I call that leadership, come right and say what people are afraid to say. We know who attacked us but the American people for some reason forgot about 9/11. Well Obama didnt and he's showing why he should be the President of this country

Finally, someone who has the guts to go after Pakistan and Musharrah, who pretends to be our friend but provides safe-harbor and training grounds to terrorists of the likes of Osama bin Laden. Pakistan is a major problem, and unless we address it now, our country remains in real danger of another strike. I wonder what Obama would say in regards to the Israeli-Arab conflict? Would he agree to speaking to Hamas, who is gaining more strength in the region as reported today in the WSJ? Would he agree to the selling of millions of dollars of US technology to Mid-east "allies"? How about our heavy favoritism for Israel? Would he agree that is the fair and correct course of action?

This clarity of vision and purpose is why he'll be our next president.

Many people are against the "war on terror" as a whole, due to the fact that you cannot wage war on an abstract idealogy. However, Obama is absolutely correct when he says that we need to focus on the areas that are actually training children and young adults to join al Qaeda and the Taliban, and leave this civil war in Iraq to be fought between the sects there. It's a disgrace that the United States hasn't found and eliminated the threat from bin Laden and his closest cronies.

Lets pull our troops out of Iraq and send them into Pakistan?? How naive..

"Obama also said he would create an international intelligence and law enforcement infrastructure to address terrorist threats from Indonesia to Africa."

And who's going to pay for that Obama..?? "The Rich"

Again, it proves that Obama is "naive" in respect to foreign policy. Sending troops to pakistan will be a bad strategy, because it will escalate and spread the Islamist extremism around the world. Pakistan is our ally on war on terror, and Obama wants to invade our ally. It is not Pakistan that we need to send troops to; Pakistan needs to change its leader, Musharaf, who came to the power by military coup. Musharaf is a failure on war on terror.

I concur…. leave Iraq, go into Pakistan and get back into Afghanistan so once and for all, we can GET BIN LADEN. If Musharraf doesn't let us in despite actionable intelligence of al Qaeda activity in Pakistan, we should declare Pakistan a terrorist nation and hit it, as we did Afghanistan in 2001. Enough of the same wishy-washy non-action in Washington. I agree with Barack Obama.

So let me get this straight… Obama will end the war in Iraq- bring the troops home for a couple days- then wage full scale war in Pakistan and Iraq? So much for the Dems spitting rhetoric of troop exhaustion.

As an American citizen who has travelled through Pakistan and currently attends a well-accredited US university, I can tell you that if the US government thought they could traverse the difficult terrains of Iraq and Afghanistan, they havent seen anything yet. Pakistan is a much more complex and diverse terrain than both countries put together, and has nuclear power. Obama thinks that by suggesting something different he can get more votes when he just proves he doesnt know squat. Support this move into Pakistan and you support the countless deaths of more American soldiers. With this statement I've lost all respect and support for Obama.

I guess I am not a Obama fan anymore. Is this guy for real? Are you kidding me????

I have always wondered why Pakistan is hiding Bin Laden and Bush does nothing. It does not make sense. Obama is pointing this out. I think Obama will use pressure such as foreign aid to make Pakistan do the housecleaning itself, but there are some real questions as to why we tolerate terrorists in Pakistan and then invade Iraq. Iraq is the wrong war. And we should definitely threaten Pakistan, instead of standing by and wringing our hands, wishing they will do something. This is not a naive position. It is practical.

I don't understand how it is naive to pull our troops out of a civil war and put them in places where they can finally go after the people who actually attacked us on 9/11. If they are in Pakistan, we should go there. If Pakistan is our ally in the "War on Terror" (that phrase doesn't even make sense), then they should do something about the REAL al-Qaeda terrorists that are training and recruiting there. If they don't, then our stance as allies isn't logical…unless you use the logic of this administration.

When will everyone realize that we simply CANNOT AFFORD to police the world, no matter what the stakes are??? The USA is going broke and we're just about at the point of no return. It's time to wake up, people, and get someone into office that understands how deeply indebted we are as a country and that we cannot continue our military globe trotting! We need RON PAUL in office!

now dont get me wrong, obama would be a million times better than bush but are we really wanting to elect another democrat who's just going to spend billions and billions more on fighting terrorism? It's like the war on drugs in some ways- theres no true culprate or way to stop it so youve really got to start looking at solving it in other ways. maybe… i dont know… diplomacy? staying out of the middle east's business?

MY COMMENT IS THIS "IF SOMEONE KILLED YOUR LOVE ONE AND YOU HAVE INFORMATION THAT THE PERSON OR PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT ACT IS LOCATED IN PAKISTAN WOULD YOU GO TO IRAQ TO LOOK FOR THEM?" I AGREE WITH BARACK OBAMA!

Bush is getting exactly what he is hoping for, as evidenced by Adam's comment, and it is what I was afraid of when the Democrats won control in November 2006. He wants the responsibility of Iraq to shift from him to the Democrats. One thing is clear: Iraq is Bush's fault. Yes, the Democrats are pontificating (probably too much) about how we should get our troops to come home. And I would love for them to come home. But, unfortunately, we do have to go after the terrorists who attacked us - I think more to send a message than anything. The fact that we have wasted the last 5 years in Iraq doing nothing but making us less safe and wearing down our military is not the fault of the Democrats - it is the fault of the Administration. However, I think the Dems should probably tone down their "Bring them home now" rhetoric.

I didnt know Obama was an idiot..now hes not getting my vote

I don't understand how this is any better than the current situation we are in. We are still entrapped in an intangible and unwinnable "war". Rather than attacking Iraq, we'll attack Pakistan. Same war different country. Our focus should rather be rectifying this "war on terror" which is illegitimate and corrorsive. By promoting a war against an ideology, we are entrapping ourselves in a war that can never be won. You can kill the man but never the idea.

Yes that would be very smart destabilize a nuclear nation, and convert the over 70% moderates in that country who have never voted for any Islamic party every into fanatics almost immediately.

Very smart Mr Obama. Kudos for your far reaching strategic thinking.

Maybe instead of talking about what to do next, you might want to talk about how do you get out of the quagmire Iraq where thousands of US soldiers have died in vain.

As far as Osama and his evil comarades are concerned the best way to get them is to win the hearts and minds of the people around whose area they are surviving, this would have to be economically and through political manouvering.

Dont give the mosquitos another chance to breed.

Those of you who are calling Obama naive don't get it. Obama clearly says "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and Musharraf WON'T ACT, we will."

Obama is not talking about going blindly into Pakistan, he is talking about acting on solid intel and only if Musharraf doesn't do anything about it. It's quite simple.

Obama has showed his leadership again and again. By the way, for people who said or thought that Obama plans to invade Pakistan, please read his transcript. Our coutry would be stronger if we, as citizens, read and listen carefully before responding to or commenting on what others write or say.

