Democracy Now March 28 2008 News Plus Obama Interview 2

Part 1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDYbx_Vaeqc
Flash player of entire broadcasts now available at:
http://www.democracynow.org

"Amy Goodman Questions Sen. Obama on Heeding Iraqis' Call for Full US Withdrawal"

"Following his speech on the economy at New York's Cooper Union, Amy Goodman asks Sen. Barack Obama why he is not calling for a total withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in accordance with the 70 percent of Iraqis who say they want the US out."

Rush Transcript
"AMY GOODMAN: Obama was speaking at the Cooper Union. I had a chance to briefly interview him as he was shaking people's hands after he left the stage. I asked Obama why he's not calling for a total withdrawal of US troops from Iraq in accordance with the 70 percent of Iraqis who say they want the US out.

AMY GOODMAN: Senator Obama, quick question: 70 percent of Iraqis say they want the US to withdraw completely; why don't you call for a total withdrawal?


SEN. BARACK OBAMA: Well, I do, except for our embassy. I call for amnesty and protecting our civilian contractors there.

AMY GOODMAN: You've said a residual force—

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: Yeah, but—

AMY GOODMAN: —which means [inaudible] thousands [inaudible].

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: Well, no. I mean, I don't think that you've read exactly what I've said. What I said is that we do need to have a strike force in the region. It doesn't necessarily have to be in Iraq; it could be in Kuwait or other places. But we do have to have some presence in order to not only protect them, but also potentially to protect their territorial integrity.


AMY GOODMAN: Can you call for a ban on the private military contractors like Blackwater?

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: I've actually—I'm the one who sponsored the bill that called for the investigation of Blackwater in [inaudible], so—

AMY GOODMAN: But would you support the Sanders one now?

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: Here's the problem: we have 140,000 private contractors right there, so unless we want to replace all of or a big chunk of those with US troops, we can't draw down the contractors faster than we can draw down our troops. So what I want to do is draw—I want them out in the same way that we make sure that we draw out our own combat troops. Alright? I mean, I—

AMY GOODMAN: Not a ban?

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: Well, I don't want to replace those contractors with more US troops, because we don't have them, alright? But this was a speech about the economy.

AMY GOODMAN: The war is costing $3 trillion, according to Stiglitz.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: That's what—I know, which I made a speech about last week. Thank you.

AMY GOODMAN: That was Senator Barack Obama at the Cooper Union in New York."

http://www.democracynow.org

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Bush
• Army
• US
• Strike
• Torture
• Iraq
• Withdrawal
• Israel
• Tibet
• Pakistan

[antekification]

israel is a rogue, apartheid stateterrorist regime, and this lame puppet president obama does everything what the warmongering and racist nature of aipac told him to say, fucking pathetic. israel refuse to recgonize international law israel refuse 1 and 2state solution, israel refuse to follow some 230+ binding resolutions from the UN, israel refuse to let palestinians back home, israel refuse to stop illegal annexation, blockade, occupation, settlements, they refuse to sign the NPT. israel=shit

[funknando007]

the speech was about the economy...haha, what is the war?

[madebutante]

you're not one of those law and order over human welfare people are you? It's okay if you are. Hey, it's America!

[madebutante]

It's a democratic republic, yes. And?

[gabrielaSH]

Thank you so much for your work!! All the Best to the entire team*

[galacticwacko]

the US is a Republic... not a democracy.

[djgiga]

No i just call idiots like you sheep. I have great respect for ron paul and alex jones even though there domestic views are completely different then mine.

[madman0000004]

You're initial comment was just squeaky clean huh? Nope, can't stand Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity or Alan Colms. I'm actually very balanced as a centrist. My Point is that you ought to cease with the business of calling people sheep, simply because they don't agree with you. It's offensive, unfounded in logic and ultimately your Achilles heal. Yes my main troll here is that Amy Goodman is a fucking unethical social deviant that many people trust her blindly I attack her views in my former comment

[djgiga]

If you brought up some legitimate point I would gladly have a conversation. That was just a rude hateful post. I don't know what your views are. But I'm guessing its in line with fox news.

[madman0000004]

"Bear" isn't in my diet, and thank you for illustrating my point; you believe that if someone disagrees with you, they are a "sheep" who also is a mindless minion of the corporate interest. YOU'RE the fucking conformist, you don't let the views of others seep in because you think that you MUST be the only one who "gets it". You're so frightened of your world view getting challenged. I'm cowardly for having an opinion? Fuck you elitist-hippy-fuck. Amy Goodman is your god. I'm not afraid to dream.