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| Retired special ops general backs Obama |
| 2008-08-16 |
| A retired major general who led the Army's Green Berets in the early days of the Bush Administration is stumping for Barack Obama. Geoffrey Lambert, who took over the U.S. Army Special Forces Command on Fort Bragg three days before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, returned to Fayetteville on Tuesday to make the case that Obama would be a great commander in chief. He said what Obama lacks in military experience he makes up in intelligence and leadership skills. He studies the issues and surrounds himself with expertise. "It's not who is the toughest," Lambert said, "but who is the wisest." Lambert is among several retired generals and military commanders who have broken ranks with the Republican White House and sided with Obama or his former Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. In March, retired Gen. Hugh Shelton, the former Joint Chiefs of Staff, endorsed Clinton before Obama had sowed up the nomination. Lambert said the U.S. was more unified, right after the 2001 terrorist attacks, before the country went to war against Iraq in 2003. "I saw that unity squandered with a hasty, ill-conceived, ill-timed, ill-planned invasion of Iraq that caused a dissolution of resources," he said. Lambert spoke before about 75 people inside VFW Post 6018 on Chance Street near downtown Fayetteville. He spoke that morning at another veterans group in Charlotte. The 61-year-old redhead wore a black suit and a button that said "Veterans for Obama." The 34-year military veteran now lives in Tampa. In 2003, he took command of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School before retiring. In an interview before his speech, Lambert said the Iraqi war has taken a toll on soldiers and their families at Fort Bragg. "Families are tired," he said. "Equipment is all worn out. The cost of recapitalization will be enormous." Lambert said he never would have gone to war against Iraq -- a war he estimates will cost more than $1 trillion when factors such as wounded vets are considered. He said he joined the Obama team this year and now is an unpaid adviser for the senator's Iraqi policy. He said he supports Obama's plan to withdrawal most of the troops there over 16 months as Iraqis assume more sovereignty. |
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #24 Kilpatrick, Edwards, Rangel, Clark... The Limbo Room is getting crowded. |
| Posted by: KBK 2008-08-16 23:29 |
| #23 Wesley Clark thrown under da bus. Via Instapundit. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-08-16 19:34 |
| #22 Too bad the data wasn't broken down to whether it was combat branches/line or support branches/corps. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2008-08-16 19:18 |
| #21 If they wear stars, check which administration promoted them to star rank first. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-08-16 18:09 |
| #20 Did you see the military contributions to Obama? Much higher than McCain's totals. But they only counted contributions over $200, so that leads me to believe they came mostly from officers. Now several high ranking former officers are turning up to shill for Big O. I think I'll keep watching for this trend to develop. Very interesting. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-08-16 17:54 |
| #19 Jack is Back!: "Gents and Ladies, if Obama picks Clark as his VP then I am heavily investing in Orville Redenbacker." .5MT: "I'm investing in Barb" Thanks, .5. The Industrial Strength Popcorn Popper™ has just come out of PM with flying colors, and I've got boxcars of popcorn sitting in my backyard. (Thanks to Alaska Paul for getting the rail spur approved by the Zoning Board in record time. I'm ready for whatever comes.... :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2008-08-16 12:39 |
| #18 Or get a copy of that children's book we saw yesterday |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-08-16 12:15 |
| #17 Rich, Rich, Rich....when are you going to GET IT, bud? THE ANOINTED ONE can't make mistakes. Those are for lesser life forms, not lightbearers. Lightbearers make the oceans start to subside and begin the healing of the planet. Did you miss the APB sent out on that? You really need to try to keep up on this stuff! |
| Posted by: Waldemar Uneack9263 2008-08-16 11:27 |
| #16 How has BO shown that he is wiser than anybody? Judging by the number of backtracks he has done so far, he is still pretty low on the learning curve. I appreciate the fact that when he sees he's wrong that he changes his mind. That's good, but the number of times he has had to reverse himself, that's telling. I also would feel a bit more confidence in the guy if he could acknowlege that he had made a mistake. Can't seem to do that. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2008-08-16 10:29 |