What a hypocrite, he is so 'anti-war' but he wants to send our troops to fight in other muslim countries, what will the difference be? Pakistan is our ally, and the president there has a fine balancing act in being our ally but not alienating his own people, he is doing the best he can to keep that balance. Having him be assasinated or taken over by an extremist govt is a bad nightmare. Obama is 'naive and irresponsible'

Although I am a staunch Republican, I'm enlightened my Sen. Obama's words- however, I feel the need to correct his statement re: the missed opportunity for having failed to act on the actionable intelligence during the 2005 al Queda leadership meeting. His statement implies that Bush administration was the only administration that failed to act on actionable intelligence. Let us not forget the "numerous" opportunities that presented themselves during the Clnton administation. These opportunities were not acted upon either due to the potential political ramifications.
A word to Sen. Obama- you will only win the hearts and minds of the people if you do not become part of the Washington Establishment. You have the opportunity to do great things to win the election- I firmly believe the country is not prepared for another 4 years of "Clintonism"- so take the golden ring that's being presented to you.

Send troops to Pakistan!!! 12 nuclear heads are sitting waiting. Doesnt make sense to go there as, again, we have a faulty intelligence and what we have done in Afghanistan and Iraq, we will do that same there too. "Finally someone has guts to go after Pakistan and Musharraf!, well, we all are fed by highly edited and biased news. "Pakistan is a safe harbor for terrorists", its funny that the people everyone calls terrorists were once trained by the CIA to fight the Russians and now for some reason they defected and stood against US and its policies. Having a typical pattern, US abandoned the clean_up in afghanistan after the war ended and hence this whole Taliban regime's existence. Think about it. If Musharraf was supporting the terrorists then he would he be a victim of three assasination attempts?

It seems people are seriously misinformed and Obama is taking advantage of that. Pakistan is no Iraq or Afghanistan. It has world's one of best airforce and army. This is just cheap talk to get elected. Bash Pakistan, bash Saudi Arabia etc, because people have strong sentiments against them. But once elected he would be going their to have sound relationship. Democrats make me sick.

Naivity is an easy word to throw out. If you follow what has really been going on with 911 and events since then, Pakistan and Afghanistan are where the real terror threats are coming from. Naivity is listening to what the president has been saying and just going with it. It's so obvious now that he put us at war with Iraq without any threat to the US being there. Why? Look up a pre 911 policy called Project for a New American Century. Iraq was never an issue before the war. It was easy for the president to gain trust and illicit action due to fear that resulted from 911. There were no Al Qaeda operatives in Iraq at the time. There are few there now. Iraq is really the result of a Civil war between three major groups fighting for control. Our American soldiers are at risk in Iraq mostly due to the chaos from a civil war, but now that it is such a weak country Al Qaeda has much easier access to them as well. Pakistan is where Bin Laden is hiding. If we did further research into the 911 funding, it has been found that Pakistan had a hand in 911, more than Iraq ever did. Although I agree with what Obama is saying, I doubt he will gain support for another war due to Bush putting us in an unnecessary war in Iraq, and taking the focus and finances away from where we needed to be to eliminate the threat we face due to Al Qaeda and Bin Ladin.

If Bill the Pakistan geography expert from San Francisco can travel through Pakistan, then I think our troop can probably do it. No one claims that it would be an easy war - I don't believe there ever has been one. But I think it is better to try to go after them rather than to let them burgeon back to their pre-9/11 strength. Oops, we already did that by wasting 5 years in Iraq.

I'm not sure who is more naive, Obama or the people posting here. Pakistan is our ally not our enemy. U.S. troops are already in Pakistan fighting along side Pakistani troops.

I agree with Obama that the war on terror should be fought in Afghanistan but to say he would invade an allied nation if the president of that nation did not do his bidding makes Obama out to be an idiot.

We work WITH our allies, not against them, especially when they have nukes of their own.

Obama's inexperience shines through brighter and brighter each day.

When i look at the comments from the many Obama haters, I question there strategy on fighting Al queda. We should pull out of Iraq and just sit here and let Al Quieda increase even more? Come on stop trying to be so political and call Obama names for trying to keep america safe. Your screaming bloody murder for a man who is taking the fight to the people who killed 3,000 people? Politics are thrown out the window when inocent people continue to die from exremist. We should say we cant do,wont do and not even try to keep this country safe by going after al quieda? yeah whats your bright ideas for keeping us safe?

Everybody keep saying Osama is in Pakistan without any solid evidence. Its just opening fire in the dark, thinking you are killing all the enemies. And what if we don't find him in Pakistan, whats next? India? I mean come on. This way we'll make more enemies. Sending troops all over the world is not the solution.

President Barack Obama!! God, I pray that we can say that one day soon! This man is by FAR the most intelligent and qualified person running for office on either side. The perfect ticket would be either Obama running with Edwards or Biden as his VP. Anyone who has studied the Middle East would know that Obama's plan is right on the money! My full support of time and money is going toward his campaign.

I am black man but i strongly believe that America is not yet ready for a black presidents, judging by the recents uterance of Obama.
He claimed that he would engage Castro, Iran, Syria etc in the first year.
he wants to pull the solders out of Iraq.
Now he wants to go inside Pakistan.
If shows he lacks experience and does not understand what he is talking about. America should watch out for him

Yeah, Pakistan is our ally as long as Musharraf's shaky regime holds power. Just wait until he's overthrown.

I think this is really a strong speech, and correct me if I'm wrong, the first comprehensive plan on terrorism by a Democratic candidate…that's a big deal considering it is the most critical issue of the day. I think it's bold to call a spade a spade: If Mushariff won't get OBL, then the next American president, regardless of who they are, must be committed to doing so.

Right, let's continue to work with our "allies" who continue to do nothing about the terrorists training inside their borders. As long as we call them "allies" they can do whatever they want. Hey, while we are at it, lets sell $20 billion in arms to Saudi Arabia! I think I remember that the majority of the terrorists on 9/11 were Saudis, and the majority of the foreign terrorists in Iraq are Saudis, but they are our "allies"!! Oh, and I think Kind Abdullah and Bush have a pretty good financial relationship, too. But as long as they continue to help us win the "War on an abstract idea that has existed for over 4,000 years" then lets keep our hands off.

Everyone just needs to wait for his delivery.

He won't get my vote. By spreading its modern day colonial regime and seeking to democratize other nations under the guise of fighting terrorism the U.S. is wrapped in a web of karma…you reap what you sew. Bring the troops home and then send them to Pakistan? Doesn't make much logical sense to me. Seems he wants to continue to make the U.S. the most hated country, the largest violator of human rights atrocities by forging ahead with yet another war. The U.S. doesn't want it with the Middle East. I say no to Obama in '08!!!

