Clinton Makes Assertions on Iraq Five Years after War's Start

WASHINGTON — Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton marked the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war on Monday by focusing blame on President Bush, linking GOP contender John McCain to Bush's policies and criticizing Democratic foe Barack Obama as an insincere supporter of troop withdrawals.

Clinton touted her plan to start bringing U.S. troops home shortly after taking office, a plan Obama aides said she copied from him.

In a speech at George Washington University, Clinton also had harsh criticism for the Iraqi government, saying that through its "corruption and dysfunction" it is forfeiting its right to U.S. military help.

"There is no magic wand to wave," Clinton said. "Bringing our troops home safely will take a president who is ready to be commander-in-chief on day one, a president who knows our military and has earned their respect."

"If you give me the chance," Clinton said after detailing the challenges in Iraq, "I will be that president."

Obama campaigned Monday in Pennsylvania, focusing on the economy and preparing for a speech Tuesday in Philadelphia on race, a topic that moved to the forefront as a result of inflammatory comments by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a former pastor at Obama's Chicago church.

Obama has said the comments – including a call for blacks to say "God damn America" rather than "God bless America" - were "appalling."

"I am going to be talking about not just Rev. Wright but just the larger issue of race in this campaign, which ramped up over the last couple of weeks," Obama told reporters Monday in Pennsylvania.

"I think the caricature that is being painted of (Wright) is not accurate and so part of what I'll do tomorrow is talk a little bit about how some of these issues are perceived from within the black church community, for example, which I think views this very differently," Obama said.

Clinton's campaign, meanwhile, still sought to have Florida's votes counted in her corner after learning that the Florida Democratic Party will not hold a second presidential primary to resolve its delegate dispute over rules violations with the national party.

"Today's announcement brings us no closer to counting the votes of the nearly 1.7 million people who voted in January," Deputy Communications Director Phil Singer said. "We hope the Obama campaign shares our belief that Florida's voters must be counted and cannot be disenfranchised."

In her Washington speech, Clinton portrayed herself as the only answer for the war in Iraq.

"One choice in this election is Senator McCain. He's willing to keep this war going for 100 years," Clinton said. "You can count on him to do that."

McCain, in an ABC interview in Iraq, said Monday his comment that he would be comfortable keeping some U.S. troops in Iraq for 100 years has been mischaracterized.

"When I said 100 years, it was obviously after the war is over. After wars are over, we, most of the time, have a military presence there," McCain said. "And, of course, I understand politics, but that was very, very misconstrued when I said that, and I still mean it. We could have a presence here for many years. We've been in Germany for 60 years. But the point is that if we can reduce and eliminate American casualties, Americans will be satisfied with American presence here."

Clinton challenged Obama's sincerity about bringing troops home, citing published comments from Samantha Power, a former Obama foreign policy adviser, indicating his campaign-trail rhetoric might not translate into White House policy.

"In uncertain times, we cannot afford uncertain leadership," Clinton said.

"Senator Obama has said often that words matter. I strongly agree. But giving speeches alone won't end the war and making campaign promises you might not keep certainly won't end it," she said.

Clinton's comments about Obama drew a heated response from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., an Obama backer who noted Clinton had supported the resolution in favor of the war.

"To be counseled or even lectured to by (someone) who got it wrong is a little hard to take," Durbin said.

Susan Rice, an Obama foreign policy adviser, said Clinton came "belatedly to the view that we need to have a plan for withdrawal."

In her speech, Clinton said Bush's decisions "were rooted in politics and ideology, heedless of sound strategy and common sense." And she criticized his positive assessment of progress since the increase in U.S. troops.

Violence is down, Clinton acknowledged, "but the point of the surge was to give the Iraqis the time and space for political reconciliation."

That, she said, has failed, in part because "corruption and dysfunction is rampant."

McCain said, "Senator Obama and Senator Clinton said the surge would never work. It's worked. Now they say that they can't function politically. They're functioning politically — very poorly, two steps forward and one step back."

Clinton challenged McCain's oft-repeated assertion that a withdrawal from Iraq is defeat.

"Let's be clear, withdrawal is not defeat," Clinton said. "Defeat is keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years. Defeat is straining our alliances and losing our standing in the world. Defeat is draining our resources and diverting attention from our key interests."

She touted a well-planned withdrawal – combined with United Nations efforts at regional reconciliation - as "the only way to spur the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future and to ensure that we don't bear that responsibility indefinitely."

Clinton has said she would begin withdrawing troops from Iraq – up to two brigades per month – within 60 days of taking office.