Barack Obama has been running as a candidate for change. Perhaps now it's time to remind everyone of his changing positions on Iraq, as well.
Today, Obama supported legislation requiring most U.S. troops to be out of Iraq by April 30, 2008.
But in 2004, Obama said that a quick withdrawal from Iraq would be "a slap in the face" to the troops. And in 2006, he said that he did "not believe that setting a date certain for the total withdrawal of U.S. troops [was] the best approach to achieving" our goals.
In May of this year, Obama promised to provide critical funding for the troops. His exact words:
"What you don't want to do is to play chicken with the President, and create a situation in which, potentially, you don't have body armor, you don't have reinforced Humvees, you don't have night-vision goggles."
Then, just weeks later, he voted against the emergency Iraq spending bill that would have provided critical funds for body armor, mine resistant vehicles, and to help combat IEDs.
By his own admission, Obama understands that our enemies will wait us out in Iraq.
But, with today's comments, it seems clear that he's more concerned with pandering to the left wing of the party than standing by his previous statements.
