by Mark Silva
The war in Iraq has faded from the forefront of the presidential campaign.
But today, the war is on the minds of candidates promising to end it.
And in the statements of both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama today, there are four common words: "Bringing our troops home.''
With word of the 4,000th U.S. military fatality in Iraq, both Clinton and Obama vow to bring troops home if one of them is elected president.
“I have looked those men and women in the eye,’’ Clinton said in a prepared statement of her own promise to the troops, to keep them safe while forces withdraw. “I have made that promise. And I intend to honor it by bringing a responsible end to this war, and bringing our troops home safely.’’
Obama, in a statement released by his campaign, said: “It is past time to end this war that should never have been waged by bringing our troops home, and finally pushing Iraq's leaders to take responsibility for their future.’’
CLINTON’S STATEMENT:
“Five years after the start of the war in Iraq, there have now been 4,000 U.S. military deaths in Iraq,’’ Clinton said. “On this solemn day, we remember the sacrifice of our brave men and women in uniform. We honor the tens of thousands more who have suffered wounds both visible and invisible, wounds that scar bodies and minds, and hearts as well. We honor the sacrifices of their families, a price paid in empty places at the dinner table, in the struggle to raise children alone, in the wrenching reversal of parents burying children.
“In the last five years, our soldiers have done everything we asked of them and more. They were asked to remove Saddam Hussein from power and bring him to justice and they did. They were asked to give the Iraqi people the opportunity for free and fair elections and they did. They were asked to give the Iraqi government the space and time for political reconciliation, and they did. So for every American soldier who has made the ultimate sacrifice for this mission, we should imagine carved in stone: "They gave their life for the greatest gift one can give to a fellow human being, the gift of freedom."
“I recall the great honor of meeting many of our brave men and women who have served our country. In meeting them, I am always struck by how, no matter how great their suffering, no matter how grave their own injuries, they always say the same thing to me: "Promise that you’ll take care of my buddies. They’re still over there. Promise you’ll keep them safe.
“I have looked those men and women in the eye,’’ she said. “I have made that promise. And I intend to honor it by bringing a responsible end to this war, and bringing our troops home safely.
OBAMA’S STATEMENT:
"It is with great sadness that we have reached another grim milestone in Iraq, with at least 4,000 of our finest Americans having been killed. Each death is a tragedy, and we honor every fallen American and send our thoughts and prayers to their families.
“It is past time to end this war that should never have been waged by bringing our troops home, and finally pushing Iraq's leaders to take responsibility for their future.
“As we do, we must serve the memory of all who have died as well as they served our country, by providing support for their families, caring for our troops and veterans, and upholding the American values which our fallen heroes exemplified through their service."
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Comments
Neither Obama nor Clinton could "end" the war if they became president.
Their promises above are laughable lies.
Because even if we withdraw our troops from Iraq, the terrorists will simply continue the war they've waged against the West and the U.S. since at least 1993 (the first World Trade Center bombing), if not before.
In fact, if anything, our withdrawal will only embolden the terrorists to double their efforts.
It takes two to end a war. Clinton and Obama realize that--but are willing to lie and pander to Democrat activists in order to get their vote.
Posted by: Bruce | March 24, 2008 12:46 PM
Notice neither candidate says "HOW" they intend to bring the troops home??? What blather.
Posted by: Kit | March 24, 2008 1:14 PM
We need responsible leadership, concerned for us rather than just Halliburton's portfolio.
Posted by: Bill | March 24, 2008 1:15 PM
Neither Obama nor Clinton gave any details how they would do this without causing complete instability to the Persian Gulf. But those general types of statements by both of them plays well to the Radical Left Wing of the Democratic Party. In reality I do think either Obama or Clinton can pull this off as promised. Just more useless campaign talk.
Posted by: Depot Jim | March 24, 2008 1:18 PM
The Democrats and the media can hardly disguise their enthusiasm in signalling the 4,000th death of our brave military people. Each death is a personal tragedy and for these political hacks to crank out their public relations releases over the 4,000th is disingenuous and unseemly. Using soldier deaths for their political campaigns is pure crass.
Posted by: Generes | March 24, 2008 1:24 PM
Senator Obama and Hillary are both right about Iraq, John W McCain is insane!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nqtL-P8kzo
On March 19, 2003, George W. Bush announced that the war in Iraq had begun:
My fellow citizens, at this hour, American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger - Bush
...and each year since, has marked the anniversary with a speech.
