Veterans for Obama Talking Points

VETERANS FOR OBAMA - TALKING POINTS
MARCH 21, 2008

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Honoring the Diverse Groups that have Sacrificed


1) Barack Obama honors America's immigrant troops. During the Bush Administration it has taken immigrant serviceman several years after enlisting in the Armed Services before being sworn in as a citizen. A Junior Sailor Engineering Aid 2nd Class Mike V. Guaigua waited three years to be sworn in. That is too long! Mr. Obama believes that legal immigrants who have fought overseas should have expedited procedures toward citizenship. As Commander in Chief, Barack Obama won't force those like Guaigua to wait.

2) On MTV's Choose or Lose, Barack Obama sat down with eight veterans of Iraq and told them that the problem has not been our military, it has been our civilian leadership. When elected Obama promises to put into force a program that will guarantee transitional housing for homeless veterans and that the military will start the process of treating soldiers suspected of post-traumatic stress disorder before being discharged.


Commitment to our Veterans


1) Senator Obama is committed to building a 21st century Veteran's Affairs and fully fund the VA medical center. Mr. Obama once said that "My Secretary of Veteran's Affairs will be just as important as my Secretary of Defense." As Commander in Chief, Mr. Obama will see that the VA is at the cutting edge of his plan for universal health care, with better preventive care, more research and specialty treatment, and more Vet Centers, particularly in rural areas.


National Security Challenges


1) As President, Barack Obama will finish the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda who are plotting against us in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He will send more troops to Afghanistan. He will provide more support for the Afghan and Pakistani people. And he will not tolerate a safe-haven for Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda on the Pakistani border.

2) Barack Obama will secure loose nuclear weapons and lead the world against the common threats of terrorism and nuclear weapons; poverty and climate change. He will use the power of tough and direct diplomacy with our adversaries, not just our friends. And he will strengthen our capabilities by increasing the size of our military and diplomatic corps.