-
Washington Post
|
Jul 16, 08 4:45 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The editors of the Washington Post are rankled that Barack Obama has the same position on exiting Iraq now—“with bloodshed at its lowest level since the war began”—as he did a year ago, “at the war’s peak.” His "iron timetable" of a 16-month withdrawal, seemingly "indifferent to the war's outcome," is short-sighted and does not serve America's interests.
More »
-
-
Washington Post
|
Jul 15, 08 10:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama and John McCain have battled each other to a draw when it comes to Iraq, according to a new Washington Post -ABC News poll. Americans are split more or less down the middle on Iraq policy, with 50% supporting Obama’s withdrawal timetable and 49% backing McCain’s open-ended approach. In general, 47% trust McCain to handle Iraq, while 45% trust Obama.
More »
-
Politico
|
Jul 15, 08 8:39 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama will promise a swift end to the Iraq war in a major speech today, arguing that the ongoing conflict “distracts us from every threat that we face,” according to excerpts obtained by Politico. As president, Obama would take the fight to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan. “The central front in the war on terror is not Iraq,” he says, “and it never was.”
More »
-
New Republic
|
Jul 14, 08 3:44 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama is the same man on Iraq he was 6 months ago and 2 years ago, the New Republic editors say—so how come the press keeps saying he’s gutted his own policy? Sure, Obama recently “shifted the accent in his Iraq talk,” but talking with the commanders before definitive action has always been part of his careful “fine print”—and the press, once again, is just vilifying nuance.
More »
-
-
Talking Points Memo
|
Jul 14, 08 1:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
John McCain’s inner circle tried a new line of attack against Barack Obama today, charging that the presumptive Democratic nominee and his entire party want to lose the Iraq war to serve their own political purposes. Said McCain’s top foreign policy hand, “Senator Obama seems to think losing a war will help him to win an election.”
More »
-
New York Times
|
Jul 14, 08 7:42 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Calling Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki's demand for a timetable for US withdrawal an "enormous opportunity," Barack Obama lays out his plan for ending the war in Iraq in a New York Times op-ed piece. The presumptive Democratic nominee reiterates his support for a careful withdrawal over 16 months, leaving behind a "residual force" which would perform limited missions. "The good news is that Iraq’s leaders want to take responsibility for their country by negotiating a timetable for the removal of American troops," he writes.
More »
-
New York Times
|
Jul 13, 08 7:29 AM CDT
(Newser) -
US officials in Washington and Baghdad may pull as many as three brigades from Iraq by the time George Bush leaves office, the New York Times reports. The move, driven in part by a need to bolster the American presence in Afghanistan, could remove far more troops than seemed likely just months ago, and would mark a major shift in policy from the past few years.
More »
-
New York Times
|
Jul 10, 08 7:41 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Nouri al-Maliki and the Iraqi government are now openly demanding a timetable for the withdrawal of American forces, reports the New York Times . While nobody expects Baghdad to boot American troops, several military victories and greater political stability have emboldened Maliki, and the increasingly loud demands reflect a new confidence on the part of the Iraqi PM.
More »
-
Washington Post
|
Jul 8, 08 1:28 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Charging that the Democrat's position had become “outdated,” the Washington Post editorial board applauds Barack Obama’s recent promise to “refine” his Iraq policy after consulting with commanders. His previous “strident and rigid posture”—that all combat forces be withdrawn during his first 16 months in office—ignores the successes of the surge, they say, including drops in violence and expanding governmental control.
More »
-
Associated Press
|
Jul 8, 08 10:00 AM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq won’t accept any security deal that doesn’t include strict guidelines for a US withdrawal, National Security Adviser Mouwaffak al-Rubaie said today. The US waved off similar statements from Nouri al-Maliki yesterday, saying they didn’t believe the Iraqi PM really wanted a timetable, but Rubaie’s comments left little to interpretation. “Our stance in the negotiations … will be strong,” he said. “We will not accept any memorandum of understanding that doesn’t have specific dates to withdraw foreign forces.”
More »
-
Reuters
|
Jul 7, 08 12:09 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Iraq is ready to be rid of US troops, its prime minister said today, and he wants a timetable. “We are looking at the necessity of terminating the foreign presence on Iraqi lands and restoring full sovereignty,” Nouri al-Maliki told Arab diplomats, saying the “memorandum of understanding” being negotiated with the US would include either outright departure or a timetable, Reuters reports.
More »
-
Politico
|
Jul 6, 08 5:46 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Senatorial supporters of Barack Obama and John McCain dueled on talk shows today over Obama's latest remarks on Iraq, Politico reports. Sen. Joe Lieberman called Obama a flip-flopper on This Week for his plan to "refine" Iraq pullout plans. On Face the Nation , Sen. John Kerry accused McCain backers of making "an issue where there really isn’t one."
More »
-
Wall Street Journal
|
Jul 3, 08 10:57 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama today reaffirmed his commitment to withdraw American troops from Iraq in 16 months, hours after being accused of backtracking on that pledge. Obama triggered a flurry of speculation—and ridicule from the McCain camp—by saying earlier in the day he might "refine" his war policies after speaking with military leaders. After the brouhaha, he called a second press conference to insist that the 16-month time line remains his goal, the Wall Street Journal reports.
More »
-
New York Times
|
Jul 3, 08 4:54 PM CDT
(Newser) -
Barack Obama today appeared to soften his oft-stated pledge that he would pull troops out of Iraq in 16 months, the New York Times reports. Obama, while inisting that his policies had not changed, said he would consider the opinions of military commanders as he continues to “refine his policies.” The presumptive nominee will make a trip to Iraq later this month.
More »
-
Washington Post
|
Jul 3, 08 12:26 PM CDT
(Newser) -
The US needs more troops in Afghanistan but lacks the available forces because of the Iraq war, the nation’s top military officer said yesterday. In his most pointed remarks to date, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen said that countering the country's resurgent Taliban and booming drug trade demands more than the 32,000 American troops stationed there, but that such a move necessitates "a reduced requirement in Iraq."
More »