I have always been a republican and will hopefully be one for the rest of my life. I have been saying all along that the root cause of the terror is Pakistan. They're the ones who created taliban in the first place so how can we expect them to destroy it. Afghanistan is their playground and they are playing with us and acting to support the "War on terror" when as a matter of fact they are using us for money. Osama's in Pakistan along with all his henchman. If i were the president, i would take troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan and go on an offensive against Pakistan. Besides, we can always get India to help us and that way we won't use out troops that much. Hopefully a republican candidate says the same thing otherwise i might, again i MIGHT just consider voting for obama.

“When I am President, we will wage the war that has to be won, with a comprehensive strategy with five elements: getting out of Iraq and on the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan"

Um, that word, WAR is appropriate for the subject at hand-yet is it possible that his idea of fighting a war is through relationships with the characters of interest?

I hope so. War doesn't decide who is right, it only decides who is left. I wish the madness would stop and I wish for America to grow strong within its own America, again.

We are becoming weak; to say that America is great is only to say it! WHERE IS IT! The world is creeping up and they are curious and our special characters of interest are sitting and waiting and if OUR leaders keep it up we will be a broke joke and under someone else's rule-whether is be economically or we actually start speaking Chinese-

All great Empire's fall, look at history and look at how and why it happened. Get Real America, and do it fast.

Gutless COWARDS are the people whom changed their view of Obama for saying he will try to find the people responsible for 9-11. Are you people so dumb to realize that this war in Iraq is a disaster designed to help bush and his cronies to make billions of dollars off the death of american lives. what the hell. aparently you people dont care that osama bin laden still is living in pakistan and planning on killing more americans. unlike the iraqis who were content to be shmoes. if we would have gone the tough route, the righteous route from the beginning, we could already have bin laden by now. THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL, unbelivable selfishness and ignorance will be the downfall of america. This is a bright person, far brighter than any of us. just listen to the man talk for a while, instead of being all "oh i lost all respect cause he said he wanted to find bin laden."

God how stupid are the people of this nation?

Let me get this straight. If a group of terrorist attacked us and hid in say…Mexico, and the Mexican gov't refused capture them, we would give then a free pass? I understand now. We only respond to attackers if they hide in a country we don't like. We'll just wait for them to kindly move to a nation we'd like to attack or just surrender. Please don't let the next attackers hide in Eygpt, Jordan, India, Saudi Arabia or any of our friendly African nations.

Obama DID NOT say attack the government of Pakistan. He said attack the terrorist within the borders of Pakistan. It doesn't matter what he said, we are only going to read the HEADLINE. I'm worried for us…we are sooooo lazy to read.

Raj of Seattle WA, your response is the most honest that I've ever heard from a self proclaimed Republican. You are just as brave as Obama.

I think you guys should read his full speach CNN only spun his speach to get the reaction that he's "naive" it so funny how the media works when you readh his speach he will make you feel proud to be an american and ashamed at what bush has put us through.

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/08/01/the_war_we_need_to_win.php

This was a great speach he is a wonderful speaker and he is getting over looked

Pakistan has been the central source of terrorism. Read any terrorist incident in the world and inevitably you see "..had visited Pakistan to receive training"

The simple question is, why isn't the US pressuring Musharak to act ? It needs a new approach. Maybe Musharak would feel more co-operative after a 3 day aerial bombing of Pakistan's terrorist areas

Obama is on the right track

People, please re-read the article and think about it for a second. Just because Obama is saying we need to move the fight to Pakistan/Afghanistan does NOT necessarily mean TROOP engagement. I think people don't realize there are other ways to fight this war than to engage troops, and Obama sees that. He also realizes where the real problems are, and he is bold enough to come out and say "I have and plan, and this is what I am going to do. Don't turn your back on the best bet this country has based on an article. The common reason people won't support Obama is b/c they don't listen to what he is really saying.

Its our job as voters to be smart enough to tell the difference between someone who is Naive, and someone with real ideas as well as a sense of purpose and direction.

You want to call him naive? He is only saying he will do what Bush promised six years ago. Fight terror where it lives. Good to hear a Dem expand on what "pull out" of Iraq really means.

ITS FUNNY THAT PEOPLE THINK PAKISTAN IS OUR ALLY CONSIDERING THAT IS WHERE MOST OF THE TERRORISTS ARE ACTUALLY BEING TRAINED.

ALSO DONT CONFUSE THE WAR ON TERROR WITH THE TERRORIST WAR ON IRAQ WE OURSELVES ARE RUNNING. IRAQ HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM.

WE SHOULD BE WORRIED THAT THE GOVT IS SELLING 20 BILLION IN WEAPONS TO SAUDI ARABIA, BIRTHPLACE OF OSAMA BIN LADEN AND OTHER TERRORIST HIGH COMMANDS. GOOD PLAN GEORGIE.

We are fighting Iraqis in Iraq, not terrorists, they are fundamentalist muslims that are reacting to unjustified occupation and chaos.

And SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, QUIT BEING SO IGNORANT AND BASING IMPORTANT DECESIONS ON YOUR ONE INTERPRETATION OF ONE ARTICLE THAT YOU DIDNT EVEN TAKE THE TIME TO FULLY READ AND UNDERSTAND.. Ignorance will be our great downfall.

Obama and his advisers understand where the real enemies are. They are not in Iraq. They are in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan plotting more attacks and I'm glad to see that Barack Obama understands this. We (people opposed to this war in Iraq) complain everyday that Bush has our troops bogged down in Iraq while Osama Bin laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri continue to avoid death and capture. Why would you be opposed to going into Pakistan to go get them?

Barack Obama is right…. "If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets, and President Musharraf won’t act, we will.”

What are y'all afraid of? You do want Osama Bin Laden captured or killed, right? We all know Bush and the Neo-Cons failed at bringing the real ones who attacked on us 9/11 to justice. They failed. If Barack Obama's plan won't work, can somebody on this blog put a plan on the table that will?

Thanks for the real talk, Barack!

There's really nothing to dislike about Obama, but the more he discusses foreign policy the more he shows himself to be a political lightweight. I am NO Hillary Clinton fan, but she "smoked him" in the debate when he said unequivocally he would meet with foreign leaders considered rogues within his first year of the Presidency. Every time he discussed foreign policy he digs his hole deeper. He's probably future President, but he is no way, shape, or form ready to assume the mantle of that office at this point or at anytime in the next few years.

the dirty secret of the "war on terror" is Pakistan!

Here is a country that trains all the terrorists in the world, and likely is hiding Bin Laden. not only that, the whole army is radicalised and it has rogue scientists selling nukes on the black market.

A terrorist Islamic nation possessing illegal nukes ! and this is an "ally" in the war on terror ?

