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Obama recalibrates on Iraq

James Forsyth

Sunday, 27th July 2008

Obama’s overseas trip appears to have led to at least one major shift in emphasis in his foreign policy thinking. In a Newsweek interview, he was asked how big a force he would leave behind in Iraq to conduct counter-terrorism operations and to train up Iraqi forces. Here’s how he replied:

“I do think that's entirely conditions-based. It's hard to anticipate where we may be six months from now, or a year from now, or a year and a half from now.”

To be sure, Obama has long talked about having some kind of strike force in the region. But he had previously seemed much less concerned about how US troop withdrawals would affect the conditions in Iraq; once even suggesting that preventing genocide was not a reason to keep US troops in theatre.

What Obama told Newsweek echoes what Samantha Power, an advisor to the campaign who had to step down over remarks she made about Hillary Clinton, said in March about Obama’s 16 month withdrawal plan “being a best case scenario”. It appears that with the primaries over, Obama is moving towards a more responsible position on Iraq.

Politically, the shift makes sense. The success of the surge, which Obama opposed and McCain proposed, means that Iraq is no longer seen as a lost cause and Obama’s previous position opened him up to attack from the McCain campaign about his willingness to throw away the progress that US forces have made.

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benjamin

July 27th, 2008 5:01pm

How about you mention that while Obama recalibrates, McCain has completely flip-flopped and now says "a 16-month timetable sounds good" which goes against everything he has been saying for the past six months ?

TGF UKIP

July 27th, 2008 7:31pm

"Obama flip flops again" BIG NEWS, James. It says everything about the media on both sides of the Atlantic that this vacuous, shallow, insubstantial blank piece of paper with the gift of the gab has been elevated by them to his present pre-eminence.

Unfortunately, too, James it's not just you lot who are foolishly gullible - apparently a third of the Tory PLP are also backing Obama against McCain. Which really does say everything that needs to be said about the Cameron Tory Party.

However, I note while you pour out the trivia about Obama, there is mention in neither Coffee House nor mag of the British Story of the Week.

This was, undoubtedly, the stopping and fining of self employed painter and decorator Gordon Williams for smoking in his own van and allowing his father in law passenger also to smoke.

The Speccie really should be screaming blue murder and demanding its best mate Dave undertake to remove this monstrous legislation.

Fat chance of that, though, I guess. Indeed, I often wonder what Richard Steele and his mates in the original, and almost certainly very smokey, Coffee House would make of the current oh so PC Spectator and its hacks.

TGF UKIP

July 27th, 2008 7:53pm

PS It has occurred to me that the Gordon Williams story might well have been past the mag's deadline for the splendidly non pc Rod Liddle. So, who knows, perhaps Rod will wipe the floor with the council,the legislation and with Dave next week.