Barak Obama Says Careful Withdrawal from Iraq on a Deadline is Key

Senator Barak Obama, one of the two remaining Democrats seeking the nomination for President, laid out his plans for withdrawing troops from Iraq and his view of current U.S. policy in the Middle East.

During the Democratic debate in Los Angeles on January 31, 2008, Barak Obama outlined his plan for troop withdrawal from Iraq and criticized the Republican's rush to war. When Senator Obama was asked by Doyle McManus of the L.A. Times to speak to the issue of the Iraq War, Obama displayed a broad view of the Middle East political situation in general and Iraq in specific.

Obama asserted that it will be important to be as careful "getting out" of Iraq as we (U.S.) "were careless getting in." If elected President he does not foresee maintaining any permanent bases in Iraq once all combat troops are withdrawn. The Senator chided John McCain for his suggestion that the U.S. might still be in Iraq in 100 years. Obama indicated McCain's comment indicates a profound misunderstanding that the U.S. is vulnerable to a host of threats beyond Iraq, including ongoing threats from Afghanistan and Iran.

Senator Obama admitted there has been "some progress" per General Petraeus and a quick withdrawal from Iraq could undermine that progress. In response to Republican claims that the Democrats don't want to see progress being made in Iraq so they can argue against the Republicans is "ridiculous."

As a result of the war, Senator Obama contends, the U.S. has neglected our relations with South American countries as well as China. We have "neglected our economy by funding a war that is so expensive." Further he stated his belief that "it is important to set a date so we can send a message to Iraq that we are serious and all parties must come together to work things out."

Senator Obama assured listeners his plan includes ensuring embassies and U.S. civilians serving in Iraq are protected throughout and after the withdrawal process. He also emphasized the U.S. obligation to care for Iraqi civilians, including 4 million already displaced by the war. To ensure security from terrorism in Iraq in the future, Obama would maintain a strike force capable of eliminating any future potential terrorist bases from being set up in Iraq.

Barak Obama, with his matter-of-fact, straight-forward manner took on the President and the Republican Administration's reasoning to remain in Iraq, even after learning there were no weapons of mass destruction. Obama chided the U.S. doesn't have troops in Iraq to blunt Iranian influences - one of the White House assertions. He continued, "If we were concerned about Iranian influence, we never should have entered this (Iraq) war in the first place."

Obama's closing remarks on the topic included his contention that he will be the Democrat who will be most effective in going up against John McCain or other Republican on the issue of the Iraq War, because he has always been against it - from the beginning. Obama reiterated his belief that the original decision to invade Iraq was a "conceptually flawed mission from the start." He insists his nomination and subsequent election will end the mindset that got us into the Iraq War in the first place.