Obama Talks Military Issues

Ward talks to Military.com's political correspondent, Carissa Picard, who is fresh from tracking down Senator Barack Obama in Texas. Carissa reports the facts from the campaign trail and offers her impressions of the Obama phenomenon. Does he really support veterans? Is he ready to be Commander-in-Chief?  (This episode includes Obama himself talking about the GI Bill.)

And here's a snippet from the end of Obama's appearance before veterans and military spouses in San Antonio:

And be sure to check Military.com's Election Center daily for all the latest from the campaign fronts.

Comments

[Xbreaka]

General Casey secretary of the army.. oh boy smart guy we have here

[mommy]

No - Mr. O - the reason the military is so overworked - and underpaid i must add - is because your party decided we did not need a strong military - your disdain for the military is apparent. Your job as "commander in chief"? Oh Lord help us all - what an idiot you are.

[Vi Phi Viet Mai]

I only have one question for someone running to be the Commander in chief. Mr. Obama: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS? You say that you support our troops and not support their cause. Hypocrite!

[PA Army Wife]

Much like everything else Obama talks a whole lot and doesn't really say anything of substance. All I heard was President Bush Bashing. I don't think he repects the military or their values. I for one will not vote for this man, He scares me. He care more about himself then this country.

[veteran]

Does not matter what he says, he is still a haji to me...

[MarineAuntie]

Okay, let's get a few facts straight:

a) it was not a Democratic policy to reduce the armed forces. The reductions started during the Bush 41 years and Clinton's actions were a continuation of the policy. Moreover, the cuts occurred during a period when the Republicans were in charge of Congress and were part of the demands they made for all-around reduction in government. The entire policy was actually initiated during the Reagan years as part of the so-called peace dividend after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Stop blaming the Democrats.

b) It was the Republican Bush Administration and Republican dominated Congress which ignored the advice of the military commanders (Shinseki, et al.) NOT to go into Iraq without a substantial expansion of the numbers going in. Rumsfeld, the REPUBLICAN Secretary of Defense, famously replied that you go in with the Army you have, not with the Army you don't have.

c) Re supporting the troops, Obama is on the record supporting Sen. Webb's Dwell Time amendment, Webb's New GI Bill, and the Webb-McCaskill "Truman" Commission to investigate and remedy contractor fraud overseas. These are ALL supportive of the troops. Meantime, the allegedly pro-military Bush Administration deliberately shot down the Dwell Time amendment twice, has steadfastly refused to support the new GI Bill, and resisted all attempts to make contractors accountable. Moreover, the scandal at Walter Reed and other mistreatment of veterans occurred under this Republican Administration with Bush appointees at the VA and with a Republican Congress which has failed to perform its duty to act as a check on executive power and to force accountability by crony-dominated federal agencies tasked with the duty to serve our military and veterans. The Bush Administration has used the stop-loss policy, another thing Obama opposes, as a back-door draft of people who have done their time.

d) I listened to the podcast. It features Obama essentially endorsing the Powell Doctrine, which tells us we don't go into a war without knowing what our goals are and without having an exit strategy. Heck, that lack of an exit strategy is what kept Daddy Bush from pushing on to Baghdad. It was Bush 43 and his advisers - Rumsfeld, Cheney, and anyone in the military they could bully into compliance - who decided they didn't need no steenkin' exit strategy in order to get us into this morass.

e) Obama's opposition to our entry into the war mirrored that of proven warriors whose credentials were NOT in question such as Jim Webb and General Shinseki.

On balance, I'd say Obama is a lot more supportive of our military and our veterans than the yellow-car-magnet neocon crowd which is largely made up of people who took deferments and otherwise avoided serving when they had their chance during Vietnam. They may talk the talk, but it's all hot air. They have not put themselves on the line, but they have been marketing themselves for years as the military's friends. All it takes is a few flags, some car magnets, and a lot of patriotic speeches, and the next thing you know they get credit for being "strong" on national security. What a crock.

