The Blog @ Spolitics

Obama Was Against Timetables Before He Was For Them

June 22, 2006 Barack Obama sent out a podcast telling listeners that he opposed the Kerry Amendment to the Iraq War Resolution because it imposed a specific timetable. He argued a firm, arbitrary deadline would not give commanders enough flexibility to implement a strategy to stabilize Iraq, create the space for ethnic reconciliation and prevent a meltdown in the region. How much flexibility? He postulated that if the generals, in consultation with the Iraqis, asked for an additional twenty thousand troops for an additional six months, they should get it.

Less than six months later, as conditions worsened and after the Iraq Study Group’s report came out, Obama began arguing the exact opposite: that there was no military solution for the ethnic “civil war” in Iraq and that a timetable for withdrawal would put pressure on the Iraqis to resolve their differences. He even went on to say that our withdrawal would send a sign to Iran and Syria to start playing a constructive role. The worst of our options, he claimed, was to send more troops (i.e the surge strategy).

So what changed? He started running for President and saw a lot of room on Clinton’s left and the Iraq Study Group’s report gave him the cover he needed to advocate withdrawal. At that point, he was less concerned about giving the generals flexibility. Here’s how he said it to Charlie Gibson during the ABC debate:

GIBSON: And, Senator Obama, your campaign manager, David Plouffe, said…we will be out of Iraq in 16 months at the most. There should be no confusion about that.” So you’d give the same rock-hard pledge, that no matter what the military commanders said, you would give the order to bring them home?

OBAMA: Because the commander-in-chief sets the mission, Charlie. That’s not the role of the generals. And one of the things that’s been interesting about the president’s approach lately has been to say, “Well, I’m just taking cues from General Petraeus.” Well, the president sets the mission. The general and our troops carry out that mission.

Wait… does the President set the mission or do study groups? And, of course, now that he’s won his party’s nomination, Senator Obama sees room for “refinements.” He’s also, claiming every new development agrees with his position. Of course they do… he’s taken every one.

Barack Obama’s positions are like the weather in Florida… If you don’t like what you’re getting, just wait ten minutes.