A Brief History Of Hussein’s Shifting Positions On Iraq
Is all of this an example of your self-described “better judgement” on Iraq, Hussein?
Hussein on Iraq in 2004:
“Now, us having gone in there, we have a deep national security interest in making certain that Iraq is stable. If not, not only are we going to have a humanitarian crisis, we are also going to have a huge national security problem on our hands-because, ironically, it has become a hotbed of terrorists as a consequence, in part, of our incursion there. In terms of timetable, I’m not somebody who can say with certainty that a year from now or six months from now we’re going to be able to pull down troops.”
Hussein on Iraq in 2005:
Today, as Americans grow increasingly impatient with our presence in Iraq, voices I respect are calling for a rapid withdrawal of our troops, regardless of events on the ground.
But I believe that, having waged a war that has unleashed daily carnage and uncertainty in Iraq, we have to manage our exit in a responsible way - with the hope of leaving a stable foundation for the future, but at the very least taking care not to plunge the country into an even deeper and, perhaps, irreparable crisis. I say this not only because we owe it to the Iraqi people, but because the Administration’s actions in Iraq have created a self-fulfilling prophecy - a volatile hotbed of terrorism that has already begun to spill over into countries like Jordan, and that could embroil the region, and this country, in even greater international conflict.
In sum, we have to focus, methodically and without partisanship, on those steps that will: one, stabilize Iraq, avoid all out civil war, and give the factions within Iraq the space they need to forge a political settlement; two, contain and ultimately extinquish the insurgency in Iraq; and three, bring our troops safely home.
Hussein On Iraq in 2007:
“We have to send a clear message to the Iraqi government as well as to the surrounding neighbors that there is no military solution to the problems that we face in Iraq. So we have to begin a phased withdrawal; have our combat troops out by March 31st of next year.”
and:
“‘The best way to protect our security and to pressure Iraq’s leaders to resolve their civil war is to immediately begin to remove our combat troops. Not in six months or one year – now.”
Hussein’s current position on Iraq, on his own Presidential campaign website:
Bringing Our Troops Home
Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. Obama will make it clear that we will not build any permanent bases in Iraq. He will keep some troops in Iraq to protect our embassy and diplomats; if al Qaeda attempts to build a base within Iraq, he will keep troops in Iraq or elsewhere in the region to carry out targeted strikes on al Qaeda.
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Forgot about this one…
September 19, 2004:
“Pulling out now would make things worse.A quick withdrawal would add to the chaos there and make it an extraordinary hotbed of terrorist activity. It would also damage Americas international prestige and amount to a slap in the face to the troops fighting there. If that strategy made sense and would lead ultimately to the pullout of U.S. troops but in the short term required additional troop strength to protect those who are already on the ground, then thats something I would support.”
March 1st, 2008 at 8:25 pmFuck you Barack Hussein Obama
March 1st, 2008 at 8:55 pmStop telling the public about our withdrawal from Iraq, Obama. They sacrificed nothing. How about you speak to a Batallion of Marines and tell THEM that we are withdrawing, and that their blood and sacrifice will be for nothing. When did you ever sacrifice something for this country, Obama?
March 1st, 2008 at 9:04 pmWhich promise are you keeping today, Obama? The one where we only get out after security is achieved or the one on your website where we start pulling out a brigad a month now?
And on tv I hear him saying Al Qaeda is already there, and then on his website it says they’re not there, but if they start a base there, we should go in and get them out, this guy is so fucking outrageous I can’t believe he isn’t getting called out on all this crap.
Train wreck. I hope the wreck is only called Obama, and not America.
Wake up.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:05 pmThere’s MORE on this subject, and VERY recent too.
Senator Obama flip flopped within 15 seconds on a 60 minutes interview, when asked about Iraq withdrawal timelines:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/07/60minutes/main3804268_page2.shtml
“What do you think of what’s going on in Iraq right now?” Kroft asked.
“Well, I think, on the positive side, we’ve seen a reduction in violence. And I don’t think anybody can deny that,” Obama said. “What we haven’t seen is the kind of political reconciliation or accommodation between the Sunni and the Shia and the Kurds that are required in order for Iraq to stabilize. But I completely reject the notion, you know, most forcefully presented by John McCain that we should commit ourselves to a 50-year or a 60-year or a 100-year occupation in order to assure stability in Iraq. I think that is a recipe for disaster.”
“At a time when American casualties are down, at a time when the violence is down, particularly affecting the Iraqi population, is that the right time to try and set time tables for withdrawing all American troops? I mean you talked about…the end of 2009,” Kroft remarked.
“Yeah, absolutely. I think now is precisely the time. I think that it is very important for us to send a clear signal to the Iraqis that we are not gonna be here permanently. We’re not gonna set up permanent bases. That they are going to have to resolve their differences and get their country functioning,” Obama said.
“And you pull out according to that time table, regardless of the situation? Even if there’s serious sectarian violence?” Kroft asked.
“No, I always reserve as commander in chief, the right to assess the situation,” Obama replied.
March 1st, 2008 at 11:37 pmFuck Hussein
March 2nd, 2008 at 7:41 amsounds lke a flip flopper to me. I support staying in Iraq. oh wait I now support withdraw. He will go whatever way the wind blows and that isn’t a good leader!!!
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:19 am