McCain - Barack Obama vs. CBS on the Surge

Today, Barack Obama will sit down with CBS News for an interview to be aired on the CBS "Evening News." Please find below a reminder that while Barack Obama was trying to score political points in the Democratic primaries by calling the surge a failure, CBS News was reporting the progress being made in Iraq because of the surge:

BARACK OBAMA ON THE SURGE

In January 2007, Barack Obama Opposed The Surge:

Barack Obama Said The Surge Would Actually Worsen Sectarian Violence In Iraq. Obama: "I am not persuaded that 20,000 additional troops in Iraq is going to solve the sectarian violence there. In fact, I think it will do the reverse. I think it takes pressure off the Iraqis to arrive at the sort of political accommodation that every observer believes is the ultimate solution to the problems we face there. So I am going to actively oppose the president's proposal." (MSNBC's "Response To The President's Speech On Iraq," 1/10/07)

In July 2007, Barack Obama Said The Surge Had Not Worked:

Barack Obama Said The Surge Had Not Worked In Iraq. Obama: "My assessment is that the surge has not worked and we will not see a different report eight weeks from now." (NBC's "The Today Show," 7/18/07)

In November 2007, Barack Obama Said The Surge Strategy Was Not Working And That America Was "Actually Worsening" The Situation In Iraq:

Barack Obama Said The Surge Has Not Worked, And Had Potentially Worsened The Situation In Iraq. Obama: "Finally, in 2006-2007, we started to see that, even after an election, George Bush continued to want to pursue a course that didn't withdraw troops from Iraq but actually doubled them and initiated a search and at that stage I said very clearly, not only have we not seen improvements, but we're actually worsening, potentially, a situation there." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 11/11/07)

CBS ON THE SURGE

In July 2007, CBS Reporter David Martin Reported That American And Civilian Casualty Rates Had Decreased:

CBS Reporter David Martin Reported That "American Casualties In July Are The Lowest Since The Troop Surge Began In February, And Civilian Casualties Are Down A Third." Martin: "With one day left in the month, American casualties in July are the lowest since the troop surge began in February, and civilian casualties are down a third. US officials attribute that to the dismantling of networks which make roadside bombs and to American soldiers protecting the local population. It would only take a few spectacular attacks to reverse those trends, but even critics of the war strategy are encouraged." (CBS "CBS Evening News," 7/30/07)

In November 2007, CBS Anchor Katie Couric And Reporter David Martin Acknowledged The Success Of The Surge:

In November 2007, CBS Anchor Katie Couric And Reporter David Martin Acknowledged The Number Of U.S. Casualties In Iraq Are Down. Couric: "Clearly Iraq remains a very dangerous country, but the number of attacks and the number of US casualties are down. From the Pentagon, here's David Martin." Martin: "Twenty-eight combat dead in November. Compare that to 120 killed last May. Even a hard core critic like Democratic Congressman John Murtha, who once pronounced the troop surge a failure, is impressed." Rep. Murtha: "No, I think--I think the surge is working." (CBS' "CBS Evening News," 11/30/07)

Today, CBS Anchor Katie Couric Says Barack Obama "Raised Some Eyebrows" By Saying He Would Still Not Support The Surge:

Today, CBS Anchor Katie Couric Says Barack Obama "Raised Some Eyebrows" For Saying That He Would Still Not Support The Surge Knowing What He Knows Now. KATIE COURIC: He also raised some eyebrows, by the way, when he said knowing what he knows now, he would still not support the surge, the addition of some 30,000 additional troops last year, and that is largely being credited with bringing the level of violence in Iraq way down. ironically that's one of the reasons Senator Obama can even think about proposing up to three military brigades to Afghanistan, which he calls the front line in the war of terror." (CBS' "Early Show," 7/22/08)

Watch It Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpYxD7heR08