Obama Claims Continued

DuH2 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Pentagon doubts Obama account of equipment problem

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Friday cast doubt on an account of military equipment shortages mentioned by Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama during a debate with rival Hillary Clinton.

During the face-to-face encounter on Thursday evening, Obama said he had heard from an Army captain whose unit had served in Afghanistan without enough ammunition or vehicles.

Obama said it was easier for the troops to capture weapons from Taliban militants than it was "to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief," President George W. Bush.

"I find that account pretty hard to imagine," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told reporters.

"Despite the stress that we readily acknowledge on the force, one of the things that we do is make sure that all of our units and service members that are going into harm's way are properly trained, equipped and with the leadership to be successful," he said.

Whitman's remarks were unusual as the Pentagon often declines to talk about comments from political campaigns.

http://www.reuters.com/article/wtMos...58358120080222

Quote:

Fact check: Obama's platoon story
The Associated Press
Updated: 02/22/08 7:18 PM

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AP Photo
Democratic presidential hopefuls Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., looks to Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. during the debate at the Austin Democratic Debate at the Recreational Sports Center on the University of Texas campus in Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 in Austin, Texas,
Democrat Barack Obama says the war in Iraq, which he opposes, has pulled troops away from Afghanistan and left soldiers there without proper equipment.

He underscored his point in the Democratic debate Thursday by telling a story about a rifle platoon in Afghanistan that allegedly didn't have enough soldiers or weapons to do its job, leaving the platoon to scrounge for weapons from the Taliban.

His source was an anonymous Army captain, whom his campaign refused to identify Friday.

---

THE SPIN:

"You know, I've heard from an Army captain who was the head of a rifle platoon - supposed to have 39 men in a rifle platoon," Obama said. "Ended up being sent to Afghanistan with 24 because 15 of those soldiers had been sent to Iraq,"

"And as a consequence, they didn't have enough ammunition, they didn't have enough Humvees. They were actually capturing Taliban weapons, because it was easier to get Taliban weapons than it was for them to get properly equipped by our current commander in chief.

---

THE FACTS:

The Obama campaign offered no details to support the captain's story, making it impossible to verify. A spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about who the captain was and when and how the candidate learned about the allegation.

ABC News said it talked to the unidentified captain, whose account of shortages in Afghanistan was for the most part accurately summarized by Obama, although not verified.

The captain said, however, that the unit did not go after the Taliban for the purpose of getting their weapons, but sometimes used those weapons when some were captured.

The Pentagon has acknowledged forces are stretched, but spokesman Bryan Whitman said that without knowing more, he could not comment on the veracity of Obama's claim, except to say: "I find that account pretty hard to imagine."

Whitman contended "all of our units and service members that go into harm's way are properly trained, equipped and with the leadership to be successful for the mission that they've been given."

Obama said the platoon was supposed to have 39 soldiers. A platoon does not have to consist of 39, but can have between 16 to 40 soldiers, according to standard Army unit organization. It is also commanded by a lieutenant and not a captain.

According to the ABC report, the captain was a lieutenant when he took command of the rifle platoon.

Sen. John Warner, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent Obama a letter Friday asking for details about the platoon and the name and whereabouts of the captain, so he can tell military officials about it at an upcoming hearing.

By Ann Sanner

http://www.buffalonews.com/260/story/282556.html

The ABC "report" mentioned- http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpu...he-fact-3.html

Problem with the ABC "report" is obvious form the start. It simply accepts the word of the still unidentified captain and does nothing to independintly verify his claims.

Been way too many way out of left field claims made in the past few years by "soldiers" that have turned out to be nonsense to simply accept such claims form the claimant.
Beuchamp being the most notable recent example.

The story at face value sounds like nonsense or at the very best intenitonally distorted nonsense.

The12thMan · #2 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 03:41 PM

If this guy is really in the Army, he's in trouble. Funny how we're supposed to take the word of a reporter with the same unnamed source. I guess the story will change again when the next reporter gets to talk to him.

f100supersabr · #3 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 04:35 PM

Barack better back off this story by coming up with plausible deniability.

"I don't know but I've told,
Captain 's story is really old.

"I don't know but I've told,
a pig in a poke I've been sold"

"I ain't gonna tell no more Army stories,
for that I express many sorry's"

With deep chagrin, Barack

DuH2 · #4 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 06:41 PM

If Senator Warner does not get the information he is requesting this is going to explode.

justabubba · #5 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuH2

If Senator Warner does not get the information he is requesting this is going to explode.

it's gonna be huge ... what was it we were discussing?

DuH2 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 06:55 PM

AH time for Justabubba to act like he's mentally handicapped and utterly stupid.

AKA the last time you need to ever reply to me as your going on ignore.

Fear-And-Loathing · #7 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 07:03 PM

What happens if Obama does pull out a source though and his claims are verified? That would be a disgrace, that's why the Conservatives are trying so hard to make him verify this.

If he is right, then this really is a testament to how our military cannot cope with two conflicts, even if they're in the same theatre! Our military was meant to be able to handle this.......

Even if this does turn out to be right, the GOP will try and divert attention from it .....

STA · #8 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 07:08 PM

The fact that this isn;t on the front page of every newspaper in america and the headline on every news program on the television only displays the liberal bias that has overwhelmed this nation.

Every time I see the CNN I feel sick. They continue to promote Barrak Hussein Obama so transparently I begin to wonder if Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper are on the Obama campaign payroll. more and more the media convinces our children that the way to have healthcare is to let the government come in and take over rather than businesses when in reality the government wants to take over because it is compsed of power hungry meglomaniacs. They convince us that the war is unjust when in reality it is America's duty to take out all those who wish us ill will before they succeed in their goal to harm this nation. It becomes clear to me that if somebody does not put a stop to this propaganda the Democrat party will rule America and it will soon become the shadow of it's current self.

Obama promises change, and that's exactly what we will get if he gains power. Change to Marxism and a weaker America.

Fear-And-Loathing · #9 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 07:46 PM

Change scares Conservatives, hence their name.

The people who proposed America were considered insane at the time, but that worked out well didn't it?

The12thMan · #10 (**permalink**) 02-22-2008, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fear-And-Loathing

What happens if Obama does pull out a source though and his claims are verified? That would be a disgrace, that's why the Conservatives are trying so hard to make him verify this.

Who's claims? Obama's or the Captain's?

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