| #15 General Clarke almost started WW3 over Kosovo. McCain would just need go get the British General Sir Michael Jackson to do an add explaining what happened and Clarke would go down, and Obama with him. A security credentialed VP whose credentials place him as a risky warmonger who is despised by the military of one of our closest allies, and further reminds people of a war started by Democrats that currently is in the news as a semi-justification of the war in Georgia. NOt gonna happen. I know Obama's folks are really bad at vetting people but I have to assume they'll look a bit closer at the VP choice and General Clarke is tainted goods all around. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2008-08-16 10:16 |
| #14 TW: correct. As to the Clinton dead-enders: we mods won't post any of their nonsense here, particularly the nonsense about birth certificates, dual citizenship, etc. But we shouldn't underestimate the anger these wackos have and their potential ability to tie state election boards in knots, particularly if they time their challenges for, oh, late September or so. And all it takes is success of any kind in one of 50 states for the Obama campaign to have a major PR problem. So while the rest of you invest in popcorn, I'm going long in goobers and raisinets. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2008-08-16 10:04 |
| #13 If I recall correctly, something like 25% of the troops vote Democratic, so it would be a surprise if the candidate couldn't find some supporters. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-08-16 09:27 |
| #12 I little credance to any CLintonian coupe de grass..... but! Obama is going to allow the seating of the Michigan and Florida delegations. Which was tactically a stupid ass move. Remember Hillary staying on the Michigan ballot? |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-08-16 09:16 |
| #11 Come to think of it, this is the Clinton's convention until the night The One speaks Hillary Clinton isn't done yet. The Clintons have been working their minions hard to put forth the idea that Obama isn't eligible to serve based on his dual citizenship to Indonesia. Don't laugh. More disturbing, Obama has refused to release any factual evidence to dispute them. He can only hide behind arrogance and calls of "racism" for so long before he will eventually need to provide copies of his birth certificate and passport information. Right now, behind the scenes, they are threatening to grind this country to a halt by issuing challenges in all 50 states should he get the nomination. Just the fact that they seated her delegates shows that there is an outright war going on behind the scenes. |
| Posted by: Betty Grating2215 2008-08-16 09:13 |
| #10 I'm investing in Barb |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-08-16 09:05 |
| #9 Gents and Ladies, if Obama picks Clark as his VP then I am heavily investing in Orville Redenbacker. |
| Posted by: Jack is Back! 2008-08-16 09:02 |
| #8 Tipper's sources suggest he might have felt singled out when blame was pointed for pre-9-11 failures to follow up intelligence leads. The FBI was particularly unhappy with DI concealment - or downgrading - of internal security data. After 7 years of wallowing in bitterness he... |
| Posted by: McZoid 2008-08-16 05:39 |
| #7 Oh, a spit and polish idiot plus not telling the FBI about somebody very very bad.... Just the kind of support somebody wants.... |
| Posted by: 3dc 2008-08-16 02:48 |
| #6 Maybe he is still embarrassed about this fiasco and this |
| Posted by: tipper 2008-08-16 02:21 |
| #5 Would someone find out why he is disgruntled? |
| Posted by: McZoid 2008-08-16 01:25 |
| #4 Clinton appointee. Unfit for real warfare. Stumping for ignorance. |
| Posted by: newc 2008-08-16 01:14 |
| #3 And news about another retired military man moving into the thoughts of insightful thoughtfulness of those in the know...... Wesley Clark to be announced as the VP choice.... Yep -- heard this today... on talk radio, so it must be true. Looking for clues on Barack Obama's pick for a running mate? Consider the Democratic convention's theme for the night the vice presidential candidate speaks: national security. It could happen. Come to think of it, Wesley has been really, really quiet lately. What was that last gaft of his? And, he was chosen by Bill Clinton, headed up NATO (two items demos and press won't mention, almost started WWIII by calling out the Russians, and was fired by Clinton)and has the look that the media wants in this Campaign by Media election. Come to think of it, this is the Clinton's convention until the night The One speaks... Wesley is a Clinton man. Maybe a part of the "agreement" between the Obamas and the Clintons? Wesley standing next to The One, they do look pretty. A southern, white general. |
| Posted by: Sherry 2008-08-16 00:54 |
| #2 He is closely associated with the Able Danger fiasco: http://tinyurl.com/6e6vk9 |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-08-16 00:54 |
| #1 Why did he retire? 49Pan? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2008-08-16 00:32 |