Obama in Iraq: “Still a lot of work to do here”
posted at 1:37 pm on April 7, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Iraq after leaving the reported final stop of his European tour, Turkey. Obama immediately remarked on how much work that remains to be done — which might beg the question why he’s so keen on leaving. One might also question why the AP buried that quote sixteen paragraphs between updates:
Obama spoke favorably of political progress but also expressed concern that recent gains could deteriorate with the upcoming national elections.
“It’s important for us to use all of our influence to encourage the parties to resolve these issues in ways that are equitable. I think that my presence here can help do that,” he said. …
En route to Baghdad, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama chose Iraq rather than Afghanistan for a war-zone visit in part because it was near Turkey and also because progress “lies in political solutions.”
“We spend a lot of time trying to get Afghanistan right, but I think it is important for people to know that there is still a lot of work to do here,” Obama said.
In the original report, that quote was in the third paragraph. Instead, the AP decided to move it far down into the story in order to emphasize Obama’s reception by the troops. In fact, Jennifer Loven uses the word “cheer” in one form or another three times, all before mentioning that a lot of work needs to get done.
For the record, I agree with President Obama on this point. The troops have performed magnificently, and have helped give birth to a new, democratic Iraq. In order to make sure that the new nation survives, we need to make sure that we don’t leave before the job is finished. We need to transition any combat and police tasks to the Iraqis as they grow in capability, and we can reduce troop levels while we focus on training, logistics, and air support. But we need to do those things as part of the natural flow of succeeding in the mission, not based on artificial timetables designed to pay off political allies.
If that’s what Obama means, then I’m happy to support that policy. Unfortunately, Obama has shifted too many times on Iraq to be sure what he means at any one time.
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“Uh, Iraq should be in the European Union.” – Barack Obama
OhEssYouCowboys on April 7, 2009 at 1:39 PM
No…freaking…kidding.
Mommypundit on April 7, 2009 at 1:40 PM
That’s kind of an “asked and answered” thingie.
OhEssYouCowboys on April 7, 2009 at 1:40 PM
just heard a radio report: “Obama greeted with loud cheers from US Troops in Iraq”
jp on April 7, 2009 at 1:41 PM
B.O. supporting Iraq after saying he is pulling out within a certain time frame…. flip flop and all that hop!
upinak on April 7, 2009 at 1:41 PM
What? You mean Iraqis didn’t get their unicorns yet? That is a travesty.
This place has been living in the seventh century for awhile now. Our soldiers have done wonders for this nation.
HornetSting on April 7, 2009 at 1:41 PM
what a punk
jbtripp on April 7, 2009 at 1:42 PM
Obama lied, people died.
marklmail on April 7, 2009 at 1:43 PM
He’s really going to P.O. some of his Kos friends.
I love it.
carbon_footprint on April 7, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Did he speak to them in Iraqian?
NoDonkey on April 7, 2009 at 1:46 PM
getalife and athensboy will drop kos talking points in 5…4..3..
ChicagoBlues on April 7, 2009 at 1:47 PM
this same man said last week that he was sorry the US got “sidetracked” in Iraq. so who cheering? al queda?
troops cheer their president. but they cheer some more than others.
how many current or ret’d military people here would cheer this president?
kelley in virginia on April 7, 2009 at 1:47 PM
O’bama inherited Bush’s victory in Iraq, and is now trying to take credit for it himself.
The
adultsare in charge now.Del Dolemonte on April 7, 2009 at 1:47 PM
Thanks to George W. Bush, John McCain, and that little “surge” thingy you said could never work.
More than 16 months’ worth, Barry O?
Exit question for Barry O: Ya think Maliki would have had the guts and the guns to go after Al Qaeda and al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army without America’s help? Ya might want to ask him!
Steve Z on April 7, 2009 at 1:48 PM
In other words, Bush was right, he was wrong.
He just regurgitated what President Bush has been saying the past year.
