The Note: Obama Gets Benefits, Not Blame, of Surge

To paraphrase McCain once said the war would be quick and easy and that we would be treated like liberators. Who is McCain to question Obama’s judgement?

Obama: Will say anything to anybody and swear he never changed despite overwhelming proof he did.

Obama plans to take the troops and put them in Afghanistan, so what have we gained nothing, but old wish-wash will recant on Afghanistan as well like he has everything, at least McCain stands for something not swirling with the wind like Obama,,Obama is weak

Obama is violating every protocol of US service by pretending to negotiate policy overseas. There is one President and it isn’t Obama.
Some may not like Bush but he has the job. Some may like Obama but he is in over his head and has not done the job he was hired for as a US Senator.
This farce is rapidly turning into a tragedy for US foreign policy.

Obama is a very observant person, who listens, learns quickly, and then allows his commonsense to guide him when assessing situations. He has gone on this tour to personally assess world situations. You will see great ideas, insightful suggestions, and solutions forthcoming.
Good luck and God Speed to the next President of the United States of America.

Experience…I keep seeing that term bandied about. Why is McCain more experienced than Senator Obama to be president? Just because he is old? He really hasn’t been all that successful has he? Graduated 894 out of a class of 899, couldn’t keep a plane in the air, couldn’t make admiral despite his father and grandfather, cheated on his wife, Keating 5, let’s go to war with Iraq, bomb Iran…LOTS of experience there alright.
I think I will just stay with my candidate. He may not have McCain’s “experience” but he does have good ideas and the ability to see what the country needs.

By definition, a surge is a sudden increase in something; McCain’s usage is an increase in troop level.
The increase in troop level cannot be lumped in with the purchase by us of 80,000+ Sunni’s –who were probably helping Al-Quada– to play nice with us.
Neither is the surge a direct link to the deals cut with Al-Sadr to take a time out.
So what do we have left? The surge is a convenient hat-rack to hang a group of unrelated things onto.
An old guy crying over and over; the surge!, the surge!, is like the guy alerting the inhabitants with; the plane!, the plane! on the old TV show Fantasy Island.
Come to think of it, we may be on Fantasy Island!

how is the world can obama still say he still would have been opposed to the surge knowing what he knows now. we are on a path to victory! and the press does not ask a follow-up to this???

Senator McCain wants to simplify things into “I supported the surge and he opposed it”.
The trouble is that he also was enthusiastic about starting a war that has cost 4,000 lives and $650 billion.
And he said to cameras that this would be an easy war to win, and that the Iraqis would rebuild their own country.
He isn’t getting traction on his surge obsession because people remember all the other times when he was WRONG.
Funny his friends in his media entourage don’t comment on this. Favoritism??

Violence came down …but it came down as far as it did not because of the surge as much as the tactics used from Afghanistan in the 1980′s… giving money to insurgent types …and what did we get from that tactic in the 1980′s?
oh… a couple of guys names Osama Bin Laden, al zawaheri and their team “the al qaedas”… oh and there friends the taliban.
Great judgement straight out of Mccain’s prime in the 80′s.
It also had to do with the reports of al qaeda not wanting to be viewed as not being blamed for Muslim intertribal violence…when they need the Muslim community to be focused on the US occupying iraq for their recruitment goals.
as has been reported by the best terrorist experts and afficionados in the world.
Mccain is bad on this issue…cold war mentality won’t work… do we need a new group coming out of the insurgents we just gave money and guns to?
all at the low cost of 200,000,000,000 dollars.
Just for the surge.

one more time
200,000,000,000 dollars
and we may have made it worse in the long run.

The NYT rejected McLame’s opt-ed
for precisely the reasons they clearly stated. McBush does not spell out what his foreign policy strategy for Iraq, Iran or Afghanistan.Secondly he does not clarify any of his positions on energy, education, healthcare or infrastructre renewal. Lastly it is a bit unseemly that an Old warrior can only whine like a baby that the media isn’t giving McCan’t the same coverage. I say the MSM has given a free ride of sorts, with all the gaffes and missteps of McSame & his campaign. I can only hope that McBush gets his wish and gets more coverage and scrutiny. i.e. McBush stated Monday about the serious problems on the border between Iraq and Pakistani border. Unfortunately there is no such border, just like there is no Czechoslavakia. Just imagine what the media hoopla would be if Obama had made any of these gaffs, the media would have labeled him as inexpierienced, naive and not CinC material. Talk about a double standard. I hope the media will start doing it’s job and stop Giving McWhiner a free pass , give McWhiner the coverage & Scrutiny he really deserves!
An expert in foreign policy is MacCain not!
Obama 08

So Mr. Obama visited Anbar.
I wonder what made that possible?

