Floor Statement of Senator Barack Obama on Iraq Debate Wednesday, June 21, 2006 Printable Format
Mr. President, in October of 2002, I delivered a speech opposing the War in Iraq.
I said that Saddam Hussein was a ruthless man, but that he posed no imminent and direct threat to the United States.
I said that a war in Iraq would take our focus away from our efforts to defeat al-Qaeda.
And, with a volatile mix of ethnic groups and a complicated history, I said that the invasion and occupation of Iraq would require a U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.
In short, I felt the decision unfolding then to invade Iraq was being made without a clear rationale, based more on ideology and politics than fact and reason.
It is with no great pleasure that I recall this now. Too many young men and women have died. Too many have been maimed. Too many hearts have been broken. I fervently wish I had been wrong about this war; that my concerns had been unfounded.
America and the American people have paid a high price for the decision to invade Iraq and myriad mistakes that followed. I believe that history will not judge the authors of this war kindly.
For all these reasons, I would like nothing more than to support the Kerry Amendment; to bring our brave troops home on a date certain, and spare the American people more pain, suffering and sorrow.
But having visited Iraq, I'm also acutely aware that a precipitous withdrawal of our troops, driven by Congressional edict rather than the realities on the ground, will not undo the mistakes made by this Administration. It could compound them.
It could compound them by plunging Iraq into an even deeper and, perhaps, irreparable crisis.
We must exit Iraq, but not in a way that leaves behind a security vacuum filled with terrorism, chaos, ethnic cleansing and genocide that could engulf large swaths of the Middle East and endanger America. We have both moral and national security reasons to manage our exit in a responsible way.
I share many of the goals set forth in the Kerry Amendment. We should send a clear message to the Iraqis that we won't be there forever, and that by next year our primary role should be to conduct counter-insurgency actions, train Iraqi security forces, and provide needed logistical support.
Moreover, I share the frustration with an Administration whose policies with respect to Iraq seem to simply repeat the simple-minded refrains of "we know best" and "stay the course." It's not acceptable to conduct a war where our goals and strategies drift aimlessly regardless of the cost in lives or dollars spent, and where we end up with arbitrary, poll-driven troop reductions by the Administration - the worst of all possible outcomes.
As one who strongly opposed the decision to go to war and who has met with servicemen and women injured in this conflict and seen the pain of the parents and loved ones of those who have died in Iraq, I would like nothing more than for our military involvement to end.
But I do not believe that setting a date certain for the total withdrawal of U.S. troops is the best approach to achieving, in a methodical and responsible way, the three basic goals that should drive our Iraq policy: that is, 1) stabilizing Iraq and giving the factions within Iraq the space they need to forge a political settlement; 2) containing and ultimately defeating the insurgency in Iraq; and 3) bringing our troops safely home.
What is needed is a blueprint for an expeditious yet responsible exit from Iraq. A hard and fast, arbitrary deadline for withdrawal offers our commanders in the field, and our diplomats in the region, insufficient flexibility to implement that strategy.
For example, let's say that a phased withdrawal results in fifty thousand troops in Iraq by July 19, 2007. If, at that point, our generals and the Iraqi government tell us that having those troops in Iraq for an additional three or six months would enhance stability and security in the region, this amendment would potentially prevent us from pursuing the optimal policy.
It is for this reason that I cannot support the Kerry Amendment. Instead, I am a cosponsor of the Levin amendment, which gives us the best opportunity to find this balance between our need to begin a phase-down and our need to help stabilize Iraq. It tells the Iraqis that we won't be there forever so that they need to move forward on uniting and securing their country. I agree with Senator Warner that the message should be "we really mean business, Iraqis, get on with it." At the same time, the amendment also provides the Iraqis the time and the opportunity to accomplish this critical goal.
Essential to a successful policy is the Administration listening to its generals and diplomats and members of Congress - especially those who disagree with their policies and believe it is time to start bringing our troops home.
The overwhelming majority of the Senate is already on record voting for an amendment stating that calendar year 2006 should be a period of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraqi security forces taking the lead for the security, creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq. The Levin Amendment builds on this approach.
The White House should follow this principle as well. Visiting Iraq for a few hours cannot resuscitate or justify a failed policy. No amount of spin or photo opportunities can change the bottom line: this war has been poorly conceived and poorly managed by the White House, and that is why it has been so poorly received by the American people..
