Barack Obama says he was wrong about the surge

[Tuckerman]

Why not give McCain credit form the beginning.

At 3:27 also note the use of the phrase `Wildest Dreams' scary.
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[Smokey McPole]

Obama/Biden - so fuct right now.

Poor Barry. Maybe he'll make a comeback in a decade or so by starting a new GLACIERZ R COMMIN'!!! cult.

[timvwcom]

I think Obama was FANTASTIC in that interview... Tuckerman is that your point with this??? He was clear and specific that regards REDUCING violence - the surge was PART of the factors involved. But he also made clear that regards the political portion of a solution, very little has been accomplished. This is 100% consistent with what Obama has previously said.

Also reminds me how much of a dick O'Reilly is by interrupting all the time... though he does compliment Obama quite often in this interview. Was a bit surprised that Bill O'Reilly first ADMITTED that history would probably look at the Iraq war as a mistake. O'Reilly also commented after the interview that "He's a tough guy, Obama... I looked at him eye to eye — he's not a wimpy guy."

In fact, I think this is a good place to repost part of one of my responses to Rubicon regards this issue. This is from the last week;


...

Remember also, my goal isn't to defend Obama's every statement... he can do that if he wishes. I will try and reconcile your quoted statments to Obama's, and then fill in my thoughts where I think it's needed.




"He said the Surge in Iraq wouldn't work."

P_igpyewuzQ

...

Your turn.

OK... after some transcription I did a search and found the relevant part of the Obama statement you describe.


"I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse. I think it takes pressure off the Iraqis to arrive at the sort of political accommodation that every observer believes is the ultimate solution to the problems we face there. So I am going to actively oppose the president's proposal.

The obvious is that you and Obama are using different terms to describe success... You have used the term "work", where he was much more specific and said "solve the sectarian violence there." Obama further defined in that statement that he felt the surge would lessen the need for the Iraqis to find some political accommodation. And has also since suggested that the surge in Iraq, and corresponding lack of ability to beef up forces elsewhere, has left Al Quaeda able to regroup and grow in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

I think it's 100% certain the the level of violence in Iraq is lessened from earlier in the conflict, this I do not question. But I do question to whom, or what the credit for that lessening is due. Rubi, you seem to credit it all to the surge? I also question that the entire problem at issue has been solved. By suggesting the surge worked, am I out of line wondering if you feel the violence issues are now solved?

I think a combination of forces, likely INCLUDING the surge, are due the credit for the lessening of violence in Iraq. My admittedly under informed position is that the more credit is due what is known as the "Sunni Awakening". If you doubt that, consider that even General Patreaus is unwilling to claim victory or give the surge full credit for this (http://www.newsweek.com/id/154587/output/print);

Petraeus is careful not to credit all the progress to the surge of U.S. troops in 2007. The sea change came last year from a series of movements now known as the Awakening, when Sunnis, organizing around traditional tribal leaders, decided to turn on Al Qaeda as "an organization that embraces an extremist ideology, employs indiscriminate violence, and practices oppressive social customs," in the general's words. One of those customs was a ban on smoking. "That was the turning point when they cut the fingers off the first person who was smoking," he jokes. "Can you imagine an Anbar sheik being told he can't smoke?" So would the Sunni Awakening have succeeded without the surge? Possibly, he concedes, but the surge came at that time and helped empower Sunni leaders, paying their fighters and backing them up on the streets. This is where Seneca the Younger comes in: "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

And then to the issue of whether the violence is "solved"... Perhaps consider McCain's recent statement that Iraq "is a peaceful and stable country now". Ummm... Here is a daily Iraq violence update for TODAY August 31 (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/212/story/51266.html), basically NONE of which gets into the US headlines. How about a couple days ago? Here is July 28th (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/212/story/50988.html), and a few days before that on July, 24th (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/212/story/50392.html). Basically EVERY day there are numerous bombings, kidnappings, killing of hostages, and they admit that this stuff reported is just a fraction of what's going down. Yes, it has lessened, especially for our forces as they've pulled away, but Iraq is STILL a shit hole!!! If you want to say the "surge worked", hey... go for it.

I'm not even going to go into showing that very little has happened politically since the surge started, I've already wasted too much time on this one so far. Who "won" this point? Hell if I know...

[GoEhuge]

O'Reilly is possibly the biggest douchebag on the planet. I understand that his whole gig is based upon being a conforntational asshole, but is it really nessesary to interrupt a fucking presidential canidate time and time again when he is answering your questions? You think he would EVER have the balls to talk to McCain that way?

[Smokey McPole]

O'Reilly is possibly the biggest douchebag on the planet.

I beg to differ. If he would have gone on Hannity's show the whole interview would have been about Rev. Wright and nothing else. O'Rielly can talk louder, but Hannity has bigger man-tits.

[GoEhuge]

^^Brilliant point.

I just thought it was funny how this "part" of the interview was aired right before McCains speach. The "part" where he goes after Obama on the surge/attacking Iran etc, which is clearly O'Reillys main ammunition. I am willing to bet that in terms of the entirety of the interview, that little segment was the most vulnerable he made Obama look, hands down. Clearly the FOX republican stategy to throw that up right before the military badass McCain spoke.

[doughboyshredder]

I think Obama was FANTASTIC in that interview... Tuckerman is that your point with this??? He was clear and specific that regards REDUCING violence - the surge was PART of the factors involved. But he also made clear that regards the political portion of a solution, very little has been accomplished. This is 100% consistent with what Obama has previously said.



exactly..........

[jon gaper]

because he has 100% arrogance based on..............nothing.abandoned by his father x2 and his mother, shipped off to his grandparents, got into prep school only because he is black, got into columbia only because he was a black who went to prep school and didnt flunk out, got into harvard with saudi backing, got onto law review because he is black, (and was the first one there who couldnt write a single article) became a community organizer because he was worthless, became a lecturer who calls himself a professor, became a state legislator who could only vote present,became a senator only because his opponent dropped out, and never earned a penny because he was never there, HE IS A TOTAL ZERO

[timvwcom]

because he has 100% arrogance based on..............nothing.abandoned by his father x2 and his mother, shipped off to his grandparents, got into prep school only because he is black, got into columbia only because he was a black who went to prep school and didnt flunk out, got into harvard with saudi backing, got onto law review because he is black, (and was the first one there who couldnt write a single article) became a community organizer because he was worthless, became a lecturer who calls himself a professor, became a state legislator who could only vote present,became a senator only because his opponent dropped out, and never earned a penny because he was never there, HE IS A TOTAL ZERO

Complete delusion/100% politically biased post preservation...

But enough about my posts. Our friend jon gaper seems totally up on Barack HUSSEIN Obama's career path. HE IS A TOTAL ZERO who was only able to advance in society because he is black, a plant by the Saudis, is worthless, can only lecture and vote present, then practically fell into the US Senate when his opponent dropped out. If only a single other person in the entire country was less/more black (pick one), didn't know some Saudi's, and could tie their shoes, we'd have a better choice. It's so obvious now.

[Vets]

Tuckerman,
Even though your thread title is misleading, thank you for posting the video.
Anyone who watches it in its entirety is certain to be more impressed with Barack Obama.

[telebobski]

I'm not a big Obama supporter, but I thought he held his own against O'Rielly. Especially when the Grand Inquisitor controls the agenda & editing.