The Democratic Party wanted us to pull out of the war in Iraq, essentially failing. They tried to squash the surge by voting against it. They said GWB was going 'double or nothing'.
Obama predicted a civil war if we stayed.
Feb 10, 2007 Obama said this on the campaign trail. "It's time to admit that no amount of American lives can resolve the political disagreement that lies at the heart of someone else's civil war. That's why I have a plan that will bring our combat troops home by March of two thousand and eight. Letting the Iraqis know that we will not be there forever is our last best hope... to pressure the Suni and Shia to come to the table and find peace."
Obama and the Dems crucified General Patraeus (even before the hearings) and called him a liar when he said the surge was working. Remember MoveOn.Org's advertisement called "General betray us" that no one in the Democratic party jumped up to denounce?
On the campaign trail Obama said it would be an abysmal failure and led the Democratic party against the surge. Let's rewind a moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_igpyewuzQ
"I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse."
Joe Biden wanted to shove the surge down GWB's throat.
APRIL 27, 2007: Columbia SC, congressman Jim Clyburn's annual fish fry: REPORTER: "When he (GWB) kills that bill on the first what is the new version going to be that you will send him?"
BIDEN: "The first thing I'm gonna do when he vetoes that bill is I'm gonna take out that money for those MRAPS [Mine Resistant Ambush Protected], those off -- those vehicles that will save lives over there. The idea we're not... I gotta kid going over there! The idea we're not building these new Humvees with the V-shaped thing is just crap, man! Kids are dying that don't have to die. And the second thing is, we're going to shove it (the surge) down his throat."
The surge brought them to the table, not the fear of the US leaving. Fighting the terrorists Muqtada al-Sadr and others actually united the Suni and the Shi'a. Obama's policy of cutting and running would have left the region in an abyss of a civil war with all the sides fighting each other.
Now Obama is taking credit for avoiding a civil war by the US staying in Iraq.
Obama: June 30, 2008 "Those who have tried to pull Iraq into the abyss of disunion and civil war are on the wrong side of history. Finally, the very fact that Iraqis are celebrating this day is a testament to courage, the capability and commitment of every single American who has served in Iraq. That's worth applauding. (applause) Through tour after tour of duty our troops have overcome every obstacle to extend this precious opportunity to the Iraqi people. We've made important progress in supporting a sovereign, stable, and self-reliant Iraq; and everyone who served there, both in uniform as well as our civilians, uh, deserves our thanks."
It makes the average person with half a brain look at this twice and shake your head in disbelief. It fools the Obama voters into thinking that Obama was right all along because now he says the exact opposite that he said before and he says it with such conviction.
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