[JOHN ETHERIDGE]

I agree that our Defense system was very weak, not enough troops and ill-equipped...'
As I recall, Presidents Carter and Clinton Administratios closed our Military Installations, reduced our Defense Budget and no damn wonder we were not strong !!!!...Obama doesn't have a CLUE.or rather he will not admit it...

[Ron Johnson]

Walter Reed was on the BRAC list to be closed, why pour money into. They fired a General because off it being run down. Horse feathers!! They would not allocate money before this all came to a head. Congress is to blame for that one, not Bush!!!

[MarineAuntie]

Really? And who was President between Carter and Clinton? Wasn't it Ronnie Reagan, whose DoD instituted the cuts in personnel, the cuts in Navy ships, the new orientation toward Star Wars at the expense of a large, well-equipped conventional Army? Carter came in right after Vietnam and a reduction in the military was inevitable. We stopped the draft. We were at peace and we reduced our military accordingly. Then, when the Soviet Union collapsed, both the Republican and Democratic parties chose to reduce our Armed Forces. Show me where Reagan argued in favor of increasing military funding? In favor of maintaining or increasing our conventional forces?

What about Bush 41? Where were his arguments in favor of expanding the Armed Forces? It was during his tenure that so many reductions were proposed and implemented. Want to blame it on the Congress? Who was running Congress during the '90s? Wasn't it the Republicans? Weren't the Republicans the dominant party during the Reagan years?

Clinton spent most of his tenure in office with a Republican Congress. I don't recall Congress refusing to cut the military. Congress was four-square in favor of the cuts and of the BRAC closings and all the other stuff criticized by Republicans as allegedly Democratic initiatives. Bill Clinton may have signed off on the cuts, but they never would have happened without the efforts of the Republican Congress.

And Ron Johnson, why are you absolving Bush from any blame? Wasn't it the President's responsibility to go to Congress and request appropriate funding of his little Iraq project? Why didn't he ask for increases in people and materiel? Why was he asking for tax cuts instead of increased support for our military? He and his administration tried from the get-go to do this on the cheap. Bush spent most of his time in office with a compliant Congress willing to give him anything he wanted, and he never wanted anything for our troops. He still opposes anything that might make our troops lives easier such as mandatory dwell time, the GI Bill, and expansion of veterans benefits.

[ryan]

In my opinion Obama is a terrorist. He is against the war and is personal friends and has excepted campaign money from one of the terrorists involved with the bombings on the Pentagon and World Trade Centers in the 70's. Go McCain!!!!!!!!

[ryan]

Obama says a bunch of CRAP that just sounds good but has no meaning to it. I want to know why people are stupid enough to vote for him. I know i don't want a president who is just in it for the popularity and doesn't have the inncentive to help America

[Eddie]

This had me laughing. Uh, oh, um, blah,blah, change,BS. The man has no clue about the military. His church has a commitment to Africa. Will he send troops there? Does he know the mission of the National Guard and Reserves? Idiot! What a huge mistake clueless voters are making. McCain will clean his clock.

[MarineAuntie]

Just how ignorant is it to trumpet McCain, who talks about being in Iraq for 100 years, and who is now supporting the Bush tax cuts in a time of war and promoting the idea you can have a war and cut your taxes all at the same time?

Obama is admittedly inexperienced in things military, but at least he's not so arrogant as to deny it. He actually seeks out people who know things and gets their input, as opposed to the current WH occupant who has never learned to ask for help, just for validation. When someone tells him what he doesn't want to hear he gets rid of them or ignores them.

Ryan - where did you get that piece of information? What terrorist did Obama accept money from? Do you believe every stupid lie you're told? The man's a U.S. Senator and has been in the public eye for years. How come that little tidbit isn't all over the news? How come he hasn't been investigated and indicted? That's just pathetic.

Eddie - Glad you raised Africa. We only just now established a military command for it. Should have done it 30 years ago, but Africa's been invisible to the leaders of this country while the Chinese and North Koreans and Russians have been expanding their influence there. I know, I lived there in the '80s.

