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FARGO, N.D. - Democrat Barack Obama struggled Thursday to explain how his upcoming trip to Iraq might refine, but not basically alter, his promise to quickly remove U.S. combat troops from the war.
A dustup over war policy — one of the main issues separating the Illinois senator from his Republican opponent, John McCain — overshadowed Obama’s town-hall meeting here with veterans to talk about patriotism and his plans to care for them. Republicans pounced on the chance to characterize Obama as altering one of the core policies that drove his candidacy “for the sake of political expedience.” He denied equally forcefully that he was shifting positions.
Arriving in Fargo, Obama hastily called a news conference to discuss news of a sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, but the questioning turned to Iraq policy and his impending trip there.
“I am going to do a thorough assessment when I’m there,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll have more information and continue to refine my policy.”
He left the impression that his talks with military commanders there could refine his promise to remove U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office.
Less than four hours later, after the town hall meeting, Obama appeared before reporters for another statement and round of questions to “try this again.”
“Apparently I was not clear enough this morning,” he said. He blamed any confusion on the McCain campaign, which he said had “primed the pump with the press” to suggest “we were changing our policy when we haven’t.”
“I have said throughout this campaign that this war was ill-conceived, that it was a strategic blunder and that it needs to come to an end,” he said. “I have also said I would be deliberate and careful about how we get out. That position has not changed. I am not searching for maneuvering room with respect to that position.”
Obama says 16-month timeline could slip
He promised to summon the Joint Chiefs of Staff on his first day in office “and I will give them a new mission and that is to end this war, responsibly and deliberately, but decisively.”
He said that when he talked earlier about refining his policy after talking with commanders in Iraq, he was referring not to his 16-month timeline, but to how many troops may need to remain in Iraq to train the local army and police and what troop presence might be needed “‘to be sure al-Qaida doesn’t re-establish a foothold there.”
“I will bring our troops out at a pace of one two brigades a month” which would mean the United States would be totally out of Iraq in 16 months. “That is what I intend to do as president of the United States.”
But later in the session, he said it is possible the 16-month timeline could slip if the pace of withdrawal needs to be slowed some months to ensure troop safety. “I have always said ... I would always reserve the right to do what’s best,” Obama said.
His Web site contains this direct promise: “Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months."
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During his presidential campaign, Obama has gone from the hard-edged, vocal opposition to Iraq that defined his early candidacy to more nuanced rhetoric. He has said that if al-Qaida builds bases in Iraq, he would keep troops either in the country or the region to carry out “targeted strikes.”
GOP calls Obama 'a typical politician'
McCain was an early supporter of increasing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq as President Bush did last year. He wants to pursue the current counterinsurgency tactics to give Iraqis time to work out a political reconciliation. He has said he’s willing to see some U.S. troops stay there as much as 100 years but not if they are being wounded or killed in combat. Rather, he supports keeping a military presence in that part of the world because of its volatility.
Republicans, who have claimed Obama needs an update on the situation in Iraq, e-mailed a midday broadside prior to his second news conference of the day.
“There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience,” said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the national Republican Party. “Obama’s Iraq problem undermines the central premise of his candidacy and shows him to be a typical politician.”
After Obama's second news conference, McCain's campaign quickly issued a rebuttal, saying: "He has now adopted John McCain's position that we cannot risk the progress we have made in Iraq by beginning to withdraw our troops immediately without concern for conditions on the ground."
"There is nothing wrong with changing your mind when the facts on the ground dictate it," said the statement, issued by McCain spokesman Brian Rogers. " Indeed, the facts have changed because of the success of the surge that John McCain advocated for years and Barack Obama opposed."
A dustup over war policy — one of the main issues separating the Illinois senator from his Republican opponent, John McCain — overshadowed Obama’s town-hall meeting here with veterans to talk about patriotism and his plans to care for them. Republicans pounced on the chance to characterize Obama as altering one of the core policies that drove his candidacy “for the sake of political expedience.” He denied equally forcefully that he was shifting positions.
Arriving in Fargo, Obama hastily called a news conference to discuss news of a sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, but the questioning turned to Iraq policy and his impending trip there.
“I am going to do a thorough assessment when I’m there,” he said. “I’m sure I’ll have more information and continue to refine my policy.”
He left the impression that his talks with military commanders there could refine his promise to remove U.S. combat troops within 16 months of taking office.
Less than four hours later, after the town hall meeting, Obama appeared before reporters for another statement and round of questions to “try this again.”
“Apparently I was not clear enough this morning,” he said. He blamed any confusion on the McCain campaign, which he said had “primed the pump with the press” to suggest “we were changing our policy when we haven’t.”
“I have said throughout this campaign that this war was ill-conceived, that it was a strategic blunder and that it needs to come to an end,” he said. “I have also said I would be deliberate and careful about how we get out. That position has not changed. I am not searching for maneuvering room with respect to that position.”
Obama says 16-month timeline could slip
He promised to summon the Joint Chiefs of Staff on his first day in office “and I will give them a new mission and that is to end this war, responsibly and deliberately, but decisively.”
He said that when he talked earlier about refining his policy after talking with commanders in Iraq, he was referring not to his 16-month timeline, but to how many troops may need to remain in Iraq to train the local army and police and what troop presence might be needed “‘to be sure al-Qaida doesn’t re-establish a foothold there.”
“I will bring our troops out at a pace of one two brigades a month” which would mean the United States would be totally out of Iraq in 16 months. “That is what I intend to do as president of the United States.”
But later in the session, he said it is possible the 16-month timeline could slip if the pace of withdrawal needs to be slowed some months to ensure troop safety. “I have always said ... I would always reserve the right to do what’s best,” Obama said.
His Web site contains this direct promise: “Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months."
Click for related content
Obama focuses on turning red states blue
Newsweek: Bad news awaits the next president
The center hard to reach for Obama, McCain
During his presidential campaign, Obama has gone from the hard-edged, vocal opposition to Iraq that defined his early candidacy to more nuanced rhetoric. He has said that if al-Qaida builds bases in Iraq, he would keep troops either in the country or the region to carry out “targeted strikes.”
GOP calls Obama 'a typical politician'
McCain was an early supporter of increasing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq as President Bush did last year. He wants to pursue the current counterinsurgency tactics to give Iraqis time to work out a political reconciliation. He has said he’s willing to see some U.S. troops stay there as much as 100 years but not if they are being wounded or killed in combat. Rather, he supports keeping a military presence in that part of the world because of its volatility.
Republicans, who have claimed Obama needs an update on the situation in Iraq, e-mailed a midday broadside prior to his second news conference of the day.
“There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience,” said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the national Republican Party. “Obama’s Iraq problem undermines the central premise of his candidacy and shows him to be a typical politician.”
After Obama's second news conference, McCain's campaign quickly issued a rebuttal, saying: "He has now adopted John McCain's position that we cannot risk the progress we have made in Iraq by beginning to withdraw our troops immediately without concern for conditions on the ground."
"There is nothing wrong with changing your mind when the facts on the ground dictate it," said the statement, issued by McCain spokesman Brian Rogers. " Indeed, the facts have changed because of the success of the surge that John McCain advocated for years and Barack Obama opposed."
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