Candidates’ positions on Iraq differ less than you’d think
What do you think?
USATODAY-It would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall in Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s office a few days ago when the call came from the U.S. Embassy, demanding that he “clarify” his endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s plan to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq in 16 months.
Not only did that boost the credibility of the Democrat’s plan, it contradicted President Bush’s position that there should be no timetable for a U.S. pullout. A few hours later, U.S. officials transmitted al-Maliki’s statement that his remarks to the German magazine Der Spiegel had been “misunderstood (and) mistranslated.”
Problem fixed? Apparently not. On Monday, as Obama visited Baghdad, al-Maliki’s spokesman defiantly repeated the timetable idea, in English this time, saying the Iraqis would prefer to have U.S. troops out of Iraq by the end of 2010.
This tense back-and-forth was a vivid reminder that as conditions improve in Iraq, the U.S. is losing its ability to dictate terms to the sovereign government it has worked so hard to put in place. Less noticed is that the rapidly shifting events are beginning to make the presidential candidates’ debate over Iraq seem oddly out of sync with reality.
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:50 am
I see them as being similar with regards to the War at all. McCain has encouraged victory and implementing winning strategies at every step. Obama, on the other hand, has voted against those winning measures and has believed that we cannot be victorious in this war. I”m sorry, but there is a fundamental difference between these two men.
I understand that Obama sees that we might be able to leave Iraq, almost completely, within the next year or two. Of course he’ll exploit that fact. But, just because he’ll claim (if he’s elected) that he brought the troops home and out of Iraq just like he promised - that doesn’t make it true. Obama has been a defeatist and I see no resolve in the man’s words, actions, or image to make me believe that he will take a violence of action into Afghanistan to finish that war too.
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:55 pm
If they are becomeing more similar (though I haven’t heard McCain say ‘timeline’), it’s McCain moving toward Obama, forced by Maliki.
July 24th, 2008 at 12:09 am
You’re absolutely right Aubrey.
More meat in the grinder is what is needed.
July 24th, 2008 at 6:45 am
Aubrey and Lefty are blinded by party bias!