At least he is learning…something.
right2bright on April 7, 2009 at 1:48 PM
“It’s important for us to use all of our influence to encourage the parties to resolve these issues in ways that are equitable. I think that my presence here can help do that,”
A visition from the ONE!
shick on April 7, 2009 at 1:49 PM
He’s really going to P.O. some of his Kos friends.
I love it.
carbon_footprint on April 7, 2009 at 1:43 PM
—–
One can Hope this’ll Change the view of the Kossaks…
I keep coming back to “.. all of the people all of the time”. Obama managed to fool a tremendous percentage of the Lefties, the drop-off has got to hurt…
Mew
acat on April 7, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Jesus Christ! Is ever not about him?
MDWNJ on April 7, 2009 at 1:49 PM
is Afghanistan even safe for the president to visit?
kelley in virginia on April 7, 2009 at 1:49 PM
Are the Iraqis really changing their cultural attitudes? I think that though Iraq is quiet now, it won’t stay that way for long. Almost every country in the Middle East, including Iraq, has gone through military coups after achieving democracy. what changed now?
Phoenician on April 7, 2009 at 1:50 PM
I like to point out to my lib friends (yes, I do have some) when they screech that Bush lied, why didn’t the dem controlled Congress impeach him when he was in office? Why did duhbama change his position so fast on Iraq? Seems to me that those who know better and know the truth that there was some serious problems with Saddam justifying the war that we still or may not ever know.
ChicagoBlues on April 7, 2009 at 1:51 PM
Talk about arrogance, this whole trip was all about the messiah.
jaboba on April 7, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Loven’s no reporter, she’s a stenographer for the DNC. She was even married to a Clinton administration bigwig named Roger Ballantine.
5 years ago Paul over at Power Line had a great bit about her alleged objectivity:
Del Dolemonte on April 7, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Wonder if Obama was meeting any of the troops that he said were ” Air raiding villages, and killing civilians”
MDWNJ on April 7, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Great post, and “No.”
Matticus Finch on April 7, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Dang, I sound like a truther…god help me.
ChicagoBlues on April 7, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Sounds like someone’s backpedaling on his campaign promises.
Colour me shocked.
JohnGalt23 on April 7, 2009 at 1:54 PM
Of COURSE our troop would cheer the President of the United States!
They are cheering the officeholder. Did Jennifer Loven report that they cheered Bush?
originalpechanga on April 7, 2009 at 1:54 PM
No, I think you hit the nail.
Vashta.Nerada on April 7, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Just another BHO promise with an expiration date.
ChicagoBlues on April 7, 2009 at 1:55 PM
“Captain, we salute the rank, not the person…”
ChicagoBlues on April 7, 2009 at 1:56 PM
whoa what is this?…what happened to bring our boys home ASAP? The liberals are going to not like this. The three stooges Nancy, Harry, and Barack better get their cover story straight before he gets home.
kanda on April 7, 2009 at 1:58 PM
How long before we get a CBS poll showing 80% of troops support Obama?
artist on April 7, 2009 at 2:01 PM
“Uh, I meant that there was still a lot of work to do in America. Uh, collectivization and, uh, whatnot.” – Barack Obama.
OhEssYouCowboys on April 7, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Pelosi and Reid LOVED the war. They took FULL advantage of it. They wanted the PUBLIC to hate the war.
marklmail on April 7, 2009 at 2:02 PM
All Obama’s statements of policy have expiration dates. He will change them after the satute of limitations expires (next week).
Christian Conservative on April 7, 2009 at 2:03 PM
And he is not the person to do any of it.
Tommy_G on April 7, 2009 at 2:05 PM
“Pentagon spent $100 million in last six months responding to cyber attacks.”–Drudge (developing)
Follow Obama’s line of reasoning dissolve the Pentagon’s cyber network as too expensive to maintain.
