For Second Straight Day, Hussein Denies Surge Was Successful - Credits Iraqis, Not U.S. Troops
“My judgement on Iraq matches reality”
Related Story: Obama Covers His Ass At Expense Of Living, Wounded And Dead American Troops
AMMAN, Jordan–Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama completed a visit to Iraq on Tuesday acknowledging progress in the country over the past year but unwilling to declare that the Bush Administration troop surge he opposed has been a success.
“I believe that the situation in Iraq is more secure than it was a year and a half ago. I think that the definition of success depends on how you look at it,” Obama said at a news conference in Jordan shortly after he landed here for the next stop on an international tour that also will take him to capitals in the Middle East and Europe.
After the news conference Obama met with Jordan’s King Abdullah and then had dinner with the king and other Jordanian and American officials. Later in the evening, he was scheduled to go on to Israel, where he meets with government leaders Wednesday.
The international trip, which began with visits to combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq, is an opportunity for the candidate to assure American voters of his capabilities as a potential commander in chief. Though polls show Obama ahead in the presidential race at the moment, many voters say they have reservations about his readiness to lead the country on national security issues, a key potential vulnerability.
At the news conference, held at the site of an ancient ruin that provided a striking panoramic view of the Jordanian capital, many of questions focused on his policy judgments on the Iraq War.
Obama stressed that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and even the Bush administration have in recent days moved closer to his signature policy on Iraq calling for a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. combat troops within 16 months after Obama would take office. Maliki said on Monday he favored a goal of removing U.S. combat troops by 2010, within a few months of the date Obama has proposed.
“When you look at an increasing recognition that we can’t stay in Iraq in perpetuity and that a time frame, timetable, timeline, whatever you want to refer to, is appropriate, I think that the judgments that I’ve made over the course of the last two years are ones that match up with the reality on the ground,” Obama said.
But he demurred when asked if Republican rival John McCain should be credited with good judgment for supporting the Bush administration’s troop “surge” last year that was followed by a dramatic drop in sectarian strife in Iraq.
“I will leave it to the voters to make that decision. And my hope is to avoid a colloquy with the McCain campaign over the next four or five days, partly because I think when we’re overseas, we’re trying to … focus on some areas of agreement.”
Obama, who has argued the success of the Bush administration strategy in Iraq should be judged on long-term political reconciliation, conceded signs of progress in that direction. He cited the Maliki government’s offensives in Basr and Sadr City against militias from his own Shiite sect. He called those offensives “a confidence-building measure.” Some Shiite militia groups have targeted Sunnis in sectarian killings.
But he said the pace of progress has been inadequate.
“So far, I think we have not seen the kind of political reconciliation that’s going to bring about long-term stability in Iraq,” Obama said.
Be respectful of others and their opinions. Inflammatory remarks and inane leftist drivel will be deleted. It ain’t about free speech, remember you’re in a private domain. My website, my prerogative.
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C’mon dude. Sell it better than that.
“…And my hope is to avoid a colloquy with the McCain campaign over the next four or five days, partly because I think when we’re overseas, we’re trying to … focus on some areas of agreement.””
Oh for crissakes rookie. That sounds like a ‘please don’t rain on my day in the spotlight’ plea to me.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:16 pmThere are no “areas of agreement” asshole. Get a fucking clue.
“I think that the judgments that I’ve made”
He has not earned a right to judge anything except the price of arugula.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 pmWow! Everybody look at me. I am running for Prez.
July 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 pmThis Jerk has no authority whatsoever to be traveling the world defaming our troops, their efforts and successes - none, zilch. He lacks all perception it being clouded by his own sickening ego.
He’s a political hack, an antagonistic traitor and compulsive liar and charlatan barren of all sincerity and humility. This megalomaniac freak and his traveling circus of media buffoons disgust me to the core.
He’s far worse than Carter and by a country mile, he’s everything, the sum of all (past and present) that is wrong and corrupt with the Democratic party rolled into one miserable puke.
July 22nd, 2008 at 9:39 pmHussein and his Interesting style of government
Iraq might have worked out anyways. Sunnis might have stood up.
Mahdi Army might have gone away. Everything might have been
OK even if my cut n run plan was implemented.
