Posted on 09/15/2008 2:03:51 AM PDT by Enchante
WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.
According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.
"He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington," Zebari said in an interview.
Obama insisted that Congress should be involved in negotiations on the status of US troops - and that it was in the interests of both sides not to have an agreement negotiated by the Bush administration in its "state of weakness and political confusion."
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
You know, Obama didn’t want to do a joint trip w/McCain to Iraq. Maybe this incident/conversation is why. BO couldn’t sell out our military with McCain tagging along. He did take one RINO and a dem w/him though: Chuck Hagel and?????
Chuck Hagel and who else, a dem went w/BO to Iraq? Are they witnesses? (entourage not included)
Iraqi leader meets Obama
Erie Times-News (PA) - July 22, 2008
Author: NANCY A. YOUSSEF ; McClatchy Newspapers
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki took advantage of Sen. Barack Obama ‘s internationally watched visit Monday to set a two-and-a-half-year timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
Minutes after the Democratic presidential candidate met the Iraqi leader at his private residence, al- Maliki ‘s spokesman, Ali Dabbagh, announced that Iraq wants American combat troops to leave by the end of 2010, a few months later than Obama has proposed.
The timing of a withdrawal from Iraq is a key election issue in the United States, where Republican candidate Sen. John McCain has advocated an indefinite American military presence, and in Iraq, which holds provincial elections later this year.
Dabbagh said al- Maliki and Obama didn’t discuss specific proposals during the hourlong meeting. But he said Iraq would like to have all U.S. combat troops out of the country, leaving only advisers, some quick-reaction forces and air support forces behind.
“The Iraqi government sees that the end of 2010 is an appropriate date for the withdrawal of the forces,” Dabbagh said.
Obama has proposed drawing down all combat brigades within 16 months after he would become president, or roughly the spring of 2010.
After two days in Afghanistan, the Illinois Democrat arrived Monday on his first visit to Iraq as a presidential candidate, and he’ll travel from here to the Middle East and Europe. His “fact-finding” mission, aimed at raising his credibility on top international issues, also provided Iraqi officials with the opportunity to show the population that they’re committed to a getting a drawdown date in time for provincial elections scheduled for the fall.
Obama flew over Baghdad with Gen. David Petraeus, the top American military commander here, and met with Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani, and U.S. troops.
As the security situation has improved, Iraqis increasingly are calling for the drawdown of American troops, and it probably will be a top issue in the provincial elections. Al- Maliki has tried to balance voters’ preference for the departure of foreign forces with the Bush administration’s opposition to a timeline.
In an interview with Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine this week, al- Maliki seemed to endorse Obama ‘s troop-withdrawal proposal, drawing the ire of the White House. The prime minister’s office later backed away from the interview. But Monday’s statement by al- Maliki ‘s spokesman suggested that he’s speaking with an audience different from the White House in mind: Iraqi voters.
Dabbagh stressed that al- Maliki is working with the administration on the issue, not the candidate.
“Senator Obama came to listen to the views of the prime minister, and the prime minister presented his views and the views of the Iraqis concerning the presence of the foreign forces in Iraq, the stages of negotiation and what we want from the forces that are present here,” Dabbagh said.
Baghdad residents seemed unimpressed by Obama ‘s visit, with some telling McClatchy Newspapers that Iraq was turning into a stage for political theater. Several said they saw no difference between McCain and Obama .
Obama ‘s “visit is for his private benefit, to win the election race,” said Ali Ahmed Abbas, 35. “I don’t expect any good from this, because we have heard from other American politicians, and we didn’t see any difference in their policy towards Iraq.”
(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE)
The Illinois senator began his trip in the southern port city of Basra, meeting Iraqi military leaders and their British counterparts for a “situational update,” according to a British spokesman there.
Later in the day, trailed by guards and fellow lawmakers, Obama swept into a presidential palace in the Baghdad neighborhood of Jadiriyah to meet Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
Obama sat down for dinner with Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. envoy to Iraq.
So far, Obama has refused to answer any questions about his trip.
