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Sen. Barack Obama
Current Office:
1st-term Democrat from Illinois.
Read where he stands on Peace
Issues
Party: Democrat
Residence: Chicago
Marital Status: Married
(Michelle)
(Prev.) Occupation: Attorney,
Lecturer
Prev. Political Exp.: IL
Senate, 1996-2004; US Senate, 2004-present
Education: BA
Columbia University, 1983; JD Harvard University, 1991
Birthdate: 8/4/1961
Birthplace: Honolulu,
HI
Religion: United
Church of Christ
Committee: Obama
For America |
Iraq
At the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations
in November 2005, Senator Obama called for: (1) a reduction in the
number of U.S. troops; (2) a time frame for a phased withdrawal;
(3) the Iraqi government to make progress on forming a political
solution; (4) improved reconstruction efforts to restore basic services
in Iraq; and (5) engaging the international community, particularly
key neighboring states and Arab nations, to become more involved
in Iraq. Senator Obama introduced
legislation in January 2007 to offer a responsible alternative to
President Bush's failed escalation policy. The legislation commences
redeployment of U.S. forces no later than May 1, 2007 with the goal
of removing all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008 -- a
date consistent with the bipartisan Iraq Study Group's expectations.
From: Council
on Foreign Relations
Iran
Barack Obama would use a combination of
diplomacy and pressure to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons
and to eliminate North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. Obama
will assemble an international coalition that will exert a collective
will to convince these regimes that it is in their own interest
to verifiably abandon their nuclear weapons effort. With regard
to Iran specifically, Obama will pursue intensified diplomacy and
be prepared to talk directly with Iran. At the same time, he will
build on recent actions by the U.N. Security Council to restrict
the supply of nuclear technology and freeze the assets of Iranian
leaders. Obama would also expand this effort by working with our
key European trading partners and the Gulf States to increase economic
pressure on Iran. Obama also would keep all other options on the
table, including the use of force.
From: Friends
Comittee on National Legislation
Nuclear Weapons
"As president, I would want to look
at general U.S. nuclear policies to see what needs to be done. If
we want the rest of the world to disarm, countries like India and
Pakistan, we need to put something on the table, bring something
to the table." In 2005, Obama voted in favor of Amendment 1085
to H.R.2419, which was one of the most aggressive attempts to counter
Bush’s agenda of developing new nuclear weapons (specifically
prohibiting funding for the Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator, a.k.a.
the “nuclear bunker buster”)- check out the vote on
our 2005
congressional score card.
From: Priorities
New Hampshire Bird-dogging
military spending
He wants to add 65,000 troops to the Army
and recruit 27,000 more Marines to fight terrorism. He wants the
American military to "stay on the offense, from Djibouti to
Kandahar," and he believes that "the ability to put boots
on the ground will be critical in eliminating the shadowy terrorist
networks we now face." He wants to ensure that we continue
to have "the strongest, best-equipped military in the world."
In
youtube video Obama said, "I will cut tens of billions
of dollars in wasteful spending. I will cut investments in unproven
missile defense systems. I will not weaponize space. I will slow
our development of future combat system.
From: Washington
Post
Torture
"The secret authorization of brutal
interrogations is an outrageous betrayal of our core values, and
a grave danger to our security. We must do whatever it takes to
track down and capture or kill terrorists, but torture is not a
part of the answer - it is a fundamental part of the problem with
this administration's approach. Torture is how you set back America's
standing in the world, not how you strengthen it. It's time to tell
the world that America rejects torture without exception or equivocation.”
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