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Obama Doesn't Like Iraq Hearing on 9/11

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September 11, 2007 1:20 PM

ABC News' Jennifer Parker reports: Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said during a Senate hearing on the future of Iraq with Army Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, that holding the hearing on the anniversary of the September 11th attacks "perpertuates the notion" that Iraq and 9/11 are linked.

"I think we should not have had this discussion on 9/11 or 9/10 or 9/12," Obama said during his opening statement. "It perpetuates this notion that the original attacks had something to do with going into Iraq."

Obama went on to criticize what he called a failed Iraq strategy.

"This continues to be a disastrous foreign policy mistake," he said. "There are bad options and worse options."

"This is not a criticism of you gentlemen but a criticism of the President," Obama said.
However, the Illinois Senator accused Petraeus of dodging questions about the overarching Iraq war strategy. "You've punted a little bit," Obama said. " We don't have limitless resources … the question is one of strategy not tactics."

He argued the administration has artificially lowered expectations of what constitutes progress in Iraq. "We have now set the bar so low that modest improvement in what was a completely chaotic situation… is considered success. And it's not," Obama said.

Obama argued President Bush has made it impossible to have a bi-partisan discussion about the way forward in Iraq because he refuses to admit the war strategy was flawed. "There has been no acknowledgement of that on the part of this administration," he said.

"We have the president in Australia suggesting somehow that we are, as was stated before, kicking A-S-S.," Obama said. "How can we have a president making that assessment?"

Obama told Petraeus the President's assertions, "It makes it very difficult then for those of us who would like to join with you in a bipartisan way to figure out how to best move forward to extricate this from the day-to-day politics that infects Washington."

September 11, 2007 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (323)

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It is embarrassing that a US senator makes these stupid and naive comments on National television. Perhaps he should reconsider running for the Presidency of this country, he has no clue about anything.

Posted by: Manuel | Sep 11, 2007 2:00:44 PM

It's showbiz, Senator or as the old song began...Hollywood.....dohdoh

Posted by: daddy | Sep 11, 2007 2:01:39 PM

Bush`s comments at least make you proud!Obama is negative like he usually is!

Posted by: JASON | Sep 11, 2007 2:04:07 PM

Bush cant make that assesment but the Dems can make assesments on everything(as long as it bad of course).What nerve these people have.

Posted by: JASON | Sep 11, 2007 2:07:40 PM

Senator Obama contually demonstrates why he is a poor choice for President. It amazes me that a small minded politician fancies himself a military strategist.

Posted by: lockmaster | Sep 11, 2007 2:08:03 PM

There's only one important question concerning the attacks, did the US gov't allow/participate in 9/11?

The answer to that query would explain the illegal wire-taps, suspension of habeas corpus, banning of books like "America Deceived" from Amazon, detaining of dissenters in fences miles away from events, and multiple wars based on lies.

How can the gov't be innocent in 9/11 when we have caught it lying so many times (WACO, Ruby Ridge, no WMDs, USS Liberty, Operation Northwoods, Gulf of Tonkin, Pearl Harbor, ETC.)?

In law, if you determine a person lies ONCE during his testimony, it can be assumed that he lied in the remainder of his testimony. How come we do not hold the gov't to the same standard as it holds us to?

The gov't lied to us about Iraq and more Americans have died there than in 9/11. If the gov't lied about Iraq then why is everyone so reluctant to believe that the gov't lied about 9/11?

Posted by: Nate | Sep 11, 2007 2:08:38 PM

I find it funny that the Dems are starting to realize that people, including the young, are not falling for their made up facts and Hollywood sound bytes.I sleep a little better at night knowing that Sean Pen and Alec Baldwin are not going to be setting policy anytime soon.

Posted by: Thad Harris | Sep 11, 2007 2:11:07 PM

We should have a fund raiser to finance a one-way ticket for Obama back to his original(?) homeland. He is a disgusting candidate for President of Our Great Country!

Posted by: Jim | Sep 11, 2007 2:12:21 PM

President Hussein Obamma....well afterhis idiotic babbling today he can put that one away for at least 8 more years. 1 down 8 to go

Posted by: Jim | Sep 11, 2007 2:16:04 PM

Manuel - What's embarrassing is the stupidity and naivete of our President. Obama is telling it like it is, and we need that, now more than ever thanks to that buffoon you elected. Talk about having no clue...you and Bush make a good pair.

Posted by: Darla Bean | Sep 11, 2007 2:18:14 PM

9-11 and the war on terrorism are not related? has anyone informed ubama that iraq is a theater of a bigger war or does he just not get it? I can't believe he is too dense to figure this out.

Posted by: Smarter than Obama | Sep 11, 2007 2:21:56 PM

Guys, this man, Senator Obama in fact has a brain that functions at much higher level than you folks who posted here including Presdient Bush's. That's why he can say it the way it's and he thinks American people deserve to know the honest truth. Enough of secret foreign policy, secret military agenda.

Posted by: Arshad | Sep 11, 2007 2:24:57 PM

Dems' top three candidates: a show horse, a pretty pony, and an old mare. The show horse can't understand that in Iraq we are fighting and defeating Al Qaeda and Iranian proxies. Do we have any greater enemies in the world?

Posted by: E. O'Neal | Sep 11, 2007 2:25:49 PM

Truther Nate,

There's only one important question concerning the attacks, did the US Gov't
allow participate in 12/07/41.

Take off your tinfoil hat, take a deep breath, and try to rejoin most of us back on Planet Earth. Besides, your post has absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand.

Posted by: tom | Sep 11, 2007 2:29:07 PM

Thousands and thousands of US Dead based on nothing but lies. Osama-bin-lAden lives and Al-Queda, you might remember them - they are the folks that attacked our great nation - get stronger by the day.

George W. Bush should be put on trial.

Posted by: Tim | Sep 11, 2007 2:29:49 PM

Senator Obama is absolutely correct. The problem is that ABC and the rest of the media are just reporting quotes, not facts. Do some research guys. Don't just tell us what the Democrats and the Republicans say, tell us the truth.

Obama is telling the truth about the situation in Iraq. Go check the facts, like a responsible news organization, and then report that Obama is correct and the administrations talking points about the war improving are FALSE. F - A - L - S - E, false. Don't just transcribe, try reporting for once.

Posted by: Bryan Barash | Sep 11, 2007 2:35:57 PM

Why do the comments here attack Sen. Obama personally rather than argue facts? Iraq has no connection to the 9/11 attacks. The administration lied about WMDs. And the vast majority of Americans (and the rest of the world) do not support the war. It's a disgrace that with 3500 American troops dead and a war strategy that's failed a hundred times over, head-in-the-sand folks like Bush, Romney, Thompson, keep attacking the character or patriotism of the people who insist on ending this war.

Posted by: Brian | Sep 11, 2007 2:36:05 PM

What about any day in September or the 11th of any month?

Posted by: Gary | Sep 11, 2007 2:40:36 PM

George, do you mean Obama or Osama? Or both?

Posted by: E. O'Neal | Sep 11, 2007 2:41:06 PM

I pray we will be blessed with the election of President Barack Obama and the appointment of Madame Supreme Court Justice Hillary Clinton.
Just to see all the rightwingers heads explode.

Posted by: GOPnomore | Sep 11, 2007 2:49:32 PM

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