They used that line already; it is quickly becoming Obama’s mantra.
maverick muse on April 7, 2009 at 2:08 PM
I’m glad Obama made the gesture. Insincere as I believe he is. And duh. We can’t leave Iraq yet. Who knew? Oh yeah, that would be aaa what’s his name? Oh yeah George somebody. And also that McCain guy.
petunia on April 7, 2009 at 2:08 PM
Obama is basically President Bush’s janitor…he is just cleaning up what Bush left before he could clean it up.
right2bright on April 7, 2009 at 2:11 PM
If ACORN helps wit hthe poll, it could be 120% of the troops.
MikeA on April 7, 2009 at 2:11 PM
talk about arrogance: O – “It’s important for us to use all of our influence to encourage the parties to resolve these issues in ways that are equitable. I think that MY presence here can help do that,” he said.
cpr on April 7, 2009 at 2:12 PM
Just a guess–but it could it be an on going US Military presence?
Obama won’t do anything different than what Bush or McCain would do. Because at this point there is only one best way to proceed.
petunia on April 7, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Really? Did anyone believe that nonsense during the campaign?
My lefty friends would tell me, “Obama will bring the troops home.” I would tell them “Tell me that when they are home.”
I say this as a supporter of Ron Paul, someone who, had he been elected, would have brought those troops home by now. I know most people here would think that’s a disaster, but does anyone really doubt that if a POTUS wanted them home by now, they’d be home?
Those troops are going to be there for years, and Obama knew it all along.
JohnGalt23 on April 7, 2009 at 2:13 PM
Yeah, but everything he says has an expiration date…
TXUS on April 7, 2009 at 2:14 PM
The One does remind me of Captain Sobel, but id don’t want to insult Sobel’s memory.
neuquenguy on April 7, 2009 at 2:14 PM
Thank you for getting respect back from the world and winning in Iraq President Obama.
Well done sir.
getalife on April 7, 2009 at 2:15 PM
Hey Ed, like the Obamatuerism, why don’t you do a daily “Bias in the Media” or something like that where you expose their bias as you do in the example above. You seem to be quite thorough and I think that would be quite interesting.
therightscoop on April 7, 2009 at 2:16 PM
You forgot your ’sarc’, tool. That would be the ONLY way that statement was true.
HornetSting on April 7, 2009 at 2:16 PM
Obama’s gang of thugs willingly disperse our national intelligence to decimate our own troops in order to get the public outcry they desire–to pull out everywhere under all circumstances, and to cut manufacturing of national defense measures so as to eliminate our national defense.
First goes Sovereignty. Without that, we are a house of cards without reason for being. Such ease, to barge on into homes at that point.
What a crock, NY Banks UNWITTINGLY enabling Le Fang Wei Chinese financier to smuggle nuclear weapons to Iran. We already know where ALL INTERNATIONAL BANKS STAND regarding the USA. What national allies the US HAD where Bush left with some warmth are quickly developing very cold shoulders no thanks to Obama wearing out his welcome abroad. So where’s his Treasury Secretary on the NY Banking Nuclear sell-out Scandal. Geithner was not abroad while this was happening.
maverick muse on April 7, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Obama doesn’t have a clue.
old trooper2 on April 7, 2009 at 2:18 PM
He was dead wrong about our ability to accomplish our goals in Iraq. Now he’s standing there seeing it for himself.
Any admission of his faulty judgment? Nope. No integrity.
TheUnrepentantGeek on April 7, 2009 at 2:19 PM
You were wrong about Iraq. Your politicians were wrong about Iraq. Your pundits were wrong about Iraq. And now you attempt to take credit for a victory you screamed was never possible?
How pathetic.
TheUnrepentantGeek on April 7, 2009 at 2:20 PM
getamop… troll dung in aisle 3.
bloviator on April 7, 2009 at 2:20 PM
HornetSting
I do love a good smackdown. That was sweet.
SKYFOX on April 7, 2009 at 2:21 PM
All hail the One!
What did he do win the war in Iraq?
