Iraq – Iraq – Iraq

Barack Obama made a terrific speech. What did he do once he got to the Senate? Tom Hayden, who has nothing nice to say about Clinton, wasn’t impressed at all with Obama’s speech today on Iraq:

Sen. Barack Obama marked the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War with a speech that will disappoint the peace movement while burnishing his hawkish credentials with the national security establishment and media. … ..

Five years later, Iraq is a serious foreign policy and economic policy problem. It will take courage to get us out of it. Barack Obama has not shown courage.

We are not going to fully redeploy from Iraq in a year, or even two. It will take constant pressure and finesse to change our course. We need a tenacious fighter to get the job done. It’s what Rep. John Murtha also decided. Voters should take it to heart.

by Paul Szep

The sea of oil under Iraq is supposed to rebuild the nation, then make it prosper. But at least one-third, and possibly much more, of the fuel from Iraq’s largest refinery here is diverted to the black market, according to American military officials. Tankers are hijacked, drivers are bribed, papers are forged and meters are manipulated — and some of the earnings go to insurgents who are still killing more than 100 Iraqis a week. “It’s the money pit of the insurgency,” said Capt. Joe Da Silva, who commands several platoons stationed at the refinery. … .. Iraq Insurgency Runs on Stolen Oil Profits