by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright June 16, 2008
ll Rights Reserved.

dmitting that violence in Iraq has improved, presumptive Democratic nominee Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.) signaled he intends to press ahead with an orderly withdrawal immediately upon taking office. Unlike President George W. Bush and GOP presumptive nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Obama believes the U.S. should have never started the Iraq War. He doesn't buy Bush and McCain's argument that if the U.S. pulls out before “victory,” Iraq and the region would descend into chaos. McCain has warned of an al-Qaida takeover, despite Iraq commander David Petreus who's more concerned about renegade Shiite militias with close ties to Iran. Obama doesn't buy Bush and McCain's central argument that a U.S. pull-out would hand the region to Osama bin Laden. Barack believes a methodical withdrawal would improve regional stability and U.S. national security.

      Barack's willingness to stake his political fortune on an Iraq pull-out demonstrates his strength of convictions. Instead of hedging his bets like his former Democratic challenger Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), Barack doesn't equivocate when it comes to ending the Iraq War. He's sees no upside to continuing U.S. military operations, costing an estimated $12 to $16 billion a month. Administration officials point to the lower U.S. casualty rates as proof of success. But with 15 U.S. soldiers losing their lives this month, there's no consolation in lower death rates. Barack believes no U.S. soldier should sacrifice a life for a war that should have never started and has dubious national security interests. He's sees an imminent U.S. withdrawal as motivating Iraqis to do the heavy lifting. Staying in Iraq only delays the inevitable end to the five-and-a-half year conflict.

      Obama telegraphed his intent to visit Iraq and Afghanistan in a telephone conversation with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. McCain has accused Barack of acting irresponsibly on Iraq, surrendering before U.S. victory. Despite the lowered violence, Obama sees no path to victory, when recent polls show rank-and-file Iraqis wanting the U.S. out. Barack also can't stomach the idea that Iraqis expect the U.S. to shoulder the human and financial toll maintaining law-and-order. He can't understand what's happened to oil revenues that were supposed to help fund the war and reconstruction. Nor can Barack ignore the Taliban's recent inroads in Afghanistan capturing several villages near Kandahar in the south. Barack has said for sometime that the U.S. needs to redouble its efforts and resources in Afghanistan to finally get Bin Laden and remnants of the Taliban.

      Former Vice President and 2000 Democratic Party nominee Al Gore formally gets off the fence and endorses Barack tonight at a campaign rally in Detroit. Gore remained neutral during the primaries but now plans to wholeheartedly endorse and campaign for Barack. Gore's involvement also signals that Obama is leaning away from Sen. Diane Feinstein's (D-Calif.) push to seat Hillary on the ticket. Gore was reluctant, in part, to endorse Obama, lest he was perceived as retaliating against the Clintons. Apart from the disputed 2000 election, during his run for the White House, many analysts blamed “Clinton fatigue” for his loss. Gore plans to use his Web site AlGore.com to help fund raise for Obama. Gore promises to play a significant role in recommending a VP pick for Barack. He's not inclined toward Hillary, who he believes is a lightening rod of controversy and partisanship.

      Gore, while consumed with his mission of raising world consciousness on global warming, strongly opposes the Iraq War. He's well aware of how Iraq has diverted attention away from Afghanistan, where the real war on terror rages on. Taliban fighters, heavily funded by narco-dollars from their share of opium profits, staged a daring prison breakout, freeing hundreds of Taliban fighters. Afghan President Hamid Karzai is virtually impotent trying to contain the Taliban's growing insurgency. Bush met with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown over the weekend, begging for more British troops in Afghanistan. With 150,00 U.S. troops in Iraq, it's no wonder that Bin Laden and the Taliban continue to run amok. NATO's International Security Assistance Force [ISAF] doesn't have the resources to win. Barack wants to end the Iraq War to refocus efforts on Afghanistan.

      McCain must sell a skeptical public on the national security significance of continuing the Iraq War. Unlike Barack, he's also hinting at a possible war with Iran to stop its uranium enrichment program. Despite U.S. sanctions and repeated warnings, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rebuffed NATO's recent demand to suspend uranium enrichment. With oil prices hitting $140 a barrel, the world can ill-afford another oil shock, virtually certain with any bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities. In contrast to McCain, Obama remains committed to getting the U.S. out of Iraq. “I emphasized to him [Iraq's Foreign Minister Zebari] how encouraged I was by the reduction in violence in Iraq but also insisted that it is important for us to begin the process of withdrawing U.S. troops . . .” said Barack, notifying Iraq that the days of the free ride are coming to an end.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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