Wow.
Oil crisis? Some oil might turn up any day now.
Terror Attacks: Might never happen.
Iran? The people might overthrow the mullahs.
New Russian Threats: A big meteor might land on Moscow.
etc.
Except for insanity, his campaign should be over now,
July 23rd, 2008 at 2:41 amYeah, that might happen.
i guess life is hell without teleprompters and written speeches.just keep stepping on your dick,it’s the only good you’ll ever do this country. BTW,i’m sure john kerry can show you how to take care of that mangled member
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:44 amPart of being a man, Sen. Messiah, is to be willing to admit when you are wrong…you have proven that you are no man, but just an ordinary asshole…and like an ordinary asshole on every human, you blast out foul smelling hot air and loads of shit.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:01 amSo let me get this straight! My Son who was in Iraq for 15 months as part of the Surge did not help contribute to Iraq Security one bit!!! First he has a Preacher that hates America. Then he goes to Pennsylvania and puts down the NRA and the working class! And then he tells us to make our children learn Spanish! We are starting to see a pattern of extreme left leanings that he and his socialist kind harbors! Sorry Obama with less then a year as a Senator, no military experience and has no children/relatives in the military or in harm’s way you have just lost my vote!
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:26 amOBH 11-22-06 “Given the deteriorating situation it is clear at this point that we cannot through putting in more troops or maintaining the presence that we have expect that somehow the situation will improve.”
OBH Today – “There might have been improvement without our military”.
He wants to lose the war, and he will go to extremes states of plausibility to not give the military credit for winning it. He has put all his chips on the surge failing, and it has been a spectacular success. Ask Katie C., finally she reported the overwhelmingly positive numbers.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:54 amThis is how people act when they have just been proven wrong about something. What an asshole!
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:16 amMaybe Obumbla needs to speak in front of my son’s platoon to inform them that their hard work, long hours and sacrifices didn’t do much to win the security of Iraq.
Some CIC this load would be. He has no respect for our military. But, he is a typical leftwing Marxist so this is exactly what I expect from the Happy Meal candidate.
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:40 amSince Senator O’Bambi is too stupid to recognize the real success behind the surge, let me thank all the people who are ultimately responsible for the victory in Iraq.
Our military and their respective families.
Don’t any of you guys and gals who have made the sacrifices ever think for a minute that wise people don’t realize it either.
I’m happy the Iraqis have discovered the sand to make this work. But the ultimate reason for the success was not only did our military win one battle after another, they did something I thought virtually impossible - change Iraqi hearts.
And I consider that an even greater victory than the battlefield.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:16 amThe Democrats keep wanting to say the Awakening in al Anbar occurred before the “surge”. The problem with that is the only reason the Awakening could occur is that US military was already heavily focused on al Anbar (Ramadi and Fallujah) as this was the home base of al Qaeda before the surge. The surge was designed to allow more troops in Baghdad and Baquoba, which is where al Qaeda was fleeing to from al Anbar and the Medhi army militia were running unchecked. Had it not been for the US military in al Anbar providing the muscle to back the Awakening, it would never have happened. The same goes for al Sadr telling his troops to stand down. The surge allowed the Coalition and Iraqi forces to focus on the Medhi Army. They then gave Sadr the ability to save face by changing the name of the guys we were killing to “Special Groups” or criminals all the while killing the same type of individuals.
Obama continues to insist that his plan would have worked. Thank God we will never know. As a veteran of this war and of the Afghan war, I am part of the group that says we need to come home, but only when the circumstances on the ground allow for it. I can not stand to tell my kids we lost the war because it was too hard.
July 23rd, 2008 at 6:21 am[…] Surge Was Successful - Credits Iraqis, Not U.S. Troops July 23, 2008 — budsimmons http://patdollard.com/2008/07/for-second-straight-day-hussein-denies-surge-was-successful-credits-ir… Posted in B Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Obama, Hussein Obama, […]
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:29 am
ssgduke54 and your son
July 23rd, 2008 at 10:49 amanyone with a computer and an iq over 50 knows who is responsible for the success in iraq. tell your son-many thanks and godspeed
I know everyone here has seen it and heard before but i had to post these treasoness assholes past statements. Helps to keep my blood pressure up.
