US election: Obama denies flip-flop over policy on Iraq withdrawal

It really does take irony to new levels. With a candidate who flip flops more than anyone else I have ever heard of, the Republicans have the sheer gall to attempt to put that label on to Barack Obama.

Barack Obama was scrambling to clarify his stance on withdrawing US troops from Iraq yesterday after telling reporters that he would further shape his views following a visit to the country and meetings with military commanders there. The Republican party quickly accused the Democratic party's presidential nominee of a policy flip-flop.

Obama has campaigned on removing combat forces from Iraq within 16 months of taking office. But yesterday in Fargo, North Dakota, he told reporters: "I am going to do a thorough assessment when I'm there. I'm sure I'll have more information and continue to refine my policy."

Later he insisted the broad thrust of his policy remained unchanged. "Let me be as clear as I can be: I intend to end this war," he said. "I have seen no information that contradicts the notion that we can bring out troops out safely at a pace of one to two brigades per month," with all out within 16 months. "This is the same position that I had four months ago.

"I continue to believe that it is a strategic error for us to maintain a long-term occupation in Iraq at a time when conditions in Afghanistan are worsening, al-Qaida is continuing to establish bases in areas of north-west Pakistan, resources there are severely strained and we are spending $10bn (£5bn) to $12bn a month in Iraq that we desperately need here at home, not to mention the strains on our military," Obama said.

But Republicans seized on the earlier remarks, having goaded Obama for several days about an anticipated shift in his policy on Iraq.

This really is a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. Had he said nothing would change his mind after his trip to Iraq, he would have been accused of rigidness and going to Iraq for no good reason. The minute he says that he will use his time in Iraq to assess the situation, he is accused of flip flopping.

Even considering a situation is now supposedly a position of weakness.

This would appear to be a theme which the Republicans are going to attempt to mine; "Obama is just like every other politician":

"There appears to be no issue that Barack Obama is not willing to reverse himself on for the sake of political expedience," said Alex Conant, a spokesman for the Republican national committee. "Obama's Iraq problem undermines the central premise of his candidacy and shows him to be a typical politician."

That this charge is coming from the party whose candidate has reversed his position on abortion, Christian fundamentalist preachers, tax cuts for the rich, his own campaign finance legislation and torture. It really is hypocrisy on a staggering scale for this man, of all people, to accuse others of flip flopping.

This all comes within a day of McCain appointing a new campaign manager and apparently the promises of no negative campaigning have gone out of the window already.

The Republican national committee is to roll out a $3m television campaign at the weekend targeting Obama. Republicans have become increasingly vocal in their concerns that McCain has been outshone by the younger and more charismatic Obama and that the Republican campaign has had trouble projecting a consistent message. McCain has reportedly frustrated his staff with a number of slip-ups on the campaign trail. None have led to a major controversy, but they have confused his campaign message.

The McCain camp are now accusing Obama of committing McCain's own sins. Obama has, to my knowledge, flip flopped in one major area and that was FISA and Telecom immunity. As I have made clear, I wish he had not done so. However, it really is galling beyond belief to have a serial flip flopper like McCain now attempt to put that label on to Obama's shoulders.

Nor has McCain flip flopped for anything other than the worst type of political expediency. Having sold himself for years as "a maverick", McCain now seeks the approval of the very people that he has always detested. And, in order to do so, he is prepared to reverse every belief which he has ever sincerely held.

The campaign season has begun in earnest. And the clean campaign which McCain promised is apparently no longer on the menu.

UPDATE:



Obama has been saying that he will withdraw "carefully" from day one. You can simply Google it for God's sake.

And I love Scarborough's argument that Obama is only "responsible" when he apparently embraces Bush policies. And Scarborough then asks for "a show of hands" as to who thinks Rachel Maddow won the point. A point fought amongst a handpicked panel of Conservatives.

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Tags: Barack Obama, John McCain, flip flopper, US election 2008