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Last update - 23:28 29/08/2008
Obama: You don't protect Israel, deter Iran by talking tough in D.C.
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Tags: Democratic Convention 

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama accused his presumptive Republican opponent John McCain of "follow[ing] George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy," telling the Democratic convention in Denver that rhetoric alone will not neutralize the Iranian threat to Israel.

"You don't defeat a terrorist network that operates in 80 countries by occupying Iraq," Obama said. "You don't protect Israel and deter Iran just by talking tough in Washington. You can't truly stand up for Georgia when you've strained our oldest alliances."

"If John McCain wants to follow George Bush with more tough talk and bad strategy, that is his choice, but that is not the change that America needs," Obama said.
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The Illinois senator also vowed on Thursday to end U.S. energy dependence on Middle East sources within 10 years if elected in November.

Obama launched his historic campaign for the White House with an outdoor extravaganza Thursday, promising more than 84,000 cheering supporters an "end to the broken politics in Washington and the failed policies of George W. Bush."

In a nationally televised speech in which he accepted the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama pressed the themes that will guide his campaign through the Nov. 4 election: that he will help the country's struggling middle class and be strong on national security, and that a victory for rival John McCain would amount to a third term for Bush.

"Tonight, I say to the people of America, to Democrats and Republicans and independents across this great land - enough!" he said.

The speech capped the four-day Democratic National Convention, where he sought to unite a party divided after a bitter primary fight and regain momentum in the campaign against McCain.

In an audacious move, McCain sought to steal some of the political spotlight by spreading word that he had settled on a vice presidential running mate. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty canceled all scheduled appearances for the next two days, stoking speculation that he was the one.

Obama's speech was delivered in a dramatic setting, a filled sports stadium, the camera flashes in the night, the made-for-television backdrop that suggested the White House, and the thousands of convention delegates seated around the podium in an enormous semicircle.

"We meet at one of those defining moments, a moment when our nation is at war, our economy is in turmoil, and the American promise has been threatened once more," Obama said.

"America, we are better than these last eight years. We are a better country than this," he said.

Obama's speech came one day after Democrats made him the first black presidential nominee of a major U.S. political party. His address coincided with the 45th anniversary of one of the most critical events in the American civil rights movement: Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.

Obama mentioned but did not dwell on the anniversary. His campaign has tried to prevent his candidacy from being defined by his race as it tries to appeal to a wide swath of the American electorate.

The Illinois senator also laid out his energy policy, promising Americans a short-term rebate of $1,000 per couple to help with rising energy costs; release of up to 70 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, and investment of $15 billion a year over the next decade to encourage renewable energy, clean-coal technology and electric cars. "In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East," Obama said.

