Barack Obama has made the issue of pulling out of Iraq his signature issue. It turns out that his get-out-of-Iraq-in-16-months policy is not as rock solid as he has made it seem. Obama said today while speaking to a veterans group that when he goes to Iraq and speaks to commanders on the ground, he just might learn things that might cause him to “refine” his plan. From the AP (via Yahoo!):
He said what he learns from military commanders on his upcoming trip to Iraq will refine his policy but “not the 16-month timetable” for withdrawing U.S. troops from combat in Iraq. He said what he learns could affect how many residual troops might be needed to train the Iraqi army and police.
So what exactly will there be to refine? Either he completely pulls every combat brigade currently in Iraq out within 16 months of taking office or he doesn’t.
As much as I hate absolutes, it’s kind of an either-or type of thing. He has backed himself in a corner with the 16-month time table. There’s not an awful lot of wiggle room when it comes to pulling out of Iraq. Either he does it in 16 months or he doesn’t.
He caved on his pledge to participate in federal campaign financing. He caved on not giving the telcos retroactive immunity. If he caves on pulling the troops out of Iraq within 16 months, he had better do it after the Democratic National Convention next month. If he does it before, a few of the so-called “committed” superdelegates just may throw their votes to Hillary Clinton, making her not the presumptive nominee, but the actual nominee.
I’m starting to think that when Obama talks about Change™, he is refering to his ability to say one thing and then do something completely different. I think he got away with it with campaign finance and FISA. I don’t think he will be as lucky when it comes to getting out of Iraq.
