Vets for Freedom: Obama will go to Iran but not Iraq
posted at 9:45 am on May 23, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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Vets for Freedom has a new ad out that attacks Barack Obama for his policies on Iraq and Iran. The video features Sgt. Garrett Anderson, a wounded Iraq War veteran from the Illinois National Guard, speaking about his attempts to meet with Obama earlier this year. Anderson says that Obama couldn’t make time for a veteran from his home state, but apparently wants to make time for enemies of the US:
I’m sorry, Sgt. Anderson, but I don’t see where this helps Michelle Obama’s children. Distraction!
Their press release explains further:
1) Senator Obama has never met, one-on-one, with the Commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus.
2) Senator Obama has not visited Iraq, and our brave troops on the ground, in over two years. His last visit to Iraq was January 2006, and he was there for less than two days.
3) On April 8, when two-dozen Illinois veterans went to his office for a meeting, Senator Obama was unwilling to meet with them. He was in the office, just wouldn’t come out. Sergeant Anderson was a member of that group.
The point here is plainly made. While Barack Obama talks about how important it is to conduct direct presidential diplomacy without preconditions with Iran, he so far has been unwilling to offer the same sort of direct contact with the American commander of forces in Iraq, or even with veterans from his own state. If that seems a little backward to you, Vets for Freedom feels the same way.
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I think it’s pretty clear. Obama doesn’t support the troops, just like the rest of the left.
katieanne on May 23, 2008 at 9:48 AM
On FoxNews yesterday, this Colonel Hunt -whatever his name is- said that there should be negotiations with America’s enemies.
What do you say about that? And he is one who supports the Iraq invasion.
As for me, I’d rather bomb my enemies first then we can sit and have a cup of tea.
Indy Conservative on May 23, 2008 at 9:50 AM
Senator Obama has never met, one-on-one, with the Commander in Iraq,
Hhmmmmm, sorta reminds me of when President Klinton would not meet with his N.S.C.
Tony737 on May 23, 2008 at 9:52 AM
As for me, I’d rather bomb my enemies first then we can sit and have a cup of tea.
Thanks George Bush!
Tom_Shipley on May 23, 2008 at 9:54 AM
Hey, give the guy a break.
Being God is a very demanding job, leaving little time to talk to mere mortals.
fogw on May 23, 2008 at 9:55 AM
An excellent point. But I question the timing.
Seriously, why release this in May, when it would be far more effective in September or October?
I question the timing.
Nethicus on May 23, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Go figure, maybe Olbermann the intern was there.
joeswampy on May 23, 2008 at 10:00 AM
That’s OK Barry. Amy Klobuchar wouldn’t meet with the Minnesota vets either.
Sgt_H on May 23, 2008 at 10:00 AM
IMO, considering vetrans literally lay down life & limb for ALL Americans, ANY public official who refuses to meet with vetrans,should be tarred & feathered and run out of town on a rail!
kcd on May 23, 2008 at 10:06 AM
I think its an excellent time to hammer Obama considering his attacks on McCain for not supporting the Democrat’s version of the GI Bill upgrade. Add this to on top of McCain’s smackdown and maybe people will realize that Obama only shows sympathy for veterans when it suits his purposes.
BohicaTwentyTwo on May 23, 2008 at 10:06 AM
Unconditional negotiations is out of the question. Reagan dealt with a big nation like the Soviet Union who were not crazy zealots and terrorists like the Muslims we are dealing with these days.
Yes, I’ll bomb those bastards first and wipe them from the face of the Earth, then we can negotiate.
And I will not be as stupid as George W. Bush. I’ll plan before invading a terrorist nation.
Now, if I was advised to negotiate with Iran for example, I’ll request a copy of the Qur’an and I’ll shove it up the ass of Mammoumdamaimnadajad.
Why they have weird names?
Indy Conservative on May 23, 2008 at 10:08 AM
#2 seems like weak tea. He did make the trek to Iraq, but it had been two years ago.
