Posted on 08/16/2006 7:52:40 AM PDT by slowhand520
Sen. Obama: Iraq is a dumb war By Eric Fodor Staff Writer Published: Tuesday, August 15, 2006 4:53 PM CDT E-mail this story | Print this page
JUNCTION - Sen. Barack Obama combined sharp criticism of the Bush administration and Congress with thoughts about his own priorities at a town hall-type appearance at Gallatin County schools Monday.
During a question-and-answer session, Obama pointed to many problems he perceives with the conduct of the war in Iraq.
Sometimes war is a necessary option, he said. But Iraq is, "A dumb war. We haven't thought it through," Obama said.
Enemies in Iran and North Korea, along with terrorist groups bent on doing the United States harm, are getting stronger while the U.S. is bogged down in Iraq, he said.
He was particularly critical of using civilian contractors in Iraq who make significantly more money than front-line soldiers. The practice of using private contractors is depleting our armed forces of noncommissioned officers -- more and more noncommissioned officers are seeing the opportunity to make money by doing essentially the same job for a private contractor, Obama said.
"Unfortunately, the administration believes in private contracts for everything, especially Halliburton," Obama said.
Obama also criticized Democrats who are always opposed to war, even when force is necessary. In cases like World War II and, more recently, removing the Taliban government of Afghanistan, war can be the only option.
"There are real enemies out there and we have to face them," Obama said.
It is also important to train military personnel for the situations they are most likely to face. Too much time is spent on Cold War-era tactics and weaponry and not enough on body armor, adequate helmets, making sure rotations into Iraq aren't too long and anti-terrorist warfare, he said.
When an audience member asked about impeaching President George W. Bush, however, Obama drew the line. Bush should be held accountable for mistakes in Iraq by the Congress and the American people, he said, but his actions fall short of impeachment. The country and Washington cannot continue in a highly partisan atmosphere where no work can get done, he said.
Estate tax
Obama wants to make sure family farms and small businesses can be preserved for the next generation, but he expressed opposition of eliminating the tax on estates altogether.
Congress has passed legislation that will raise the tax deduction on estates from $3.5 million and $5 million to $7 million in 2009, which Obama believes is a sufficient deduction.
"After $7 million, the family farm is going to be OK. That's my sense," Obama said.
Getting rid of the estate tax altogether, as has been proposed by conservative groups, would wipe out $1 trillion dollars in tax money, Obama said. If that happens, the government can borrow more money from foreign nations like China and Mexico, drastically cut programs like farm subsidies, schools or locks and dams, or tax the 99.7 percent of people who will never pay an estate tax.
"I'm assuming everyone in this room will pay more taxes under that scenario," Obama said.
Obama warned audience members to watch out for politicians who peddle the idea of cutting taxes without pain. Anyone who promises to cut taxes and improve services is lying, he said. A good amount of the budget is wasted, but the vast majority goes to support valuable things like Social Security, Medicare and national defense, he said.
Education and the minimum wage
Supporting education is an important priority, Obama said.
The single most important factor in job creation is education, Obama said. A well-trained work force is one key to attracting and keeping business. And with other nations catching and passing the United States in terms of education, it is more important than ever to support education beyond high school, he said.
"A high school education doesn't cut it anymore," Obama said.
The congressional vote to cut low-interest college loans this year is counterproductive, he said.
"It doesn't make sense. This is one of the areas where we have to spend money," Obama said.
The push for excellence in the classroom should go along with a push for a higher minimum wage, Obama said.
People who work full time should be able to support a family, Obama said, and not struggle in vain to make ends meet.
The minimum wage has not been raised in 10 years and currently has less purchasing power than in 1955, he said.
Arguments that increasing the minimum wage will depress job growth don't hold water when the proposed wage increase is fairly modest. A small increase in the minimum wage won't slow the economy or create unemployment, Obama said.
This was Obama's third trip to Gallatin County and his 51st town hall-type meeting, he said.
"The first time I came I went to the Scates farm. Since it was harvest time, I volunteered. They didn't really trust me, so I didn't really do any work," Obama said.
Obama seems to enjoy the relatively free-wheeling style of town hall meetings.
"It's important to get out because after a while you start representing Washington to your constituents rather than representing your constituents to Washington," Obama said.
This Idiot Senator Obama is lucky that all the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coasties are doing what they are doing. If they weren't he would have to shut his mouth because he would be kissing the communist asses that would be running America. God Bless America and ALL who have protected HER.
Thank you. You can always count on a Freeper to come up with the answer. The main reason this is my favorite web site.
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