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 ...
Who the F does he think he is? Looks like it wasn’t just a freudian slip when he referred to himself as “president” the other day. He really thinks he is already the president. Maybe he will import Odinga and some of his Kenyan thugs to be in his cabinet. What a turd!
He's not the president.
He's nothing but a first-term senator.
And we don't want him here. He just arrogantly swept through here a couple of months ago, causing things to be locked down and other inconveniences.
Stay away, Barry. We're doing just fine without you.
ping!
Sent to Drudge.
LLS
You might know that. I might know that. Tens of thousands of FReepers might know that.
But if you look at the available evidence that can be proven, you find that there isn’t enough to prosecute. There would have to be a smoking gun tape of the conversation before the Bush administration would consider stirring up that hornet’s nest. Can you imagine what would happen if a sitting Republican president ordered a Dimocrat presidential nominee to be prosecuted for a conversation he had with officials of Iraq while on a Congressional overseas trip?
Doesn’t matter if YOU would call it a fact finding trip or not. That’s what MoC on both sides will say it is, and that’s what these things will always be. And that’s why I say that the Logan Act excludes MoC. There’s a hole in the Act big enough to drive Jerold Nadler through.
Try to separate your wants from political reality.
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?
Granted, the DBM have been embarrassing in their coverage of this clown, but they did write this article. We knew he talked about this crap, but how was this any different from any of those other idiot Senators/Representatives going overseas and "holding talks" with the leaders of other countries? Is it completely inappropriate? Absolutely. Is it unprecedented? Unfortunately, no.
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.
Absolutley, without question, you're correct, but, as stated above, Congress has been doing this for years now.
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.
That does clarify things. I didn't realize he was completely denying talking to other countries' leaders. That was stupid. You'd think the libs would be on to the idea of "internet searches" by now...
Mark Levin touched on this last night, as did Austin Hill and Grandy & Andy this morning.... I e-mailed Chris Plante and the WMAL program director telling them to discuss it this morning.
My questionis: Why in the Hell is the NY times NOT reporting this???
Remember when Tehran released the American hostages on the day of Reagan’s inauguration?
After Reagan-Bush got “moved in,” then Speaker of the House Thomas “Tip” O’Neil said that there were “claims” George HW Bush had traveled to Tehran and demanded that the American hostages not be released until after the 1980 election.
There was no evidence that Vice Prez Bush had done this..... just “claims”..... and Speaker O’Neil said that the claims themselves warranted an investigation.....
Why? Because of “the seriousness of the charge..”
No evidence. But “the seriousness of the charge” warranted an investigation.
Seems to me that we have at least SOME evidence that Obama screwed with America’s handling of a war...... that, and “the seriousness of the charge” would warrant an investigation.....
I just emailed my Congressman Eric Cantor (R) VA about this, including the link to the NYT article and the previous story in the NY Post. Let’s see if Cantor gets something moving. This is outrageous. I am just sick about how Obama keeps getting a pass from the media and from our Government when he is clearly flaunting his “media status” in their faces while he attempts to undermine the nation’s security. Are they all deaf, dumb, and blind?
Thanks for the ping!
Exactly! Its time for Bush to step up to the plate and follow the law. And that includes requiring Onada to provide valid proof of citizenship. If Bush fails to do his duty I really do hope he never uses the term “rule of law” again.
Because the Logan Act only applies to US citizens.
“Caesar was a Head of State.
Brutus was a Senator that stabbed him in the back.”
Very Funny!
Don’t you hate it when a good joke goes past everyone.
Do you mind if I use it?
Feel free to use it often.
Also my originals:
Lenin was a community organizer, Reagan was a governor.
Ron Brown was a community organizer, Clinton was a governor.
Vince Foster was a community organizer, Hillary Clinton was married to a governor.
Heh! I like it. And I can guarantee that a lot of people here would like that. ;-)
You certainly have a way with words! LOL
Apparently, Obama’s campaign team thinks McCain’s team is to blame for bringing this out! They’re accusing McCain’s team of lying about what is said in the “Post” article, and saying that is was part of a McCain advertisement! Even if McCain hasn’t picked up on it, they’ve already been dragged into it!
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