Obama's Edge Over McCain on Iraq

Both McCain's and Obama's Iraq policies are too ambiguous for the layperson to comprehend. It is clear that if you want to expedite the process of getting out of Iraq, Obama is your candidate. If you want to remain in Iraq indefinitely to acheive a so-called "victory" prior to redeploying our troops, McCain is your candidate. Both candidates claim they want stability Iraq, but their plans to acheive that stability are polar opposites. The question is: Who has the best plan? Clearly it is Obama. Now more than ever Obama needs to effectively articulate his plan to the American people in order for them to make an informed decision when they vote on election day -- especially for those who are voting on the issues of Iraq and the economy.

Senator Obama's plan recognizes the strain on our military and significantly cuts troop levels in Iraq by one to two military brigades per month. If this plan were to be carried out successfully, almost all U.S. military personnel would be out of Iraq by 2010 -- with the exception of residual forces left behind to protect U.S. diplomats, conduct counter-terrorism operations, and train Iraqi security forces. Also, the Obama plan to leave troop elements behind would have conditions: the Iraqis would have to politically reconcile and end sectarianism.

This plan sounds almost perfect. However, it doesn't clearly define exactly what military component the residual forces will consist of, how many will remain, and for how long. Would we depend solely on elite units such as Special Operations? Or would we leave behind an entire military division? If we were to pull our troops out and Iraq fell back into a chaotic civil war, how could the residual force pacify a large scale Iraqi uprising? This plan seems to be crafted under the assumption that the insurgency and Al-Qaeda would no longer exist and American troops and civilians could possibly move about safely in Iraq without a sizable military presence.

John McCain's plan is to continue on the current path. Senator McCain takes great pride in the tactical success of the "surge" strategy implemented by General Petraeus and has repeated his perceived necessity to see it through. However, the last of the "surge" brigades have already redeployed stateside and we still have the same number of troops in Iraq as we did prior to the escalation.

McCain's main case for a successful completion of the mission in Iraq is indifferent from that of President Bush: When Iraqi forces can safeguard their own country, American troops can return home. When will that be? When it costs the American taxpayer 10 billion dollars per month and the lives of our troops we deserve to have some estimated time for an end point.

McCain's Iraq policy also includes an undefined plan that would supposedly jumpstart a "vibrant" and "growing" economy that would provide alternatives for young Iraqi men who have turned to extremist/insurgent organizations for monetary reasons. Our own economy is in absolute turmoil, and under the McCain plan American money would be used to provide jobs and economic prosperity to Iraqis who have been murdering our service-people.

There is something treasonous about telling American troops they have to fight and die in Iraq while we pay off and cut deals with those who are killing them. If I were Obama I would hammer that message home -- because it's the honest truth. How do you tell the mother of a U.S. soldier killed in action that her son died at the hand of an insurgent now on our payroll?

The political climate is perfect for Obama. His campaign just needs to unleash the arsenal of dreadful truths of the McCain-endorsed Bush policies in Iraq that has unnecessarily caused the deaths of over 4,000 U.S. troops and an uncountable number of Iraqi civilians, run up our national debt, empowered our adversaries, alienated our allies, and left the world a worse place then when George W. Bush found it -- all done with the full support of Senator John McCain.

Comments

[MoniqueF]

John, in his address to the Nation (June 2005) Bush said ": “We have a clear path forward. As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down.” At that time 1,746 U.S soldiers had already lost their lives and today we are still waiting for the Iraqis to stand-up! How long shall we wait and how many more shall die before any plan can be executed? I say GET OUT now, save lives and bring Bush to Justice!
This will be the best NOBLE CAUSE ever!

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

Dear Monique,

I remember that speech quite well. I had just come off of active duty and tour in Iraq. I also feel we should get out now, we should have never gone into Iraq. I agree that it would be a noble cause to hold Bush accountable for his crimes, but who is going to do it? You and I don't have the authority. It is tragic.

Thanks,
John

[Rule Of Law]

John, It's crunch time. Bush is bringing home a Battalion to police the streets during the civil unrest his agents provocateur will foment shortly before the election. (This troop movement has been reported here and in the Military's own paper)

The event will probably be one of the marches or demonstrations against the mishandling of the Economy and the Republican powered ripoff in the name of Goldman, Morgan, Citi etc. He has in place the NSPD 51 which gives him complete dictatorial power over Every form of police and military in the country. And under the Patriot act, any demonstration can be construed as treason.

This is, of course, my worst case scenario--but the truth is that you don't pass those laws and write those signing statements if you don't plan on using them! And another truth is that Obama may never see DC! Martial Law has a way of changing Everything.

So my question to you, and to John Soltz is--When our boys (and Blackwater thugs from every 3rd world dictatorship) are ordered into the streets to put down what will be termed "A Rebellion," will they remember who they are and their oath to the Constitution, or should we prepare for slaughter in the streets and the trains and buses to begin filling the FEMA camps with the survivors?

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

RuleOfLaw,

I can't imagine such a scenario, but I can see why some would. I don't think it would come to that -- sincerely.

V/R
John

[Rule Of Law]

John, no Soltz is not as good about answering as you have been. And I know, to some minds, that my scenario might seem a bit dark and impossible in our Country. But the laws are there. The camps are there. The Battalion is on its way, and according to the Army news, trained in civil unrest suppression and ready for the American streets. The Bush/Cheney admin. has been built on lies--WMD, Saddam/Osama link, 911 association--and on taking power from the people and the Constitution though any means possible and hiding everything they do behind a veil of secrecy.

This is not the country my family fought and died for. It is not the America I grew up to love and respect. And these men are not true Americans or patriots in any sense. I fear them. Bush has said the Constitution is just a g*dda**ed piece of paper, and Cheney has told us that They are the law and not accountable to anyone but themselves. Sounds like Fascism to me. So I worry about our young men and women who may be forced to choose where their allegiances really lie--with the People and the Constitution or with this self proclaimed Emperor and his Corporate Masters.

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

RuleOfLaw,

Has Jon Soltz ever answered any comments or questions you left for him? I would be interested in his take on it as well.

[USA1776]

I agree and have been wondering about this. Why doesn't Obama call him McCain and Bush out on this. What is the downside? It is like Obama is skirting the issue?

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

USA1776,

That is exactly the reason I wrote this piece.

V/R
John

[Pdubya]

John, good to see you writing again. Obama will just move the troops to Afghanistan and/or Pakistan. He will not change to a non-intervention foreign policy. I feel for our buddies in Iraq, and perhaps in the short term those soldiers will be safer, but they and their offspring will be shipped elsewhere. You have entirely too much faith in partisan politics on the Hill. There are only two parties on the Hill: the complicit and the clueless. Obama is not clueless.

p.s. mccain will be more of the same, for sure.

www.votepact.org

[John Bruhns - Huffpost Blogger]

Pdubya,

It is not that I have faith in partisan politics on the Hill -- I just feel out of alternatives. In the meantime, I'm waiting for a real and credible 3rd party to emerge -- seriously.

V/R
John