“how is the world can obama still say he still would have been opposed to the surge knowing what he knows now. we are on a path to victory! and the press does not ask a follow-up to this???”
What is this “victory” that you and McCain, and Bush, and Runsfield keep talking about?
If you mean “victory” is Iraq becomeing a democracy and the bombing ending, don’t hold your breath. The people in Iraq DO NOT think like americans, that is why they hate us. Their god tells them something is right, so they die to protect it. You can’t teach these people anything new, they must come to these decisions on their own.

They can have Obama after the voters reject him in November.

The world will view American as the great country she once was after we elect Obama in November! What a great feeling that will be! After the last 8 years of embarresment of the Cowboy Circus Clown and his bottom feeding buddy! and now we just have to shuffle the unethical Johnny Boy off the world stage before he makes ANOTHER gaffe by relating to countries that don’t exist!

I saw this comment elsewhere today and thought it was about right. “A PREDICTION: If Barack Obama is elected President, he’ll be far more warlike than President Bush, and far more warlike than his pre-election rhetoric suggests. Because before he’s elected President, attacks on America are just attacks on America. But after he’s elected President, attacks on America will also be attacks on Barack Obama.
And Keith Olbermann will describe the mushroom cloud over Tehran as “awesome in its rampant Technicolor beauty.”"

The truth is Americans are afraid that McCain’s mind is not all there.
He’s like the uncle we love, but we’ve been watching him make mental mistake after mental mistake.
Here’s just a few…
1) Sunni/Shiite slip up. Corrected by Lieberman, only to make the same exact slip up a couple days later in front of middle east leaders.
2) Troop size in Iraq is down to pre-surge levels, when it was actually above.
3) For 15 years, McCain has repeatedly referred to Czechoslovakia. It cost him the 2000 election, so one would think he would learn but he hasn’t.
4) Talking about Iraq/Pakistan border, but they do not border each other.
5) Singing bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.
6) One week McCain says the surge didn’t effect Afghanistan because more troops are not needed. The next week, saying we need 2-3 new brigades there and soon.
7) Asked about Viagra and birth control, only to see his eyes bulge out and pause for 7 seconds.
8) McCain’s blow up at a female reporter when she asked about McCain and Kerry in 2004.
9) McCain ripping Obama for missing a vote, only to be told that McCain also missed the same vote.
The list goes on and on.

Consistency being the hobgoblin of little minds, perhaps you liberals could grace us with an explanation for the following: Reid, Pelosi and the usual gang of idiots (including Barack Obama) declared the Iraq War “lost”, while Obama (before purging his web site) said the surge would not work. Now that the surge has worked, these same liberal morons are braying that the surge was unnecessary because we were winning anyway. Well, what is it morons? Were we winning anyway or was the war lost? The libs are such pathological liars they cannot even keep their story straight.

I really don’t understand the almost religious belief in and adoration of Obama from the media. But then I didn’t understand it when they were doing the same thing for W either. And look where that got us! Maybe it’s time to start going in the opposite direction from the media. Their track record is not that good.

McCain and the Republicans are all over Obama for not voting for a Surge that has worked??? Uhmmmmm. McCain is one who has helped put us in a war that was built on lies to the American people. We should never have gone into this war, we have no business being in Iraq, I also have said this from day one, we should have stayed focused on the true issue. 9/11. Also, McCains ads on Obama to apply that the gas prices are his fault when in fact they are McCains and the party of the Republicans. Do they not get it. We the American people are not as stupid as they would like us to be.

REMEMBER, the need for the surge was the poor management of the Iraq war by Bush, Rumsfeld, and Cheaney! There should have been NO NEED for a surge if the war didn’t happen or if it had bee handled better (not getting rid of the entire Army so order and control would have been kept). Obama should get no blame. McCain gets a small amount of credit, but the Iraqi people deserve a large part of the credit, especially those in Anbar who did something about the extremists when Bush/Rumsfeld didn’t have a clue on what needed to be done. As good as our Military is, the surge would not be working without the help of the tribal sheiks who decided to stand up for their own interests. Iraqi government needs to continue to do that and more so our troops can get home on Obama’s timetable!

