Posted by
Cary Wesberry on Saturday, July 05, 2008 4:47:17 PM
ST. LOUIS, Missouri (CNN) — Sen. Barack Obama, speaking on board his campaign plane as it headed to St. Louis on Saturday, continued to defend his position on Iraq — and questioned reporters’ parsing of his words.
Obama said he was startled “at how finely calibrated every single word was measured” after his Iraq statements Thursday. “I am surprised at how … the press … I’m not trying to dump on you guys, but I’m surprised at how finely calibrated every single word was measured,” he said.
“I wasn’t saying anything that I hadn’t said before. That I didn’t say a year ago. Or when I was a U.S. senator. If you look at our position, it’s been very consistent. The notion that we have to get out carefully has been a consistent position,” he said, adding, “The belief that we have a national security interest in making sure Iraq is secure, I’ve been saying consistently.” –From CNN’s Ed Hornick and Chris Welch
Obama's right. He really hasn't changed his position on Iraq, and he won't until he's elected and forced to face the reality of the situation. Right now Obama still thinks he can retreat from the battlefield, allow Iran and al-Qaeda to over-run the country, and then somehow sort it all out later. Retreat from Iraq over a 16-month period would be a disaster for the region and for America. I'm not sure whether Obama knows this or not. Regardless, he will play it for all it's worth with his liberal base until he wins the White House. One thing is for certain, having a combination of LBJ and Jimmy Carter as President for at least four years will make nearly every situation worse in America, Afghanistan, and Iraq.