Posted on 09/15/2008 2:58:55 PM PDT by johncocktoasten
FLINT, Mich. – Senator Barack Obama said today he intends to visit Iraq and Afghanistan before the November election.
Mr. Obama, who spoke to the Iraqi foreign minister by telephone this morning, said he was “encouraged” by the reductions in violence in Iraq. But he said the United States still must begin gradually withdrawing troops, at a pace of one to two brigades a month, with a goal of removing most combat troops in 16 months.
“We have no interest in permanent bases in Iraq,” Mr. Obama said. “I gave him an assurance that should we be elected, an Obama administration will make sure that we continue with the progress that’s been made in Iraq – that we won’t act precipitously, but that we will move to end U.S. combat forces in Iraq.”
As Mr. Obama arrived in Michigan for a campaign stop on the economy, he shared details of his morning telephone call with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari. On Sunday, Mr. Zebari had a face-to-face meeting with Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee.
Among the issues being discussed with the two presidential candidates is the long-term security accord between Iraq and the United States. While the Bush administration would like to see an agreement reached before the summer’s political conventions, Mr. Obama said today that he opposed such a timetable.
“My concern is that the Bush administration, in a weakened state politically, ends up trying to rush an agreement that in some ways might be binding to the next administration, whether it’s my administration or Senator McCain’s administration,” Mr. Obama said. “The foreign minister agreed that the next administration should not be bound by an agreement that’s currently made.”
Mr. Obama, who has not been to Iraq for more than two years, told the New York Times last month that he intended to visit Iraq. His comments today after talking to Mr. Zebari underscored that desire, saying: “I told him that I look forward to seeing him in Baghdad.”
Late last month, Mr. McCain invited Mr. Obama to embark on a joint trip to Iraq, a gesture that Mr. Obama dismissed as a political stunt. The Republican National Committee started a clock, keeping track of the days it has been since Mr. Obama’s visit in January 2006.
“In the nearly 900 days since Barack Obama visited Iraq, the facts on the ground have changed dramatically – but his ideologically-driven position has not,” said Alex Conant, a Republican spokesman. “When Obama visits Iraq, he’ll see that he was wrong to oppose the surge, wrong to continue to ignore our commanders’ advice and wrong to demand premature withdrawal.”
Today, Mr. Obama did not say specifically when he intended to take his foreign trip.
“You know, we’ll make an announcement about that,” he said. “But as I said, I’m interested in visiting Iraq and Afghanistan before the election.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com ...
Yes. Several times, a newer, updated versions to implement the "As the Iraqis stand up, we will stand down" plan has been presented to the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees, our Coalition allies in Iraq and the Iraqi government as the situation on the ground in Iraq evolved.
The only ones in the dark were the general public, which now hates Bush on general principals that they could never really detail, but probably has something to do with Big Oil.
Well, if you can’t believe the Obamassiah when he says he interfered, who can you believe? The Obamasiah when he says that he didn’t say what he, in fact, said that he said? Words matter!
Well, I was extrapolating from what the Logan Act says, and factoring in the fact the MoC are rarely prosecuted for major stuff. Not never, but rarely.
He’ll say Taheri’s characterization is wrong. He’ll never be taken to task for this. I wish it weren’t so, but he’s still the MSM’s darling.
Thanks Jim.
Veteran with blood pressure up tonight for sure.
BINGO!
Obama does not want Bush to be credited with pulling troops out.
Ping
Because it's Barack Hussein Obamassiah. The DNC and their dogs in the media threw the Clintons under the bus for him, and, despite my complete dislike of either Clinton, their treatment was disgraceful, but who cares when you have a dark horse with bi-tone rainbows and iconoc, Che-looking campaign imagery?
"2) What exactly is the big deal with regards to what’s stated in this article?"
The policy we was discussing without permission was above his pay grade. WAY above. That's why he needs permission. It's above his pay grade.
"3) How is this anywhere near as outrageous as that SOB trying to stall troop reductions for his own political gain?"
It's related to him trying to stall them, took place at around the same time; it's just further confirmation that the things he now says he didn't say, he DID, in fact say he said. Before he said he didn't say them.
You are most welcome!!!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2082538/posts?page=302#302
War Zones on the Itinerary
New York Times, The (NY) - June 17, 2008
Author: JEFF ZELENY
It’s not just battleground states on the itinerary for the presidential candidates. Senator Barack Obama said Monday that he also intended to visit Iraq and Afghanistan before the November election.