One year:
There are still violent thugs and murderers in Iraq, and we're dealing with them - Bush
U.S. Fatalities: 583
Two years:
Iraq's progress toward political freedom has opened a new phase of our work there - Bush
U.S. Fatalities: 1,522
Three years:
We are implementing a strategy that will lead to victory in Iraq - Bush
U.S. Fatalities: 2,319
Four years:
There's been good progress - Bush
U.S. Fatalities: 3,224
And now, five years:
No one would argue that this war has not come at a high cost in lives and treasure ? but those costs are necessary when we consider the cost of a strategic victory for our enemies in Iraq - Bush
U.S. Fatalities: 3,990
U.S. Casualties: 40,229
Iraqi Fatalities: Unknown
Iraqi Casualties: Unknown
Cost: $504,000,000,000.00
Over the course of five years, George Bush has gone from saving the world from a nonexistent danger to not wanting to lose.
Mission Accomplished?
http://altacocker.com/other_items/mission-accomplished-osama.jpg
...and crazy old man McCain want's to do more of the same:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0PysDhbvwA
Posted by: John E | March 24, 2008 1:31 PM
the persian gulf became far less stable as soon as the first troops hit the dirt there. the republican and democratic parties are both responsible for this. two side to the same coin.
what we need is a real democracy with a party for those of us that work for a living. a labor party would be a good start.
Posted by: Cliff WIllmeng | March 24, 2008 1:40 PM
It is funny how almost all of the posts support the war and think we should stay in Iraq so we do not embolden the terrorists. Meanwhile, we have already spent hundreds of billions of dollars of US taxpayers money fightinig a war that should have never happened in the first place. I applaud Clinton and Obama for saying that they will pull our troops from Iraq because it is about time we get out of there. If it were up to the Republicans they would stay there for 100 more years giving no bid contracts to all of their cronies so they can overcharge the American taxpayer without any questions being raised. We were the ones that caused the instability in the Persian Gulf by occupying a country with no intent to leave.
Posted by: George | March 24, 2008 1:47 PM
Whoever we pick, it's all the same.
I will not vote for John McCain.
I will not vote for John McCain.
I fear the man has gone insane.
I will not vote to have more war
We can't afford it any more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0PysDhbvwA
I will note vote to bomb bomb Iran
I will stop him if I can.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2kyXN4ZVQg
I will not vote for a Bush-hugger
There must surely be anudder.
http://www.basehead.org/files/shots/1-mccain_bush_hug.jpg
I won't vote for torture, or that kind of stuff,
Hell, isn't watching 24 enough for these nutty Republicans?
I will not vote for "Straight-Talk" John
No matter what drugs they put him on.
Not out of fear, or if I'm po'd
Even if he swears off lobbyists
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gEROVh8zK4
His beady eyes, his angry sneer
Does not make me want to share his beer.
His BBQ with his secret rub?
I will not vote for another Dub.
I won't support him here or there.
I won't support him anywhere.
Not because of your candidates' supporters
Not because he's nice to reporters
Not because of the primary race.
I just can't stand his angry face.
Whoever wins, it's all the same.
I cannot vote for John McCain.
Posted by: Moody L | March 24, 2008 1:49 PM
The same "experts" that tell us that chaos will reign if we pull out of Iraq are the same ones that told us about WMD's!
Get out of Iraq now move those troops over to Afghanistan with the threat that we will return to Iraq in mass force should the situation actually go into chaos.
Posted by: Greg | March 24, 2008 1:53 PM
1. What are either of these candidates going to do to protect us from another attack (WTC attacked in '93 and then taken down in 2001 during peacetime)?
2. What are we going to do to help the Iraqi people since we did promise we wouldn't cut and run and have an obligation to help them (ethical/moral).
3. What are they going to do if they pull out to prevent us from being attacked since then the US clearly will be known as a country that just gives in when ever there is an insurgency?
Posted by: nick | March 24, 2008 2:14 PM
Emolden the terrorists? You know what has emboldened terrorists is the occupation of their lands. Radical Islam wasn't created out of some vacuum. Their resentment for us has been justified by our policies for the half century. (Check Shah of Iran, Gulf War I, our blind support for Israel, funding Osama Bin Laden in the 1980s, supporting mulitple dictatorships within the region, etc.) We have to be more creative in our approach to foreign policy in the region. The military simply cannot be our only instrument to solve conflicts. We can use other institutions and tools like the U.N., diplomacy, aid packages, emabargoes, etc. to achieve our goals for the region. That is why I agree with both Democratic candidates that we should leave Iraq, the costs outweight the possible benefits.
