Barack Obama

it is my privileg to be join by some of the distinguish gener and admir support my campaign __PUNCT__

thei have defend the american_peopl and stood up for american valu with honor and distinct __PUNCT__

between them thei have serv nine command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ and i look forward to continu to draw on their counsel throughout my campaign and beyond __PUNCT__

as as a candid for the presid __PUNCT__ i know that i am run to be command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ to safeguard thi nation_secur __PUNCT__ and to keep our sacr trust with the men and women who serv __PUNCT__

there is no respons that i take more serious __PUNCT__

thi is someth that i talk about throughout thi campaign __PUNCT__

becaus i believ that ani candid for presid must present the american_peopl with a clear vision of how we will lead __PUNCT__

there ar real differ between the candid __PUNCT__ and import_issu to debat __PUNCT__ from end the war in iraq __PUNCT__ to combat terror __PUNCT__ to devis new strategi and new capabl to confront __NUM___centuri threat __PUNCT__

but recent __PUNCT__ we seen a differ kind of approach __PUNCT__

instead of a seriou __PUNCT__ substant debat __PUNCT__ we heard vagu allus to a __PUNCT__ command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief threshold __PUNCT__ that seem to be about noth more than the number of year you spent in washington __PUNCT__

thi is exactli what wrong with the nation_secur debat in washington __PUNCT__

after year of a divis polit that us nation secur as a wedg to drive us apart __PUNCT__ how much longer do we have to wait to bring thi countri togeth to confront our common_enemi __PUNCT__

after year of be told that democrat have to talk __PUNCT__ act and vote like john_mccain to pass some command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief test __PUNCT__ how mani time do we have to learn that tough talk is not a substitut for sound judgment __PUNCT__

after year of a war in iraq that should never been author __PUNCT__ how mani more politician will appeal to the american_peopl __PUNCT__ fear instead of their hope __PUNCT__

thi moment __PUNCT__ in thi elect __PUNCT__ is our chanc to put an end to a divis polit that ha done noth to keep america safe __PUNCT__ or to serv our men and women in uniform as well as thei ar serv us __PUNCT__

becaus the real command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief threshold doesn't have to do with year talli up in washington __PUNCT__ it ha to do with the judgment and vision that you will bring to the oval_offic __PUNCT__

on the most import nation_secur question sinc the cold_war __PUNCT__ i am the onli candid who oppos the war in iraq from the begin __PUNCT__

thi judgment wa not about speech __PUNCT__ it wa about whether or not the unit_state of america would go to war in iraq __PUNCT__

becaus we did __PUNCT__ we took our ey off al_qaeda __PUNCT__ we have lost thousand of live and spent hundr of billion of dollar __PUNCT__ our militari is overstretch __PUNCT__ and our secur and stand ha been set back __PUNCT__

so don't tell me that the decis to go to war wa just a speech __PUNCT__ becaus it wa far more than that to the men and women who have serv __PUNCT__ and continu to serv heroic in iraq __PUNCT__

when i spoke out against the war __PUNCT__ i said that i wa not oppos to all war __PUNCT__

in fact __PUNCT__ on of the central reason why i oppos go to war in iraq is that we had yet to finish the fight against al qaeda and the taliban __PUNCT__

that remain_true todai __PUNCT__

that is why i have consist call for an increas commit to afghanistan __PUNCT__ and why i call last __DATE__ for at least two addit combat brigad to support our mission there __PUNCT__

and that is why i will end the war in iraq when i am presid __PUNCT__ and focu on finish the job in afghanistan __PUNCT__

i will never hesit to defend thi countri and our critic interest __PUNCT__

that is why i am the onli candid who ha made it clear that we cannot toler ani safe __PUNCT__ haven for terrorist who threaten america __PUNCT__

but we must also us all element of nation power to combat the threat of the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__ and that mean deploi the power of american diplomaci befor we deploi our troop __PUNCT__

that is why we must be will to talk to the leader of all nation __PUNCT__ friend and foe __PUNCT__

the threat we face ar increasingli unconvent __PUNCT__ and thei call for new approach __PUNCT__

i have work on the senat foreign_relat committe to combat the challeng of the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__ secur loos weapon and nuclear materi from terrorist __PUNCT__ work to stop ethnic kill and genocid in africa __PUNCT__ and invest in our abil to combat epidem diseas like avian flu that can be deadli at home and sew instabl abroad __PUNCT__

and on theme that i hear in talk to militari_offic __PUNCT__ whether gener and admir __PUNCT__ or the mid __PUNCT__ level offic who will lead tomorrow militari __PUNCT__ is that we need new capabl to respond to thi centuri new threat __PUNCT__

we must maintain our overwhelm convent advantag __PUNCT__ and i will __PUNCT__

we also need to increas the size of our ground forc by __NUM___soldier and __NUM__ marin to reliev the strain on our troop __PUNCT__ and to increas our capac to put boot on the ground __PUNCT__

we need to invest in capabl like civil affair __PUNCT__ foreign languag __PUNCT__ and train foreign militari __PUNCT__ so that we can confront nimbl enemi __PUNCT__

we need to give our civilian agenc the abil to oper alongsid our militari in post __PUNCT__ conflict zone and on humanitarian mission __PUNCT__

and we must inspir a new gener of american to serv their countri __PUNCT__ in the militari and in a civilian capac __PUNCT__

and let me be veri clear __PUNCT__ when i am command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ i will seek out __PUNCT__ listen to __PUNCT__ and respect the view of militari_command __PUNCT__

under thi administr __PUNCT__ too often we have seen civilian control turn into an expect that the uniform militari will be punish if thei tell the presid what he need to know __PUNCT__ rather than what he want to hear __PUNCT__

when i am presid __PUNCT__ the buck will stop with me __PUNCT__ but we will restor trust and open dialogu between the militari and civilian leadership __PUNCT__

final __PUNCT__ it is the sacr oblig of ani command in chief to give the men and women who have serv the care and support thei have earn __PUNCT__

that is what i have tri to do on the senat veteran affair committe __PUNCT__ work to improv care and benefit for wound warrior and their famili __PUNCT__ and to enhanc screen and treatment for ptsd and traumat brain injuri __PUNCT__ the signatur wound of the war in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i will ask myself everi dai whether i am serv our troop and veteran as well as thei have serv america __PUNCT__

that mean onli send them into harm wai when we absolut must __PUNCT__ provid them with a clear mission and the equip thei need to do the job __PUNCT__ stand by them when thei come home __PUNCT__ and help them live their dream after thei leav the servic __PUNCT__

like the men who have join me on thi stage todai __PUNCT__ my stori is onli possibl in america __PUNCT__

it is the stori of my grandfath __PUNCT__ who march in patton armi __PUNCT__ and my father __PUNCT__ who cross the globe to be a part of the dream that my grandfath defend __PUNCT__

an america that secur it peopl __PUNCT__ and stand as a light of hope for the world __PUNCT__

that is the america that i will defend as command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ draw on the counsel of militari command and the courag and convict of the american_peopl __PUNCT__

an america where we meet the challeng of the __NUM___centuri with sound judgment __PUNCT__ clear plan __PUNCT__ and a common_purpos __PUNCT__