Barack Obama did NOT flip-flop on original Iraq position

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama doesn't back down on Iraq position: "Let me be as clear as I can be: I tend 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."
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He wants withdrawal from Iraq as prudently as possible. That this might take longer than sixteen months, even though that is the goal, is Bush's fault, not Obama's. Yes, he does want to expand access to private healthcare, engage Iran with more than bluster, raise taxes on the successful, pass immigration reform, end torture, and restore America's moral reputation in the world. And he intends to do it without acting like a rigid, purist ideologue, of the kind Krauthammer admires and of the kind that has driven us into a ditch in Iraq. His adjustments in the post-primary campaign take the hard edges off his clear policy positions, defuse some obvious weaknesses, move aggressively to the center ... and use his money advantage to win the thing. Er: he's a skilled politician. I know the Republicans are used to Democratic candidates being knocked about and defined and pummeled from the get-go. But Obama is different. Hadn't you noticed that yet?
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/07/krauthammer-pan....
After the media went into a frenzy, he held another press conference at which he said that one of the points that was not up for refining was his commitment to ending the war as soon as possible. I have a hard time seeing what the big deal is here.

This is what Obama has always said. As Steve Benen reminds us:
"As the Democratic primary process unfolded, the Clinton campaign tried to get out in front of this issue by saying that she was committed to her withdrawal plan — no matter what. When Clinton's communications director was pressed on whether Clinton would proceed with a withdrawal regardless of conditions on the ground, he said, "Yes." Obama was never actually willing to go there, and as far as I can tell, has always given himself some flexibility on troop withdrawal."

During the primary, agreeing with Clinton would have been the popular thing to do. Obama did not do it. And he was right not to. Preserving some flexibility to respond to unforeseen circumstances is almost always the right thing to do, and this is especially true when you're talking about your policy for something like Iraq. Just to state the obvious:

Obama is saying what he will do if he is elected. He won't be able to do any of it until he takes office, nearly seven months from now (if he wins.) The situation in Iraq can change quickly and unpredictably. Moreover, in the nature of things, there is information about the situation there that he will only have access to once he takes office. For Obama to say that he knows for sure, right now, exactly what he will do, in every detail, and that neither the advice he receives from the commanders on the ground nor anything that happens in the intervening months could possibly change his mind, would be idiotic. Politically expedient, perhaps, but idiotic nonetheless.

Saying that he will be open to advice and new information, however, is not the same as saying that his fundamental views on Iraq are open to change, absent some genuinely unpredicted and catastrophic development. It's one thing to be open to a somewhat different pace for troop withdrawal, and another thing altogether to change your mind about the wisdom of getting out of Iraq in the first place.

I take it for granted that the media will screw this sort of thing up -- scrutinizing all candidates not named "John McCain" for alleged inconsistencies is what they do, and in this case they've been primed by a lot of GOP press releases. But what about us? Why are we so ready to believe this sort of thing?

I put it down to eight years of George W. Bush. It's obvious that Bush would have had to be dragged kicking and screaming away from Iraq...Obama is not Bush. He's not even Harry Reid. I'm no happier with his FISA cave than anyone else, but nothing I've seen makes me think that he's waffling on withdrawal from Iraq, as opposed to preserving some flexibility in a way that makes perfect sense. McCain is trying to argue that if he doesn't pay attention to facts on the ground, he's rigid and inflexible (true), but if he does, he's a flip-flopper (false). There's no earthly reason why we should accept this.
http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/07/much-ado-about.html

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[tommcreynoldscom]

We had a Bush puppet and now a Obama puppet. Same coin, different sides. We get the same as with Bush except more . more spending, more government. They are corrupt in a big way

[BelieveWeCan]

Sure, what the US did to Japan was to create a catastrophe for them so they had to stop fighting; Terrorism by wmd.

[all13Doctors]

He wears flipflops?

[polliwantscrack]

5:04 he laughs because he knows he's about to lie AGAIN about the timetable. Why did people praise this man so much he is so damn two faced and not working for america but rather the banking elites

[slayerkendra]

YES WE CAN DROP OBAMA ON HIS SKINNY ASS IN 2012

[chaseswafford]

I never voted for him based on Islam religion... But you would think, The grand first appearance of a colored president, would have brought more respect with him... I was hoping even though McCain got my vote, that maybe I was wrong... This guy studders more than Bush... At least Bushes studders were basically talking professional, Mr BP here (Barack Petroleum) Talks Professional and studders and sputs on his if statements... Head tilts to left to keep eyes straight... common trait of lying...

[k3304]

HOPE AND CHANGE ???????????

[blackmidget33]

i think you have trouble not lying.i didn't vote for you to be another george bush,but you are . the BLACK BUSH another pathological liar,your'e a disgrace to your black skin.

[PanteraBoy989]

So be it

Threaten no more

To secure peace is to prepare for war

So be it

Settle the score

Touch me again for the words that youll hear evermore...

[DemonosZXZ]

who runs the polls why are there only two canidates in a democracy? good and evil, i dont get it, isn't that all bad.