Right of reply : Obama is right on

Barack Obama in 2002 vehemently opposed the Iraq war. Not because he was opposed to all wars, but because he was opposed to a dumb war. A dumb war is one that is fought on false or ill conceived premises or lack of a reason at all, without a proper understanding of its consequences. That’s the kind of war no self respecting general will wage. And George Bush and his neo-con allies chose to wage such a war. With the backing of his republican allies and many dumb congressional democrats, George W. Bush marched the nation into one of its most costly wars in history. Currently estimated at more than 3 trillion dollars, more than 4000 US uniform men dead, maybe another 4000 US non-uniformed personnel dead. More than 50,000 US soldiers wounded, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis dead or maimed, and millions displaced, all coupled with a badly tarnished brand America in the world. The Iraq war was not just a grave mistake; it was a dumb and distracting war of choice.

But Obama never said he would precipitously withdraw US soldiers from Iraq. Rather he has said we should be as careful getting-out in as we were careless getting-in. That position has not wavered since he first espoused it in 2007. He has promised to start bringing US soldiers home after his inauguration in January of 2009 and has committed to a 16 month time-table for draw down. He has however consistently espoused the need for residual forces in the region and even in Iraq to continue training Iraq forces and maintain security of American interests. At no time did he ever suggest he will draw down to zero soldiers in Iraq.

Many in the press, who are just beginning to show their bias are wont to trivialize everything and reduce it all to quick sound-bites. They have a peccadillo for one liners in a multi-sentenced nuanced environment. Their favorites have included George Bush’s famous “Bring it on!” and John McCain’s famous “Bomb, bomb… bomb Iran!” Asinine statements that these are, they are the kind of sound bites that tickle the fancy of a lazy bunch who believe they somehow are the vetters for the presidential candidates. Rather than spend a few minutes to research and verify Obama’s or even McCain’s stance on issues, they have preferred to take whatever spin suites their personal prejudice at the time. Some even take their new attack role to mean they are doing the people’s work, when they are doing is trying to out-rush Rush Limbaugh; with the hope that they may become the next beneficiary of a hate-fueled $400 million multi-year contract renewal.

What Barack Obama has said and continues to say is that judgment matters, words matters and actions matters. What he has done so far in the senate and in the Illinois senate is to put his money where he mouths his. In 2004, he rallied the nation with his now famous “We are all Americans” speech in Boston. Time and again, he has espoused his belief that our religion should not be used to divide us. That religious people could be Democrats or Republicans. That we are after all Americans first, and everything else last. That we owe it to ourselves to find common purpose in our common destiny to achieve great things. He has always pledged to listen to reason and help find common solution that we can all support.


While Barack believes we should stop the bleeding in Iraq by dramatically cutting our now $12 billion a month tab, reduce our foot print in the country; complete the mission in Afghanistan rationally, build a strong military, invest in our future and take our rightful position as a genuine world leader, he has never encouraged any irrational and precipitous withdrawal from Iraq. He is not just espousing hundred years in Iraq as McCain has eloquently stated as his vision.