Obama just the kind of leader we need

Chuck Godman, Las Vegas

Saturday, June 7, 2008 | 2:03 a.m.

In response to Sunday’s letter to the editor by Ray Harbert, in which he says Barack Obama was anointed too soon, Harbert tries to connect Obama to Tony Rezko and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright when Obama has already severed ties with these two men and has said he does not share the views of the Rev. Wright.

Obama also did not have any control over what the Rev. Michael Pfleger said about Hillary Clinton. Mr. Harbert also said all you hear about Barack Obama is that he is a great speechmaker, an advocate of change and a politician with extraordinary judgment. Well, Mr. Harbert, Obama is exactly that.

A letter to the editor a few months ago by Tom Harper needs to be repeated for Mr. Harbert. In that letter, Mr. Harper wrote that back in 2002, before President Bush requested and received authority to go to war, Obama stated the following:

“I don’t oppose all wars. What I do oppose is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war ... I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require U.S. occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East and encourage the worst, rather than the best, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaida.”

That sounds like a very intelligent leader and someone with extraordinary judgment, not someone who gets his country into a dumb war. That kind of sound judgment back in 2002 is the kind that a leader of this country needs.

As for change in Washington, I have no doubt Obama will change Washington and bring this country back together and improve our relations with the rest of the world.