The Commander Guy Said: ”
McCain can always have Karl Rove write another op ed for him.
The Wall Street Journal will publish it.
And it looks like McCain’s promise to include George Bush in the campaign has been clarified.
He just meant George Bush Senior not junior.”
Hey Commander Dude, it’s shaping up just fine that Osama (oops, meant Obama) will have just as many crooked and shady people advising him. Remember that old saying about glass houses and stones? No? You will if Osama (Ooops, meant Obama) gets elected.

McCain is showing me he has 1 year’s experience 26 times. Does this make him qualified to be President. People are hired into jobs for their potential–trades persons do need specific skills–executive level persons are hired for their potentials based on many factors; insightful understandings, communicating and organizing skills, capacity for good judgment under pressured conditions, being responsive in responsible and accountable ways and such. In Obama, I am seeing a new style of political leadership, bold strategies to advance his ideas and the capacities to select good team members to bring into reality those ideas. This is a man who is representative of the post-baby boomer generation, meaning he can see beyond his own narrow interests; he is also a fine example of an individual living the Great American Dream.

Hey Commander Dude, it’s shaping up just fine that Osama (oops, meant Obama) will have just as many crooked and shady people advising him. Remember that old saying about glass houses and stones? No? You will if Osama (Ooops, meant Obama) gets elected.
Posted by: Mark | Jul 22, 2008 10:18:32 AM
*******
Awwww…that is SO sweet that you guys are still trying to run the 2004 campaign. But it’s 2008 and FEAR and SMEAR aren’t going to work this cycle. You will actually have to debate the issues. Good luck on that one, LOL!

Difference between Obama supporters and McCain supporters is that the Obama supporters use the facts to show McCain as unable to lead while the McCain supporters have to use anologies with no basis in facts. How sad for you guys! LOLOLOLOL
OBAMA 08
Posted by: Grissom | Jul 22, 2008 9:51:12 AM
________________________________________
Difference between Osama supporters and McCain supporters is that the Osama supporters use dirty tricks to show Obama as a qualified candidate while McCain supporters have to use the facts to show McCain as capable to lead this great nation! It’s pathetic!!!!

This jerk enjoys the spotlight when the stage has been ready for him!!
Ok Obama, get off the stage and get lost because the heavy curtain will soon block out the light and you will be back into the darkness again! That’s where you belong!

Everybody is going to have their own sense of reality as far as both candidates are concerned. I do not find it enjoyable beating either one of them down but pondering which would truly be best for the country. Yes I am a McCain supporter but did not start out that way. I personally preferred Hillary am very disappointed in the democratic party for what they did to her. When considering any of the candidates please consider this.
1) Through the whole campaign process, think about how the candidates brought the issues to the table. Hillary and McCain both have used he town hall type settings to answer questions about what was important to us and actually participate in active discussions. Obama has barked at us through teleprompters about what he thinks he knows is important to us.
2) Look at what the media has done to shove Obama down our throat, they have denied coverage to the other candidates, provided one sided opinion while trying to actually trying to convince us it is news, and in the latest case with the NY Times prevented the candidate from providing rebuttal to an earlier criticizing Op ED from Obama.
3) I was posting blogs on the CNN Cafferty file page and found that after posting 22 comments about Obama (much like this one) none were posted (deleted at moderation). After I used a different name and email heaping praise on Obama and criticizing America “Poof” it went up. Are we not smart enough to make our own opinion so it needs to be given to us by the news providers? Is this fair, balanced, and objective? Are we being fed our candidate in the same way the French feed their geese?
4) Senator Obama has had some very questionable associations with some very abrasive characters. Just think about some of these things his friends have said and done. If John McCain was even seen in the same city as David Duke he would be shaked, baked, and finished. For those that want proof of the worst of association do a Google on Bill Ayers, he is a piece of crap terrorist that in modern day times would be locked up in a federal prison for life over what he did.
5) Senator Obama is a freshman Senator, he has never completed the first term of anything before launching himself to the next step. Not only does he lack experience but it appears as though he only focus is on acquiring power and he is willing to say anything or trash anybody to get it.
6) Obama was proud to preach that in 1996 his election was aided by registering thousands of voters. He did fail to mention that the real reason he won was he eliminated the competition through a technicality. Bottom line is he was the only Democratic choice in a 90% democratic district. My greatest issue with this is not the fact that he did what he did as this is politics as usual, my issue is why has this fact not been brought to the front as it would have been if Hillary pulled such a stunt?
7) Finally think about this man as a man. We all have core beliefs that do not go through radical changes, think about what you believe strongly in and then think about what it would take to make you change your mind about them. Obama has made statements about things such as the war, the death penalty, taxes, education, immigration, and the economy. I am not saying he has changed his mind on these issues but has pandered himself to try to be the man for everybody which he cannot be. A candidate must be predictable to some extent and when you show you have no foundation to base your beliefs you are absent of that foundation or “core”. If you see no consistency now what makes you think you will see it in the next four years?
Final point, as a retired soldier that served in Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Iraq I have seen the hatred many have for the United States. Regardless of the reasons, like it or not there are people that hate this country and want to destroy it. Many of the leaders of these countries and groups are very experienced in the practice of their hate and deceit, a president that is undergoing on the job training may not be the best choice to counter this. When you are not an American war is not something that when you lose you say “oh well” and move on. Think about what the Soviets did with their spoils after WWII, did they say “OK we all friends now”? No. they occupied, raped, and ravaged Eastern Europe for fifty years and when they were done there was not much left. The Germans praised Ronald Reagan when the wall came done, now they curse him because they are paying a 12% unification tax to rebuild East Germany. Think about how you would appreciate life under Iranian or North Korean rule? Yes you would not have to worry about war but think it all the way through. Just say to yourself that is not possible, say it again and again.

