let me start by congratul a great american __PUNCT__ al gore __PUNCT__ for be name thi year winner of the nobel peac prize __PUNCT__
vice presid gore ha been an extraordinari leader for thi countri __PUNCT__
through hi mani year of public servic __PUNCT__ hi earli and vocal opposit to the war in iraq __PUNCT__ and __PUNCT__ abov all __PUNCT__ hi singular leadership in draw attent to the global climat crisi __PUNCT__ al gore ha advanc the caus of peac at home and around the world __PUNCT__
thi award is richli deserv __PUNCT__
you know __PUNCT__ it wa five year ago yesterdai that the unit state senat vote to give presid bush the author to wage war in iraq __PUNCT__
at the time __PUNCT__ i wa a candid for the u. __PUNCT__ senat and i spoke out strongli in opposit to go to war __PUNCT__
nearli all of my oppon for the democrat nomin for presid made a differ choic __PUNCT__ and vote to author the war __PUNCT__
now __PUNCT__ some have ask me __PUNCT__ why ar you alwai remind us that you oppos the war __PUNCT__ isn't that yesterdai new __PUNCT__ is that experi realli relev __PUNCT__
and what i alwai sai is thi __PUNCT__ thi isn't just about the past __PUNCT__ it about the futur __PUNCT__
i don't talk about my opposit to the war to sai __PUNCT__ i told you so __PUNCT__
i wish the war had gone differ __PUNCT__
but the reason i talk about it is becaus i truli believ that the judgment __PUNCT__ and the convict __PUNCT__ and the account that each of us show on the most import foreign polici decis of our live is the best indic you have of how each of us will make those decis go forward __PUNCT__
how we made that decis __PUNCT__ and how we talk about it __PUNCT__ is critic to understand what we would do as presid __PUNCT__
will we carefulli evalu the evid and the consequ of action __PUNCT__ or will we skip over the intellig and scare peopl with the consequ of inact __PUNCT__ will we make these decis base on poll __PUNCT__ or base on our principl __PUNCT__ will we have the courag to make the tough choic __PUNCT__ or will we just choos the cours that make us look tough __PUNCT__
these decis aren't just washington parlor game about who up and who down __PUNCT__
these ar life and death decis __PUNCT__
thei impact your safeti and secur __PUNCT__
abov all __PUNCT__ thei impact the soldier from iowa __PUNCT__ or the airman from illinoi __PUNCT__ and everi singl on of our brave young men and women who ar in harm wai __PUNCT__ and all of their famili and friend back home __PUNCT__
now __PUNCT__ it easi to oppos a war after it ha gone wrong __PUNCT__
it easi to sai __PUNCT__ year later __PUNCT__ that the war shouldn't have happen __PUNCT__ given what we know now about how badli it ha turn out __PUNCT__
but everi singl on of us run for presid onli had on chanc to make a judgment about whether or not to go to war __PUNCT__
as i travel around the countri __PUNCT__ so mani american ask me __PUNCT__ how did we go so wrong in iraq __PUNCT__ and thei not just ask becaus thei want to understand the past __PUNCT__ thei ask becaus thei don't want their leader to make the same mistak again in the futur __PUNCT__
thei don't want leader who will bog us down in unnecessari war __PUNCT__ thei don't want leader who allow america to lose it stand __PUNCT__ and thei don't want leader who tell the american peopl anyth less than the full truth about where thei stand and what thei do __PUNCT__
that is a big part of what thi campaign is about __PUNCT__
becaus we need to learn the pain lesson of the iraq war if we go to secur thi countri and renew america leadership __PUNCT__
the first thing we have to understand is what happen in iraq __PUNCT__
becaus there ar two wai to look at thi __PUNCT__
the first wai is to sai that iraq is a disast becaus of georg bush mismanag __PUNCT__
or becaus of the arrog and incompet of dick chenei or donald rumsfeld in prosecut the war __PUNCT__
