‘I Will Listen to My Commanders’ on Iraq, Says Obama

What a difference an election makes. Not only is president-elect Barack Obama now saying that the U.S. need take into account the consequences of a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq, but he is now saying he will listen to his commanders on the ground!

REPORTER: Do you still intend to withdrawal all U.S. forces from Iraq in 16 months after inauguration? Did you discuss the possibility of that with secretary of Gates before selecting him?

Obama’s response included these points:

• On the campaign trail Obama saidhe would remove combat troops from Iraq within 16 months WITH THE UNDERSTANDING that is likely to be necessary to leave a residual force
• Obama will meet with joint chiefs fo staff and commanders on the ground to determine how ‘we proceed’ with the withdrawal
• “I believe that 16 months is the right time frame, but as I have said consistently will listen to the recommendation of my commanders”
• #1 priority is to ensure troops remain safe AND Iraqis are well served by their government
• “We will have to remain vigilant in making sure that any terrorist elements that remain in Iraq do not become strengthened as a consequence of our drawdown.”

Bravo! What a great impersonation of George W. Bush! Barack Obama is finally concerned about Iraqis and will listen to his commanders on the ground! It must be a dream sequence….

The left wing base of the Democratic party will not be happy about this continuation of a 3rd Bush term, but it sounds like the worst fears of Republicans about Iraq won’t come to fruition after all.

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Comments

[Gary]

Apparently, those Top Secret briefings have been an eye-opening experience for Mr. Obama. I wonder what other songs he will sing in light of discovering the real goings on in the world of intelligence...

In other news, after Code Pink founder Media Benjamin heard that Obama would now rely on his field commanders to decide troop withdrawal, suffered a catastrophic head trauma. Other Code Pink members who were present at the time of the explosion said just before loosing her head, she fell to the floor writhing in a fit of convulsions and screamed like a three year old that lost her binky. Video at 5.

[Amy Proctor]

Gary, my thoughts precisely. Political rhetoric is quite different from national reality.

[mudkitty]

And yes, Obama gets to pick his commanders just like Bush.

Why aren't you wishing them all, and the Country well?

Wake up.

And let me tell you, Obama's picks were Obama's picks, unlike the McCain/Palin scenario.

[Gold]

"Apparently, those Top Secret briefings have been an eye-opening experience for Mr. Obama."

exactly.

On January 20th, 2008, right after the Inauguration, probably in a quiet room at the White House ( Obama's new home) Mr. Football will open a leather case revealing a steel case that will contain secure codes and a secure phone and a set of tactical plans in which all relate to the most fierce weaponry arsenal of mankind that had ever been created. It had changed Ronald Reagan's life, that day; and to what affect it will change Obama -- well time will tell. He will be briefed like never before in his life. It will not be like sitting in William Ayers' loft and speculating the best course of action to defeat the capitalists, it will almost be surreal and voices and flashes of dreams will appear before his open eyes. At his fingertips (i.e. the secure phone) he controls the balance of power, and human life, all over the planet. He will become the most powerful person on the face of this planet. If you do not believe in God or prayer, it may be time to reconsider.

[Angry Dem]

Amy - when are you going to get something right on here? Obama said he would listen to the recommendations - he didn't say he would do exactly what they say...he would LISTEN. Listen doesn't mean that he'll do it, it means that he will LISTEN.

[Mack]

Mudkitty,
Seems to me Amy is wishing our country well. That just might not match Obama's wishes.

Angry,
Why does saying he will just "listen" to those with knowledge"on the ground" mean anything?

[Punchy]

Shorter Amy -- Look! Obama's listening to his military commanders! Let's mock him!

AND, INEVITABLY, AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE:

Look! Obama's ignoring his military commanders! What a crock! Let's mock him!

Y'all just crack me up sometimes. How's that birth certificate scandal lawsuit investigation bombshell coming along? What can I do to help it get out to the mass media?

[Mack]

Punchy,

Obama brings it on himself by trying to have it both ways.

Re the constitutional requirements to be president: Help us out here. Why can't he produce a valid birth certificate. Or is that not required of Democrats?

[Tim]

There are only two options with that one punch: 1. Obama has no birth certificate and therefore should not be president. 2. Obama has one and thinks he's too high and mighty to produce it, thus getting a chuckle out of the controversy he causes. Either way, your buddy Obama is a joke that is too sick to laugh at.

[Gary]

"...Look! Obama's ignoring his military commanders! What a crock! Let's mock him!"

Naw, we're just mocking you and the other two moronic liberal moonbats that tried to stir crap up in this thread.

[Amy Proctor]

1) Who says I’m/we’re not wishing ‘them all’ well? I am very happy with Obama’s about face, although if I were a Democrat I would be disturbed at the ease with which he misled the electorate.

2) Angry Dem, Obama is now saying he would “listen to the recommendations of his commanders on the ground.” The change in verbage includes “recommendations” and “his commanders”. This is a clear change from his campaign rhetoric in which he said sure, he’d “listen” to “commanders” but not their recommendations. Both he and Hillary said they would do whatever they wanted despite the commanders recommendations even if it lost the war.

Case in point from a Clinton/Obama debate with Charles Gibson as moderator in April 2008:

Hillary & Obama Don’t Care What Commanders Say, They are 'Committed to Withdrawal'

GIBSON: So if the military commanders in Iraq came to you on day one and said this kind of withdrawal would destabilize Iraq, it would set back all of the gains that we have made, no matter what, you’re going to order those troops to come home?