Obama knows the score - we need a new guy like him to step up and make America great again - my vote's for Barak

"Obama DID NOT say attack the government of Pakistan. He said attack the terrorist within the borders of Pakistan. It doesn’t matter what he said, we are only going to read the HEADLINE. I’m worried for us…we are sooooo lazy to read."

Thank you.

I agree with the need to take it to Pakistan and Afghanistan instead of or more so than Iraq but have believed all along that the "war on terror" should be fought in a covert manner using global, national and local law enforement.

I'm with Obama! After Pakistan we can occupy London. We can finally fairly tax the poor and finance this.

Thanks you my future President. The world need a US President with a brain. I can't wait to call you my President. THANK YOU

(Videotape, January 23, 2007)

MR. KEITH OLBERMANN: Would you reach out immediately to the Syrians and the Iranians, even with the tensions between this country and Iran?

SEN. CLINTON: Absolutely. I don’t see it as a sign of weakness, I see it as a sign of strength. You know, our president will not talk to people he considers bad. Well, there are a lot of bad actors in the world, and you don’t make peace with your friends. You’ve got to deal with your enemies, your opponents, people whose interests diverge from yours.

(End videotape)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20024553/page/2/

Sorry Mr Obama but if you really want to take on terrorism you go after Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran. You decrease their source of revenue to fund terrorism by taking advantage of the US national resources instead of driving up the price of oil by importing oil and gasoline to the US. You build nuclear reactors and increase the supply of electricity which can be used to power battery powered cars.

The current environmental policy of the US directly funds terrorism.

Oh and Mr Obama, before you volunteer to be president you may want to re-read the Consititution. Seeing as how the leadership of this nation is to act for the good of the American people first and foremost. Not sit back and worry if were going to offend this nation or that nation because they don't like our policies

"“Obama DID NOT say attack the government of Pakistan. He said attack the terrorist within the borders of Pakistan. It doesn’t matter what he said, we are only going to read the HEADLINE. I’m worried for us…we are sooooo lazy to read.”

Thank you.
""

Yeah great idea, I'm sure on the flip side the US wouldn't mind foriegn troops running operations on our soil as long as they didn't attack the Government.

I would hate to say this, but in this case, Obama is not right. Pakistan has been a helpful ally in this war on terror. Admittedly they still harbor some terrorists, but you have to look at the implications fo violating Pakistani Soverignty or, unsettling President Musharraf. India and Pakistan are the closest they have been to peace since Pakistan's inception.

We cannot go galavanting around unsettling leaders when we do not have a viable option. Democracy in Pakistan and in the Middle East is not tenible in the short run. There is a history of strong man leaders holding their countries together since these countries recieved independence.

While I understand what Obama is suggesting, and I know he is trying to get tough on terror, threatening to take military action in Pakistan is not the right option.

Another Bush for president. Only the color of the face is different. Another warmonger and corrupt already politician.
Down with him!
Pete

Some of you people really are blind. Read what he actually said, not just the headline!

"five elements: getting out of Iraq and on the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan; developing the capabilities and partnerships we need to take out the terrorists and the world’s most deadly weapons; engaging the world to dry up support for terror and extremism; restoring our values; and securing a more resilient homeland.”

Only one of those five actually talked about Pakistan and Afghanistan. Its the physical war part. Thats why its called a WAR ON TERROR. If there's going to be fighting, why not fight the right people?

Keep in mind there are four other things he talks about that are incredibly important that this administration never even THOUGHT of doing. This is why he should be President.

The END NEVER justifies the means. Whereas Obama's intentions may be worthy, the manner in which he is suggesting we go about it, is downright ludicrous. Entering another country without that country's permission and consent is invasion. Invading another country and causing countless civilian casualties is only going to reenforce most of the world's view of the U.S. being egocentric, arrogant and irresponsible.

The proposition is as outrageous as allowing the Iraqi army to invade Washington D.C. because the U.S. cannot get their act together in Iraq.

If every country in the world had this vigilante approach and took matters into their own hands, there would be mayhem in the world.

Bob, New York, NY….

I agree with you totally and what you say Obama supports as well. I support many "climate change/global warming" policies myself as they achieve a great deal in helping the "war on terror". Whether you agree with the science or not is one thing, but whatever we can do to not rely on middle eastern oil, we'll be better for it in the long run.

Mr. Coffey, Raleigh, NC…glad to see there is some reason in our neck of the woods.

Obama, like all the rest in Washington, don't get it. This is not a war that can be fought with troops. This is a war of ideas. Killing Bin Laden at this point would be worthless. It would only increase his number of followers. Unfortunatly due to all the bungling of this administration the only stradegy that will work at this point is to protect the homeland at the ports and borders. Get out of the middle east. Start a 10 year project to find and develop new froms of energy besides oil and wait 3 generation for this to pass.

Obama isn't the only naive person in this country, who simply thinks terrorism is to be stamped out by killing a few terrorists here and there.

Terrorism is like WWII kamikazes. You don't fight kamikazes, you fight Imperialist Japan. We're not in this battle to kill terrorists, but to stop facsist Islamists. Those radical Muslims work their nefarious deeds across the whole Middle East, in Saudi Arabie, Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, you name.

There is not one 'right' country to go after, people! You have to start somewhere and change the whole region.

Iran is now sandwiched between Iraq and Afghanistan (US forces). Syria is cuaght between Iraq and Isreal (US and allied forces). Democracy and a chance at leading a productive life will keep people from being suicide bombers.

The Middle East is a demographic time bomb. Over 30% of the population is younger than 25 years old. These people have no jobs and little prospects of earning a steady income in backward economies. The Islamic revolution in Iran has done nothing in 30 years and the young generation is pro-West. The want change, too.

Iraqis are voting. Afhanis are voting. Women in Saudi Arabia are now voting and can hold local political offices. Syria is out of Lebanon. Libya is giving up its WMDs and wants to join the world again (slowly). Egypt is showing some signs of granting more political reforms. Things are changing. But it takes more than 5 years!

It took the UNITED STATEs of AMERICA some 10 years to come up with our Constitution, and during that time had to deal with insurrections, as well. Yes, in our own country. The US was fighting in Germany for 5 years and then occupied that land for another 10 years, too.

Too many people want quick fixes and immediate gratification. Get real. Do we just live with hijackers flying planes into buildings? Or shooting down passenger jets with missles? Or blowing up subway trains? Destroying buildings with hundreds of casualties?
Ripping people to shreds with explosives in markets, discos, and churches? Do we live with terrorists killing Olympic athletes and thousands of other innocent victims?

This problem doesn't go away if we close our eyes, turn our backs, or expect little or no sacrifice. Some things are worth taking a stand for. Islamic radicals won't stop fighting just because we do.

Mr. Sean, could u explain "Illegal Nukes"? Whatever nukes other countries have are legal? Are our nukes legal? Get real and think outside the box.

