LIVE: Barack talks security in West Lafayette

Sen. Barack Obama is getting ready for a live talk on nuclear proliferation, bioterrorism, cyber security and emerging national security threats.

You can watch the live webcast from West Lafayette, Indiana in the viewer below.

Recently, Obama has discussed national security issues quite a bit possibly in preparation for his overseas trip to Europe and the Middle East.

The Illinois senator will be joined in the video by Senators Evan Bayh and Sam Nunn, Dr. Graham Allison, an expert on nuclear non-proliferation, and a Professor and former Dean of the Kennedy School of Government, two renowned experts on bio security--Dr. Tara O’Toole, Center for Bio Security at the University of Pittsburgh, and Dr. David Relman, Stanford University Medical School—and two cyber security experts—Paul Kurtz, a former senior member on the National Security Council and Homeland Security Council, and Alan Wade, former Chief Information Officer for the CIA.

Obama Videos: NAACP and Security Address

Sen. Barack Obama addresses the NAACP Annual Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio during Youth Night.

If elected, Obama will become the first African American president on the 100th anniversary of the NAACP.




Here's the video of Barack's speech on the Iraq War and national security in Washington DC today. He said:

I am running for President of the United States to lead this country in a new direction – to seize this moment’s promise. Instead of being distracted from the most pressing threats that we face, I want to overcome them. Instead of pushing the entire burden of our foreign policy on to the brave men and women of our military, I want to use all elements of American power to keep us safe, and prosperous, and free. Instead of alienating ourselves from the world, I want America – once again – to lead.

As President, I will pursue a tough, smart and principled national security strategy – one that recognizes that we have interests not just in Baghdad, but in Kandahar and Karachi, in Tokyo and London, in Beijing and Berlin. I will focus this strategy on five goals essential to making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban; securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Clearly Iraq is the one issue that stand out so clearly as a difference between Barack Obama and John McCain.




And's here a Flickr slideshow from the Washington talk:

Obama Addresses National Security Issues in DC

Ahead of a major address by Sen. Barack Obama on his policy on Iraq, Afghanistan and other national security issues, the campaign released a new TV ad highlighting the senator's work on stopping the smuggling of nuclear weapons.

The ad titled "America's Leadership" will air in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

The selection of states for this ad might give some indication of which states the Obama campaign is targeting as battleground areas.



Read the text of Barack's address "A Strategy for A New World" as prepared for delivery in Washington DC today.

Barack Obama speaks before National Security Meeting

Sen. Barack Obama spoke to the press today before meeting with his National Security team in Washington, DC.



Here is some of what he said.

We continue to face grave threats, not only from terrorism, but also nuclear proliferation, climate change and poverty, genocide and disease. Nearly all of these threats have grown over the last eight years because of the policies of George Bush, which I believe have left us less safe and less respected in the world.

Instead of adhering to a rigid ideology, I want to get back to the pragmatic tradition of American foreign policy which has been so ably advanced by the people in this room, a policy that's focused on using all elements of American power to protect our people and to advance our interests.

Barack Obama: Senior Working Group on National Security

Sen. Barack Obama announced today his Senior Working Group on National Security to advise him on policy until the election in November.

Interestingly, there are no generals or admirals in the working group. He will meet separately though with a group of nearly 40 flag officers from the armed services.

Obama Announces Senior Working Group on National Security

by Sam Graham-Felsen, Wednesday, June 18, 2008 at 07:56 AM

CHICAGO, IL – Senator Obama today announced the formation of his Senior Working Group on National Security, a group of advisors that he will consult on a regular basis between now and the election. Obama will meet with the group for the first time today in Washington, DC for a wide-ranging discussion of the immense challenges faced by the United States in the wake of the disastrous foreign policies of George Bush.

“Each individual here today has provided extraordinary service to our nation in the executive branch and Congress. Several have been advising my campaign for some time. We’re also honored to be joined by some of Senator Clinton’s senior advisors. In the months to come, we’ll be reaching out to others, as well as leaders in Congress,” Senator Obama said. “The stakes in this election could not be higher. John McCain wants to continue George Bush's foreign policy which has made us less safe, less respected, and less able to lead the world. It's time to change course. It's time to end the war in Iraq responsibly, refocus on Afghanistan and al Qaeda, and renew our global leadership so that we can tackle the huge challenges of the 21st century.”

Later today, he will also meet with a group of nearly 40 retired Admirals and Generals to discuss the state of our armed forces, and the challenges facing our military in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world. This meeting is part of an ongoing dialogue between Senator Obama and current and former military officers of various ranks and views.

Senator Obama’s Senior Working Group on National Security includes:

• Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
• Senator David Boren, former Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
• Secretary of State Warren Christopher
• Greg Craig, former director of the State Department Office of Policy Planning
• Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig
• Representative Lee Hamilton, former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
• Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder
• Dr. Tony Lake, former National Security Advisor
• Senator Sam Nunn, former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
• Secretary of Defense William Perry
• Dr. Susan Rice, former Assistant Secretary of State
• Representative Tim Roemer, 9/11 Commissioner
• Jim Steinberg, former Deputy National Security Advisor

Click here to read Senator Obama's plan to turn the page on the failed Bush-McCain foreign policy.

Will Benazir Bhutto assassination impact U.S. elections?

Shortly after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the first woman leader in a modern Islamic country, even before an official statement from the Bush administration, presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani released a statement before any other candidate bringing up the specter of the war on terrorism.