SENATOR CLINTON: Yes, I am, Charlie. And here’s why: You know, thankfully we have a system in our country of civilian control of the military. And our professional military are the best in the world. They give their best advice and then they execute the policies of the president.

MR. GIBSON: So you’d give the same rock-hard pledge, that no matter what the military commanders said, you would give the order: Bring them home.

SENATOR OBAMA: Because the commander in chief sets the mission, Charlie. That’s not the role of the generals. And one of the things that’s been interesting about the president’s approach lately has been to say, well, I’m just taking cues from General Petraeus.

Well, the president sets the mission. The general and our troops carry out that mission. And unfortunately we have had a bad mission, set by our civilian leadership, which our military has performed brilliantly. But it is time for us to set a strategy that is going to make the American people safer.

Now, I will always listen to our commanders on the ground with respect to tactics. Once I’ve given them a new mission, that we are going to proceed deliberately in an orderly fashion out of Iraq and we are going to have our combat troops out, we will not have permanent bases there, once I’ve provided that mission, if they come to me and want to adjust tactics, then I will certainly take their recommendations into consideration; but ultimately the buck stops with me as the commander in chief.

That’s pretty clear. Obama never said he would act on anything commanders had to say but that he would “listen” and then go ahead and withdrawal troops no matter what.

http://amyproctor.squarespace.com/blog/2008/7/16/obama-how-to-screw-american-foreign-policy-in-5-easy-steps.html

3) Obama is now also using language sensitive to Iraqis for the first time that I’ve EVER heard and also about the consequences of a drawdown. This is completely new language and a new direction for Obama, which makes more sense in the light of his Secretary of Defense Gates appointment.

Rather than trying to argue semantics, why don’t you Obama supporters tell us how you REALLY feel about Obama’s comments? Just be honest about it.

And I think Gary is right when he says that it would appear Obama softened after sitting in on some intelligence briefings. Ideology is one thing but national security is another. Obama even admitted that in those words in this press conference.

[StephC]

Why aren't you wishing them all, and the Country well?

Like you were for the last 8 years? Okay, I can do that. Now it's your turn to be in the hot seat.

Shall we start?
Obama's failed policies...
Another Bush term...
Obama lied, people died...
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac...
bailouts upon bailouts...

Gee and he hasn't even taken the Oath yet. One wonders if he will considering he's already trying to take over the office before time.

I pledge to treat Obama and his supporters just like they treated Bush for 8 years. If that's not good enough for you... tough. And you called us whiners and worse.

Look in the mirror now that it's your turn.

[StephC]

How's that birth certificate scandal lawsuit investigation bombshell coming along? What can I do to help it get out to the mass media?

The disconnect between the brain and the mouth, or fingers in this case, is stunning. You've been told before that this is not a right wing plot. If you want to know how it's coming along, why don't you ask the former Hilary supporters who are pushing it?

Actually, it has hit the MSM since the Supreme Court is going to have a hearing on it, Friday, I believe. I heard that on the news just today.

[Amy Proctor]

I’m not mocking Obama. I appreciate his willingness to do the right thing, apparently, over the rhetoric he expressed during the campaign and the ideology of the far left. I think it is a very wise move, as is the move to keep Gates on as Sec. Def.

I never, EVER talked about the birth certificate lawsuit on this blog, ever. It’s a stupid conspiracy theory. Obama was born in Hawaii. What’s left to say? You should take that argument to a different blog, Punchy.

I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a valid birth certificate on the web. I haven’t paid it that much attention because it’s as much a non-issue as referring to Barack HUSSEIN Obama to try to align him with terrorists.

If I were an Obama supporter, particularly one of the “Out of Iraq NOW” crowd, I’d be very upset with him right now.

[Amy Proctor]

StephC, good point about Hillary supporters and the Obama certificate. I do know it was entertained to be legitmate enough to not be thrown out. I'm pretty darn sure Obama is a citizen.

[Jasper]

"I Will Listen to My Commanders’ on Iraq, Says Obama "

Oh Really? Ha.

[Steve and Suni]

Hmmm, Birth certificate Controversy...That's rich.
Amy is right - if there is a medical record showing birth in Hawaii after annexation, certificate is irrelavant. He's a citizen, irrespective of status of anyone else in his family. (Thanks 4th grade teacher!)

Maybe, just maybe though, the printer who is working on the Chinese gynmasts' passports and birth certificates is taking a vacation, and in the backlog, hasn't quite gotten around to Obama's yet? You know how that work can pile up after just a few days away from the office!

[StephC]

I'm pretty darn sure Obama is a citizen.

I'm 90% sure. Unfortunately, at one time I was 95% sure and before that I didn't even believe there was a possibility he wasn't. However, the longer this go on, especially since the election is now over, the less sure I become. I'm not focusing on it, certainly. There's no need for that. But neither am I shrugging it off as a tempest in a teapot.

If that were so, why are those guys so adamant about it being affiliated with the Democratic Party themselves as former Hillary supporters? It can't be for attention because for the most part, they're being pushed away as crackpots. Now, since the SC is considering the matter, one has to wonder. Maybe they're not crackpots after all... or maybe they are but are still on the right track... rather like McCarthy, of historical significance, was a crackpot but still right in the end.