Should Obama hit the US considering it was the US that created the Taliban and funded Pakistan to train the Taliban to fight the Soviets? Stupid people. Waging wars does not help. Violence brews violence. Waging these wars against muslim countries under the pretext of waging war on terrorism is working towards spreading exactly what its seeking to destroy. The supposed terrorists on those planes were saudis, not pakistanis. some of them were even found alive later on. which kinda makes the facts a bit doubtful. read the facts and news around 9/11 before supporting a decision involving a lot more innocent lives than the 3000 taken on 9/11. attacking pakistan would be the dumbest thing to do. attacking any more muslim country would be. a message to all these people supporting another war: make an informed decision when ur saying u support another way coz otherwise the blood of a lot more innocent people would be on your hands too

Obama will flee Iraq and invade Pakistan? This fool is no different from George W Bush. It would be more advisable for Americans to learn from their military failures in Iraq.

"Sorry Mr Obama but if you really want to take on terrorism you go after Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran. You decrease their source of revenue to fund terrorism by taking advantage of the US national resources instead of driving up the price of oil by importing oil and gasoline to the US. You build nuclear reactors and increase the supply of electricity which can be used to power battery powered cars." Bob, New York, NY

In the debate Obama said he would support advanced nuclear power technology and Clinton said maybe yes maybe no (as usual). For a guy without substance, he is starting to string together a comprehensive strategy for america. As for Clinton, Iraq (no answer), Healthcare (no plan…again), Energy Policy (no answer). When someone make a speach people…READ IT. Not part of it.

Don't you just kow that Hillary's fangs are out right now!

Bet her people are sitting there trying to calm her down from her manic rage.

She will most definitely attack this idea!

"Killing Bin Laden at this point would be worthless. It would only increase his number of followers."

Are you afraid to kill Osama Bin Laden?

Who pays for 9/11? Iraqis?

Obama is not naive he is very shrewd as a matter of fact; war mongering has won a lot of elections and that is exactly what Obama is trying to capitalize on, its the American nation which is naive and may fall for this tactic yet again.

This bandaid approach of leaving one war and redeploying to another has been tried and tested and has always failed.

How many of you read the entire text of the speech before posting a comment?

Aamir,

The failures in Iraq are those of the Iraqi people who have FAILED to take advantage of the opportunity to construct a democratic society in which all Iraqis have a voice.

If you remember correctly, the Americans went into Iraq and rolled over the Hussein government in the time it takes to get a Big Mac.

If the effort to provide a safe and free Iraq fails, it will not be the Americans who are falling prey to a bloody power struggle on the streets of Iraqi cities, it will be the Iraqis.

THIS IS WHAT WE NEED AND AFTER HEARING THIS HE HAS MY VOTE!!!

Obama is just saying what people want to hear without thinking of any consequences. That is exactly what we need, another cow boy, just black this time in the White house ! I dotn think Obama has has idea what he is talking about. He is just concerned about getting votes by saying what the people want to hear ! Go vote for him and start another war, fund it with your tax payers money while the trade deficit increases and our jobs move to China and India so in 10 or 20 years we become a poor uneducated country where there is no work. Maybe than the terrorist will stop coming after us !! Or wait.. maybe we can mind our own business instead of meddling in affairs of countries around the world .. Nah .. that would be too much to ask from a nation of Cowboys !

That's rich…another President that never fought in a war, waging war?

If your read this speech and say that he is naive and you are a registered voter you should unregister immediately because you are too ignorant to be deciding the fate of our nation
Read the entire thing, hes right and his willing to actually say what he means.

"Obama DID NOT say attack the government of Pakistan. He said attack the terrorist within the borders of Pakistan. It doesn’t matter what he said, we are only going to read the HEADLINE. I’m worried for us…we are sooooo lazy to read.”

Yeah - I have no doubt Pakistan Government will receive our troops with open arms! Wait… if I remember correctly when Bush was negotiating with Pakistan the deal was we would not enter their country but they would run raids on the borders in support of our efforts.

Granted Pakistan has rougue elements within the military… but exactly is Obama going to convince the Pakistani people to allow our soldiers on their soil with arms and the likely event of "collateral damage"???

NAIVE!!

Go Obama! Put the focus back where it belongs. Finally someone that makes sense. You go after the people who committed the crime. Obama in 08!

Bob, New York, NY/Mr. Coffey, Raleigh, NC,

I believe both Obama and Clinton stated they would only support more nuclear power if the matter of disposing the waste and cost could be much better managed.

I agree with this stance on nuclear and think we should aggressively pursue other renewable and alternative energies that have been on the brink of acceptability for quite a long time. Of these, I don't think corn ethanol be included as its usage hurts the food supply and it looks to be that switch grass maybe be the best overall ethanol solution.

You people who are against Obama don't get it. He is trying to change for the good the way this country is run politically, he is engaging the youth of this country and they are beginning to participate in the process. Both parties seem to forget that we the people can remove them from office in November 2008. For the Black person (Tutu Borås )that said this country is not ready for a Black president, you need to consider staying in sweden. Candidates say things they regret later except for Bush, he stands by every word he says. When Obama becomes president I hope he surrounds himself with people who are honest and not afraid to disagree with him. Not unlike the present administration we have now, totally incompetent! It's time to give the DEMS the power to correct the injustices…tax cuts for the rich, conservative Supreme Court Judges and any other idiotic law are idea that Bush/Cheney/Roe have concocted for the last 7 years. For those of you who continue to blame Clinton, please, please get a life, the IRAQ war is BUSH's mess and always will be his war, that's his legacy!!!

I think Obama is absolutely right Pakistan might as well be harboring Osama Bin Ladin because they certainly are doing nothing to kill or capture him.

Obama is not talking about invading Pakistan, but strenthening the international forces already there, and creating a comprehensive political and economic strategy against terrorism. About time! That should have been done 5 years ago. It would have saved us thousands of American and Iraqi lives and billions of dollars. Those who call this naive, are naive.

While I understand that he did not say he will not attack the government or the general citizens of Pakistan, he really doesn't understand the complexity of the situation. The result of Iraq can not be used as a predictor of how Pakistan will result. I am sure about one thing, that every citizen of Pakistan will become a troop. One thing that makes a country angrier and more hostile than anything is to have foreign troops on its soil. Every citizen will join together on this. They are not afraid. Let's be honest, if a country does not like what's going on here and invades OUR soil, what do you think we're going to do? Sit like lame ducks? It's a normal response. How could we expect that? More radicalism WILL be created. I am not sure why the U.S. has to mess with an ally and not be more patient. Perhaps this plan was already in the works, and perhaps this is why the U.S. is working out some 'special' arms deals with India. Our governement unfortunately is not honest about its intentions or its actual plans.

