Barack Obama on Wednesday took aim at potential rival John McCain over the Arizona senator's apparent misstep at a recent press conference in Jordan, the latest sign Democrats are looking to capitalize on the moment.
"Just yesterday, we heard Sen. McCain confuse Sunni and Shiite, Iran and Al Qaeda," Obama said during a speech on Iraq Wednesday morning. "Maybe that is why he voted to go to war with a country that had no Al Qaeda ties. Maybe that is why he completely fails to understand that the war in Iraq has done more to embolden America’s enemies than any strategic choice that we have made in decades.
But McCain's camp responds:
Responding to Obama's comments, McCain senior adviser Mark Salter said, "John McCain wants American forces to come home when our clear and serious interests at stake in Iraq, which nearly 4,000 Americans have given their lives to secure, are truly safe, when al Qaeda is defeated; Iran's influence is contained, and the potential for a truly cataclysmic civil war in Iraq is remote. That, I think, is what is called 'making us safer.'
"Senator Obama's plan, if it can be charitably described as one, would do the reverse."
So who's right? Well certainly no one can claim that the surge of troops and change in tactics haven't worked. We all remember Harry Reid wanting to throw in the towel like a Mike Tyson opponent from the 90's.
Sure, there have been large attacks against Iraqi civilians, however violence is way down, Iraqi soldiers and police are doing more and more, and even the Iraqi's themselves have said that they still need us in the short term.
I'd like this to be wrapped up as quickly as possible as any Democrat, however, I think more long term then they do and I can honestly see that if we leave Iraq with them weakened, there is a real possibility of collapse.
If that were to happen, do you think Obama would come to Iraq's aid? Or do you suppose he'd basically say "sorry". If you think "we've created more terrorists then we've killed" you can imagine how many we'd "create" if we abandoned Iraq for the second time.
Travis
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