The surge worked? No, John McCain, the surge helped.
Progress in Iraq is due to many elements, including the fact that the United States pays enemy combatants to NOT fight, political reconciliation is gradually working, the cities have been effectively segregated to keep enemies away from one another and the Iraqi armed forces are finally beefed up to 560,000 trained soldiers.
If Senator McCain wants to claim the success of the surge, then he must also accept blame for the overall failure in Iraq.
McCain needs to accept the blame for being one of the principal advocates for the war in the first place.
As a leading Republican Senator, John McCain could have impeded the Iraq war. Instead, John McCain and George Bush started an unnecessary war that caused the deaths of more than 4,000 American soldiers and wasted more than $1 Trillion.

John McCain needs to get a grip on reality. Again, McCain should not be given credit for the surge unless he accepts the blame for the war he caused in the first place.
Most important, he needs to start looking to the future like Barack Obama.
As Obama has been saying for a long time, the future calls for the United States to begin the orderly withdrawal of our troops from Iraq. It is their country – let them run it.

When is mccain gonna stop whining about obama and the surge, And tell us his plans for iraq oh thats right he has quote he will never surrender in iraq, he will stay 100 years if we have to so you see folks mccain has no plans on withdrawing and focusing on the terriost in afghanistan, the only thing hes got is bashing obama please mccain can you stop the whining!!!

McGrampy can’t say the surge has worked because that means there’s no reason to stay in Iraq. Especially since the Iraq government has also told us to leave.
Obama was right, is right and will remain right about Iraq.

Is it just me, or does Obama increasingly sound like one of those automated voice recordings? Hi…you have reached…the…biggest…fraud…on…America…n generations.

I am not a neo-con by no means I am a realist. The American people are being force fed a false prophet. If you went to the hospital and needed triple bybass surgery which would you prefer?
Surgeon A – Older man but has 35 years experience?
Surgeon B – Younger man who plays basketball well but in his second year residency?
Dont bother answering, we all know what the answer would be when you are personaly faced with a life and death choice.
If the man is so great where is the fair and balanced coverage on both candidates? If you are going to spend your time writing blogs bring the issues forward that may help guide the undecided.

I only read the first few comments, but I agree with Chuck. We need a president who understands the people of the middle east, not one who just shows up for photo ops.
That’s why I’m for Obama. I could be wrong, but I’d be willing to bet that Obama knows the difference between Shii’a and Sunni. I bet Obama knows that Iran isn’t training Al Qaeda in Iraq without having Liebermann whisper it in his ear. I bet Obama knows that there’s no “Iraq-Pakistan border.”
What’s the source of this false consciousness that holds that McSame knows foreign policy? McSame was not a foreign policy guru in the Senate. He has no particular overseas experience. He has displayed no particular grasp of the questions there as an academic subject. McSame on foreign policy will be just about as good as McBush was.

McGrampy even had to lie about his visit to a market in Baghdad. He was escorted by 100 soldiers who made sure he was safe as possible. He then claimed the market was as safe as any place in America. That lie backfired on him too.