or becaus iraq prime minist just hasn't been up to the job __PUNCT__
but i take a differ view __PUNCT__
i think the problem isn't just how we fought the war __PUNCT__ it that we fought the war in the first place __PUNCT__
becaus the truth is __PUNCT__ the war in iraq should never have been author __PUNCT__ and it should never have been wage __PUNCT__
the iraq war had noth to do with al qaeda or 9/11 __PUNCT__
it wa base on exagger fear and unconvinc intellig __PUNCT__
and it ha left america less safe __PUNCT__ and less respect around the world __PUNCT__
five year ago __PUNCT__ my friend warn me not to speak up against the war __PUNCT__
go to war wa popular __PUNCT__
so wa presid bush __PUNCT__
you be put your polit career on the line __PUNCT__ thei said __PUNCT__
but i just didn't see how saddam hussein pose an immin threat __PUNCT__
i wa convinc that a war would distract us from afghanistan and al qaeda __PUNCT__ and fan the flame of extrem and terror __PUNCT__
and i didn't get into polit to stai silent on the tough issu __PUNCT__ or to tailor my posit to the poll __PUNCT__
i didn't want to look back __PUNCT__ after an unnecessari war had been wage __PUNCT__ and regret that i didn't speak out against go to war just becaus go to war wa popular __PUNCT__
so i spoke out against what i call a __PUNCT__ rash war __PUNCT__ a __PUNCT__ war base not on reason but on polit __PUNCT__
but the convent think in washington line up for war __PUNCT__
the presid and hi advisor told us that the onli wai to stop saddam hussein from get a nuclear weapon wa to go to war __PUNCT__ that we couldn't let the smoke gun be a mushroom cloud __PUNCT__
lead democrat __PUNCT__ includ senat clinton __PUNCT__ echo the erron line that there wa a connect between saddam hussein and al qaeda __PUNCT__
we were counsel by some of the most experienc voic in washington that the onli wai for democrat to look tough wa to talk __PUNCT__ act __PUNCT__ and vote like republican __PUNCT__
there is no doubt that presid bush fail us in the run __PUNCT__ up to war __PUNCT__
but the american peopl weren't just fail by the presid __PUNCT__ thei were fail by the congress __PUNCT__
too mani member of congress fail to ask hard question __PUNCT__
too mani member of congress __PUNCT__ includ some of my oppon in thi race __PUNCT__ fail to read the nation intellig estim for themselv __PUNCT__ an intellig report that wa so unconvinc __PUNCT__ and so fill with qualif __PUNCT__ that the chairman of the senat intellig committe decid to vote against the war when he read it for himself __PUNCT__
too mani democrat fell in line with georg bush __PUNCT__ and vote to give him the open __PUNCT__ end author to wage war that he us to thi dai __PUNCT__
so let be clear __PUNCT__ without that vote __PUNCT__ there would be no war __PUNCT__
senat edward vote for the war in __NUM__ __PUNCT__
he ha renounc that vote __PUNCT__ instead of pretend that it wa a vote for anyth but war __PUNCT__
but senat clinton make a differ argument __PUNCT__
she sai that she wasn't realli vote for war back in __NUM__ she wa vote for more inspect __PUNCT__ or she wa vote for more diplomaci __PUNCT__
but all of us know what wa be debat in the congress in the fall of __NUM__ __PUNCT__
we didn't need to author a war in order to have unit nation weapon inspect __PUNCT__
no on thought congress wa debat whether or not to conduct diplomaci __PUNCT__
the headlin on __DATE__ did not read __PUNCT__ congress author diplomaci with iraq __PUNCT__ the headlin on __DATE__ read __PUNCT__ congress back war __PUNCT__
in the cours of thi campaign __PUNCT__ we haven't just seen differ candid talk about their vote in differ wai __PUNCT__ we seen how differ candid have drawn differ lesson from their experi of the iraq war __PUNCT__