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Democrats doubled down on defeat
A brief tour:
• Democrat Joe Biden, Jan. 2007: “If he surges another 20, 30 [thousand], or whatever number he’s going to, into Baghdad, it’ll be a tragic mistake.”
• Democrat Barack Obama, Jan. 2007: “I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraqis going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse.”
• Democrat Hillary Clinton, Jan. 2007: “I cannot support [the] proposed escalation of the war in Iraq.”
• Democrat Barack Obama, Jan 2007: “I don’t think the president’s [surge] strategy is going to work.”
• Democrat John Kerry, Feb. 2007: “The simple fact is that sending in over 20,000 additional troops isn’t the answer–in fact, it’s a tragic mistake. It won’t end the violence; it won’t provide security; …it won’t turn back the clock and avoid the civil war that is already underway; it won’t deter terrorists, who have a completely different agenda; it won’t rein in the militias.”
• Democrat Dennis Kucinich, Feb. 2007: “It has been proven time and time again that troop surges don’t work.”
• Democrat Harry Reid, Apr. 2007: “The war is lost… This surge is not accomplishing anything.”
• Democrat Christopher Dodd, Apr. 2007: “We don’t need a surge of troops in Iraq… there is no military solution in Iraq. To insist upon a surge is wrong.”
• Democrat Barack Obama, Jul. 2007: “My assessment is that the surge has not worked.”
• Democrat Dick Durbin, Aug. 2007: “By carefully manipulating the statistics, the Bush-Petraeus report will try to persuade us that violence in Iraq is decreasing and thus the surge is working. Even if the figures were right, the conclusion is wrong.”
• Democrat Jan Schakowsky, Aug. 2007: “I believe overall the surge is a failure. …It’s clear to me we cannot win…”
• Democrat Joe Biden, Sep. 2007: “We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home… [When asked whether Iraq closer to political reconciliation than before the surge began, and would continuing the operation stop the killing between Sunnis, Shi’ites and Kurds?] …The answer to both those questions is no.”
• Democrat John Kerry, Sep. 2007: “”The president’s escalation … has failed to achieve its goal of bringing about a resolution of the fundamental conflict between Sunni and Shi’ite.”
• Democrat Chris Dodd, Sep. 2007: “It pains me to say that … the surge tactic is a failure — and that failure is reconfirmed everyday by unfolding events in Iraq.”
• Democrat Barack Obama, Oct. 2007: “[The surge is a] complete failure… Iraq’s leaders are not reconciling. They are not achieving political benchmarks.”
• Democrat Harry Reid, Nov. 2007: “It is indisputable that the goals of the surge have failed.”
• Democrat Joe Biden, Nov. 2007: “This whole notion that the surge is working is fantasy.”
• Democrat Nancy Pelosi, Feb. 2008: “There haven’t been gains [in Iraq]… The gains have not produced the desired effect, which is the reconciliation of Iraq. This is a failure. This is a failure.”
• Democrat Carl Levin, Apr. 2008: “…the purpose of the surge as announced by President Bush last year… has not been achieved”
• Democrat Joe Biden, Apr. 2008: “The purpose of the surge was to bring violence in Iraq down so that its leaders could come together politically. Violence has come down, but the Iraqis have not come together… We Democrats understand that this war must end…”
• Democrat Bill Richardson, Jun. 2008: “[when asked if he was ready to concede that John McCain had been right in proposing the surge, said] “Absolutely not.”
July 23rd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
RC you have said it just about as good as anybody could and this includes the resident guru of this blog, IMHO, DantheInfidel who is #1 in my edification.
July 23rd, 2008 at 5:11 pmPlus you are freaking funny.
He’s a political hack, an antagonistic traitor and compulsive liar and charlatan barren of all sincerity and humility. This megalomaniac freak and his traveling circus of media buffoons disgust me to the core.
Great job!
I am loving Obamessiah’s tour!
With every passing hour, he’s burying himself deeper and deeper and his halo is looking down right dingy.
@ Rich C That was pure poetry! 
July 23rd, 2008 at 7:01 pm