Giving Obama a Pass on Iraq

The Iraq war is dauntingly complex with the myriad of information that comes out of the country, diversity of the people involved, and the international interests at stake. It certainly isn't a cut n' dry issue like gun control or capital punishment, and it is best to adopt a pragmatic approach to the foreign policy involved with U.S. assistance to Iraq. That's why it's good news that the leading presidential candidate, Obama, has opted to change his tune on a rigid timetable for withdrawal and seeks to gain perspective from commanders on the ground. From Politico:

Heading into the holiday weekend, Obama and his advisers repudiated that pledge, saying he is reevaluating his plan and will incorporate advice from commanders on the ground when he visits Iraq later this month. A top Obama adviser said he is not “wedded” to a specific timeline, and Obama said Thursday he plans to “refine” his plan. “I am going to do a thorough assessment when I'm there," he told reporters in Fargo, N.D., according to CBS News. "When I go to Iraq and I have a chance to talk to some of the commanders on the ground, I'm sure I'll have more information and will continue to refine my policies."

Gateway Pundit and Hot Air have already accused the Senator of flopping like the opening weekend of a Martin Lawrence movie, but it is important that the future commander-in-chief has an open mind about this, instead of clinging to facts from 2006 that don't really apply anymore.

The first order of business for Obama's people to change the verbage on that dreaded website, which still reads that violence is at mid-2006 levels (wrong) and that the Iraqi government has made "no progress". While the government's progress hasn't been tremendous, I disagree that there has been "no progress". From the last 12 months or so, here's a smidgen:

• Accountability and Justice Law (De-Ba'athification Reform) Passed
• Amnesty Law for Detainees Passed
• Diplomatic relations with Turkey to help combat PKK terrorists in northern Iraq
• Iraqi-led oeprations combatting extremists/terrorists in Mosul, Maysan province, Sadr City, and Basra
• Huge increase in oil exports as pipeline to Ceyhan, Turkey reopened
• Improvement in quality and quantity of Iraqi Security Forces

As one voter, I'm willing to give Obama a pass on all the misguided policies for Iraq he proposed earlier in his campaign, now that the reality has changed. Expect me to be in the minority.