five year later __PUNCT__ we should all have learn the lesson of that vote __PUNCT__ we should all have learn that you can't give thi administr an excus to wage war __PUNCT__
but just last month __PUNCT__ the senat vote for an amend that rais the risk that we could repeat the mistak of iraq __PUNCT__
here is why thi amend is so reckless __PUNCT__
it open with seventeen find that highlight iran influenc insid of iraq __PUNCT__
then it sai we have to structur our militari presenc insid iraq to counter iran __PUNCT__
it goe on to sai that it is __PUNCT__ a critic nation interest of the unit state __PUNCT__ to prevent the iranian govern from exert influenc insid iraq __PUNCT__
why is thi amend so danger __PUNCT__ becaus georg bush and dick chenei could us thi languag to justifi keep our troop in iraq as long as thei can point to a threat from iran __PUNCT__
and becaus thei could us thi languag to justifi an attack on iran as a part of the ongo war in iraq __PUNCT__
i don't want to give thi presid ani excus __PUNCT__ or ani open for war __PUNCT__
becaus as we learn with the author of the iraq war __PUNCT__ when you give thi presid a blank check __PUNCT__ you can't be surpris when he cash it __PUNCT__
senat clinton is the onli democrat candid for presid who support thi amend __PUNCT__
she said __PUNCT__ like she did five year ago __PUNCT__ that it is a wai to support diplomaci __PUNCT__
i disagre __PUNCT__
we all know that iran pose a threat __PUNCT__
we do need to mount intern pressur to stop iran nuclear program __PUNCT__
we do need to tighten sanction on the iranian regim __PUNCT__ particularli on iran revolutionari guard __PUNCT__ which support terror __PUNCT__
but thi must be done separ from ani saber __PUNCT__ rattl about check iranian influenc with our militari presenc in iraq __PUNCT__
we should not be argu that our troop have to stai in iraq to counter iran __PUNCT__
now is the time to end the war in iraq __PUNCT__
now is the time to start bring our troop out of iraq __PUNCT__ immedi __PUNCT__
that why i have a plan to remov on or two combat brigad a month so that we get all of our combat troop out of iraq within __NUM__ month __PUNCT__ that as quickli and respons as we can do thi __PUNCT__
the onli troop i will keep in iraq for a limit time will protect our diplomat and carri out target strike on al qaeda __PUNCT__ not sustain combat __PUNCT__
and i will launch the diplomat and humanitarian initi that ar so badli need __PUNCT__
so let there be no doubt __PUNCT__ i will end thi war __PUNCT__
now is not the time to give georg bush and dick chenei ani excus to escal thi war __PUNCT__
now is not the time for the congress to send mix messag __PUNCT__
that why my posit todai is the same as it wa when i stood up in iowa on __DATE__ and said __PUNCT__ georg bush and dick chenei must hear __PUNCT__ loud and clear __PUNCT__ from the american peopl and the congress __PUNCT__ you don't have our support __PUNCT__ and you don't have our author for anoth war __PUNCT__
five year after that vote for war __PUNCT__ we should all have learn the lesson that the cowboi diplomaci of not talk to peopl we don't like doesn't work __PUNCT__
we do need tougher diplomaci with iran __PUNCT__
but the wai to support tough diplomaci is not to vote for reckless amend __PUNCT__ the wai to support diplomaci is to actual pursu it __PUNCT__
that what i call for throughout thi campaign __PUNCT__ direct diplomaci __PUNCT__ without precondit __PUNCT__
and that what i do as presid __PUNCT__
not the bush __PUNCT__ chenei diplomaci of talk to our friend and ignor our enemi __PUNCT__
real __PUNCT__ direct __PUNCT__ and sustain diplomaci __PUNCT__
a coupl of month ago __PUNCT__ senat clinton call me __PUNCT__ naïv and irrespons __PUNCT__ for take thi posit __PUNCT__ and said that we could lose propaganda battl if we met with leader we didn't like __PUNCT__
just yesterdai __PUNCT__ though __PUNCT__ she call for diplomaci with iran without precondit __PUNCT__
