Barack Obama on War & Peace
Iraq War
• FactCheck: Opposes surge--hasn't produced political solution. (Sep 2008)
• Unwise war in Iraq distracted us from catching Bin Laden. (Sep 2008)
• The surge is a tactic to contain 4 years of mismanaged war. (Sep 2008)
• FactCheck: Iraq has at most $59B surplus, not $79B surplus. (Sep 2008)
• FactCheck: Promised 16-month exit; now 16-month reduction. (Sep 2008)
• You don't defeat a terrorist network by occupying Iraq. (Aug 2008)
• I will only send our troops into harm's way when necessary. (Aug 2008)
• $10 billion a month spent in Iraq should be spent in the US. (Jul 2008)
• President sets Iraq mission; Generals then implement tactics. (Apr 2008)
• President sets Iraq mission; give generals a new mission. (Apr 2008)
• $2.7 billion each week of Iraq spending is unsustainable. (Feb 2008)
• Humanitarian aid now for displaced Iraqis. (Feb 2008)
• FactCheck: Overstated displaced Iraqis; actually 4.2 million. (Feb 2008)
• The Iraq war has undermined our security. (Jan 2008)
• Iraq is distracting us from a host of global threats. (Jan 2008)
• End the war, and end the mindset that got us into war. (Jan 2008)
• The Iraq war was conceptually flawed from the start. (Jan 2008)
• Title of Iraq war authorization bill stated its intent. (Jan 2008)
• Get our troops out by the end of 2009. (Jan 2008)
• No permanent bases in Iraq. (Jan 2008)
• FactCheck: No, violence in Iraq is LOWER than 2 years ago. (Jan 2008)
• Congress decides deployment level & duration, not president. (Dec 2007)
• Surge strategy has made a difference in Iraq but failed. (Nov 2007)
• Leave troops for protection of Americans & counterterrorism. (Sep 2007)
• Hopes to remove all troops from Iraq by 2013, but no pledge. (Sep 2007)
• Tell people the truth: quickest is 1-2 brigades per month. (Sep 2007)
• No good options in Iraq--just bad options & worse options. (Aug 2007)
• Be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. (Jul 2007)
• We live in a more dangerous world because of Bush's actions. (Jun 2007)
• Case for war was weak, but people voted their best judgment. (Jun 2007)
• War in Iraq is "dumb" but troops still need equipment. (Apr 2007)
• Open-ended Iraq occupation must end: no military solution. (Apr 2007)
• Saddam is a tyrant but not a national security threat. (Mar 2007)
• Iraq 2002: ill-conceived venture; 2007: waste of resources. (Feb 2007)
• Saddam did not own and was not providing WMD to terrorists. (Oct 2004)
• Iraq War has made US less safe from terrorism. (Oct 2004)
• Invading Iraq was a bad strategic blunder. (Oct 2004)
• Democratizing Iraq will be more difficult than Afghanistan. (Oct 2004)
• Never fudge numbers or shade the truth about war. (Jul 2004)
• Set a new tone to internationalize the Iraqi reconstruction. (Jul 2004)
• Iraq war was sincere but misguided, ideologically driven. (Jul 2004)
• Not opposed to all wars, but opposed to the war in Iraq. (Jul 2004)
• International voice in Iraq in exchange for debt forgiveness. (Jul 2004)
Trouble Spots
• FactCheck: Pakistan has lost 1,200 troops fighting Al Qaeda. (Sep 2008)
• FactCheck: Kissinger says Iran meet ok; but only lower level. (Sep 2008)
• Afghanistan needs more troops and resources. (Sep 2008)
• McCain says he'd follow Laden to hell; but not to his cave? (Aug 2008)
• Iran is biggest strategic beneficiary of invasion of Iraq. (May 2008)
• Military surge in Afghanistan to eliminate the Taliban. (May 2008)
• Take no options off the table if Iran attacks Israel. (Apr 2008)
• Two-state solution: Israel & Palestine side-by-side in peace. (Feb 2008)
• Al Qaida is based in northwest Pakistan; strike if needed. (Jan 2008)
• No action against Iran without Congressional authorization. (Dec 2007)
• Iran: Bush does not let facts get in the way of ideology. (Dec 2007)
• Meet directly for diplomacy with the leadership in Iran. (Nov 2007)
• Committed to Iran not having nuclear weapons. (Oct 2007)
• Iran military resolution sends the region a wrong signal. (Oct 2007)
• Deal with al Qaeda on Pakistan border, but not with nukes. (Aug 2007)
• Military action in Pakistan if we have actionable intel. (Aug 2007)
• FactCheck: Yes, Obama said invade Pakistan to get al Qaeda. (Aug 2007)
• Focus on battle in Afghanistan and root out al Qaeda. (Jun 2007)
• Bush cracked down on some terrorists' financial networks. (Jun 2007)
• Iraq has distracted us from Taliban in Afghanistan. (Apr 2007)
• Iran with nuclear weapons is a profound security threat. (Apr 2007)
• We did the right thing in Afghanistan. (Mar 2007)
• We are playing to Osama's plan for winning a war from a cave. (Oct 2006)
• Al Qaida is stronger than before thanks to the Bush doctrine. (Jan 2006)
• Terrorists are in Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran. (Oct 2004)
• Problems with current Israeli policy. (Jul 2004)
• Engage North Korea in 6-party talks. (Jul 2004)
• Use moral authority to work towards Middle East peace. (Jul 2004)
Voting Record
• Voted to fund war until 2006; now wants no blank check. (Nov 2007)
• Late to vote against war is not late to oppose war. (Jun 2007)
• Spending on the Cold War relics should be for the veterans. (Jun 2007)
• Would have voted no to authorize the President to go to war. (Jul 2004)
• Voted YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008. (Mar 2007)
• Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)
• Voted YES on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Nov 2005)
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