[1usagrunt]

Did Obama ever serve in the military? I dought it. Did any President who didn't serve, ever support the military and it's personnel. Probably not. Hell, the military doesn't even support it's own service men and women. That's coming from a disabled Iraqi War Vet.
SNAFU folks,Obama's just another career politicion, that will say anything to get the vote. Once in office, as usual all promises are null and void.
To be honest, none of them deserve a vote. Aren't we all sick and tired of the two party system, where one blames the other for not doing the right thing and the rest of us get screwed. Both should be disbanded.
The best thing that we as Americans can do, is vote with our feet. How, you go to your voter registration and change to Independent. Then let the Obama, Clintons an McCains wonder where their votes are going to come from. Maybe then they'll start being more realistic as to the promises they make. YOU WANT CHANGE, NOW THAT"S CHANGE!!!!

[Dave]

He is just a small spare tire
on the Daley steam roller, where did his wife work, and how did he get his job in the
windy city.

[keepitstrong]

Our President doesn't really have as much power as he does influence. We have a Republic. A system of check and balances. A system I would hope we'd want to keep-that's what we defend!!
With that in mind most of the comments can't be wrong.
It's also worthy to note that this is why it is very important that voters READ what the runner up's voted for and against these past 4 years. I like and don't like what i've read so far. Aside the fact that our military health care for retiree's-people who dedicated "career" military - is in danger of being supercharged with premiums and less coverage than medicare. Doctors around the country are being allowed to turn down patients who carry TRICARE because the doctors feel they aren't getting paid enough!!! This hurts our nonretired veteran and retired veteran population. I can't believe our small population of military personnel would break the bank of a Doctor!!!
Not forgetting the fact that most of the doctors got a boost from our taxes to get through school in the first place (scholarships/grants), and have the freedom in this country to practice what they want (because of a "volunteer" military that helps freedom thrive in this country. I would think doctors of all people would be more than willing to take on the care of anyone who served in the Military-a nice way of saying thank you.
Adding this up, places in my mind an election of compromise-who will best "persuade" the house to vote towards the common good of our country as a whole? Who has the most respect from the house and who can gain the most respect from our international leaders? That's the million dollar question? along with a million others...I just wish the best for all of us-this is one scarey election there's no doubt about it. I'll just ask everyone to please encourage others to read what the runner up's voted for in previous years. This will give you an idea of what to expect. Also who supports who in the House of Rep's is helpful information and resourced throughout the internet's archived political pages.

[George]

MarineAuntie: There is not enough time or space to address your selective facts. Vote for whom you will, just stop trying to manipulate facts in your favor and being condescending in the process.

In this San Antonio clip of Obama, he states he would expand the Army and Marines. The only way to do that is a draft. Personally, I do not have a problem with that (I received my notice in '69 as a college senior; I’m retired USAF), but I think his supporters, especially the young ones, will not flock to the military recruiters if he is elected. Secondly, in this clip, Obama would be the type of commander that sits around amassing information ad nauseam and never commit because he does not have the guts to make a decision unless there are guarantees by the Generals (this is “I’ll need a scapegoat” rhetoric if things do not quite work out as planned). He would be another George McClellan; all show and no go.

Being glib does not make one a good leader de facto. What has Obama accomplished on the hill? Nothing! What did Hillary accomplish when she was first lady; she insulted and demeaned the military wherever possible (ask the Marine Guard, the Old Guard, and Air Force One crews who were there). Nirvana is not spelled Obama.

[HAR_JACKSON]

