-weight Matt Stoller, titled Obama is Done.

RSS icon Comments

1

Matt who?

Never heard of him.

Did he get rich off of Woodstock or something?

Posted by Will in Seattle | September 12, 2007 4:39 PM
2

Great words, I would almost support him if he was not a democrate. democrates are not going to end the war anytime soon, and I could care less if Oboma becomes president, because the dems are not a party of action, unless it comes to bombing third world countries like Vietnam or Iraq. Ron Paul is going to be the next president, and Jesus, and his possie the Dems can suck it.

Posted by gj | September 12, 2007 5:59 PM
3

Stoller is a crank. He's probably already working for HRC.

Posted by chris | September 12, 2007 10:30 PM
4

Fuck OpenLeft. Who do they support -- the rich southern white guy, or the rich southern white woman turned Yankee?

More like OldenLeft. We need establishmentarianism like we need trickle down economics.

Posted by K | September 12, 2007 11:46 PM
5

I want to remain convinced that Obama has the brains it takes. That's all I'm looking for, is the sense that this candidate has the brains. (OK, and record.) Look how French he is dressing! Le grand bleu! And I mean that in the best possible way. I'm staring at his beautiful ties and jackets now because I've known for several months that it is no longer possible to listen to anything these candidates say. We've crossed the line. The bad Democratic candidates have forced the better ones to start lying, and the rest of us will just have to trust from now on in our early instincts. Bill Bradley...

Yes, we need to pull out of Iraq immediately. But the earlier attack Pakistan comment made me stop listening, and hope my trust and confidence will last 500 days, or however long it is until the actual election. Actually, I think I recall hearing that "attack Pakistan" is not exactly what he said, but it was still enough to scare me off. Please, Barack, my hero: Do not compromise yourself. Kerry compromised himself immediately in the 2004 election. Hillary compromised herself before that. Howard Dean let himself be outmaneuvered and has been making sad choices ever since. Gore was too dumb, Kerry was too dumb, Hillary is letting herself be distracted. Obama, Obama, Obama...

Posted by Amelia | September 13, 2007 2:03 AM
6

I'm gonna vote for Obama, but I still think he's pussing out on Iraq.

Posted by Gitai | September 13, 2007 11:45 AM

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