Does Obama "need" to go to Iraq? (if he becomes our nominee)

[npincus]

McCain has been to Iraq several times, and as much as we know they were glorified photo-ops reporting fictional successes, these visits may carry a mantle of credibility with the American public. McCain can (and will) always say that he's been there, he's seen it, he's talked to the generals on the field, etc., etc. etc., while Obama has not. He can make Obama out to be some effete latte-sipper who doesn't want to get his hands dirty, while posturing as the brave, tough-guy warrior who can keep us safe. And should Obama go to that hellhole, I have every confidence that he will tell us a different kind of truth about what's going on (in other words, a reality-based truth) that Americans need to hear.

I do worry if he does go; it's so dangerous. But if he does, it would level the field with McCain as an eyewitness to the horror of the place.

Thoughts?


McCain walking freely though the open-air Baghdad market accompanied by 100 armed friends and a few Blackhawks above.

[Pirate Smile]

1. Obama has visited Iraq.

"Obama visits troops in Iraq

Monday, January 09, 2006 | 8:51 AM By Chuck GoudieJanuary 8, 2006 (BAGHDAD, Iraq) (WLS) -- Senator Barack Obama is taking a close look at just how long American forces should stay in Iraq. He is on a journey to the Middle East that has taken him and other U.S. senators to Iraq this weekend.

The Congressional Delegation or "CODEL" as the state department calls it, has now wrapped two days in Iraq. Senator Barack Obama was among four members of Congress Sunday flying to areas outside the safety of the green zone to meet with American and Iraqi military commanders on the ground. "

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=3794382

[npincus]

7. you're right- early January 2006

as far as I can tell, he hasn't been there in 2 years.

[NightWatcher]

2. NO, he needs to bring those in Iraq (the troops) back home

he doenst need a photo op of how great things are going in Iraq. I hope that he doesnt go there. It would make a real easy excuse for the 'shrubbies' to 'let something happen to Obama'.

[papau]

3. Why bother - our troops will still be there when his term ends - go later - it might be ended by the

next president after Obama. (If you dis-believe this - read Amy Goodwin's interview with Obama and Powers interview with the EU paper)

[Connie_Corleone]

4. He's been to Iraq before. But, he'll probably go again once he's the nominee.

[jillan]

5. It might help him pad his resume' a little. He has only been there once

and McCain & co are just waiting to go after his inexperience.

[goletian]

6. why would he go to iraq?

we wanna get out of iraq. going there makes no sense.

[yellowcanine]

8. Only if he is guarenteed good deals like LIndsey "5 rugs for 5 bucks" Graham got.

GRAHAM: But what we’re doing today is different. And to say it’s not different is just really not being fair. We have a fundamentally different approach to our security problems. We’re doing now what we should have done three years ago and there are some signs of success. Two things: we cannot let suicide bombers, homicide bombers, and car bombers set the pace for the 21st century. We cannot let them determine the future of the Iraqi people or the future of the American people, and it’s the resilient people We went to the market and were just really warmly welcomed. I bought five rugs for five bucks. And people were engaging, and just a few weeks ago, hundreds of people, dozens of people were killed in this same place.
+++


But seriously, No he doesn't need to do that and frankly, I don't think it would make any difference one way or the other.

[Ned_Devine]

9. It would make a lot of sense for him to go...

...in order to get a reality based viewpoint of the situation,and so on...