Barack Obama just struck a low key tone in his questioning of
Gen. Petraeus and Amb. Crocker. Obama praised both of them for
their "dedication and sacrifice" and then asked benign questions
about how we can define success with regard to denying Al Qaeda a
safe haven in Iraq and limiting Iranian influence. Only later did
he make a boilerplate statement about the "massive strategic
blunder" in Iraq that created AQI and enhanced Iranian influence,
and left a mess that Petraeus and Crocker are forced to try and
clean up. The surge has reduced violence and created breathing
room, Obama argued, but the Iraqis have not taken advantage of that
breathing room. The best option, he said, would be to put pressure
on the government by setting a timeline for withdrawal.
topics:
Barack Obama, Iraq, Iran, Oil
