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Obama Blasts Both Rivals Over Iraq Positions

Posted Mar 19, 08 6:17 PM CDT in Politics 

(Newser) – Barack Obama laid into both presidential rivals on the Iraq war today, chiding John McCain for misspeaking about terror groups there and criticizing Hillary Clinton for voting to authorize the conflict. "We heard Sen. McCain confuse Sunni and Shi'ite, Iran and al-Qaeda," Obama said, pouncing on McCain for errantly accusing Iran of training Sunni Al-Qaeda in Iraq. Iran is known to train Shi'ite extremists.

"Maybe that is why he voted to go to war with a country that had no al-Qaeda ties," Obama said. McCain's camp acknowledged the mistake but shot back that Obama's plan to phase in a troop withdrawal is of greater concern. Clinton's camp, meanwhile, said Obama did little himself to try to end the war until he began his presidential campaign.

Source Reuters

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Sen. John McCain visits the town of Sderot, southern Israel, Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Uriel Sinai, Pool)
Sen. Barack Obama speaks in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill., speaks at a town hall rally in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., speaks at a campaign rally in Detroit Wednesday.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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Barack Obama • Election 2008 • John McCain • Hillary Clinton • Iraq • Iraq war • Iran • Shiite • foreign policy • Sunni • al-Qaeda in Iraq


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