“We had a very constructive discussion,” Obama said upon leaving the meeting at the prime minister’s private residence in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. Al- Maliki then left for a meeting in Germany.
Accompanying Obama in a bipartisan congressional delegation to the war zones were Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., veterans who were highly critical of the Iraq war and could play a role in an Obama administration.
David Satterfield, senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and coordinator for Iraq, joined Obama during his meeting with al- Maliki .
Iraqi leader meets Obama
Erie Times-News (PA) - July 22, 2008
Author: NANCY A. YOUSSEF ; McClatchy Newspapers
BAGHDAD — Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al- Maliki took advantage of Sen. Barack Obama ‘s internationally watched visit Monday to set a two-and-a-half-year timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.
Minutes after the Democratic presidential candidate met the Iraqi leader at his private residence, al- Maliki ‘s spokesman, Ali Dabbagh, announced that Iraq wants American combat troops to leave by the end of 2010, a few months later than Obama has proposed.
The timing of a withdrawal from Iraq is a key election issue in the United States, where Republican candidate Sen. John McCain has advocated an indefinite American military presence, and in Iraq, which holds provincial elections later this year.
Dabbagh said al- Maliki and Obama didn’t discuss specific proposals during the hourlong meeting. But he said Iraq would like to have all U.S. combat troops out of the country, leaving only advisers, some quick-reaction forces and air support forces behind.
“The Iraqi government sees that the end of 2010 is an appropriate date for the withdrawal of the forces,” Dabbagh said.
Obama has proposed drawing down all combat brigades within 16 months after he would become president, or roughly the spring of 2010.
After two days in Afghanistan, the Illinois Democrat arrived Monday on his first visit to Iraq as a presidential candidate, and he’ll travel from here to the Middle East and Europe. His “fact-finding” mission, aimed at raising his credibility on top international issues, also provided Iraqi officials with the opportunity to show the population that they’re committed to a getting a drawdown date in time for provincial elections scheduled for the fall.
Obama flew over Baghdad with Gen. David Petraeus, the top American military commander here, and met with Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani, and U.S. troops.
As the security situation has improved, Iraqis increasingly are calling for the drawdown of American troops, and it probably will be a top issue in the provincial elections. Al- Maliki has tried to balance voters’ preference for the departure of foreign forces with the Bush administration’s opposition to a timeline.
In an interview with Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine this week, al- Maliki seemed to endorse Obama ‘s troop-withdrawal proposal, drawing the ire of the White House. The prime minister’s office later backed away from the interview. But Monday’s statement by al- Maliki ‘s spokesman suggested that he’s speaking with an audience different from the White House in mind: Iraqi voters.
Dabbagh stressed that al- Maliki is working with the administration on the issue, not the candidate.
“Senator Obama came to listen to the views of the prime minister, and the prime minister presented his views and the views of the Iraqis concerning the presence of the foreign forces in Iraq, the stages of negotiation and what we want from the forces that are present here,” Dabbagh said.
Baghdad residents seemed unimpressed by Obama ‘s visit, with some telling McClatchy Newspapers that Iraq was turning into a stage for political theater. Several said they saw no difference between McCain and Obama .
Obama ‘s “visit is for his private benefit, to win the election race,” said Ali Ahmed Abbas, 35. “I don’t expect any good from this, because we have heard from other American politicians, and we didn’t see any difference in their policy towards Iraq.”
(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE)
The Illinois senator began his trip in the southern port city of Basra, meeting Iraqi military leaders and their British counterparts for a “situational update,” according to a British spokesman there.
Later in the day, trailed by guards and fellow lawmakers, Obama swept into a presidential palace in the Baghdad neighborhood of Jadiriyah to meet Iraqi President Jalal Talabani.
Obama sat down for dinner with Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. envoy to Iraq.
So far, Obama has refused to answer any questions about his trip.
“We had a very constructive discussion,” Obama said upon leaving the meeting at the prime minister’s private residence in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone. Al- Maliki then left for a meeting in Germany.