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      1.   IT WAS JUST THE 5th SYMPHONY OF BEETHOVEN 07:49  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      2.   I fully support Obama 09:10  |  Shimon Cleopas 29/08/08
      3.   McCain was never a Bush Appeaser 09:17  |  John 29/08/08
      4.   Change for chains 10:02  |  Shimon Cleopas 29/08/08
      5.   The purest fantasy, cynically delivered in the hope of votes 10:53  |  Clickfool 29/08/08
      6.   #5 i am feeling ill i agree with clickfool 11:06  |  vhardman 29/08/08
      7.   Indrajaya #1 papapa, pooooo, 11:07  |  S 29/08/08
      8.   MCCAIN NEEDS MORE THAN 10 KARL ROVE 11:18  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      9.   obama why not? 11:48  |  dj 29/08/08
      10.   # 7, S 11:48  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      11.   Obama correct. Iran is NOT the problem, but the OCCUPATION 11:53  |  Ivar 29/08/08
      12.   Obama 12:06  |  Hilda 29/08/08
      13.   #8 the clintons will prove to be a handicap 12:09  |  vhardman 29/08/08
      14.   Excellent, energetic speech (Indrajaya got it right !!), BUT..... 12:11  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/08/08
      15.   Almost ALL of US oil is from Mexico and Canada right NOW 12:38  |  The Equalizer 29/08/08
      16.   # 12, VICTOR HARDMAN 12:42  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      17.   Protect Israel? How embarrassing for Israel! 12:47  |  Natallie Durson 29/08/08
      18.   # 11, HILDA 12:49  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      19.   Only wisdom can save Israel 13:21  |  Edith 29/08/08
      20.   Good night America 13:25  |  Shimon Cleopas 29/08/08
      21.   Israel can NOT be protected 13:28  |  spyguy 29/08/08
      22.   I agree 13:29  |  bouf 29/08/08
      23.   #16 indrajaya is as mistaken on the clintons as he is everything 13:48  |  victor hardman 29/08/08
      24.   Get your facts straight, Equalizer # 15 13:52  |  Clickfool 29/08/08
      25.   Hilda, Hilda, don`t be so scared 13:57  |  Fauna 29/08/08
      26.   So Israel will not get the trailer park..? 14:03  |  Stephen 29/08/08
      27.   It`s not c-h-a-n-g-e but c-h-a-m-b-e-r-l-a-i-n 14:05  |  norb 29/08/08
      28.   Obama looked good last night & it was definitely more - 14:15  |  ivo 29/08/08
      29.   Obama`s Real Stength 14:19  |  Rabbi Jonathan 29/08/08
      30.   Awesome speech, he came out swinging 14:35  |  Aphemia 29/08/08
      31.   Today`s Durson writer musta been bullied at school 14:38  |  ZISD 29/08/08
      32.   Hilda on Pride and Obama 14:46  |  Rabbi Jonathan 29/08/08
      33.   spyguy you are right that is why Israel must nuke Iran 14:52  |  Steven 29/08/08
      34.   tripe 14:53  |  albert paul ortiz 29/08/08
      35.   Ivar`s mind is Occupied 14:54  |  ZISD 29/08/08
      36.   far too much promises. 15:02  |  Dr D 29/08/08
      37.   Obama is wrong 15:10  |  Brod 29/08/08
      38.   Obama is right, but bad for Israel 15:11  |  Joey 29/08/08
      39.   A million dollar tip to contenders 15:16  |  Shimon Cleopas 29/08/08
      40.   Natallie Durson (#17) you really don`t want to go on that road 16:06  |  Gil 29/08/08
      41.   A deep breath of (fresh, clean) air 16:12  |  utagawa 29/08/08
      42.   #30 Aphemia....Great oratory is right 16:22  |  Lynn 29/08/08
      43.   More fresh air 16:26  |  utagawa 29/08/08
      44.   "There you go again." 16:39  |  Ronald Reagan 29/08/08
      45.   # 42, LYNN 16:47  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      46.   #32 Stephen go ahead and nukem, BUT 16:48  |  spyguy 29/08/08
      47.   # 37, BROD 17:01  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      48.   #14 Dino 17:16  |  luna 29/08/08
      49.   #43 more hot air on electric cars, they use carbon fuels 17:23  |  vhardman 29/08/08
      50.   so many idiot responses 17:34  |  ross 29/08/08
      51.   Even MORE fresh air 18:04  |  Lynn 29/08/08
      52.   follow the money 18:36  |  b jack 29/08/08
      53.   What a move by McCain choosing Sarah Palin 18:40  |  Mark B. 29/08/08
      54.   HOW`S HE GOING TO DO THIS;END US DEPENDENCY AT THE SAME TIME HE`S 18:41  |  glenna 29/08/08
      55.   misspelling abbas is to get his his promise from mert:divide 18:43  |  glenna 29/08/08
      56.   # 45, LYNN 18:56  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      57.   #32 Rabbi Jonathan....so, if one does NOT vote 19:01  |  Lynn 29/08/08
      58.   Indrajihad - does having kids make people irrelevant? 19:06  |  ZISD 29/08/08
      59.   To Clickfool (#5): Not so fantastic, just visionary 19:09  |  Morris Valentine 29/08/08
      60.   # 50, ZISD 19:23  |  indrajaya 29/08/08
      61.   Obama in his own words 19:28  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 29/08/08
      62.   NO MORE BREAST FEEDING FOR THE WORLD 19:53  |  DENNIS MIV 29/08/08
      63.   To Gil 19:57  |  Persian Kitty 29/08/08
      64.   talking tough 20:19  |  Shmuelshachor 29/08/08
      65.   Morris Valentine 20:22  |  Mark B. 29/08/08
      66.   Energy Independence Is Doable 20:33  |  Bronxite10 29/08/08
      67.   Rabbi Jonathan 20:34  |  Alain 29/08/08
      68.   Persian Kitty 20:44  |  Alain 29/08/08
      69.   #47 Mark B ..........yes, it certainly has 20:48  |  Lynn 29/08/08