Oh yeah! It was simply his presence. Because he’s so Awesome!/sarcasm
shick on April 7, 2009 at 2:21 PM
The liberal AP is just covering their boy’s tracks.
Rush Limbaugh just noted on his show that the liberal media must keep covering for President Obama because they themselves created a persona that must always be viewed with awe, viewed as inspirational, and viewed as completely right on every policy decision.
Obama worship must be protected.
SCOOPTHIScarlos on April 7, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Liberal Interventionism is back, baby!
Rae on April 7, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Does anyone doubt getalife has an actual Obama shrine with candles and incense down there in the basement?
DarkCurrent on April 7, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Gibbs said the future lies in “political solutions”.
The political solution in Baghdad was killing the bad guys, wasn’t it?
Back when Obama was afraid to visit, and advocating a pullout, what was his political solution?
All he’s doing now is “encouraging” Iraq by saying they aren’t taking responsibility (because Mr. O is ALL ABOUT some personal responsibility). And he told our troops that “now is the time to focus.” Cuz, you know, he doesn’t want to see deaths in the news anymore.
He wants to score a political victory by bringing factions together NOW? Where was he a year ago? Oh yeah, advocating a pullout, even if it resulted in genocide.
Gosh, where would we be without that sort of vision?
Hey getalife, how’s the stock market today?
hawksruleva on April 7, 2009 at 2:27 PM
When the market plunges he descends to his shrine and empties out his mind of any unpleasantness.
shick on April 7, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Shifty bastard.
bluelightbrigade on April 7, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Don’t worry, it will be. No matter what happens in the next 4(8) years there is no chance he will not be etched in history as the greatest president who ever lived. And Michele as the most charming, classy and charismatic first lady who took the world by storm.
neuquenguy on April 7, 2009 at 2:29 PM
I hope they didn’t cheer too enthusiastically or I’m a little worried about our military. I’m former USNR and if I was still on active duty, I would not ‘cheer’ him. I would stand and salute, because of the office, but that would be it. Preferably, I would have been on watch somewhere and excused from having to be in the same vicinity as the man.
It reminds me of Bill Clinton as CinC. When my husband was still on active duty, Clinton was coming into Norfolk and the CO of his squadron was getting volunteers to be part of the welcoming party. He ended up having to assign a bunch of JO’s because no one wanted to do it. They knew how much respect Clinton had for them and it was completely mutual.
Same with Clinton’s wife. You all have probably seen this, but it is worth another look, just for the fun of it.
http://www.snopes.com/photos/military/crossed.asp
pannw on April 7, 2009 at 2:30 PM
I thought that the job, bringing democracy and a Sharia law constitution to the Center of the Universe, Islamic Iraq, which stated over 6 years ago, was all but finished 6 months ago. It sure sounded that way around theses here parts and now it’s back to the mantra “don’t leave before the job is finished”?
“Back to the Future”? “Perpetual Motion Machine”? “The Never Terminator”? “Groundhog Day”? “Deja vu all over again’?
The perennial, “‘we’ (basically the same guys going over and over and over again, so not really we) don’t leave before the job is finished” = the perennial, “The check is in the mail”.
Islamic “Nation Building” and establishing and maintaining Sharia constitutions until time itself comes to an end.
MB4 on April 7, 2009 at 2:36 PM
getalife never leaves the shrine. It would be simply unbearable to leave the One’s spiritual presence.
DarkCurrent on April 7, 2009 at 2:39 PM
President Me.
capitalist piglet on April 7, 2009 at 2:43 PM
Aaagh! That’s not what “begging the question” means! It means presupposing (begging) what is at question, i.e. assuming one’s conclusion. It denotes a circular argument.
JS on April 7, 2009 at 2:43 PM
Nope, TOTUS told him to say it.
N4646W on April 7, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Even you know better than that. You’re just trying to annoy people.
God bless President Bush. The “well done” belongs to him.
capitalist piglet on April 7, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Actually, Bush won that one.
