[Peace-discuss] Obama on the war

[C. G. Estabrook]

[Our junior senator continues to be against withdrawal from
Iraq and thus for the continuation of the war.  His position
continues to be no different in substance from that of the
administration, who also want a troop reduction in Iraq.   
--CGE]

  Obama Calls for Troop Reduction in Iraq
  By ANNA JOHNSON
  ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama on
Tuesday called for a troop reduction in Iraq and criticized
the Bush administration for questioning the patriotism of
people who speak out against the war.

"I believe that U.S. forces are still a part of the solution
in Iraq," according to a prepared text of Obama's speech to
the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations. "The strategic goals
should be to allow for a limited drawdown of U.S. troops,
coupled with shift to a more effective counter-insurgency
strategy that puts the Iraqi security forces in the lead and
intensifies our efforts to train Iraqi forces."

Following the Dec. 15 Iraqi elections, Obama said the United
States should focus over the course of the next year on how to
reduce its troops there.

"Notice that I say 'reduce' and not 'fully withdraw,'" Obama said.

The freshman lawmaker also joined the chorus of politicians
defending decorated Vietnam War veteran Rep. John Murtha,
D-Pa., who was criticized by the Bush administration, other
Republicans and the public after calling for an immediate
withdrawal of U.S. troops.

"We watched the shameful attempt to paint John Murtha - a
Marine Corp recipient of two purple hearts and a Bronze Star -
into a coward of questionable patriotism," Obama said.

Obama said Americans want to find solutions to the "difficult
and complicated situation in Iraq."

"The President could take the politics out of Iraq once and
for all if he would simply go on television and say to the
American people 'Yes, we made mistakes. Yes, there are things
I would have done differently. But now that we're here, I am
willing to work with both Republicans and Democrats to find
the most responsible way out,'" Obama said.

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