@ M.Slate
Beyond being rock stars, rock stars have done more for America than any of the Republican presidents.

The sad part is that my tax dollars paid for this empty-suit tour of Iraq. Chicago needs him more than Iraq does.

It’s safer in Iraq than the southside of Chicago. 20 years of street organizing and sitting in a racist church hasn’t done squat for Chicago.

Mack posted: It’s safer in Iraq than the southside of Chicago. 20 years of street organizing and sitting in a racist church hasn’t done squat for Chicago. Good post Mack, too bad the Messiah was not able to fix his own hood while doing all that organizing. Then again when you are cuddled up to people like Bill Ayers your goal must be to contribute to the problems not solve them.

Mack wrote:
You’d think they’d get dizzy with all the spinning and back-pedaling they have to do.
********
You mean like McCain coming to Detroit last Friday and saying he is FOR state regulated car emissions, after saying he was for FEDERALLY regulated car emissions?
With McCain it’s kinda like “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” you just blindfold McCain, spin him around and see where his position falls for that day!
The Press hasn’t caught on to that one, but it will.
here’s to hoping that the Media give McCain the 24/7 press coverage he wants. Be careful what you ask for!!

“To me, it sounds like Surgeon B invented a new surgical technique. Cutting out the cancer to save the patient. Brilliant!”
The patient would of flat-lined on the operating table while he tried to explain his brilliant new procedure to his adoring fans.

Obama sure is attracting a lot of unreasoning hatred and bitter nonsense from conservative Republicans. Therefore I am now totally convinced that Obama has what it takes to be a great American president.

Dan wrote:
Bill Ayers could go into business together
***********
LOL! Bill Ayers! Give me a break! Bill Ayers is child’s play compared to Charlie Black. Ayers was a “terrorist” in the 70′s. Charlie Black is a Lobbyist would get paid MILLIONS to represent mass murders, terrorists and Dictators. Today! Not twenty years ago. And McCain sees fit to have that disgusting human being on HIS payroll.
Wanna play the Tony Rezko – Phil Gramm game? LOL!

Cyros wrote:
Most of the democrats are liars I mean lawyers.
**********
Bush and Cheney and company are angels with halos, correct?

Dan,
Too funny! FYI – this is 2008. You are still running the 2004 election.

Dan,
You attacks are so retro, they are charming. Nazi’s, LOL! That is so 2004 FEAR and SMEAR ala Karl Rove, it is cute really!

OK so back to the issues:
Even though Bama chairs the European Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has oversight of military operations in Afghanistan he has never called a meeting to discuss all the great revelations he is now making. Funny how a FRESHMAN Senator is even given a chair he has not even used it. All I want now is one of the libs here to explain this with some sort of inteligence without blaming it on Bush. Maybe GWB would not give him a helicopter to get to the meetings.

1) Not sure where you get your facts but the Stans come up in every commitee. What I want to know is why your Messiah is never there?
2) As far as abortion goes it should not be an abhorent statement, it is your party that considers it a normal bodily function (kinda like the vapors yes). Not to worry ladies it appears you are all thats left on this blog and like they say no inteligent life left here. I have to go to class.

OBAMA’S CHARACTER
An opportunist:
Obama is an opportunist who accepted support from Chicago crooks to get started.
Master of deception:
He knocks the surge in Iraq, but now takes political advantage of it’s success.
Unpatriotic:
He wouldn’t wear a flag lapel pin until criticized for it. He does not place his hand over his heart during the national anthem.
Condones terrorists:
Has a relationship with Ayers, the
domestic terroriost.
Judgement:
Spent 20 years in close association with the anti-American racist Wright who praises Farrahkan.
An Elitist:
He spoke ill of small town people.
An egomaniac:
He used a fake presidential seal.
He wanted to speak at the Brandenberg gate.
He wants a huge stadium for his acceptance speech.
He meets with overseas leaders before nomination.
An Ingrate:
Uses his grandmother as an example to justify inappropriate behavior.
It does not speak well for Obama’s supporters and for America that a man with the above character will be the democratic candidate for President.

Be careful Dan, the liberals own the maker[s] of this blog.
Say anything bad about their Messiah, it will get deleted.

The only people supporting Obama are those who refuse to do any serious analysis of the man.
They ask no questions.
They do not think.

thanks to Al Sadr for the calm, the surge was lucky !