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Obama the Intransigent (WaPo: Surge is Succeeding)
American Spectator ^ | Wednesday, July 16, 2008 | Philip Klein

Posted on 07/16/2008 8:50:48 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines

The Washington Post runs a devastating editorial against Obama's current position on Iraq:

Barack Obama yesterday accused President Bush and Sen. John McCain of rigidity on Iraq: "They said we couldn't leave when violence was up, they say we can't leave when violence is down." Mr. Obama then confirmed his own foolish consistency. Early last year, when the war was at its peak, the Democratic candidate proposed a timetable for withdrawing all U.S. combat forces in slightly more than a year. Yesterday, with bloodshed at its lowest level since the war began, Mr. Obama endorsed the same plan. After hinting earlier this month that he might "refine" his Iraq strategy after visiting the country and listening to commanders, Mr. Obama appears to have decided that sticking to his arbitrary, 16-month timetable is more important than adjusting to the dramatic changes in Iraq.

This is key. One of the leading arguments against the surge at the time, one advanced by Obama and many other war opponents, was that the reason we couldn't send more troops was that it wouldn't help, essentially, that we shouldn't be squandering more blood and treasure on a lost cause [but] Obama was completely wrong. He won't admit it. He won't alter his policy now that the facts on the ground have changed. And yesterday, he had the gall to speak from a lectern with the slogan "Judgment to Lead."

The fact that [the Post] starting to come down so hard on Obama for this is a sign that he isn't wearing well.

(Excerpt) Read more at spectator.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cicobama; elections; foreignpolicy; iraq; obama; obamatruthfile; surge; tas; timetable; unfitforcommand; wapo; wot
Note to moderator: this is a piece in the American Spectator reporting on what the Post wrote, not a story from the Post itself.
1 posted on 07/16/2008 8:50:48 AM PDT by Behind Liberal Lines
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To: Behind Liberal Lines
I read the Washington Post story referenced in your post. I am amazed! A logical and rational analysis on Iraq by the Washington Post!

What are they doing? Trolling for Conservatives?

2 posted on 07/16/2008 9:00:12 AM PDT by avacado
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To: avacado

Or perhaps the WaCompost is returning to its roots when it comes to Iraq. I seem to recall that their editorial pages were heavily for military action in Iraq before they were against it.


3 posted on 07/16/2008 9:02:48 AM PDT by FlipWilson
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To: avacado
The interesting thing is that, 3 times in the space of a week, WaPo and the Slimes have taken shots -- albeit moderate ones -- at His Anointedness, Osamabama.

Setting the stage for a Hitlery coup at the Chicago -- er, excuse me, Denver -- convention, d'yathink?

4 posted on 07/16/2008 9:04:11 AM PDT by SAJ
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To: SAJ
" Setting the stage for a Hitlery coup at the Chicago -- er, excuse me, Denver -- convention, d'yathink? "

100% agree! And the recent cover of The New Yorker magazine has got to be Hillary operatives at work. They frame Obama as a Muslim and then write a story -- that no one will read -- about how Republicans view Obama. Pure Hillary war wagon.

5 posted on 07/16/2008 9:08:13 AM PDT by avacado
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To: SAJ
Setting the stage for a Hitlery coup at the Chicago -- er, excuse me, Denver -- convention, d'yathink?

$hrillary "Norman Hse" Klintoon or Juan "Strawberries/Keating 5" McPain = There's no real difference.

6 posted on 07/16/2008 9:11:53 AM PDT by skinkinthegrass (If you aren't "advancing" your arguments,your losing "the battle of Ideas"...libs,hates the facts 8^)
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To: avacado
The Post probably sees where things are going. They want to salvage what's left of their credibility — and maybe even look prescient. Given the very short memories of most of people, they'll probably be able to position themselves as the paper that was “right about Iraq”.

Actually, most media outlets have had the sense to stop reporting the news from Iraq, when it turned so sour (from their perspective). That news gap has provided the time needed for the masses to forget how wrong their chosen media outlets have been, at every step. Some commentators (such as Chris Matthews, according to a recent FR post) persist in saying that the surge isn't working — if they do so, right up to the day of the Victory parades; they'll be revealed for the total moonbats they are.

7 posted on 07/16/2008 9:15:35 AM PDT by USFRIENDINVICTORIA
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To: USFRIENDINVICTORIA
"Some commentators (such as Chris Matthews, according to a recent FR post) persist in saying that the surge isn't working...'

Chrissy Matthews has a vested interest to say the surge is not working. He has to heal to his tingly lover...

The night before / the morning after


8 posted on 07/16/2008 9:29:22 AM PDT by avacado
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^


9 posted on 07/16/2008 9:35:42 AM PDT by Christian4Bush ("Attention stattions: the heavenly edition of the Tony Snow Show is now on the air. Woof.")
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To: SAJ

No. Media just has a recognition of the obvious.

Obama has time now to correct course on Iraq and the media is helpfully chiding him to get out of the ditch. Consider this question, if it were asked in October:

“Mr Obama, in October 2006 you said that “Given the deteriorating situation, it is clear at this point that we cannot, through putting in more troops or maintaining the presence that we have, expect that somehow the situation is going to improve.” and you also said: “”I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there.”
The surge troops were put in and violence was greatly reduced and Al Qaeda in Iraq substantively destroyed.
Do you acknowledge the success of the surge? Do you admit now that your views were mistaken and incorrect? and if so what have you learned from the surge and how has it changed your views on Iraq?”

Can Obama answer the question and NOT look like either
(a) another wont-admit-error Bush or (b) an idiot or (c) someone completely incapable of being CinC or (d)a liar or (e) all of above?

Obama was WRONG on Iraq. COMPLETELY WRONG. McCain will win big on that issue.


10 posted on 07/16/2008 12:17:49 PM PDT by WOSG (http://no-bama.blogspot.com/ - NObama, stop the Hype and Chains candidate)
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To: avacado

I suspect the liberal media plan will be to keep denying its success until the day after the election.
Then after the election, have the big ‘walkback’ where they admit it worked and they then say “ok, it worked now lets go home” and make it sounds like THEY cleaned up Bush’s “mess”.

Its important to make it look like its not working yet, since that way you can take credit for what Bush himself turned around.


11 posted on 07/16/2008 12:21:58 PM PDT by WOSG (http://no-bama.blogspot.com/ - NObama, stop the Hype and Chains candidate)
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To: WOSG
If a politician gets something wrong and subsequently tries to shuck and jive about it, but the LBM doesn't report the two statements, juxtaposed, will said event(s) have any impact on the election?

Nope.

12 posted on 07/16/2008 1:19:32 PM PDT by SAJ
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To: skinkinthegrass
Well, with McQueeg, we'll almost surely have another presidential election in 2012.

With Hitlery, I should not wager on the likelihood of same.

13 posted on 07/16/2008 1:21:17 PM PDT by SAJ
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To: SAJ; avacado

Not a chance.

Barring Obama being killed, the nomination is his.
Plan accordingly.


14 posted on 07/16/2008 2:07:36 PM PDT by bill1952 (Obama-the only one who can make me vote McCain McCain-the only one who can make me stay at home)
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To: WOSG

You are so correct in pointing out the MSM is chiding Obama only to get him to move off a losing position. The wapost is still in the tank for him


15 posted on 07/16/2008 2:17:57 PM PDT by JZoback
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