Common sense 101

Obama's strategy
Hit the place where terrorists live - Pakistan

Bush's strategy
Hit an innocent place and create new terrorists - Iraq

Finally we have one presidential candidate who sees the light

There are real terrorists murdering "real" innocent people in pakistan. In Kashmir islamic fundementalists ran over 3 million Pundits (Hindus) out of Kashmir because they were not "believers". This was back in 98′. To this day the Pundits still live in holes in the ground and the terrorists murder them for sport. It is the real frontline of terrorism. Ofcourse Bush befriends the muslims. Terrorism in Pakistan is due to America doing "business" with Muslims in Kashmir. Hindus are a non-violent people of various sects, who all preach gentleness and peacefulness. They only believe in fighting as a last resort. Thier women and children have been getting slaughtered by these "muslims" for millenia. If you stupid people can't see the truth, it's because you don't want to. You don't feel it necessary to help people who are not "christians". Trust me you will not get into heaven that way.
You don't care and you're just looking for a reason to do without a black president. Why not just choose the obvious reason? Black Americans don't need to be running the world. They have too many issues and hate every other race on earth for it. Put them into play and they'll be worse terrorists than Bush…sorry.

It's so interesting how a lot of you just type comments over one small part of the speech.

READ THE ENTIRE SPEECH! CNN and MSM only take one small part OUT OF THE BIG PICTURE.

http://www.barackobama.com/2007/08/01/the_war_we_need_to_win.php

I dare you READ..IT…FIRST!! THE ENTIRE THING…NOT JUST A SNIP. Then post your comment.

Then, tell me if you still think Obama is NAIVE. He's the only one who has the whole vision.

Don't be like Hillary who voted for the war without reading the NIE. Don't just put your two cents in about Obama's foreign policy, without reading the entire speeach. Do your homework!!!

I was always a big supporter of Senator Obama but not ANYMORE. He is yet another WAR monger. I did not know Obama was such an IDIOT. Pakistan is an ally and a nuclear state. Tell him to go visit the northern terrains of Pakistan. Iraq and Afghanistan would look an easy task then.
What happened to the idea of winning the hearts and minds of the people of the region through economical and social developments?

GO Dennis Kucinich for 2008!!!

Yep, it is clear that most people posting about Obama starting a war in Pakistan did not actually understand what he was saying.

Iraq is not the right place to be fighting the terrorists. The war was to remove Saddam from power and establish a government that would want to sell oil to its liberators, thus, securing a stable oil supply. That is a useful goal. Unfortunately, it isn't working out as well as we would like. We want to help establish democracy in Iraq but, unfortunately, this will take several more years. If we pull out now, we don't secure our objective of stable oil supply.

Obama is saying we need to work with our Afgani and Pakistani allies to fight the terrorists where they are strongest. They will need military assistance for this. We would pursue this with the ASSISTANCE OF AFGANISTAN AND PAKISTAN. In fact, putting the terrorists on defensive is so important, we should be willing to strike terrorist locations, even if it is politically difficult for our Pakistan ally. The region of Pakistan with terrorists is not controlled by the Pakistani government. Even if it is politically damaging to Musharraf, we should hit this region of Pakistan if we know where the terrorists are.

Do we have the military prowess to carry out our mission in both Iraq and Afganistan/Pakistan? That is the question. Obama thinks we can and should reduce our military effort in Iraq to cover the needs in Afganistan/Pakistan.

Obama gives a reasonable straightforward opinion. You can agree or disagree, but it is certainly not naive. Unless we start getting more volunteers for military service, we have to make a choice. 1) move troops from Iraq to Afganistan 2) just bring them home and lose the access to oil or 3) just leave things as they are and hope (pray?) for the best.

So the Democrat's answer to ending the War in Iraq is attacking Pakistan?

Too many people are feeling that there is something fishy with Pakistan being an "ally".

Two excuses that people ( prolly Pakistanis ) on this board are saying -

1. Dont attack Pakistan, they have a very strong army.
psst…if their army is that strong, why can't they control the terrorists ?

2. Dont attack Pakistan, terrorists will overthrow the govt.
duhh…if the govt is that weak, US should move in immediately to put down the terrorists!!

Something doesn't add up here. The American people want an end to terrorism.
Obama has the guts to say what the majority of American people are saying. For that reason alone, he should be president.

you know, lateley this guy is looking very wrong.

Now I know what people meant by saying *thin political resume*. Just having the charisma of delivering a speech does not mean you are ready to take the presidency.

Obama needs to dedicate his efforts towards developing sustainable peace, rather than involving america in another quagmire.

"So the Democrat’s answer to ending the War in Iraq is attacking Pakistan?"

No. Read for comprehension.

“It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets, and President Musharraf won’t act, we will.”

This is a critical bit of nuance. He's not advocating establishing a presence in Pakistan as we have in Iraq, he's talking about discrete military strikes. Huge difference, especially when you're talking about a region that isn't even really controlled by the government in Pakistan.

CNN and other outlets (Drudge,Fox News,etc.) are acting irresponsibly by reducing a 5000-word thesis into one controversial sentence for a headline. I am so sick of this. This is a perfect example for why our political system is so @#$@%^$ up. All you do is make it as sensational as possible to get attention. If people would read the whole thing, they wouldn't be posting all this utter nonsense about invading Pakistan. ACTING ON SOLID INTELLIGENCE TO KILL BIN LADEN INSIDE PAKISTAN IF MUSHARRAF REFUSES TO DO IT IS NOT INVADING PAKISTAN, MORONS. There isn't a patriot in this country he would take issue with this. If Clinton had done it when he had the chance 3000 people would still be alive. Let's not get another 3000 killed to protect Musharraf, who is in power through a military coup, anyway.

I could not believe the nonsense I am reading on this board.

Attak Pakistan ? Are you out of your mind?

Let me tell you war-mongers one thing - every Pakistani will pick up arms to fight the US army. And we have one of the best army and air force in the whole world. Not to mention , our friend China will also keep its promise to defend us.

And finally, the Pakistani govt is well justified in nuking US forces if they are foolish enough to do this.

Dont be under any illusion. We are not Iraq. We have defeated superpower before ( Soviet Union ). If Allah wants us to defeat the other superpower, we will do it just as easily.

This guy is done. Sorry Senator Obama, you can always go on Oprah.

I wonder who Hillary is going to pick as her running mate???

Bob Hart ~ San Jose writes,
Common sense 101

Obama’s strategy
Hit the place where terrorists live - Pakistan

Bush’s strategy
Hit an innocent place and create new terrorists - Iraq

Finally we have one presidential candidate who sees the light
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

"Innocent" - is that the term you libs are now calling Saddam? You MIGHT want to come out of your self-induced haze and recall WHY we removed Saddam (UN Resolution 1441 passing unanimously after 10 years and 10 previous UN Resolutions calling for Saddam to comply with inspections and dearming). Bush NEVER said Saddam was involved with 9/11.

