The Republicans and the mainstream press have worked hard in recent weeks to intentionally misconstrue Obama's consistent position on troop withdrawals from Iraq. They've tried to insinuate that his position has changed and that it'll be a tough sell to the American public. As Martha Raddatz of ABC News disingenuously put it,

Whatever nuance Barack Obama is now adding to his Iraq withdrawal strategy, the core plan on his Web site is as plain as day: Obama would "immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months.

Is the Democratic candidate's troop-withdrawal strategy plausible? It is a plan that, no doubt, helped Obama get his party's nomination, but one that may prove difficult if he is elected president.

Regardless of our mainstream press' presumptions about their role as the sole arbiters of plausibility in matters of Iraqi internal security, why not, just for fun, consider the opinion of the Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki? As Maliki recently said,

U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes.

While not specifically rejecting John McCain and his plans for an open-ended ("100 years") occupation, Maliki would only say,

Whoever is thinking about the shorter term is closer to reality. Artificially extending the stay of U.S. troops would cause problems.

ABC News and the Washington Post will either have to ignore the heck out of this shocking development, or find some other way to spin it so as to put Obama on the defensive. How else can they deal with such a direct and specific repudiation of everything they've been trying to sell us? The Iraqis are telling us it's time to go; can we not take "go" for an answer?

It seems like Obama has been way ahead of everyone on this issue, and now his rivals are scrambling to embrace his position while simultaneously trying to claim that he was wrong. But while the instigators of this Iraq fiasco are the ones who've been inconsistent about so much--whether it was why we were invading, how long it would take, how much it would cost or how to define success--we can at least say that they've been consistent in their bad faith and bad judgment. And now Maliki, in an innocent bit of "straight talk," is showing them up as the disingenuous, amateurish fools that they've been all along. But again, how will the mainstream media spin this to make it appear as anything less than their worst PR nightmare?

I respect and honor Senator McCain. However, he is fighting last generation's war. He keeps saying that he had the background and military knowledge to win. His statements are that he was a proven track record of winning in wartime.

I was a combat veteran in VietNam. I fough until I was carried off the field of battle (GSW). I thought that the US lost the VN war.

Its great to know that we won. Whipeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

wdp

VN Class of 1970

11B10 Americal Div Chu Trung SVN

Bravo to you and thanks for your service. I missed Vietnam by a couple years, class of 74. I continue to say that in our generation, we can lump us all into two groups:

a. Those that supported the Vietnam War

b. Those that did not.

McCain and also Hillary are the last signs of this 30 year old drama. Obama is the next generation. Its time we all let them decide what to do with the world they will inherit from us baby boomers. We did a great job creating wealth for ourselves but overall, our idealism and hope turned into a reality that is more cynical and bitter than anything our wonderful parents gave us. Sometimes I think our generation had it the best but then I think maybe our parents had the luck to live through all those calamities and prosperity while maintaining a level of class and honor that we simply threw out the window.

The problem with obama is simply to quote Mr. Wright. Obama is a politician, and has absolutely no scruples. He also has absolutely no experience and will say what ever he must to become president of this country. There are many areas where I do not agree with McCain, but at least I can respect both him and his wife. I have absolutley no respect for Obama or his wife. The man is a liar, a racist, and a far left elitist, and his words have no truth to them. I find it very hard to understand the "rock star" popularity of a man who promises "change" yet stands on a platform of quicksand. Change can be good.... but in the case of obama, I see only bad change, and still haven't been able to determine what kind of "change" this politican is "promising".. The democrats seem unable to understand that "change" is no different than "anybody but bush" ... making absolutely no sense, as it means nothing How about a nice marxist society, with the constitution relagated to being what the europeans want it to mean, like sandra day oconnor suggested. How about a bankrupt country, with a 100 pct tax rate, because as Clinton was heard to say.. the people do not know how to spend their money correctly. Let the government become your new parents, taking all you have and deciding who should get what... that is the democrat ideal. Our schools are teaching that the individual does not count, and that only the hive has meaning.. and I have no doubt that obama would be only to happy to do your th inking for you, as democrats seem not to want to think for theri selves. No.. I am not a republican, there is much that they believe in that I do not, but at least we will be left with a republic, not a mob rule "democracy". Obama is a liar... of that there is absolutely no doubt. He is a Chicago politian, who knows how to sweet talk his adoring bobble headed worshipers.. much like Hitler talked to the Germans, telling them what they wanted to hear, if they would only give up their freedom for his leadership. Let the generation X lead... sure.. when the grow up enough to be able to discern fact from folly..but it is not now, and it is not obama

