Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Obama Camp Keeps Making False Claims About Sen. Obama's Record on Troop Withdrawal

For the second time today, the Obama campaign has incorrectly claimed that Senator Obama has been pushing every year since 2002 for a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. This is not true. Clinton National Security Director Lee Feinstein issued the following statement:

"Facts can be stubborn things, especially in the heat of campaign. The reality is that since 2004, Senator Obama explicitly called for keeping troops in Iraq and opposed a timeline for withdrawal, only changing his position when he became a candidate for the White House.

"Senator Clinton will end the war in Iraq the right way. She has put forward the most comprehensive plan to bring our troops home, swiftly and responsibly. She is the candidate best able to end the war and address the challenges that will inevitably arise as we bring our troops home."

Obama's record:

In 2004, Sen. Obama said he was willing to support more troops in Iraq, said withdrawal from Iraq would be 'a slap in the face' to the troops fighting there." "Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama said Saturday he would be willing to send more soldiers to Iraq if it is part of a strategy that the president and military leaders believe will stabilize the country...'A quick withdrawal would add to the chaos there and make it 'an extraordinary hotbed of terrorist activity,' [Obama] said. It would also damage America's international prestige and amount to 'a slap in the face' to the troops fighting there, he said." [Christopher Wills, "Obama Willing To Support More Troops In Iraq," The Associated Press, 9/19/04]

In 2005, Sen. Obama said that 'U.S. forces are still a part of the solution.' "I believe that U.S. forces are still a part of the solution in Iraq...First and foremost, after the December 15 elections and during the course of next year, we need to focus our attention on how reduce the U.S. military footprint in Iraq. Notice that I say 'reduce,' and not 'fully withdraw.'" [Obama speech to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, 11/22/05]

In 2006, Sen. Obama opposed Sen. Kerry's amendment to withdraw troops, saying he opposed 'a precipitous withdrawal of troops.' Sen. Obama voted against an amendment by Senator Kerry requiring the president to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq in 2006 and have complete withdrawal by July 1, 2007. "But having visited Iraq, I am also acutely aware that a precipitous withdrawal of our troops, driven by congressional edict rather than the realities on the ground, will not undo the mistakes made by this administration. It could compound them...A hard and fast, arbitrary deadline for withdrawal offers our commanders in the field, and our diplomats in the region, insufficient flexibility" [2006 Vote # 181, S2766, 6/22/06; Obama Remarks, Congressional Record, 06/21/06]

Obama advisor Susan Rice on MSNBC:

"He's been a consistent critic of the war in Iraq, pushing every year since 2002 for a withdrawal of our forces." [10:08AM]

"Since he's been in the senate, he has called from his very first month in office for the withdrawal and redeployment of American forces. He's been absolutely consistent and for many years, Senator Clinton resisted any sort of timetable for the withdrawal of American forces. So the record speaks for itself." [12:15PM]