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Barack Obama takes aim at John McCain on Iraq
Reuters ^ | Mar 31, 2008 | Caren Bohan

Posted on 03/31/2008 7:06:51 PM PDT by mdittmar

MANHEIM, Pennsylvania (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama took aim on Monday at potential White House opponent John McCain on Iraq, saying the Republican senator could not offer a clear definition of success in the conflict and might leave ,U.S. combat troops there for decades.

Obama looked past Democratic rival Hillary Clinton before their showdown in Pennsylvania on April 22 and trained his fire on McCain, who has clinched the Republican nomination and will face the Democratic winner in November's election.

Obama accused McCain of "clinging to the policies of the past." He said the Arizona senator shared a vision of Iraq with President George W. Bush and had not spelled out how the United States would be able to end its military involvement there.

"The problem that we've had, both with John McCain and George Bush, is there's no clear definition of success. There never was. And that's why this has been such a profound strategic error," Obama, an Illinois senator, told reporters while campaigning in Pennsylvania.

"For him to argue that -- which he has repeatedly -- that any suggestion that we withdraw troops is surrender, that implies that, you know, we will be there as long as he thinks it's necessary for us to be there," he said.

Obama and Clinton were both on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania, site of the next contest in their hard-fought battle. Both accused McCain of lacking a clear plan to end turmoil in America's housing market.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; cicobama; iraq; issues; mccain; obama; pa2008
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To: mdittmar
When BHO spouts off like this, all we need do is glance at this authentic photo.


21 posted on 03/31/2008 10:29:06 PM PDT by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: mdittmar

When are we pulling out of Japan, Korea and Germany? They are quagmires of the very worst kind, because the lack of significant US casualties since 1946, or major confrontations since 1963 have established a precedent for future such quagmires, such as Iraq. Will we lose another generation of US service men and women to what passes for night life and leisure entertainment in the Iraq of the future? Will there one day be a jubilant tearing down of the green zone demarcations? Forbid it All-—ty A—ah! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me defeat or give me surrender!


22 posted on 03/31/2008 10:31:15 PM PDT by Eleutheria5 (http://www.publishedauthors.net/benmaxwell/index.html or try http://astore.amazon.com/bemasnebo-20)
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To: Salvation

His hands are on his heart, though.


23 posted on 03/31/2008 10:33:45 PM PDT by Eleutheria5 (http://www.publishedauthors.net/benmaxwell/index.html or try http://astore.amazon.com/bemasnebo-20)
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To: Eleutheria5

Correction. with regards to Korea, no casualties since 1958 (?), or confrontations since...whenever they boarded that US Navy vessel and tortured the crew.


24 posted on 03/31/2008 10:36:43 PM PDT by Eleutheria5 (http://www.publishedauthors.net/benmaxwell/index.html or try http://astore.amazon.com/bemasnebo-20)
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To: Seaplaner
You could be right.

Like the Fudd quote.

I am suggesting that he won't pull out and/or the Dems won't allow him to pull out because of the very reasons that you mention.

It would leave the Middle East in a mess.

25 posted on 04/01/2008 7:59:16 PM PDT by dhs12345
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To: mdittmar

Saturday, March 01, 2008

Obama's Militant Muslim Brother Abongo Is Luo Activist

...

In this Obama Family photo are: (bottom row, from left) half-sister Auma, her mother Kezia Obama, Obama's step-grandmother Sarah Hussein Onyango Obama and unknown; (top row, from left) unknown, Barack Obama, half-brother Abongo (Roy) Obama, and three unknowns. (Sun Times)

Barack Obama stands behind Kezia (stepmother) in a Kenyan family shot. Included in the photo is brother Abongo "Roy" Obama who is a Luo activist and a militant Muslim who argues that the black man must "liberate himself from the poisoning influences of European culture."

"Abongo's new lifestyle has left him lean and clear-eyed, and at the wedding, he looked so dignified in his black African gown with white trim and matching cap that so me of our guests mistook him for my father," Obama wrote in Dreams From My Father.

Barack Obama's cousin Raila Odinga is accused of ethnic cleansing and is currently battling for power in Kenya.

Barack has stated his support for Luo Opposition Leader in Kenya RaRaila Odinga (who signed a Shariah pact with Muslims and claims to be Obama's cousin) and is married to Ida Odinga. They have four children - two sons and two daughters. His oldest son, Fidel, is named after Fidel Castro.


Malik Obama, older brother to Barack Obama, holds an undated picture of Barak, left, and himself, middle, and an unidentified friend in his shop in eastern Kenya. (Karel Prinsloo, AP)

Related... Dan Riehl has the strange new Obama ad about all of the "Muslims rounded up" without the benefit of an attorney.

Via Instapundit,

26 posted on 04/01/2008 8:00:59 PM PDT by Rome2000 (Peace is not an option)
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To: csense

You may be right.

Farrakhan lite?

If you are right, then we have a lot to worry about.


