Barack Obama

five year_ago __PUNCT__ the war in iraq began __PUNCT__

and on thi fifth anniversari __PUNCT__ we honor the brave men and women who ar serv thi nation in iraq __PUNCT__ afghanistan __PUNCT__ and around the world __PUNCT__

we pai tribut to the sacrific of their famili_back back_home __PUNCT__

and a grate nation mourn the loss of our fallen hero __PUNCT__

i understand that the first serviceman kill in iraq wa a nativ west virginian __PUNCT__ marin __NUM__ lieuten shane childer __PUNCT__ who di five year_ago tomorrow __PUNCT__

and so on thi anniversari __PUNCT__ my thought and prayer go out to lieuten childer __PUNCT__ famili __PUNCT__ and to all who lost love on in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__

the cost of war ar greatest for the troop and those who love them __PUNCT__ but we know that war ha other cost as well __PUNCT__

yesterdai __PUNCT__ i address some of these other cost in a speech on the strateg consequ of the iraq_war __PUNCT__

i spoke about how thi war ha divert us from fight al_qaeda in afghanistan and pakistan __PUNCT__ and from address the other challeng of the __NUM___centuri __PUNCT__ violent extrem and nuclear_weapon __PUNCT__ climat chang and poverti __PUNCT__ genocid and diseas __PUNCT__

and todai __PUNCT__ i want to talk about anoth cost of thi war __PUNCT__ the toll it ha taken on our economi __PUNCT__

becaus at a time when we on the brink of recess __PUNCT__ when neighborhood have for sale sign outsid everi home __PUNCT__ and work_famili ar struggl to keep up with rise_cost __PUNCT__ ordinari_american ar pai a price for thi war __PUNCT__

when you spend over __MONEY__ to fill up your car becaus the price of oil is four time what it wa befor iraq __PUNCT__ you pai a price for thi war __PUNCT__

when iraq is cost each household about __MONEY__ a month __PUNCT__ you pai a price for thi war __PUNCT__

when a nation_guard guard_unit is over in iraq and can't help out dure a hurrican in louisiana or with flood here in west_virginia __PUNCT__ our commun ar pai a price for thi war __PUNCT__

and the price our famili and commun ar pai reflect the price america is pai __PUNCT__

the most conserv estim sai that iraq ha now cost more than half a trillion_dollar __PUNCT__ more than ani other war in our histori besid world_war_ii __PUNCT__

some sai the true cost is even higher and that by the time it over __PUNCT__ thi could be a __MONEY___trillion war __PUNCT__

but what no on disput is that the cost of thi war is far higher than what we were told it would be __PUNCT__

we were told thi war would cost___MONEY__ to __MONEY___billion __PUNCT__ and that reconstruct would pai for itself out of iraqi oil profit __PUNCT__

we were told higher estim were noth but __PUNCT__ balonei __PUNCT__

like so much els about thi war __PUNCT__ we were not told the truth __PUNCT__

what no on disput is that the cost of thi war have been compound by it careless and incompet execut __PUNCT__ from the billion that have vanish in iraq to the billion more in no __PUNCT__ bid contract for reckless contractor like halliburton __PUNCT__

what no on disput is that five year into thi war __PUNCT__ soldier up at fort drum ar have to wait more than a month to get their first mental_health screen __PUNCT__ even though we know that incid of ptsd skyrocket between the second __PUNCT__ third __PUNCT__ and fourth tour of duti __PUNCT__

we have a sacr trust to our troop and our veteran __PUNCT__ and we have to live up to it __PUNCT__

what no on disput is that presid_bush ha done what no other presid ha ever done __PUNCT__ and given tax_cut to the rich in a time of war __PUNCT__

john_mccain onc oppos these tax_cut __PUNCT__ he rightli call them unfair and fiscal irrespons __PUNCT__

but now he ha done an about face and want to make them perman __PUNCT__ just like he want a perman occup in iraq __PUNCT__

no matter what the cost __PUNCT__ no matter what the consequ __PUNCT__ john_mccain seem determin to carri out a third bush __PUNCT__ term __PUNCT__

that an outcom america can't afford __PUNCT__

becaus of the bush __PUNCT__ mccain polici __PUNCT__ our debt ha balloon __PUNCT__

thi is creat problem in our fragil economi __PUNCT__

and that kind of debt also place an unfair burden on our children and grandchildren __PUNCT__ who will have to repai it __PUNCT__