OUR MILITARY IS SHORT MAN DUE TO THE S.A.L.T I,II TREATIES AGREED TO BY PRESIDENT REAGAN AND BUSH SENIOR FOR ALL YOU DEMOCRAT BASHERS, I AM AN INDEPENDANT, BUT FOR THOSE UNAWARE OF HOW THE US GOT TO THIS LEVEL OF MILITARY MANNING THATS HOW GOT HERE. THE US FOR YOU YOUNGER TROOPS THE US OFTEN TIMES CREATES THESE FRANKENSTIEN LEADERS IN OTHER COUNTRIES AND THAN HAVE TO SADDLE THE U.S MILITARY UP TO FIND AND DESTROY THE MONSTER. WHEN THE SOVIETS AGREED TO NUKE LIMITATION, WE ASSUME AN ATTITUDE OF PEACEFUL BLISS UNTIL SADDAM INVADED KUWAIUT, NOW ALL HELL HAS BROKE LOSE. DIPLOMACY IS THE ANSWER NOT THE ESCALATION OF KILLING. ALL WE HAD TO DO AFTER DESERT STORM WAS NOT TO PLACE A MILITARY ON SAUDI SOIL, WHY? BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANCE TO MUSLIMS. RESPECT THE OTHER GUYS BELIEFS AND HE 99% OF THE TIME WILL RESPECT YOURS. THE TEN COMMANMENTS SAYS COVEATE NOT ANOTHER MANS WIFE, NEITHER SHOULD WE HIS OIL.

[Vi Phi Viet Mai]

Quoting MarineAuntie:
"c) Re supporting the troops, Obama is on the record supporting Sen. Webb's Dwell Time amendment, Webb's New GI Bill, and the Webb-McCaskill "Truman" Commission to investigate and remedy contractor fraud overseas. These are ALL supportive of the troops."

IS THAT ALL HE'S DONE? SEEMS TO ME THAT HE'S BARELY DONE ANY SUPPORTING! MORE LIKE HE WAS FORCED TO PICK A SIDE ON A VOTE. EMBARRASING IT IS INDEED. ALL HIS TALK HAS DONE MORE HARM TO OUR TROOPS THAT SUPPORT THEM. IT DAMAGES THE MORAL AUNTIE.
BY THE WAY, WHY ISN'T HE AS VOCAL AS HE WAS ABOUT WITHDRAWAL BEFORE THE SURGE? OH IT'S BECAUSE IT DONT SELL WHEN IRAQ IS DOING BETTER!
COME ON OBAMA BESIDES THESE MINISCULE VOTES, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR OUR TROOPS?

[jordj]

Marine Auntie -get a job or something to occupy your time.

[Spouse of Viet Nam Vet]

You go George, The only thing Obama has done since he became a US Senator is run for President. He says he didn't vote for the war, he was against the war...When the voting was taking place to go to war.....He wasn't a US senator. He was doing nothing in the Illinois Senate. He thinks we should forget about 9/11 because it instills fear.........he thinks we should negotiate with the enemy...........just because Oprah thinks he is great doesn't mean he is the one I want for the Commander In Chief of our country...........America wake up.............

[Spouse of Viet Nam Vet]

You go George, The only thing Obama has done since he became a US Senator is run for President. He says he didn't vote for the war, he was against the war...When the voting was taking place to go to war.....He wasn't a US senator. He was doing nothing in the Illinois Senate. He thinks we should forget about 9/11 because it instills fear.........he thinks we should negotiate with the enemy...........just because Oprah thinks he is great doesn't mean he is the one I want for the Commander In Chief of our country...........America wake up.............

[jack]

BO needs to be far removed from any control over our Armed Forces. Same-same HRC.

[Wilson]

So what are our goals? As a retired Navy Captain, I seem to remember that this country was attacked on 9/11 and we struck back. By in large few have attacked this country because whenever they do we strick back - always have and must continue to do so. The goal is to deter attacks and in large respect this has been accomplished by leaving no doubt in the mind of potential agressors that we always will strick back.

[AFvet]

Sorry, but it was not Reagan who downsized our military, but the idiot Carter (remember, he took the Navy from a 700 ship fleet down to 450). Only when Reagan started to "upsize" our military were we taken for anything other than a joke in the world.

[Johnny Mosley]

Old proverb - woe be unto people who put little people into big places, ie. carter,clinton. let us hope we have learned our lesson.

[Ann]

Oh god! people are so blind. Wake up !everything is a setup either by God or people. People can never win over God. Remember that. Also, what is the purpose of wars through out the history again? To take lands, money, brainwashed people out of their own beliefs, religion, and take all of their resources.