27 posted on 04/01/2008 8:03:56 PM PDT by dhs12345
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To: Rome2000

BM Bump


28 posted on 04/01/2008 8:05:54 PM PDT by higgmeister (In the Shadow of The Big Chicken!)
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To: higgmeister

NOW APPEARS OBAMA’S COMMUNIST MUSLIM COUSIN IS PM OF KENYA

Cabinet: Kibaki meets ministers

Story by NATION Team
Publication Date: 2008/04/01

Cabinet ministers have said they are ready to work with ODM leader Raila Odinga to implement the power-sharing deal signed in February, sources close to the meeting have revealed.

President Kibaki chairs a Cabinet meeting at his Harambee House office in Nairobi on Monday. Photo/PPS
In the first formal Cabinet meeting since President Kibaki and the Prime Minister-designate signed the deal to end post-election violence, the ministers also agreed on the need to speed up the resettlement of displaced families.

They also challenged the police to beef up security and crack down on those threatening the refugees who are willing to return to their farms.

However, the 15 ministers said President Kibaki should not share executive authority with any other office. The President can consult on who should be in government but the final say on who should occupy which position should be left to him, sources privy to the talks said.

Determine size

Sources said the ministers wanted the President to determine the size and structure of the Cabinet and insisted that he should not be dictated to.

The team said it was ready to work with Mr Odinga, the Prime Minister-designate, but claimed that he was “a man under siege”.

According to the sources, the ministers said Mr Odinga was “a different man” when he consulted with the President but often appeared to be a changed person after consulting his party.

However, Mr Odinga’s spokesman, Mr Salim Lone, said in an interview with the Nation that the party was ready to meet the Government coalition to resolve the impasse over the Cabinet.

He said ODM had a clear perspective on what the accord signed between President Kibaki and Mr Odinga entailed.

The accord was signed on February 28, to end post-election violence in which over 1,200 people were killed after a dispute over the presidential election results.

The deal also provided for sharing of power between the President’s party, PNU and ODM.

And while addressing the Africa economic minister’s conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Monday, Mr Benjamin Mkapa said the power- sharing deal signed by President Kibaki and Mr Odinga provided the framework for peace.

The former Tanzanian president was a member of the team of eminent Africans that negotiated the deal.

“I don’t think there is a Cabinet crisis since they are already agreed on the framework,” said Mr Mkapa.

Give up slot

He said the task of naming a Cabinet should be left to the two leaders.

According to the sources who attended Monday’s Cabinet meeting, some ministers are said to have expressed willingness to give up the slot of Local Government Ministry to ODM.

The ministry, alongside those of Finance and Internal Security, are among those yet to be agreed on. Both PNU and ODM have been laying claim to the portfolios, sparking the crisis.

However, a Government source later said that the issue of giving up the Local Government seat had not been discussed.

An ODM source later said that the offer was not sufficient.

Monday’s meeting was attended by 15 of the 17 ministers because Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang’ula was away on official duties in Maputo, Mozambique, while Science and Technology minister Noah Wekesa was out of Nairobi.

The Cabinet appeared to add new qualifications for those hoping to be in the new line-up to be named by the President and the Prime Minister-designate, Mr Odinga.

Those to be named in the grand coalition Cabinet should be clean people who are not facing any pending court cases and who will help drive economic growth.

On resettling internal refugees, the ministers expressed frustration at the inability of families to return to their farms over alleged threats and called on the police to act against those perpetrating violence.

Education minister Sam Ongeri explained the status of the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exam which was marred by what the ministry described as a computer hitch.

Over 4,000 candidates had their results downgraded after they were allegedly given a mean score that was higher than what they actually scored.

Finance minister Amos Kimunya gave an update on the Safaricom share flotation saying the Government was likely to raise the Sh50 billion budgeted for in the sale.

Accompanied President

After the meeting, the President met Prof Saitoti, Mr Kenyatta, Mr Kimunya and Mr Michuki. The Roads minister later accompanied the President to State House.

The President and Mr Odinga have met twice and failed to reach an agreement on the sharing of Cabinet positions. PNU had initially proposed that the Cabinet should have 44 members but later revised the figure to 38. ODM has been advocating a 34-member Cabinet.

So far, only 17 ministers have been appointed but the other seats cannot be given to ODM because appointments must take portfolio balance into consideration.

ODM is on record saying it will not accept the “bones” of the Cabinet slots and would go for “the steak”.

On Monday, Mr Lone said a large Cabinet would burden taxpayers in view of the economic challenges facing the country.

“ODM is being realistic that a bloated Cabinet is not good for the country and we believe that is what Kenyans want,” he added.

In the Cabinet meeting, the ministers agreed on the need to speed up the resettlement programme for internal refugees.

But their resolution came as families camping in some Rift Valley towns received threats warning them of death should they go back to their farms.

Many internal refugees have been exposed to water-borne diseases and other complications due to the cold and rainy season which started last month.

On the Safaricom Initial Public Offering, the Cabinet resolved to encourage Kenyans to participate in the buying of shares, especially because the unit price was set at an affordable level, Sh5 per share. The minimum number of shares that individual investors can apply for is 2,000, which cost Sh10,000.


29 posted on 04/01/2008 8:08:39 PM PDT by Rome2000 (Peace is not an option)
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