ABC News recently posted an article entitled "Obama’s Iraq Withdrawal Plan May Prove Difficult."
This article is dishonest.
The ABC article says that Obama's plan would be very difficult logistically and uses as evidence the statements of an American Major General. He claims the military has the ability to remove
two-and-a-half brigade combat teams a month.
How is Obama’s plan to remove ONE TO TWO brigades a month proven impractical by an American commander saying we have the capacity to remove TWO-AND-A-HALF brigades a month? I teach English, but even I can see the flaws in this math.
It also claims that Obama has recently added "nuance" to his Iraq plan by speaking of listening to American military commanders and allowing for changes in the sixteen-month timetable. It even uses a quote from Obama’s Iraq Plan on his site about leaving in sixteen months.
The claim that no matter how "nuanced" his current wording is, Obama has always said he would remove our troops in sixteen months, period, that's dishonest. If one reads just before the section mentioning sixteen months, the one quoted in the lede of ABC's article, it says the withdrawal would be,
strategic and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Troops would be removed from secure areas first, with troops remaining longer in more volatile areas.
Obama's position has always been nuanced. Asked during a debate if he would listen to commanders on the ground Obama stated that of course he would but the mission would be to begin the withdrawal. In fact, Clinton pounced on him because of this nuance saying that it proved he wasn't serious about getting out. Asked if she would listen to commanders on the ground, Clinton replied that the president sets the policy and the military implements it as ordered. OBAMA WAS THE ONE WILLING TO LISTEN! Stating, as does the ABC article, that Obama partially won the primaries because of his refusal to consider conditions on the ground in Iraq is, again, dishonest. The very next paragraph on his site entitled "Residual Forces to Remain" allows for American troops to remain in Iraq for the purpose of fighting Al Qaeda remnants, continuing to train national, non-sectarian military forces, and preventing genocide.
Obama has always been nuanced on this. Check the plan.
He is who he said he was.