Senator Obama Emphasizes Need for “New Direction” Abroad
Citing Iraq, Senator Obama emphasizes the need to repair foreign relationships and shift our focus to adequately combating terrorism abroad
Proclaiming that the Bush administration, along with John McCain, have been misguided in their war on terror, Senator Obama re-emphasized his plans to withdraw troops from Iraq and refocusing our military efforts on finding Osama bin Laden and terrorist leadership where they truly are.
“In fact – as should have been apparent to President Bush and Senator McCain – the central front in the war on terror is not Iraq, and it never was. That’s why the second goal of my new strategy will be taking the fight to al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan… Al Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia. If another attack on our homeland comes, it will likely come from the same region where 9/11 was planned. And yet today, we have five times more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan.” -Senator Obama, July 15, 2008.
Along with responsibly ending the conflict in Iraq and capturing Osama bin Laden and other terrorist leadership, Senator Obama outlined three additional foreign policy goals his administration will have:
• Securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue nations
• Achieving true energy security
• Rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century
Senator Obama proclaimed that we must rebuild the bridges the Bush administration has broken, and learn from our own history as a nation. What made America great and prosperous was our amicable relationships with foreign nations and our genuine sense of justice and democracy.
Barack Obama acknowledged that the past eight years have set us back, but he has also realized that these are challenges that can be, and must be, overcome in order for America to return to prominence on the world stage and ensure our everlasting safety. Senator Obama concluded his remarks by accurately asserting, “We know what is needed. We know what can best be done. We know what must done. Now it falls to us to act with the same sense of purpose and pragmatism as an earlier generation, to join with friends and partners to lead the world anew.”
For a transcript of Senator Obama’s speech, click here.
Tags: Barack Obama