Jolie 1, Obama 0 (or so says the Wall Street Journal)

[algoreagain]

That is how the WSJ's top opinion writer, James Taranto, describes Angelina Jolie's op-ed in the Washington Post on Thursday.
Jolie tried to hide her support for the Iraq war behind the "humanitarian" side of the war. She keeps talking about how we should help those displaced by the war, but she also seems to convey the message that she thinks the "surge" has worked:

My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis.

Today's humanitarian crisis in Iraq--and the potential consequences for our national security--are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won't explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder? . . .

As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120430737505503363.html?mod=Best+of+the+Web+Today

[sandnsea]

1. Obama's Iraq "Humanitarian Initiative"

Obama believes that America has a moral and security responsibility to confront Iraq’s humanitarian crisis — two million Iraqis are refugees; two million more are displaced inside their own country. Obama will form an international working group to address this crisis. He will provide at least $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi refugees in neighboring countries, and ensure that Iraqis inside their own country can find a safe-haven.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/#humanitarian-initiative

[billbuckhead]

2. I bet limosine liberals heads are exploding from coast to coast

[psychopomp]

12. You sure you're on the right message board?

You can't even spell "limousine." Yep, I think you might fit in better somewhere else...
:freak:

[billbuckhead]

13. Actually you can spell it the way I spelled it and heres a link

I'll accept your apology in advance.:rofl:

<http://www.worldcarfans.com/3021120.001/audi-a8-limosine>

[Political Heretic]

14. Haha. Owned.

:)

[FrenchieCat]

3. I do not believe that Obama stated that the Surge was not

showing some success, but he qualified that this limited success was just that, limited.

Give the Movie Star one up on Obama if it will make you sleep better at night. :eyes:

[AtomicKitten]

4. We need to get our sorry asses out of a sovereign nation we illegally invaded and occupied.

We don't need to remain in Iraq to assist in humanitarian crises, and I hope we do all across the globe. Darfur has been beyond crisis status for years now.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Well only if Angelina Jolie and the WSJ say so......

after all, they are the expert that the surge has worked. :eyes:

[sniffa]

6. We need to declare war on the real enemies

Zombies.

[AtomicKitten]

7. I've got a bone to pick with carbohydrates.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

8. Worse than supporting the surge, she speaks for the troops now!

"And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible."

[Cha]

9. That's a pretty broad brush angelina has there..

That's not exactly what we heard from some of the military is it? Of course, we want to get out and help them as humanitarianly as possible but what is jolie really trying to say?

[billbuckhead]

10. So you expect Obama to go into Africa with US troops? Is that what Darfur means?

[cali]

11. Do you know the purpose of the surge?

it's to enable politial solutions. it has not worked. And Jolie's comments have nothing to do with Obama.

[I Vote In Pittsburgh]

15. I think there is a hidden purpose

The true purpose is to allow the media to spin Iraq into a success story and get another repuke elected in November.

[Skwmom]

16. Jolie spoke to soldiers specifically selected to

discuss how committed they are to Iraq.