Accompanying Obama in a bipartisan congressional delegation to the war zones were Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Jack Reed, D-R.I., veterans who were highly critical of the Iraq war and could play a role in an Obama administration.
David Satterfield, senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and coordinator for Iraq, joined Obama during his meeting with al- Maliki .
Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and Jack Reed,D (what did they know and when did they know it). They are anti-war to boot!
bump
Comment Stings Iraqi Leader on Eve of Obama Visit
New York Times, The (NY) - July 21, 2008
Author: SABRINA TAVERNISE and JEFF ZELENY Carlotta Gall contributed reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan, Steven Lee Myers and Eric Schmitt from Washington, and Ali Hameed contributed reporting and translation from Baghdad.
On the eve of Senator Barack Obama ‘s visit to Iraq, its prime minister tried to step back Sunday from comments in an interview in which he appeared to support Mr. Obama ‘s plan for troop withdrawal.
The interview with the prime minister, Nuri Kamal al- Maliki , was published Saturday in the online version of Der Spiegel, a German magazine. It was widely picked up by American newspapers because it appeared to give an unexpected boost to Mr. Obama , the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, who has called for an expedited withdrawal.
The interview prompted immediate concern from the Bush administration, which called to seek clarification from Mr. Maliki ‘s office, American officials said.
Scott M. Stanzel, a White House spokesman with President Bush at his ranch in Crawford, Tex., said that embassy officials explained to the Iraqis how the interview in Der Spiegel was being interpreted, given that it came just a day after the two governments announced an agreement over American troops.
“The Iraqis were not aware and wanted to correct it,” he said.
The back-and-forth between the governments came as Mr. Obama finished a one-day trip to Afghanistan, where he met with President Hamid Karzai for nearly two hours on Sunday. Mr. Obama said the United States, NATO and Afghanistan must step up their efforts to fight the Taliban and Al Qaeda and to encourage Pakistan to eliminate terrorist training camps.
“Our message to the Afghan government is this: We want a strong partnership based on ‘more for more’ — more resources from the United States and NATO, and more action from the Afghan government to improve the lives of the Afghan people,” Mr. Obama said in a written statement, which was also signed by Senators Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, and Chuck Hagel, Republican of Nebraska, who are part of the traveling American delegation.
(snip)
What about Sens. Reed and Hagel? Were they with Obama at all meetings, or not? Will they uphold Obama's claims (probably, since they are anti-war and trying to damage the Bush admin.).
You don't have to be a head-of-state to commit treason.
Heck, Hussein's repeated attempts to DEMORALIZE and UNDERMINE our military's efforts in Iraq--with his incessant and repeated calls for immediate withdrawal before the job was done--
clearly gave encouragement and 'AID-AND-COMFORT' to our enemies during time of war!
Those traitorous efforts, by itself, qualifies for that 'level' !!
Puffington Host comments: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-ofari-hutchinson/please-barack-say-its-non_b_126585.html
Nothing will happen over this. The script is a DNC president, and they will bend over backwards to make it happen.
Treason.
But President McCain will be magnanimous, and allow Obama to avoid jail. Maybe a pardon, providing he performs a little more community organizing.
Acting as if he were already President but in reality still just a freshman senator from Ill. a senate panel investigation should be started pronto. A “Withdrawlgate” scandal would definately destroy that which needs destroying.
Oh this is just TOO juicy!
But my fear is that he showers with the same teflon enhanced body soap Clinton uses.
Barrack had to try to lock any withdrawal - it’s the main point of his campaign.
How about the arrogance angle here.
This means that Obama cares more about gaining credit for a pullout AFTER HE IS ELECTED, than GETTING ELECTED.
Charlie, this is unbelievable arrogance. Dare I say hubris.
The boys at the DNC can’t be happy about this as Obama is falling behind in Ohio, Michigan with almost dead even races in Wisc, PA, Minn, Oregon, Wash.
Obama is a total megalamaniac.
About 2200 results if you search this way:
Sometimes the headline gets changed.
Lol, funny picture of him!
Amir Taheri would be considered a reliable source.
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