Right wingers may not like it, but Obama's Army anecdote checks out

[psychopomp]

From the Fact Check Desk: Obama's Army Anecdote


Political Punch
Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior National Correspondent Jake Tapper

February 22, 2008 1:33 PM

At last night's debate in Texas, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, told an anecdote about an Army captain that is causing a lot of chatter in the political world.

Obama was making a point about what he called "the single most important foreign policy decision of this generation, whether or not to go to war in Iraq." His point was that in opposing the war he "showed the judgment of a commander in chief. And I think that Senator Clinton was wrong in her judgments on that."

He argued the Iraq war "diverted attention from Afghanistan where Al Qaeda, that killed 3,000 Americans, are stronger now than at any time since 2001."

(Sen. Obama told the following story to demonstrate how Sen. Clinton's vote had negative consequences)

"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," he 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."

/snip

Right-wingers have been in a lather over this anecdote and have made numerous claims that it is false. Jake Tapper finds the Army captain who was mentioned in the story and digs for the truth:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/from-the-fact-3.html

[cali]

1. Lots of hillary supporters here who will hate it more than the

freeperiest of freepers.

[psychopomp]

3. Anybody who hates those who call attention to the colossal mistake that is the Iraq war

will have a tough time with this one. I suspect that should there be an Obama presidency many of those same people will have a tough time with President Obama ;)

[FrenchieCat]

2. Whoop....there it is!

and the earmarks that were requested be released at the debates by non-journalist journalists! :eyes:

released in October of 2007 - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/11/AR2007101101573.html

Tell them the truth Barack, and they'll think it's hell!

[JohnnyLib2]

4. OK, here's one Clinton supporter who is delighted with this report.

In your face, Limbaugh.
:evilgrin:

[chitty]

5. Boy am I

simple.

I thought this was going to be an Obama video set to "Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello.

You know - "Obama's army is here to stay............."

[shadowknows69]

6. I personally heard several stories like this from the mouths of soldiers on Fort Drum

[tbyg52]

7. OK, but here's the BIG story

The *M$M* digs for the truth, finds it, puts it out there! Woot!

I guess I should remove that snide "$," just for this occasion! Nah.... ;)