Don’t get me wrong, the points are all valid, but #2 is a stretch.
natesnake on May 23, 2008 at 10:18 AM
This won’t likely be the group’s only ad.
amerpundit on May 23, 2008 at 10:18 AM
With members of our armed forces being increasingly verbally assaulted on the streets of our cities, is it any wonder where this type of anti-American vitriole originates. One by one democrats are coming to the forefront and attacking our troops as killers, racists and human trash. Lets vote to keep these pieces of human trash in office so in a short time we will live in a third world country. The fact that Reid put in the Congressional Record the war was lost was an act of treason.
volsense on May 23, 2008 at 10:26 AM
When this whole election thing is over and B.O. is royally trounced, the next step should be to get his worthless carcass out of the Senate and get someone in there who cares about the troops who defend this country.
Mama Michele has the gall to say she just recently started being proud of this country?
I am now ashamed we have a clown like B.O. representing my state as a U.S. Senator.
And that goes for his equally worthless counterpart, Dickie Durbin!
pilamaye on May 23, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Meeting with a wounded hero never fed a poor hungry obese child.
RBMN on May 23, 2008 at 10:28 AM
I certainly hope not… : )
kcd on May 23, 2008 at 10:28 AM
LOL!
kcd on May 23, 2008 at 10:31 AM
Eh, Obama knows this soldier was just clinging to his gun over in Iraq.
Bishop on May 23, 2008 at 10:33 AM
See!!! They’re trying to “Swiftboat” him already!!
/sarc
JimK on May 23, 2008 at 10:34 AM
When the veterans went to his office, Barry O needed time to finish his waffle!
He wants to be Commander in Chief of our soldiers, but is afraid to talk to them. Judgment to lead, indeed!
Steve Z on May 23, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Barack is sooooo clever. The left can laugh at W but he is from the mold of Harry Truman and will be so remembered when the real history is written. Barack is a Carter democrat. Besides, I’ll bet that W (the legacy) scored higher on his SAT than Barack (the AA).
Remember how funny it was when it was revealed that Kerry had lower grades at Yale and a lower SAT score than poor George? Barack is a mediocre intellect who uses complex sentence structures to say nothing. Kerry uses fancy words to do the same.
horatio on May 23, 2008 at 10:45 AM
I would settle for getting my constituent e-mails answered… As much as I dislike Durbin, at least I get a response when I email him. Sheesh.
major john on May 23, 2008 at 10:45 AM
Barack Obama and Dick Durbin are the kinds of senators you get from a one-party system.
stivv on May 23, 2008 at 10:49 AM
When I went to a rally with Sen McCain, I was with another Naval Officer, we were late for the rally and the senator had already gone into the hangar. When Cindy saw the two of us she came over, told us to come inside. The Sen was talking on the phone and very busy. When he saw us, he put down his phone invited us to sit and talked with us, signed autographs and took pictures for 20 minutes.
That is how you treat vets.
Squid Shark on May 23, 2008 at 10:49 AM
I expect the McCain campaign to denounce this video and press release immediately. How dare the Vets for Freedom go on the offensive against Obama without the Maverick’s approval first.
luckybogey on May 23, 2008 at 10:51 AM
This is nothing like the riciculous Wright ad, but keep loosing your mind.
Too bad MDS does not get your involuntarily committed.
Squid Shark on May 23, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Because by September none of it will be true. Obama will almost certainly go back to Iraq and spend time with both the General and enlisted men once he secures the nomination.
It’s kinda gotcha politics, to be honest.
12thman on May 23, 2008 at 10:56 AM
I think there’s something of an unnatural disconnect between diplomacy and warfare. We want to negotiate so we don’t have to blow you up, right?
But Karl von Clausewitz pointed out in his book On War that war is the further means of diplomacy. Ergo, blowing someone up is negotiation.
Spc Steve on May 23, 2008 at 11:08 AM
I say NUKE ‘EM ALL! LET GOD SORT THEM OUT! NUKE ‘EM ALL BEFORE THEY NUKE US!!!
