By Ronald Baygents, KUNA
Washington : Barack Obama said the year-old US troop surge in Iraq was “a tactical victory imposed on a strategic blunder,” while Hillary Clinton said that as US president, she would tell the Iraqi government it no longer has “a blank check.” The exchange took place as the Democratic rivals debated on Thursday night in Austin, Texas, where a key presidential primary takes place on March 4.
Asked if Iraq was better off as a result of the US troop surge, New York Senator Clinton said the surge had provided security in parts of Iraq, but the rationale for the surge was to give the Iraqi government time to reconcile. Instead, she said, that government has “slowly inched toward making a few decisions in an incomplete way.” Illinois Senator Obama said it was “indisputable” that the surge reduced violence in Iraq, but, he added, “Iran is the single biggest strategic beneficiary of the US invading Iraq.” Obama turned his guns on presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain, noting that McCain has said he could envision US troops in Iraq for one hundred years.
Clinton again said she would, as president, ask the Pentagon to provide a plan to begin withdrawing US troops from Iraq within 60 days. She also pledged to send “a very clear message to Iraqis that they no longer have a blank check like they have been given by President Bush.” The former first lady, who is vying to become the first female US president, said it was not in the interests of Americans or Iraqis for US forces to remain in Iraq.
Obama, who is campaigning to become the first African-American US president, said he “showed judgment” by opposing the Iraq war from the beginning, and that Clinton “was wrong in her judgment” by voting for the 2002 Iraq war authorization.
Obama said the Iraq war diverted attention from Afghanistan, and enabled Al-Qaeda to strengthen. He noted that he accurately predicted the turn of events since the US invaded Iraq in 2003.
He criticized Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, and said US officials “put all our eggs in the Musharraf basket,” which was “a mistake.” He said as president he would act against those who intend to do harm to the United States, and would go after Al-Qaeda in Pakistan.
“That is the leadership I will show when I am president of the United States,” he said.
The US economy was among the top issues in the debate, as a recent poll showed 62 percent of Texans think the US economy is in a recession. Illegal immigration and bilingual issues were also discussed — important in a state that shares a long border with Mexico. Health care was also a top debate issue.
Noting that she has challenged Obama as not having enough experience, Clinton, 60, was asked if she believed Obama, 46, was ready to be Commander in Chief.
She avoided answering that, instead citing her own experience with international issues, including serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee, and said, “I believe I am prepared and ready on day one” — a frequent Clinton campaign line.
Obama responded, “I would not be running if I did not think I was prepared to be Commander in Chief.” Earlier in the debate, after Clinton said that “actions speak louder than words,” Obama asked what Clinton meant when she recently made the statement, “Let’s get real,” concerning the direction of the Democratic presidential contest.
Obama, who has won 11 straight US political primaries or caucuses, wondered aloud if Clinton was implying that those who support his candidacy are “delusional” or “that somehow they are being duped.” He said his supporters see the reality of Washington politics and support him because of his message about bringing different factions together to make political change and inspire and heal the country.
The debate, held at the University of Texas in Austin, opened with a question about whether each candidate, as president, would meet with the new leader of Cuba in the wake of the end of the nearly 50-year Fidel Castro era.
Clinton said she would not do so “unless it was clear change was happening” on the communist island.
Obama, repeating his statement that he would meet with leaders in Iran, North Korea or Cuba with no preconditions, said he would seek “the liberty of the Cuban people.” Obama said “preparations” would need to be made prior to such a meeting, on such issues as human rights and an open press, but he said the United States must talk to its enemies as well as its friends.
The debate ended with Clinton saying she was “honored to be on the same stage with Barack Obama,” who then reached out and shook her hand. She predicted a “unified Democratic Party” that will win the election in November, no matter whether it is her or Obama as the Democratic nominee.
Various US political analysts gave Clinton the edge in the debate, the 19th by the 2008 Democratic presidential candidates. Even former President Bill Clinton, the husband of Senator Clinton, admitted while campaigning in Texas on Wednesday that his wife must win in Texas and Ohio when those states, along with Vermont and Rhode Island, hold primaries March 4. Texas is the most valuable prize that day.
Recent polls suggests the Democratic race in Texas is a statistical dead heat.
In the race for the 2,025 delegates to secure the Democratic nomination for president, Obama leads Clinton by more than 140 pledged delegates.