As troops pull out from Iraq, President Barack Obama will address the United States tonight on the U.S.’s engagement in the middle eastern country. Mr Obama, not a supporter of the Bush administration surge, before and during the 2008 presidential campaign later admitted the surge in Iraq was successful (Videos below). Many wonder if Mr. Obama who prides himself in blaming Mr. Bush for the downward economy will actually give any credit to the previous administration for the heavy lifting and decision making for most of the years the Unites Staes was in Iraq. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs refused to tell Fox and Friends host Gretchen Carlson if the President would credit Mr. Bush’s administration.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs evades question on crediting President Bush for successes in Iraq
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(video here). All that was revealed from the interview was Mr. Obama would be contacting former President Bush before the speech tonight.
President Obama admits the surge in Iraq was successful.
Senator Obama speaks out against the surge in Iraq.
Mr. Obama speaks out against the surge in Iraq.
Mr. Obama and Robert Gibbs contradict each other on Iraq policy.
Here are some quotes from Mr. Obama’s allies now in his administration and on Capitol Hill regarding what they thought of the surge in Iraq, when it was put forth by the Bush administration:
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL): “Tonight We Heard President Bush Say That The Surge In Iraq Is Working, When We Know That’s Just Not True.” (“Democrats Blast Bush’s ‘Failed Policies,’ ‘Empty Rhetoric,’” Agence France Presse, 1/29/08)
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D-DE):“This Whole Notion That The Surge Is Working Is Fantasy.” (“Biden: Iraq Surge Success A ‘Fantasy,’” Tribune’s The Swamp Blog, 11/28/07)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY): “The Surge… Has Failed.” “The surge was designed to give the Iraqi government time to take steps to ensure a political solution. It has failed.” (“Hillary: Um, Iraq Surge’s NOT Working,” New York Daily News, 8/23/07)
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “This War Is Lost And … The Surge Is Not Accomplishing Anything.” (Sen. Reid, Press Conference, 4/19/07)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA): “The Most Important Conclusion That You’ve Drawn Is That, Thus Far, At Least, The Surge And The Purpose Of It, Which Was To Provide Breathing Space For Political Reconciliation, Has Failed.” (Sen. Kerry, Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senate, 9/4/07)
SEN. RUSS FEINGOLD (D-WI):“The SurgeHas To Be Stopped. It Is A Reckless, Almost Mindless Approach To A Desperately Difficult Situation.” (Fox News’ “Special Report With Brit Hume,” 1/8/07)
SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D-CA): The Surge Is “Killing Our Soldiers At A Great Rate.” “I don’t consider the surge a nuanced policy. It’s killing our soldiers at a great rate. I think that we need to look at reality.” (Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 9/11/07)
SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-WA): “Earlier This Year, President Bush Promised Us His Troop Surge Was Going To Improve Security And Allow Iraqis To Stabilize Their Own Country, But That Is Not Working.” (Sen. Murray, Congressional Record, S.14578, 11/16/07)