Doesn’t the Koran say ‘Kill the Infidels?’ Are we not infidels if we are not Muslim? THEY WANT TO KILL US!!! WHY WAIT FOR THEIR ATTACK??? Get them BEFORE they get us!!!
Vntnrse on May 23, 2008 at 11:16 AM
This is only the beginning, my friend. I know quite a few folks who are getting out of the Army just so they can tell the story.
I’m finding that Obama and Durbin are perfect examples as to why we really should think about repealing the 17th Amendment, hence giving State Legislatures the power to recall U.S. Senators who aren’t doing as the state wishes.
Not to mention, people will pay much more attention to state elections if they know that it’s those folks who are choosing their U.S. Senators. Frankly, as is the case with NYC and the rest of the state, there is Chicago and the rest of the state of Illinois. Why should one large city in a state control one whole arm of its political influence in Washington? If the State Legislatures chose the Senators, then people would have a more vested interest in their State Elections and the Senators would be a greater reflection of the entire state rather than just the one or two large cities. Right now a Senator is bound to no one except for his/her own endeavors to maintain power. They are no longer beholden to the states. If we are to have accountability in our representative republic, then the state legislatures need the power to recall rogue U.S. Senators.
Send_Me on May 23, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Case in point about Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (D): http://www.moveondickdurbin.org/
Republican Steve Sauerberg is running against him in November.
Send_Me on May 23, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Ummm… clean up on asile 11:16 AM?
This kind of crap and the stuff indy is posting is not helpful and will be used to paint this site and its owners in negative ways.
You want to say insane stuff like that? Get your own blog.
techno_barbarian on May 23, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Thanks for the link. I just sent his campaign a donation.
RushBaby on May 23, 2008 at 11:58 AM
As a fellow Illinoisian, I agree but I think Durbin is even more despicable.
Big John on May 23, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Voted for him in the primary.
Big John on May 23, 2008 at 12:13 PM
God, how I love the smell of a good, legitimate kneecapping in the morning!
wccawa on May 23, 2008 at 12:25 PM
Hell, I give Obama credit. If he spent a whole two days in Iraq, he knows far, far more than most of the critics.
He can probably find Iraq on a map and stuff.
Professor Blather on May 23, 2008 at 1:35 PM
Excellent
T J Green on May 23, 2008 at 1:51 PM
Hervorragend!!
Mike D. on May 23, 2008 at 2:18 PM
Do you think Obama will look spiffy in his new Commander-In-Chief uniform?
Travis1 on May 23, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Exactly right and I don’t care how “politically incorrect” it may seem to others but that has been my thought since 9-11! Hit them first before they hit us, even if it means nuking them!
Those (like Obama) that think we can somehow negotiate with the likes of Iran et al are fooling themselves, naive, stupid, or all of the above (I’m going with all of the above) and are thereby placing us in danger.
Negotiating with these murdering ideological psychopaths is akin to negotiating with a rabid dog; negotiations are useless and the only solution is to put the rabid dog down so it doesn’t harm you!
Yep, knock them down hard so they can’t get up and then negotiate with them, but you don’t negotiate with them before putting them down…are you listening Obama?!?!
Liberty or Death on May 23, 2008 at 3:10 PM
Obviously Mr Anderson doesn’t shop at whole foods, probably owns guns and may embrace religion. He’s just out of touch.
moxie_neanderthal on May 23, 2008 at 4:04 PM
Thank you for yur service. God bless you and yours.
kcd on May 23, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Vets for Freedom, THANKS for your service.
hoi polloi on May 23, 2008 at 4:56 PM
This should be in atleast every other RNC campaign ad from now `til November.
ThePrez on May 23, 2008 at 6:49 PM
The RNC was taken over by liberals. They would never make an ad with those real facts. McCain would just call it dirty politics.
God help us.
El Guapo on May 24, 2008 at 1:55 AM
If Obama is afraid of our former wounded troops imagine how he would feel about or active duty troops. Barak is not a man. He’s a weasel, destructive even when he does not have to be.
{^_^}
herself on May 24, 2008 at 3:04 AM
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