And it's troubling to already see Karl Rove in New Hampshire, treating this as a political attack opportunity instead of a major national challenge around which to rally the country.
There are no easy answers to this war. I understand that many Americans want to see our troops come home. The chaos, violence, and horrors in Iraq are gut-wrenching reminders of what our men and women in uniform, some just months out of high school, must confront on a daily basis. They are doing this heroically, they are doing this selflessly, and more than 2,500 of them have now made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
Not one of us wants to see our servicemen and women in harm's way a day longer than they have to be. And that's why we must find the most responsible way to bring them home as quickly as possible, while still leaving the foundation of a secure Iraq that will not endanger the free world.
I've listened to Barack Obama on several occasions, he's very well articulated, he's likely to be on the next presidential ticket as vice-president, some are already drawing plans for a Hillary Clinton/Barack Obama finale. Personnally, I hope not for his sake, Hillary is a snake. Last month, Haaretz made a survey on a "is it good for Israel ?" presidential list, he came in last, which means he's thinking on his own. On Irak, he's been more lucid than most from the beginning, he's likely to gain ground on this election which could bring some new sane voices on the senate.
However, I was watching Dateline London (BBC) yesterday, the idea of splitting up Irak is being seriously considered. Eight years of neoconservative thinking manage to break up a country, destabilize an entire region and create another generation of psychos who are likely to go back home when they're kicked out Irak, and try to destabilize their own countries, like they did in Algeria. Some Moroccans are among them, if I were in our ministry of the interior, I'd watch out for that.
Nice talk, but unfortunately he has a skin color which does not favor him in a US Presidential election! Usually, the differences regarding the US-Foregin Policy in the Middle East between Republicans and Democrates are just a matter of time and tactic. As soon as the Presidential campaign start, you will be surprised to see how fast the candidates converge their foreign policy on Irak, Israel, Palestin, Iran...etc
I agree too, but they might be ready for a vice-president, it'll give time to the most conservative to digest the idea that a black man can be the face of America. However, at this point in their history, color is not an issue, their main problem is having a president who can try to mend the fences after 8 years of a neocons pillaging in America and around the world.
Trust me on this one my friend, the republicans would love to see Obama run, for he, if he does run, will spoil the democrats window of opportunity for Hillary or another democrat, by taking one of Hillary’s most strong voters, African Americans, and will bring massive votes to the republican party in the red states, where voters are now upset by the chaos of the War and the crimes some republican senators are accused of and been judged for. But an African American dude, believe me, will make them quietly choose the other side despite their unhappiness with their party. You are not going to see the KKK marching like in the sixties, you’re not even going to hear, or perhaps rarely, the mention of Obama’s color, but you will see that in the red states he can’t win, in my view, they simply won’t vote for him.
I agree with you Almot, as an african-american he has no chance to become président or probably even vice président. Talking with my white american friends, you feel it but they won´t tell you. I hope I am wrong. Anyway I posted his speech just to show that in contrast to Condi, he is right on the Irak issue. That´s all For those who can read german, I gave the link to the "Spiegel" where he is presented as a potential candidat for pr.
Some of the jokes I am getting from some white US Rep friends
Hello, My name be Eboneesha, an African-American girl who just got an award for being the best speler in class. I got 67% on the speling test and 30 points for being black, 5 points for not bringing drugs into class, 5 points for not bringing guns into class, and 5 points for not getting pregnut during the cemester. It hard to beat a score of 120%. The white dude who sit next to me is McGee from the Bronx. He got a 94% on the test but no extra points on account of he have the same skin color as the opressirs of 150 years ago. Granny ax me to thank all Dimocrafts and Liberals for suporting afermative action. You showing the way to true equality. I gwine be gittin in medical skool nex an mabe I be yo doctor.
I don't know about Obama or Hilary but all I know is that people in general want change. Take that, the Irak mess and add the Katrina effect and I believe that african-americans will be voting in mass this time. I think that if Hilary plays down to women and Obama as a VP to african-americans, we might have some surprises. The question is how many women republican might tilt their vote for Hillary (or abstain to vote republican) and how many mexicans will not vote republican or stay in their home.
chargement...