it also mean we have to pai for thi war with loan from china __PUNCT__

have china as our banker isn't good for our economi __PUNCT__ it isn't good for our global leadership __PUNCT__ and it isn't good for our nation_secur __PUNCT__

histori_teach us that for a nation to remain a preemin militari_power __PUNCT__ it must remain a preemin econom_power __PUNCT__

that is why it is so import to manag the cost of war wise __PUNCT__

thi is a lesson that the first presid_bush understood __PUNCT__

the conduct of the gulf_war cost america less than __MONEY___billion __PUNCT__ what we pai in two month in iraq todai __PUNCT__

that becaus that war wa prosecut on solid ground __PUNCT__ and in a respons wai __PUNCT__ and with the support of alli __PUNCT__ who paid most of the cost __PUNCT__

none of thi ha been the case in the wai georg w __PUNCT__ bush and john_mccain have wage the current iraq_war __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ at that debat in texa sever week_ago __PUNCT__ senat_clinton attack john_mccain for support the polici that have led to our enorm war cost __PUNCT__

but her point would have been more compel had she not join senat_mccain in make the tragic ill __PUNCT__ consid decis to vote for the iraq_war in the first place __PUNCT__

the truth is __PUNCT__ thi is all part of the reason i oppos thi war from the start __PUNCT__

it why i said back in __NUM__ that it could lead to an occup not just of undetermin length or undetermin consequ __PUNCT__ but of undetermin cost __PUNCT__

it why i said thi war should have never been author and never been wage __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ let me be clear __PUNCT__ when i am presid __PUNCT__ i will spare no expens to ensur that our troop have the equip and support thei need __PUNCT__

there is no higher oblig for a command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__

but we also have to understand that the more than __MONEY___billion we spend each month in iraq is monei we could be invest here at home __PUNCT__

just think about what battl we could be fight instead of fight thi misguid war __PUNCT__

instead of fight thi war __PUNCT__ we could be fight the terrorist who attack us on 9/11 and who ar plot against us in afghanistan and pakistan __PUNCT__

we could be secur our homeland and stop the world most danger weapon from fall into terrorist hand __PUNCT__

instead of fight thi war __PUNCT__ we could be fight for the peopl of west_virginia __PUNCT__

for what folk in thi state have been spend on the iraq_war __PUNCT__ we could be give health_care to nearli __NUM__ of your neighbor __PUNCT__ hire nearli __NUM__ new elementari_school school_teacher __PUNCT__ and make colleg more afford for over __NUM___student __PUNCT__

we could be fight to put the american_dream within reach for everi american __PUNCT__ by give tax_break to work_famili __PUNCT__ offer relief to struggl homeown __PUNCT__ revers presid_bush cut to the manufactur extens partnership __PUNCT__ and protect social_secur todai __PUNCT__ tomorrow __PUNCT__ and forev __PUNCT__

that what we could be do instead of fight thi war __PUNCT__

instead of fight thi war __PUNCT__ we could be fight to make univers_health_care a realiti in thi countri __PUNCT__

we could be fight for the young_woman who work the night shift after a full dai of colleg and still can't afford medicin for a sister who ill __PUNCT__

for what we spend in sever month in iraq __PUNCT__ we could be provid them with the qualiti __PUNCT__ afford health_care that everi american deserv __PUNCT__

instead of fight thi war __PUNCT__ we could be fight to give everi american a qualiti_educ __PUNCT__

we could be fight for the young_men and women all across thi countri who dream big dream but aren't get the kind of educ thei need to reach for those dream __PUNCT__

for a fraction of what we spend each year in iraq __PUNCT__ we could be give our teacher more pai and more support __PUNCT__ rebuild our crumbl school __PUNCT__ and offer a tax_credit to put a colleg_degre within reach for anyon who want on __PUNCT__

instead of fight thi war __PUNCT__ we could be fight to rebuild our road and bridg __PUNCT__

i propos a fund that would do just that and gener nearli two million new job __PUNCT__ mani in the construct industri that been hard hit by our hous_crisi __PUNCT__

and it would cost just six percent of what we spend each year in iraq __PUNCT__

instead of fight thi war __PUNCT__ we could be free ourselv from the tyranni of oil __PUNCT__ and save thi planet for our children __PUNCT__