Posted by: Justin | March 24, 2008 2:21 PM
look at the US War dead in all the previous wars... including WWII. Did Hitler attack us? nope. So I guess we shouldn't have gotten involved with that..even after being hit by Japan.
It's not ok for one war and not the other.
So we should have left Hitler alone and also the Japanese.
Look up how many US soldiers were killed in these wars.
Posted by: nick | March 24, 2008 2:24 PM
I guess they still drinking cool aid about Halliburton
Posted by: oscar diaz | March 24, 2008 2:31 PM
As a former vet, I can say that we all believe in the cause of freedom – across the world. On my first duty in Kuwait in 1990, I never questioned the mission. My next duty in the Middle East, I did not question the mission. I have not and will not question the mission. It amazes me how most of the people here who have never fought for freedom are so quick to condemn something they have no right to condemn. Why not ask the troops why they are there and if they think it is wrong. Most will answer, as I have that we are there for a mission and our mission is to make the region stable and we are trying really hard to make that happen. Instead of throwing meaningless numbers at us, , thank the troops for protecting something you all take for granted. It is amazing, those who have never been in combat, including some of our potential presidential candidates think they know what it is like to be in the frontlines. I will not preach anymore, but I will request that you walk in our shoes and think before denigrating the commander in chief or the mission. The troops want to be home as well, but not until we have made the world safer.
Posted by: Paul | March 24, 2008 2:35 PM
There is no way that we should stay there with all of that money hemmorraging out of our country right into Bush and Cheney's pockets! We are going broke trying to stop a "possible future attack". 911 is a reality that has to be dealt with INSIDE America. Bush/Cheney are making money on the oil, rebuilding overseas, and the contracts here in America to provide rations etc for the soldiers! Haliburton inc. is all over the war sponging! They are getting rich enough to fight the war by themselves. This is big business and noone is checking the ledgers. America should be ashamed! Weapons of Mass Distruction...my eye!!!! This war has cost us more than 911, and they want to keep us there for 20 years!!! I laughed, but I heard them right!
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Southsider | March 24, 2008 2:37 PM
"look at the US War dead in all the previous wars... including WWII. Did Hitler attack us? nope. So I guess we shouldn't have gotten involved with that..even after being hit by Japan.
It's not ok for one war and not the other.
So we should have left Hitler alone and also the Japanese.
Look up how many US soldiers were killed in these wars."
Posted by: nick | March 24, 2008 2:24 PM
nick:
Do you even know ANYTHING about WWII?? Did you know that Hitler declared war on us after we declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941??
Tell me Nick - which Middle East country declared war on us? Oh, and Al Qaeda does not count - they are NOT a country.
Posted by: Anonymous | March 24, 2008 3:02 PM
Why not ask the troops why they are there and if they think it is wrong. Most will answer, as I have that we are there for a mission and our mission is to make the region stable and we are trying really hard to make that happen. Instead of throwing meaningless numbers at us, , thank the troops for protecting something you all take for granted. It is amazing, those who have never been in combat, including some of our potential presidential candidates think they know what it is like to be in the frontlines. I will not preach anymore, but I will request that you walk in our shoes and think before denigrating the commander in chief or the mission. The troops want to be home as well, but not until we have made the world safer.
Posted by: Paul | March 24, 2008 2:35 PM
Paul,
When you let your military (Bush/McCain) run your country you have become that which you hate the most.
http://oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm
There's a very good reason why Barack Obama and Ron Paul have received the most money from members of the military and I've given money to both of these fine men.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3601542
I've already lost three of my close friends because of the lies that this war was built on and one of my friends had his legs blown off.
We still do our jobs, we still take orders, I'm going back for my third tour of Iraq in June but that doesn't mean we don't think rationally about this whole mess and how it got started in the first place (lies).
Peace everyone
Posted by: PFC Todd Haymen Ft Benning, Ga | March 24, 2008 3:16 PM
"There's a very good reason why Barack Obama and Ron Paul have received the most money from members of the military..." says Todd, above.