One day after Senator John McCain met with Iraq’s foreign minister, Hoshyar Zebari , Mr. Obama spoke to Mr. Zebari by telephone. Mr. Obama said he was “encouraged” by reductions in violence in Iraq, but added that the United States should withdraw troops at a pace of one to two brigades a month, with a goal of removing most combat troops in 16 months.
“We have no interest in permanent bases in Iraq,” Mr. Obama said.
Among the issues being discussed between Mr. Zebari and the presidential candidates is a long-term security accord between Iraq and the United States. While the Bush administration would like to see an agreement reached by midsummer, Mr. Obama said he opposed such a swift timetable.
“My concern is that the Bush administration, in a weakened state politically, ends up trying to rush an agreement that in some ways might be binding to the next administration,” Mr. Obama said, “whether it’s my administration or Senator McCain’s administration.”
Mr. Obama , who has not been to Iraq for more than two years, said last month that he would like to visit. After speaking to Mr. Zebari , he sounded more definitive, saying, “I told him that I look forward to seeing him in Baghdad.”
Mr. McCain has invited Mr. Obama to take a joint trip to Iraq, a gesture that Mr. Obama dismissed as a political stunt. Alex Conant, a Republican Party spokesman, said it had been nearly 900 days since Mr. Obama visited, in January 2006.
Mr. Obama did not say Monday when he would be going, but said it would be “before the election.”
JEFF ZELENY
Edition: Late Edition - Final
Section: National Desk
Page: 19
Page Column: 0
Page Subsection: A
Column: TRAVEL PLANS
Record Number: 2008-06-17-320854
302 posted on Monday, September 15, 2008 9:11:35 AM by maggief (Read my lip-stick!)
Fine, but members of Congress are NOT excluded from the Logan Act.
From DIGEST OF UNITED STATES PRACTICE IN INTERNATIONAL LAW 1975, p. 750:
The clear intent of this provision [Logan Act] is to prohibit unauthorized persons from intervening in disputes between the United States and foreign governments. Nothing in section 953 [Logan Act], however, would appear to restrict members of the Congress from engaging in discussions with foreign officials in pursuance of their legislative duties under the Constitution. In the case of Senators McGovern and Sparkman the executive branch, although it did not in any way encourage the Senators to go to Cuba , was fully informed of the nature and purpose of their visit, and had validated their passports for travel to that country. Senator McGovern’s report of his discussions with Cuban officials states: “I made it clear that I had no authority to negotiate on behalf of the United States — that I had come to listen and learn....” (Cuban Realities: May 1975, 94th Cong., 1st Sess., August 1975). Senator Sparkman’s contacts with Cuban officials were conducted on a similar basis. The specific issues raised by the Senators (e.g., the Southern Airways case; Luis Tiant’s desire to have his parents visit the United States) would, in any event, appear to fall within the second paragraph of Section 953. Accordingly, the Department does not consider the activities of Senators Sparkman and McGovern to be inconsistent with the stipulations of Section 953.[5]
This is serious.
However, I should note, and we all should take care when discussing this, that the new story is that Obama talked about this in July when he met with the official.
The NYTimes story (and another MSNBC story) confirms that Obama discussed this with the official on the PHONE in JUNE.
It does not deal with what happened in July.
So it could be that Obama is denying that he talked about this in July, when in fact he did so in June on the phone.
Of course, I doubt he would have talked about it in June by phone, and admitted it, and then NOT mentioned it in July.
SO I trust Zebari, rather than Obama.
it’s just we need to make sure we don’t reference this article and claim it REFUTES the Obama denial now — because this article is dated in June, and the meeting we are talking about took place in July.
What is the big deal about this article? the MSNBC, CBS, and a CNN article had already been found earlier today and posted on the main thread. Because it’s the slimes, it has more clout? The others seemed better to me, but maybe I’m missing something.
This NY Times article is dated in June. Do you see the problem here?
Hi, there.
He is more than a disgrace - he is a traitor of the first order, and has acted ILLEGALLY.
CITIZENS ARREST TIME!
He wasn't on a Congressional fact-finding mission: He was arguing on behalf of the new Administration which will be sworn in come January.
“While the Bush administration would like to see an agreement reached before the summer’s political conventions, Mr. Obama said today that he opposed such a timetable.”
Precisely the position Obama took with the Iraqi Foreign Minister.
“Why is he not being prosecuted?”
We’ll get ace Federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald on it right away.
Marking...
Outrageous. Absolutely OUTRAGEOUS!
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