we could be invest in renew_sourc of energi __PUNCT__ and in clean_coal technolog __PUNCT__ and creat up to __NUM___million new green_job in the bargain __PUNCT__ includ new clean_coal job __PUNCT__

and we could be do it all for the cost of less than a year and a half in iraq __PUNCT__

these ar the invest we could be make __PUNCT__ all within the paramet of a more respons and disciplin budget __PUNCT__

thi is the futur we could be build __PUNCT__

and that is why i will bring thi war to an end when i presid of the unit_state of america __PUNCT__

but we also know that even after thi war come to an end __PUNCT__ the cost of thi war will not __PUNCT__

we have to keep our sacr trust with our veteran and fulli fund the va __PUNCT__

we have to look after our wound warrior __PUNCT__ whether thei suffer from wound seen or unseen __PUNCT__

that must includ the signatur injuri of the war in iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__ not just ptsd __PUNCT__ but traumat brain injuri __PUNCT__

we have to give veteran the health_care and disabl benefit thei deserv __PUNCT__ the support thei need __PUNCT__ and the respect thei earn __PUNCT__

thi is an oblig i have fought to uphold on the senat veteran __PUNCT__ affair committe by join jai rockefel to expand educ opportun for our veteran __PUNCT__

it an oblig i will uphold as presid __PUNCT__ and it an oblig that will endur long after thi war is over __PUNCT__

and our oblig to rebuild our militari will endur as well __PUNCT__

thi war ha stretch our militari to it limit __PUNCT__ wear down troop and equip as a result of tour after tour after tour of duti __PUNCT__

the armi ha said it will need __MONEY___billion a year just to replac and repair all the equip that been broken or lost __PUNCT__

so in the come year we won't just have to restor our militari to it peak level of readi __PUNCT__ and we won't just have to make sure our nation_guard is back to be fulli prepar to handl a domest crisi __PUNCT__ we also have to ensur that our soldier ar train and equip to confront the new threat of the __NUM___centuri and that our militari can meet ani challeng around the world __PUNCT__

and that is a respons i intend to meet as command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__

so we know what thi war ha cost us __PUNCT__ in blood and in treasur __PUNCT__

but in the word of robert_kennedi __PUNCT__ past error is no excus for it own perpetu __PUNCT__

and yet __PUNCT__ john_mccain refus to learn from the failur of the bush_year __PUNCT__

instead of offer an exit_strategi for iraq __PUNCT__ he offer us a __NUM__ __PUNCT__ year occup __PUNCT__

instead of offer an econom_plan that work for work_american __PUNCT__ he support tax_cut for the wealthiest among us who don't need them and aren't ask for them __PUNCT__

senat_mccain is embrac the fail polici of the past __PUNCT__ but america is readi to embrac the futur __PUNCT__

when i am your nomine __PUNCT__ the american_peopl will have a real choic in __DATE__ __PUNCT__ between chang and more of the same __PUNCT__ between give the bush_polici anoth four year __PUNCT__ or bring them to an end __PUNCT__

and that is the choic the american_peopl deserv __PUNCT__

somewher in baghdad todai __PUNCT__ a soldier is step into hi humve and head out on a patrol __PUNCT__

that soldier know the cost of war __PUNCT__

he been bear it for five year __PUNCT__

it the cost of be kept awak at night by the whistl of fall mortar __PUNCT__

it the cost of a heart that ach for a love on back_home __PUNCT__ and a famili that count the dai until the next r&r __PUNCT__

it the cost of lose a friend __PUNCT__ who ask for noth but to serv hi countri __PUNCT__

how much longer ar we go to ask our troop to bear the cost of thi war __PUNCT__

how much longer ar we go to ask our famili and our commun to bear the cost of thi war __PUNCT__

when ar we go to stop mortgag our children futur for washington mistak __PUNCT__

thi elect is our chanc to reclaim our futur __PUNCT__ to end the fight in iraq and take up the fight for good_job and univers_health_care __PUNCT__

to end the fight in iraq and take up the fight for a world __PUNCT__ class educ and retir secur __PUNCT__

to end the fight in iraq and take up the fight for opportun __PUNCT__ and equal __PUNCT__ and prosper here at home __PUNCT__

those ar the battl we need to fight __PUNCT__

that is the leadership i want to offer __PUNCT__

and that is the futur we can build togeth when i presid of the unit_state __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__