Uh, Todd, they haven't received the most money from members of the military. Read the article you link to. First off, it's from September of last year, and thus old data. Second, the study is NOT of "members of the military" but of people who list their employer as one of the 5 armed service branches, a category which obviously includes civilian employees of the services, and excludes serving military members who choose to list their occupation differently.
There's a good reason nobody expects the anti-war crowd to be accurate.
Posted by: Frank Knox | March 24, 2008 4:54 PM
When you let your military (Bush/McCain) run your country you have become that which you hate the most.
http://oldamericancentury.org/14pts.htm
There's a very good reason why Barack Obama and Ron Paul have received the most money from members of the military and I've given money to both of these fine men.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3601542
I've already lost three of my close friends because of the lies that this war was built on and one of my friends had his legs blown off.
We still do our jobs, we still take orders, I'm going back for my third tour of Iraq in June but that doesn't mean we don't think rationally about this whole mess and how it got started in the first place (lies).
Peace everyone
Posted by: PFC Todd Haymen Ft Benning, Ga | March 24, 2008 3:16 PM
"There's a very good reason why Barack Obama and Ron Paul have received the most money from members of the military..." says Todd, above.
Uh, Todd, they haven't received the most money from members of the military. Read the article you link to. First off, it's from September of last year, and thus old data. Second, the study is NOT of "members of the military" but of people who list their employer as one of the 5 armed service branches, a category which obviously includes civilian employees of the services, and excludes serving military members who choose to list their occupation differently.
There's a good reason nobody expects the anti-war crowd to be accurate.
Posted by: Frank Knox | March 24, 2008 4:54 PM
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Thankyou for serving our country with dignity and honor PFC Haymen, those military numbers for Ron Paul and Barck Obama still hold true today no matter what Franky says.
I don't mean to forget you chickenhawk Frankyboy, thankyou for fighting for more death and destruction based on lies from behind your keyboard, it's so brave of you to turn on your computer each day in this dangerous world that we live in.
Posted by: John E | March 24, 2008 6:07 PM
"...it's so brave of you to turn on your computer each day in this dangerous world that we live in."
Posted by: John E | March 24, 2008 6:07 PM
Speaking of bravery in front of the keyboard, John E, weren't you supposed to join up and go to Iraq quite some time ago?
"I've signed back up,in Feb [2007]. I will be off. If I can replace one young kid over there,then I feel I have done my part."
Posted by: John E. | Oct 13, 2006 5:45:30 PM
Wow. We're all impressed.
Posted by: MJ | March 24, 2008 7:41 PM
Wow. We're all impressed.
Posted by: MJ | March 24, 2008 7:41 PM
-Juanito
-Leo T
-MJ
Anonymous
You're right, we're not impressed with spineless losers like you.
Posted by: John E | March 24, 2008 9:04 PM
I like how evryone says that 4,000 were killed in combat. They should check the records of how they died. Some by accident, some by suicide. Not all by combat.
The papers will not print the facts. All deaths are tragic but lets report the facts.
Posted by: Southwest | March 24, 2008 11:29 PM
I like how evryone says that 4,000 were killed in combat. They should check the records of how they died. Some by accident, some by suicide. Not all by combat.
The papers will not print the facts. All deaths are tragic but lets report the facts.
Posted by: Southwest | March 24, 2008 11:29 PM
I don't believe any of the posts that say they are from soldiers serving.
I am in the Military and I work with Soldiers everyday. Some say that we should not be over there, but most of them have no problem going over to Iraq or Afghan.
And I have a hard time thinking that soldiers are supporting Ron Paul or Obama. I have not heard one soldier say that Obama would make a good CIC. In fact, most soldiers want a President with some backbone.
If Obama could not stand up to his Pastor, how is he doing to stand up to a foreign ruler who attacks this great nation?
Answer is, he won't.
Don't let a coward get into office. Last time a non-military man entered the White House, he brought scandal, a horrible wife, and monica L.
Let's keep America safe. Vote Republican.
Posted by: Jerry | March 24, 2008 11:50 PM
"I've signed back up,in Feb [2007]. I will be off. If I can replace one young kid over there,then I feel I have done my part."
Posted by: John E. | Oct 13, 2006 5:45:30 PM
By the way, how did you manage to post 30 times per day while shooting it out with the insurgents? Musta been rough.
So why don't you share some of your war adventures with us? I'm sure there are some really thrilling stories about you and GI Joe in the backyard sandbox.
Posted by: MJ | March 25, 2008 9:22 AM