[Ann]

Oh god! people are so blind. Wake up !everything is a setup either by God or people. People can never win over God. Remember that. Also, what is the purpose of wars through out the history again? To take lands, money, brainwashed people out of their own beliefs, religion, and take all of their resources.

[robin]

obama the muslim has been raised from the get go to run for pres. when he grew up. he comes from an unstable spiritual family, terorist acts by his father,relations with the hussain and osama clan.that is why his name is obama hussain barack. he is the anti-christ for all world destruction and more racism upon the american whites and immigrants as well as his own races of dna. god bless america and god help us all .

[carl]

some of you people are so close mined and blinded with racism that you don't want to know the truth. As a veteran i hate to see so much ignorance, why did we serve? i served for all americans not just the whites.

[carl]

Who many white american presidents are from German decent? was they all Nazi's. They have all but sold this country to China. We are borrowing money from China to buy gas from Saudi.

[MarineAuntie]

Vi Phi Viet Mai, perhaps you'd be so good as to tell me what Dubya and his Republican supporters have done to support the troops, since you think Obama hasn't done enough. Perhaps you'll tell us which Republicans besides Hagel are supportive of the dwell time amendment, pushing the GI Bill, arguing in support of an increase in military personnel so as to give some relief to the same group of people who've gone back to the Sandbox over and over. Go ahead, tell me what the Kagans and the Kristols and the O'Reillys and the Limbaughs and the Bushes and the Cheneys and all their minions have done for our troops. Tell me how you support the troops by opposing the new GI Bill because you're afraid the bill's provisions will encourage people to leave the service.

AFVet, you'd better go back and look at your budget history. You'll see that the whole reason Jim Webb quit as Navy Secy during the REAGAN years was that REAGAN's Sec'y of Defense, Frank Carlucci, was actively promoting the reduction of Navy ships in order to keep the budget costs down for the Congress. Reagan and company wanted Star Wars and the way they got it was by cutting conventional forces.

George, if you're going to accuse me of misstating facts you'd better d-well have the evidence to back you up. I've spent many an evening educating myself on these issues. I don't state things unless I know or am pretty sure that they're true, and I never ever selectively cherry-pick facts to make a point. So why don't you just knock yourself out and tell me what I got wrong and I'll answer you.

[George]

MarineAuntie: Let's start with your comment "...I know or am pretty sure..." Pretty sure does not cut it. I have spent years educating myself too, as have many others. You are bombastic, combative, and arrogant. Those traits make anyone's argument suspect. You harp on the short comings of those you do not like and are blind to the short comings of those you support. Sounds selective to me.

[OIF Vet]

Our cause? I really do not think this war is our cause, our left and right is our cause. There still is no real reason to be in Iraq. "Our cause" ended the day Sadaam was killed, now is just clean up of poor, poor planning by our commander and chief.

[J. A. Wood]

God help us if BillHillary or
Obama-rama-dama are elected
president. Just drop the bomb on us now before the camel jockies start coming down our streets killing, pillaging, raping all the women and teenage females and looting everything we have
worked for. Muslims will kill anyone who don't change to
Islam. Just bomb us all right now if BillHillary or Obama-rama-dama are elected.

Neither one wore the uniform and if BillHillary is elected we'll have four more years of HillBilly Clinton's preverse
actions having sex with all our daughters and women he comes into contact with.

HillBilly, BillHillary, Obama-rama-dama and his wife who hates America never wore a uniform. HillBilly sold the Russians our supercomputer in 1995-1996 and trade secrets now their missle defense is as good as if not better than ours. Obama-rama-dama is a muslim who hates white people, America, apple pie and country music. Just bomb us now and get it over so we can kill everybody else with our gigantic nuclear weapons arsenal. Let's just go for total inialitation and be done with it all.

[MarineAuntie]

George:

Well, you've called me a whole bunch of names. Glad you got it out of your system. Now, are you going to give me the facts and figures I asked for or are you going to keep whining about what a mean lady I am?