Hit Pakistan? So you're proposing we invade a country with proven nuclear weaponry?

The only light I can see is a huge mushroom cloud engulfing our ground troops in Pakistan. Obama needs to stick to the Oprah show and stay out of foreign policy!

These remarks will haunt Senator Obama, during his campaign and during his presidency if he is elected. Stirking inside Pakistan's territory would only create more religious extremists. Musharaff need encouragement and help to eliminate such extremist, not threatened. No one have and no one will win a war in tribal Pakistan. Read History.

let me get this straight; the 9/11 hijackers were saudi and bush just gave billions to them for more arms. is that right?!?! pakistan is not the problem; what happened to the "cia and fbi"!?!? weren't they supposed to be after this guy. why the heck haven't they found him yet. and further more, how many more countries are we going to tick off before we realize the incredible harm we have done on our reputation. wake up usa! killing more people is not going to save us. trust me.

And by the way which Intelligence is every one talking about? The same intelligence which our great secretary of state brandished in front of the UN when we were going into Irag. Weapons of Mass destruction any one?

So now all of those who support action against Pakistan are calling up intelligence from the same group of agencies as a reason to go to Pakistan.

Mr. Obama knows it would not be wise to attack a country of 160 million with nuclear warheads and 600K plus army, who is he kidding we have no more troops to send anywhere else.

He is just doing this to gain politcal mileage. The problem is that although he is getting political mileage here in the US as I can tell by the comments which are being posted, on the other hand he is sending a very bad message to the people of pakistan. Guess what we want you to help us but if you dont we will come after you.

And that to because of the same intelligence we had when we went into Iraq.

Oh yes the world will support us this time, weapons of mass destruction remember that.

It would be wise to remember an old saying

"To Kill a mosquito you dont need an elephant"

Go after Osama by all means do it through good intelligence and law enforcement.

Remember all the major Al-qaida activist that have been caught have been through the help of pakistan government. Loose that support then get ready for opening the pandoras box.

And there is nothing naive about that!

Finally. Someone willing to do what should have happened after 9/11. Osama bin Laden started this war on the American people- and fled to Pakistan. That was side-stepped by the Bush administration. An "ally" does not harbor your enemies- let's wake up to that. Bush has wasted billions of dollars and American lives fighting his fathers war in Iraq and has yet to provide true safety and diplomacy as our president. Osama is willing to face it and take on our current administrations errors. He has my support and my vote.

As a die-hard Republican, I've been listening carefully to the Democrats, because Guiliani is the only Republican that peaks my interest. Finally, Mr. Obama has said something of substance, something that resembles a thought-out plan, not the usual save-the-world generalities. I agree and would support the refocus the war on terror to Pakistan and Afganistan. Nicely done, Mr. Obama !!

This is one sharp, realistic, in your face with the truth individual. He reviews the facts, goes over every possible solution, and makes a decision base on not just what will help us in the short term, but what will benefit us for the long haul. And in doing so, he not only gains the respect of the people, but respect from other nations as well.

Smart people understand that while war is an ugly thing, sometimes you have to do what you have to do in order to keep even uglier things from occurring. He gets that. People (smart) all over the world get that. That is why other nations like him so much.

I’m a Dem, as well as a Vet, and proud that he is taking a stand on terrorism, and erasing the avoid war at all cost stigma that has been placed on Dems. Not that I am pro war, but some wars have to be fought in order to have peace. Besides, he is not saying he would just go and attack without just cause, nor is he saying he would not give our so-called alley the opportunity to do the right thing; but what he is saying, is that if they don’t do the right thing, then prepare for some red, white, and blue up the Waazoo.

It’s a great feeling to know that he’ll be a president that will not always say or do the most popular thing or that with the least resistance; but the right thing…the things that will make us a better nation, a fairer nation, a nation that is once again viewed as the greatest in the world.

Obama for President,

You got my vote.

I like reading the comments of people who say Obama doesn't know what he is talking about and other comments that came from people who clearly haven't read or heard the speech. I'm sure he just wakes up and decides that he knows things. The fact is that ignorant people have overtaken this country and this blog and until we start to actually read and think about what is going on and stop making heated, partisan arguments based on a spun and well-manufactured CNN or FOX headline, this country is going nowhere but down.

Well said Obama! You are the first person I saw in the past few years after 09/11 that said the right thing…"getting out of Iraq and on the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan". This is what this President should have done right after 9/11 but it is not too late yet.

I am not the citizen on the US but will get my citizenship next year and I will surely vote for you.

If you want to see how fast you can incite a global war by Muslims against the west, by all means, invade Pakistan. This is warmongering madness at its absurd height. I would have hoped for better from Obama, clearly I was mistaken.

I have to admit, I responded without first reading the entire speech. I agree with Kevin in Houston, TX that CNN and other outlets (Drudge,Fox News,etc.) are acting irresponsibly by reducing a 5000-word thesis into one controversial sentence for a headline. I am also so sick of this. This is a perfect example for why our political system is so @#$@%^$ up. All you do is make it as sensational as possible to get attention. If people would read the whole thing, they wouldn’t be posting all this utter nonsense about invading Pakistan. ACTING ON SOLID INTELLIGENCE TO KILL BIN LADEN INSIDE PAKISTAN IF MUSHARRAF REFUSES TO DO IT IS NOT INVADING PAKISTAN, MORONS. There isn’t a patriot in this country he would take issue with this. If Clinton had done it when he had the chance 3000 people would still be alive. Let’s not get another 3000 killed to protect Musharraf, who is in power through a military coup, anyway.

We are way to quick to respond. The media has been very guilty of manipulating words here to get readers. It is such a sad situation, as Obama clearly has what it takes to do what is right for our country. He cares for our country as a whole and not just for personal benefit (as Bush has done). The ignorance that lives in this country voted Bush in twice. We cannot afford for that same ignorance to hop on this bandwagon and not vote for someone who represents good and not evil. All we all want is for everyone to be more informed!!

Kevin ~ Houston, TX

writes, "ACTING ON SOLID INTELLIGENCE TO KILL BIN LADEN INSIDE PAKISTAN IF MUSHARRAF REFUSES TO DO IT IS NOT INVADING PAKISTAN, MORONS."

Uh..Kevin.. what DO you call using military force in a sovereign country that opposes your intervention??

Talk about moronic - you REALLY think lobing a few missiles after Bin Laden (who likely is already dead) - perhaps killing a number of innocent Pakistanis will be ok with Musharraf and the Pakistani people?

How about we send YOU as the envoy over to Pakistan after the military action and you explain how we didnt "invade" their country. Does that work for you??