And my response is still:
And:
Obama Franks Waters LLC
unclesmrgol on April 7, 2009 at 2:47 PM
I think I like that better than ‘Slick Willy’.
HornetSting on April 7, 2009 at 2:48 PM
Troll.
We’re all laughing at the superior intellect.
DamnYankee on April 7, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Well, ya know, ya gotta keep those expectations lowered until it’s time to leave.
Then, declare everything’s great now, and pull out.
tom on April 7, 2009 at 2:59 PM
I hope you’re kidding, because I’ve never seen even the most devoted Ogabe sycophant lay it on this thick!
Whatever, it made me throw up in my mouth quite a bit.
Don’t comment like this at lunch time, please!
Jenfidel on April 7, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Olestra Obama. Full of Sh*t and slick.
marklmail on April 7, 2009 at 3:05 PM
You mean he actually put his feet on the ground in Iraq and didn’t do the usual fly-by like during his campaign?
oakpack on April 7, 2009 at 3:06 PM
ObaME!
ladyingray on April 7, 2009 at 3:11 PM
And so when soldiers greet Obama with whoops and “We love you!” how else should they report it?
http://www.politico.com/largevideobox.html?id=18844453001
TruUSA on April 7, 2009 at 3:16 PM
Just what recent “gains” does he mean?
CynicalOptimist on April 7, 2009 at 3:20 PM
I am not kidding. This is of course NOT what I think of Obama and Michelle, quite the opposite, but this what the media will continue to shove down people’s throats and what they will write in history. There is no way the are going to let truth interfere with that goal. They have too much invested in his success, he is too big to fail, and the majority of the American public will not object out of fear of being called racists. The Obama history has already been written, whatever appens in the real world is irrelevant.
neuquenguy on April 7, 2009 at 3:25 PM
Isn’t it a bit early to rewrite history?
This venue would have made an interesting townhall meeting.
The “ums” and “uhs” would have been flying.
jack herman on April 7, 2009 at 3:35 PM
“Still a lot of work to do” = “I’m going to take credit for this if it succeeds and blame someone else if it fails”
LibTired on April 7, 2009 at 3:47 PM
Captain Obvious pays a visit to President Oblivious.
drjohn on April 7, 2009 at 3:49 PM
Hey look! Obama is standing next to a Real Man.
pseudonominus on April 7, 2009 at 3:52 PM
he just popped in for a tank of jet fuel. O Force One has logged a bunch of air time, preaching the gospel.
workingforpigs on April 7, 2009 at 3:53 PM
Where’s a good pair of shoes when you need them?
unclesmrgol on April 7, 2009 at 4:14 PM
This guy is amazing. He can tell how much works needs to be done and he never left the airport. Never once did his fingers leave his hand.
Wade on April 7, 2009 at 4:55 PM
Shameless.
ddrintn on April 7, 2009 at 4:59 PM
give me arrogance over stupidity ever time.
Monkei on April 7, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Obama’s number one priority with Iraq is making it look like success in Iraq was HIS doing. That’s what this quote is about. He wants to be able to claim HE won the war in Iraq.
“I never approved of this war, but by changing the failed policies of the past we have turned Iraq around and made it into a thriving democratic ally”
or something like that.
American Elephant on April 7, 2009 at 6:33 PM
What most folks do not realize is that the war is now only beginning. This is when the true insurgency/counterinsurgency fight will take place. First, you have the government of Iraq. Second, you have the former regime and Sunni elements. Third, you have the Shia elements sponsored in great part by Iran. Fourth, you have the Kurds who want nothing more than to have a separate nation, which really pisses off the Turks, and, well, most everyone else, too. The U.S. was the stabilizing force that kept things from blowing up. With the U.S. leaving, the board is being set for one heck of a fight.
Send_Me on April 8, 2009 at 9:51 AM
Look at the lead in picture. The General is pointing at the object but President Obama appears more interested in something else.
MSGTAS on April 8, 2009 at 10:19 AM
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