I believe Obama.

[Blarch]

I don’t oppose all wars. And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perle and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne.

What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Rove to distract us from a rise in the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income – to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone through the worst month since the Great Depression.

That’s what I’m opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Barack_Obama's_Iraq_Speech

You can chose to not believe Obama at your own peril, but before you do, take a look in the mirror and ask yourself where your candidate was at the moment of truth.

[Mojambo]

1. Because everyone knows war and patriotism go hand and hand. n/t

[Evergreen Emerald]

2. Obama said he does not know how he would have voted--everyone was against war.

While there is no perfect approach to this thorny dilemma, and while people of good faith and high intelligence can reach diametrically opposed conclusions, I believe the best course is to go to the UN for a strong resolution that scraps the 1998 restrictions on inspections and calls for complete, unlimited inspections with cooperation expected and demanded from Iraq. I know that the Administration wants more, including an explicit authorization to use force, but we may not be able to secure that now, perhaps even later. But if we get a clear requirement for unfettered inspections, I believe the authority to use force to enforce that mandate is inherent in the original 1991 UN resolution, as President Clinton recognized when he launched Operation Desert Fox in 1998.

http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html

[Laurab]

3. Obama was outspoken against the war.

Granted, he wasn't in the U.S. Senate, but it was still risky to go on record as being against the war, and he did. There are speeches, a video, all leaving no doubt as to how he would have voted. He was quite vocal about being against the war when it was unpopular to be so - I'm not sure where you get your information from, but it's wrong.

[Evergreen Emerald]

4. as was Clinton.

But she had another duty--a duty that Obama did not have. And he stated that he did not know how he would have voted on IWR.


They were both against the war.

[boston bean]

5. Obama himself says he doesn't know how he would have voted if he were in the Senate at the time.

I don't have the energy to go get a source, but google it and you will find it.

[dogishboy]

8. Obama was NOT outspoken against the war

He gave one speech...ONE. SPEECH.

Then he took it off his website until the war became unpopular.

[Blarch]

11. Oh please.

Re-read that speech...

Those words spoken at that time were very radical, compared to what Hillary and Edwards were saying

[dogishboy]

15. Go please yourself, honey

ONE. SPEECH

That was it.

[H2O Man]

9. Right.

His stance was clear. It was distinct from that of those who voted for the war. It's that simple, no matter how others try to twist it.

[Laurab]

12. Thank you. n/t

[Blarch]

6. It's a matter of judgement.

"Others argue that if even our allies support us, we should not support this resolution because confronting Iraq now would undermine the long-term fight against terrorist groups like Al Qaeda. Yet, I believe that this is not an either-or choice. Our national security requires us to do both, and we can." - Edwards Oct. 10 2002

"I think Iraq is the most serious and imminent threat to our country."
- Edwards Feb. 24 2002


Do you Believe Edwards ?

[NorthernSpy]

7. I don't know whether I believe Obama or not, but...

I do know that I don't like or trust those who seem to hate him with such obsessive vehemence.

[NNN0LHI]

13. I noticed they give me a queasy feeling too

A good long while ago.

Don

[LWolf]

10. I don't.

And I DO oppose war as an instrument of foreign policy and/or corporate policy at all times.

[cooolandrew]

14. Obama has what it takes. Check history an african american has always saved america form itself.

[Blarch]

16. Kickin

seems the Obama haters are regrouping