And to those who say that Obama "is done" need to wake up and realize that this so-called "War on Terror" is not going anywhere no matter who is President. I'd like to know who those people are going to vote for and what their plan is for the terrorist threat. What we are deciding in November 2008 is who will best lead us in that "War" and who will best unite the country behind the fact that we have to fight it. Personally, I hope that Obama is that candidate, but good luck to anyone who is unlucky enough to get elected.

The fact is that Obama has a true sense of what it means to be a part of the international field. He recognizes that there are real threats out beyond our borders that can affect those of us here.

Barack Obama is ready to be logical, decisive, and take over the situation that Bush has created in what I believe to be a very logical way. When it comes to foreign policy, Obama is not emotionally driven, which is extremely important.

From what Barack Obama is saying, it can be expected that the only military action this country will take in the future is to deal with a credible threat to this country in a concise way.

Barack Obama is indeed the best candidate for Presidency of this country.

The majority of the people posting here either didn't read the article or have HORRIBLE ready comprehension.

Shame on CNN for the sensationalist headline.

Hello- My article was posted and the last sentence has "Osama is willing to face it…" It should read "Obama". Could you PLEASE REVISE! Thank you!

Obama has no idea what he would be getting "US" into. Its ridiculous to declare a war before you have any sort of tangible strategy and worse, before you are even in a position to be doing so.
Ideally, we would be able to go after those harbouring the real "terrorists" but we have to realize that we are already such a defecit that our great grandchildren will have to pay for the bad seeds we will have sown.
Many have stated that it will only escalate distaste and ill-will of the radical Islamic followers. We also forget after so often being shown how much they hate us that many Americans don't realize that there are many out there who do not wish the US harm although they may ridicule us for our pompous actions. Do we really wish to wage a neverending war? We're so close to coming to a conclusion even though it is not without loose ends. We would be waging a Holy War, cleansing the world of "terrorists" just as we view them doing the same to us. Let's just bring closure to this and be done with it.

this contridicts what obama said a month ago. nothing but giberish.

First, let's see if he is elected President. Second, once in the Oval Office, reality strikes and realizes it's easier said than done.

This speech contained so much more than a statement about fighting terrorists in Pakistan. It was a comprehensive, well-reasoned plan for enhancing global security and American's relationship with the world. I urge all of you to read the speech in its entirety. http://www.barackobama.com/2007/08/01/the_war_we_need_to_win.php

Here's a particularly interesting idea from the speech that doesn't look like it made it into news articles:
"I will also launch a program of public diplomacy that is a coordinated effort across my Administration, not a small group of political officials at the State Department explaining a misguided war. We will open "America Houses" in cities across the Islamic world, with Internet, libraries, English lessons, stories of America's Muslims and the strength they add to our country, and vocational programs. Through a new " America's Voice Corps" we will recruit, train, and send out into the field talented young Americans who can speak with — and listen to — the people who today hear about us only from our enemies."

Let's all move to Canada

Read the full text of the speech before commenting:
http://www.barackobama.com/2007/08/01/the_war_we_need_to_win.php

"As President, I would make the hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional, and I would make our conditions clear: Pakistan must make substantial progress in closing down the training camps, evicting foreign fighters, and preventing the Taliban from using Pakistan as a staging area for attacks in Afghanistan.

I understand that President Musharraf has his own challenges. But let me make this clear. There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won't act, we will.

And Pakistan needs more than F-16s to combat extremism. As the Pakistani government increases investment in secular education to counter radical madrasas, my Administration will increase America's commitment. We must help Pakistan invest in the provinces along the Afghan border, so that the extremists' program of hate is met with one of hope. And we must not turn a blind eye to elections that are neither free nor fair — our goal is not simply an ally in Pakistan, it is a democratic ally."

Obama how smart you can possible be? May be you need to first resolve Iraq then think about fighting other wars. Stop wasting taxpayers money as you will not get elected with these radical views. This is one things about Democrats that they never have there story straight… get the troops out of Iraq … then send the troops to Pakistan .. WTF …

obama is an IDIOT neoconservative.

were not attacking Pakistan.. they have nuclear weapons. we dont attack countries with nuclear weapons.

Obama would also 'fight terrorsim' by pre-emptively nuking Iran. this guy is no different than Bush.

"Now I know what people meant by saying *thin political resume*. Just having the charisma of delivering a speech does not mean you are ready to take the presidency."

Name a candidate that has experience with dealing with terrorism on a presidential level. Uh………none of them. The closest you can come is Hillary Clinton, and I doubt she was in the Situation Room while Bill was making executive decisions.

But you know who probably was? Secretary of Defense, head of CIA, Secretary of State, and many other Cabinet leaders. Being a president isn't necessarily about being the most educated (as noted by TWO Bush victories) or the most experienced. It is about being the most capable of surrounding yourself with the most educated and most experienced people to help make informed decisions, and then being able to effectively communicate to the American people and to foreign leaders about the policy decisions. Obama has pleged to do this by saying that he will surround himself with the best and the brightest, regardless of party. That is what I want in a president.

So, to those saying Obama has a "thin resume", I challenge you to find another candidate in the field that has ALL the components of a good president - not just "experience" dealing with terrorism.

Hey I just read the full speech at http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post_group/ObamaHQ/CpHR

CNN and the other news outlets did not report the full message he was sending. I truly believe they want to destroy this mans campaign. He had some really good point that I fear will never make the air. The news agencies did not do a good job at reporting what he was truly saying. Seems the "SPIN" really comes from CNN, FOX, AP…need I go on? I wish there was a better way for the candidates to get their messages out with out the scary headlines and biases of the media and political parties.

CNN at work again…spinning the speech to highlight what the Clinton's want you to hear. What do you bet if hillary had given the same speech they would be talking about how GREAT it was.

It is a shame to see CNN only using snippets of Obama's and spinning them to make the story more "newsworthy". It's also sad that the most any of the 24-hour news networks aired of the speech was a couple of minutes of introductory remarks; no doubt, though, had this been a steam pipe popping or a news conference about a murdered woman in which no information could be given, we'd see 3 hours of commercial-free coverage.

And to th75% of people posting here who just don't get it: I hope you don't vote or make any major decisions; your lack of basic reading comprehension, reasoning, and critical thinking skills is the biggest challenge this country faces.

Some of the comments on this blog border on the insane!

READ THE MAN'S SPEECH and stop acting like 9-11 didn't happen. Osama Bin Laden murdered over 3,000 Americans on American soil. According to our own intelligence reports, his group is stronger than before 9-11. They are going to try and kill us again, what are we suppose to do? Just let them come over here again?

I thank the Lord for Senator Obama and his approach to this very serious situation. Bin Laden is still alive and all of us know he is in Pakistan.

The meaning of insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting a different result. Senator Obama realizes that to catch this murderer we must do things differently!

I don't care about Pakistan's President I care about my American sisters and brothers! I care about MY COUNTRY!