Not sure where all your anger is but one line in their told me everything I needed to hear. That was the line about not being a Republican. I think what you are really trying to say is that you are a Monetarist, a libertarian and a person who thinks the GOP has lost its way.

Your thought about Obama are based upon your own bias not anything he has said or done. You could look at his web site if you cared to understand his policy positions. Your claims of liar ring hollow. I hear no lies from him, only plans and desires. Your rant about us moving towards a society similar to Europe is truly astounding in its jingoism. European nations enjoy a standard of living that most people in the USA plan all their lives to achieve and usually fail. I have lived in Europe and it would be wonderful if we took some of their ideas and made them our own. There is nothing American about being stubborn, ignorant and ideological. In my world, we call that being obstinate or stupid.

"The man is a liar, a racist, and a far left elitist . . ."

"How about a nice marxist society . . ."

"Obama is a liar... of that there is absolutely no doubt. He is a Chicago politian, who knows how to sweet talk his adoring bobble headed worshipers.. much like Hitler talked to the Germans, telling them what they wanted to hear, if they would only give up their freedom for his leadership."

Somebody who cares about you should give you a good therapeutic slap in the face and tell you to get a grip. Are you wetting your pants as you write such ridiculous over-the-top hate-prose? This is not Zimbabwe, you goon, try to keep things in perspective.

Ah yes; your types can dish it but you can't take. You run down obama's opposition at every turn and then get all indignant when somebody runs down your "ebony prince and his militant-ho wife". The best thing for america would be a total "change" in the form of government and culture that currently rules it. A government / leader which really does have the people at-heart, abolishment of the states / self-government into one unified nation, socialization of the basics and commodities, and the re-education of the people back into a culture which promotes real national pride, education, achievement, dignity & self-worth, and global mentality. A government and culture which will once and for all abolish this "hip-hop ghetto mentality & lifestyles" of gang-bangers, slackers, sleeze-bags, greedy capitalists, ignorance and stupidity which not only has ruined america but other countries as well.

American democracy is like a wooden ship full of holes, leaks, and termites inwhich the passengers are led to believe is sea-worthy.

1. Wright never said Obama has no scruples. To cal that a quote is pretty dishonest.

2. You admire McCain and his wife? She, who should have gone to jail for stealing drugs from the non-profit where she worked....but didn't because she is white and rich. Take a look at how long they were "dating" before John got a divorce from the first Mrs. McCain and how long afterwards it was that they got married.

You compare Obama to Hitler. Look, McCain has lied about his support for the GI Bill (he says "we passed it"), his votes for reducing funding for the VA.....his stand on taxes (I've never voted against a tax cut).....his involvement with lobbyists.

Clearly Obama has a value system that is not compromised by an overwhelming desire to get elected to president as McCain's is.

Do you truly believe it's possible to have a rational discussion with someone who refers to a candidate's wife as a "militant-ho?" And for you to seriously suggest that this country needs some kind of "re-education" smacks more of the Khmer Rouge or Chairman Mao than anything appropriate to a democracy. I don't throw around words like "fascist," but your mind-set seems more appropriate to such a thing. I can't see anything but hatred of people not like yourself at the root of it. Maybe someone needs to tell you to get a grip too.

And the winner is......Fingerpuppet, by a landslide!!

Fingerpuppet Rules!!

Thank You.

The more I read this board, the more I like some of you. Good job.