There obviously was some politicking going on here, and one wonders what impact the tragic events in Pakistan today will have on the elections, both the general election and the primary election.

Will the terrorist act reinforce the "climate of fear" that has prevailed since 9-11 and play into the hands of hawks both in the primary and general?

Those interested in moving toward peace and a stabilization of world relations will have to work extra hard in the coming days and months to insure that sound judgment prevails over raw emotion.

Barack Obama released this statement today after learning of the fateful events:

I am shocked and saddened by the death of Benazir Bhutto in this terrorist atrocity. She was a respected and resilient advocate for the democratic aspirations of the Pakistani people. We join with them in mourning her loss, and stand with them in their quest for democracy and against the terrorists who threaten the common security of the world.

Obama Foreign Policy Forum in New Hampshire

Sarah Sewall, Faculty Director of the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, cross-posted a message on barackobama.com, DailyKos, Blue Hampshire for Obama's foreign policy forum in New Hampshire Tuesday.

I've spent a career in foreign policy and national security, but it doesn't take an expert to know that after eight years of the Bush Administration's narrow-minded foreign policy and disastrous war in Iraq, our next president will urgently face enormous challenges in restoring America's global leadership.

We must renew America's image and show a new face to the world after eight years of alienating our allies and refusing to engage our enemies.

We must end a misguided war and restore a military stretched to the breaking point by a war that has already cost hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives while distracting us from the real threat of Al-Qaeda and making us less safe.

We must reclaim our nation's values by rejecting torture and the violation of our civil liberties, and by trusting in our Constitution and proud legacy of individual freedoms.

We must proactively and patiently use all of our nation's strength - diplomatic, economic, and intelligence - to lead the world instead of relying solely upon military power because we ignored or rejected other options.

We must rebuild strong alliances and rally international action to combat the common enemies of the 21st - terrorism and nuclear weapons, poverty and disease, genocide and climate change.

We must genuinely redefine American leadership and challenge conventional Washington thinking, so that hope triumphs over fear in a world with real danger and unconventional challenges.

This is what America needs, and it will take bold leadership to meet this challenge.

I'm supporting Senator Barack Obama because he has the courage, the judgment, and the vision to achieve these goals, and to meet the unanticipated new challenges that are certain to arise. True leadership is based upon courage, not driven by fear. True leadership calls us to our better selves, to come together, and to summon our collective courage to create the world we wish for. Barack Obama has proven that he understands our changing world, thinks unconventionally, speaks forthrightly, and fights for his ideals. On the day he is inaugurated, he will fundamentally transform the way the world thinks about America, and what we expect of ourselves.

Barack Obama is the leader who will speak directly to nations and peoples disillusioned with America's policies. His life both abroad and here at home reflects his deep understanding of the universal human struggle for dignity and security. He recognizes that our security and future are increasingly linked to those of others. And Obama knows that America cannot just stand against terrorism, it must stand for freedom, hope and opportunity for all and for common security and international stability.

He offers a comprehensive foreign policy vision that combines national values and interests and reflects America at its best. He has developed concrete policies and initiatives to fulfill that vision - from doubling investment in international economic development and helping others build prosperity and peace; to calling Americans to service and launching a new era of American diplomacy; to creating a Shared Security Partnership to fight terrorism and training other nations to protect their citizens; to helping secure all loose nuclear materials and leading toward a world without nuclear weapons.

Obama offers smart, strong, and sustainable policy alternatives at this crucial juncture in our history. Not only did he have the courage and judgment to oppose the Iraq War from the start; his plan to end that war reflects understanding of the broader regional context and America's long-term interests. Not only is he standing up to the saber-rattling toward Iran; he's offering a credible alternative path to security through vigorous presidential diplomacy.

Obama's foreign policy represents not just a break from the Bush-Cheney years of failed foreign policy, but from the decades of conventional thinking that led us to this perilous moment in our history.

It is no coincidence that one of the most secretive Administrations in history has pursued disastrous and deceitful international policies. This stands in stark contrast to Barack Obama's commitment to openness and his honesty about where he stands on the tough issues. Consistent with this commitment, Obama will host a foreign policy forum with New Hampshire residents on Tuesday, November 27th.

The forum will bring together scholars and soldiers, national security experts and university professors, for a participatory discussion with New Hampshire voters about the foreign policy challenges we face and the kind of leadership and action it will take to tackle them.

There, Senator Obama and I will be joined by leading local and national Obama advisors and foreign policy experts, all of whom share my belief that it's time for a fundamental change in our foreign policy - time for a 21st century vision that replaces empty threats with smart, tough diplomacy, and regains our moral leadership by staying true to the values and ideals on which America was built. Panels will feature:

• Richard Danzig - Former Secretary of the Navy under President Clinton
• Tony Lake - National Security Advisor to President Clinton
• Adm. John Hutson (USN Ret.) - Bow, NH resident; Dean of Franklin Pierce Law Center; former U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General and nationally-known expert on detention and interrogation policy
• Samantha Power - Pulitzer Prize-winning author and renowned professor of human rights and foreign policy
• Susan Rice - Former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
• Gen. Jim Smith (USAF Ret.) - Salem, NH resident; retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General
• Ryan Gray (USMC Ret.) - Goffstown, NH resident; served two tours in Iraq with the Marine Corps

I hope you can join us online for this important discussion about our nation's security challenges and how Barack Obama's strength and vision can help create a safer and more hopeful world.

Please join us tomorrow at 11:00 am for a live broadcast at nh.barackobama.com/fpforum