Research Briefing

Tonight Obama Takes Credit For The Surge’s Success In Iraq, Despite Initially Opposing The Strategy

AS SENATOR, OBAMA BLASTED GEN. PETRAEUS’ IRAQ SURGE STRATEGY

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): “I Am Not Persuaded That 20,000 Additional Troops In Iraq Is Going To Solve The Sectarian Violence There. In Fact, I Think It Will Do The Reverse.” (MSNBC’s “Response To The President’s Speech On Iraq,” 1/10/07)

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): “20,000 Troops Is Not Gonna Make A Difference.” OBAMA: “What I did not see from the President was any recognition that there is not a military solution to the problems that we face in Iraq right now… And in the absence of that, 20,000 troops is not gonna make a difference.” (ABC’s “Nightline,” 1/10/07) 

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): “[T]he President’s Strategy Will Not Work.” OBAMA: “What was striking to me in listening to all the testimony that was provided, was the almost near unanimity that the president's strategy will not work.” (Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 1/24/07)

Obama Said He Did Not Know Of Any Middle East Expert Or Military Officer That Believed The Surge Would “Make A Substantial Difference...” OBAMA: “We cannot impose a military solution on what has effectively become a civil war. And until we acknowledge that reality -- we can send 15,000 more troops, 20,000 more troops, 30,000 more troops, I don’t know any expert on the region or any military officer that I’ve spoken to privately that believes that that is going to make a substantial difference on the situation on the ground.” (CBS’ “Face The Nation,” 1/14/07)

AFTER SURGE WAS IN EFFECT, OBAMA SAID IT HAD WORSENED SITUATION IN IRAQ

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL):  “The Time To End The Surge… Is Now.” OBAMA: “The time to end the surge and to start bringing our troops home is now… not six months from now. [I] can only support a policy that begins an immediate removal of our troops from Iraq's civil war, and initiates a sustained drawdown of our military presence." (“Democrats Blast Petraeus Recommendations,” The Huffington Post, 9/10/07)

In July 2007, Obama Said The Surge Had Not Worked In Iraq. OBAMA: “Well, actually, I think there was a very serious debate, and it's based on some fundamental differences. I think reasonable people can differ on this issue because there are no good options in Iraq. We should not have gone. At this point we have bad options and worse options. But we are facing a choice. My assessment is that the surge has not worked and we will not see a different report eight weeks from now.” (NBC’s “The Today Show,” 7/18/07)

In November 2007, Obama Said The Surge Has Not Worked, And Had Potentially Worsened The Situation In Iraq. OBAMA: “Finally, in 2006-2007, we started to see that, even after an election, George Bush continued to want to pursue a course that didn't withdraw troops from Iraq but actually doubled them and initiated a search and at that stage I said very clearly, not only have we not seen improvements, but we're actually worsening, potentially, a situation there.” (NBC’s “Meet The Press,” 11/11/07)

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL): “Tonight We Heard President Bush Say That The Surge In Iraq Is Working, When We Know That's Just Not True.” (Paul Handley, “Democrats Blast Bush’s ‘Failed Policies,’ ‘Empty Rhetoric,’” Agence France Presse, 1/29/08)

Obama Told ABC’s Terry Moran That, Despite The Progress That Has Occurred In Iraq, He Would Not Have Supported The Surge. MORAN: “‘[T]he surge of U.S. troops, combined with ordinary Iraqis’ rejection of both al Qaeda and Shiite extremists have transformed the country. Attacks are down more than 80% nationwide. U.S. combat casualties have plummeted, five this month so far, compared with 78 last July, and Baghdad has a pulse again.’ If you had to do it over again, knowing what you know now, would you -- would you support the surge?” OBAMA: “No, because -- keep in mind that –” MORAN: “You wouldn't?” OBAMA: “Well, no, keep -- these kinds of hypotheticals are very difficult. Hindsight is 20/20. I think what I am absolutely convinced of is that at that time, we had to change the political debate, because the view of the Bush administration at that time was one that I just disagreed with.” MORAN: “And so, when pressed, Barack Obama says he still would have opposed the surge.” (ABC’s “World News,” 7/21/08)

WHEN SECURITY IN IRAQ IMPROVED,

OBAMA SUDDENLY CLAIMED HE HAD ALWAYS BELIEVED IT WOULD

In January 2008, Obama Claimed That He Always Said That Increasing The Number Of Troops In Iraq Would Improve Security. OBAMA: “Now, I had no doubt, and I said at the time when I opposed the surge, that given how wonderfully our troops perform, if we place 30,000 more troops in there, then we would see an improvement in the security situation and we would see a reduction in the violence.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Manchester, NH, 1/5/08)

In February 2008, Obama Said That It Was “Indisputable” That Violence Had Been Reduced In Iraq.” CNN’s CAMPBELL BROWN: “Senator Obama, in the same vein, you were also opposed to the surge from the beginning. Were you wrong?” OBAMA: “Well, I think it is indisputable that we've seen violence reduced in Iraq. And that's a credit to our brave men and women in uniform.” (Sen. Barack Obama, CNN/Univision Democrat Presidential Debate, Austin, TX, 2/21/08)    

In May 2008, Obama Said “We Don’t Need More Spin About How The Surge Is Succeeding.” OBAMA: “We don’t need more spin about how the surge is succeeding in doing what it was supposed to do which is to get the Iraqi’s to stand up and take responsibility for their own future, so we can start sending our troops home.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At A Town Hall, Rapid City, SD, 5/31/08)

NOW OBAMA IS TAKING CREDIT FOR SUCCESSFUL END TO COMBAT OPERATIONS

Obama’s Remarks Culminate A Month-Long Effort To “Take Credit For Bringing The U.S. Role In The Conflict To An End.” “President Obama will travel Tuesday to an army post in Texas to mark the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, the White House announced… Obama will follow his visit to Fort Bliss, home to several combat units that have fought in Iraq since the 2003 invasion, with a prime-time Oval Office address Tuesday evening… The pair of remarks on Iraq, a war Obama opposed, culminates a month-long White House effort to inform the public of the changing U.S. mission in Iraq and to take credit for bringing the U.S. role in the conflict to an end.” (Scott Wilson, “Obama To Speak To Troops, Nation Next Week On Iraq,” The Washington Post’s 44 Politics And Policy, 8/25/10)

Biden Says Iraq Could Be One Of Obama Administration’s “Great Achievements.” BIDEN: “I am very optimistic about -- about Iraq. I mean, this could be one of the great achievements of this administration. You're going to see 90,000 American troops come marching home by the end of the summer. You're going to see a stable government in Iraq that is actually moving toward a representative government.” (CNN’s Larry King, 2/10/10)

• And Biden Sees Iraq Success For Obama. BIDEN: “I think America wins… I sound corny, but I think America gets credit here in the region. And I think everybody gets credit, from George Bush to [President Obama].” (Mike Allen, “Joe Biden Sees Iraq Success For President Obama,” Politico, 7/5/10)

Obama’s August 31 Date “Evolved” From Status Of Forces Agreement Signed Under President Bush. “President Obama picked Aug. 31, but it evolved from U.S. policy in Iraq and from the last presidential election. As part of the Status of Forces Agreement, signed by the United States and Iraq in 2008, all U.S. troops are required to leave by the end of 2011, eight years after the invasion.” (Michael Muskal, “Obama to walk fine political line in Iraq speech,” The Los Angeles Times’ D.C. Now Blog, 8/26/10)