Obama at the VFW (UPDATED)
I just caught snippets of Obama’s speech at the VFW this morning and I just want to make some comments to clarify that which he has muddied.
Obama claimed that he opposed the war in Iraq at a time when it was politically difficult for him to do so. That’s Horseshit. It hasn’t been politically difficult for anyone to oppose the war in Iraq since 1990. The entire Democrat caucus held GHW Bush hostage for tax hikes while troops were on the ground in the Middle East facing Hussein’s armies. I remember three congressmen standing on the roof of one of Saddam’s palaces and say that Hussein was more trustworthy than President Bush while they opposed the war in Iraq. At no time in our recent history has it been politically difficult to be against any war.
Obama claimed that he knew that the war in Iraq would give rise to Islamic extremism in the region. What gave rise to Islamic extremism was the cowardice and the inability of the Left in this country to recognize the danger in the Middle East and the lack of commitment to dealing a deadly blow to that danger. Hussein handed out copies of Black Hawk Down to his military chiefs to convince them that Americans could be beaten by resisting long enough…because he knew, like the Taliban and al Qaeda know, that our weak link is the vocal and cowardly anti-war at any cost Leftists. Like Obama.
The only time the Left shows even a hint of bravery is when they’re being cowardly.
UPDATE: Ok, I’ve had a chance to do some more research and look at a partial script at WSJ’s Washington Wire, so I’m updating my thoughts.
While Obama did oppose the war in the beginning, he did it from Chicago, not from Washington. How “politically difficult” was it to be against the war in Chicago?
Today he accused McCain of distorting his record on the war;
“Yesterday, Senator McCain came before you. He is a man who has served this nation honorably, and he correctly stated that one of the chief criteria for the American people in this election is going to be who can exercise the best judgment as Commander in Chief. But instead of just offering policy answers, he turned to a typical laundry list of political attacks. He said that I have changed my position on Iraq when I have not. He said that I am for a path of “retreat and failure.” And he declared, “Behind all of these claims and positions by Senator Obama lies the ambition to be president” – suggesting, as he has so many times, that I put personal ambition before my country,” Obama told the crowd.
In 2004, while he was making a run at a national office in the Senate, he told a Chicago reporter “There’s not much difference between my position and George Bush’s position at this stage” on July 27th, 2004 (John Kass “Obama’s a Star Who Doesn’t Stick to the Script“, Chicago Tribune, July 27, 2004). Now, I don’t think George Bush opposed the war in 2004. Obama claims he was taken out of context, but read the article yourself.
After Obama’s speech, McCain’s staff sent this message to the press in attendence;
“Unlike Barack Obama, John McCain doesn’t have to compensate for a lack of credibility on the international stage with inflammatory and public threats against American allies. The American people know that John McCain will hunt down terrorists wherever they are, and have a choice between strength and experience versus Barack Obama’s rhetoric and theatrics,” McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds said in a statement.
But you’ll probably only hear that on the blogs.
Category: Antiwar crowd, Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Politics, Terror War
Word. Here’s how he “bravely” opposed the liberation of Iraq in 2002:
“I don’t oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other armchair, weekend warriors in this administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne. What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Rove to distract us from a rise in the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income, to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone through the worst month since the Great Depression.”
How is that for a unique, nuanced, well-informed foreign policy stance? That sounds like a high-school senior who has spent too much time reading moonbat blogs. Wow, the spine on this guy is stiff!!
The blood of 4,000+ American troops and thousands of Iraqi’s is on the hands of the democrats. The only reason the war lasted more than a week after the invasion was the democrats promise that they would assure a ‘terrorists’ victory. Look at any way you want but that is a fact. Maybe Hussein O holds his hands above his head, not to prove he’s the Messiah, but to check for blood dripping from them. He could have been a member of code stink who contributed money to the terrorists. How long before some of the family members of those lost due to code stink show the terrorist supporters (democrats) what terror is?
Scrapiron:
How would the war have been won in a week if the Democrats hadn’t gotten in the way? That’s a bold claim my friend!
No need to worry about Obama expanding/fighting the war, though. He’s promised to increase the overall size of the military and increase our presence in Afghanistan. Perhaps he’ll make inroads in Pakistan and Georgia, certainly that’s a concern.
For the record, I view Obama’s “war opposition” as a matter of convenience, not conviction. He’s just as much of an interventionist as McCain…he just downplays it to win over the code pink vote.
Who is Eddie Willers? His name has been showing up in my signature box here, and I just noticed that he is “moderating” Scrapirons post. Perhaps he’s bought the site??????
nuf sed
Scrapiron- you win the award for most misinformed commenter of the week.
How come McCain can’t even win the support of the troops in his presidential bid? First he loses the military vote to Ron Paul. Now I see on Fox News that Obama leads McCain almost 2 to 1 in campaign contributions from military members. That has to hurt you guys. Seems like the vets on this board are out of touch with the overwhelming majority of the military.
“Cone of Silence” = Mainstream Media Coverage of Obama
Frankly Opinionated:
There’s a lot of ways I can answer that…worst nightmare? Your real conscious? The man you’ve always wanted to be but were afraid to become? Kidding…
Seriously, though, I think there’s a small glitch in the commenting portion of this site. When I went to comment the default name was “Scrapiron” … you just have to be careful to enter your name each time you write in.
I check it every time – there’s no way I want my words attributed to anyone but me. Indeed, the computer keyboard to me is what a piano keyboard must have been to Mozart or Beethoven…
Raoul—
THAT needed a spew alert!! 🙂
Let see, it’s got feathers, a bill, and webbed feet. Looks like a duck.
“Woof woof”
Nope, it is just Sen. Obama trying to disguise himself again.
the computer keyboard to me is what a piano keyboard must have been to Mozart or Beethoven…
Pretty sad image that.
Unless someone is paying for your actual keyboard time you might just wanna get a life. [shrug]
Gee Ed… Think much of yourself? Hate to break it to ya but you’re much more like Tiny Tim.