so i not sure if ani of us know exactli where she stand on thi __PUNCT__
but i can tell you thi __PUNCT__ when i am presid of the unit state __PUNCT__ the american peopl and the world will alwai know where i stand __PUNCT__
i don't see how we can ralli the world unless we have a presid who is will to lead __PUNCT__
i not afraid that america will lose a propaganda battl with a petti tyrant __PUNCT__ we need to go befor the world and win those battl __PUNCT__
and as presid __PUNCT__ i will __PUNCT__
you know __PUNCT__ the cautiou __PUNCT__ convent think in washington sai that democrat can't take these posit __PUNCT__
or that we need to sai on thing in a caucu and primari campaign __PUNCT__ but anoth in a gener elect __PUNCT__
thi is the convent think that said that democrat had to vote for war in __NUM__ becaus there wa an elect come up __PUNCT__ an elect that we lost __PUNCT__
the convent think that sai that democrat can't win elect __PUNCT__ unless thei talk __PUNCT__ act and vote like republican when it come to foreign polici and nation secur __PUNCT__
well __PUNCT__ i not run to conform to washington convent think __PUNCT__ i run to challeng it __PUNCT__
that what i did in __NUM__ __PUNCT__
that what i did in __NUM__ __PUNCT__
and that what i will do as presid of the unit state __PUNCT__
becaus i think the pundit have it wrong __PUNCT__
i think the american peopl have had enough of politician who go out of their wai to look tough __PUNCT__ who sai on thing in a caucu and anoth in a gener elect __PUNCT__
when i am the nomine of our parti __PUNCT__ the choic will be clear __PUNCT__
my republican oppon won't be abl to sai that we both support thi war in iraq __PUNCT__
he won't be abl to sai that we realli agre about us the war in iraq to justifi militari action against iran __PUNCT__ or about the diplomaci of not talk and saber __PUNCT__ rattl __PUNCT__
he won't be abl to sai that i haven't been open and straight with the american peopl __PUNCT__ or that i chang my posit __PUNCT__
and you know what __PUNCT__ the american peopl want that choic __PUNCT__
becaus i believ that what we need in our next presid __PUNCT__
we had enough of a misguid war in iraq that never should have been fought __PUNCT__ a war that need to end __PUNCT__
we had enough of presid who put tough talk ahead of real diplomaci __PUNCT__
and we had enough of politician who put power over principl __PUNCT__ of a govern in washington that shut you out __PUNCT__ and of presid who don't hold themselv account __PUNCT__
thi is about what we stand for as democrat __PUNCT__
but much more than that __PUNCT__ it about what we stand for as american __PUNCT__
becaus there ar plenti of democrat and plenti of independ and __PUNCT__ ye __PUNCT__ plenti of republican out there who ar readi to turn the page on the broken polit and bluster foreign polici come from washington __PUNCT__
that how we go to bring thi countri togeth __PUNCT__
that how we go to restor our secur and renew our stand in the world __PUNCT__
not by shift with the polit wind __PUNCT__ but by stand strong in ani storm __PUNCT__ and stand up for what we believ __PUNCT__
i would not be on thi stage todai if the promis of america had not brought my father across an ocean __PUNCT__
i would not be on thi stage if gener of american had not fought befor me so that the american dream could be extend to a man name barack obama __PUNCT__
that why i have spent my own life fight for that dream __PUNCT__ no matter how difficult it been __PUNCT__ no matter how tough it wa to take a stand __PUNCT__
that why i will alwai tell you where i stand and what i believ __PUNCT__
and when i am presid __PUNCT__ that is how we will meet the hard challeng __PUNCT__ and reclaim that dream __PUNCT__ and make the unit state of america a light to the world onc more __PUNCT__
