Obama plunges into full agenda (Middle East peace diplomacy & preps order closing Gitmo down)

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 1/21/09 | Matt Spetalnick and Caren Bohan

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday plunged into Middle East peace diplomacy on his first full day in office and looked poised to order the closing of the internationally condemned military detention camp at Guantanamo within a year.

Acting swiftly the day after his inauguration, Obama -- who had vowed a bolder pursuit of Israeli-Palestinian peace than his predecessor George W. Bush -- called Israeli and Arab leaders to commit to "active engagement" and to promise help in consolidating the Gaza ceasefire.

"He pledged that the United States would do its part to make these efforts successful, working closely with the international community and these partners as they fulfill their responsibilities as well," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Obama's packed agenda, including summoning his economic and national security teams to confront the financial crisis and the unpopular Iraq war, signaled his intention of meeting his promises to break sharply with the Bush era.

Obama's quick foray into Middle East diplomacy coincided with circulation of an unsigned draft executive order that would require the closing by early 2010 of the Guantanamo prison opened by the Bush administration to house terrorism suspects.

The facility, which Obama had vowed to shut down, has been widely seen as a stain on America's moral standing in the world because of harsh interrogation methods that human rights groups said amounted to torture.

[NormsRevenge]

.. but still managed to squeeze in a little time for the public.

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U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama shakes hands with members of the public touring the White House in Washington, January 21, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)

[NormsRevenge]

I thought it was Snoop Dogg and Queen Latifa standing in line for a sec.. and I have my glasses on, Thank You.

U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady, Michelle Obama, shakes hands with members of the public touring the White House in Washington, January 21, 2009. From L-R are: Sosa Ezeokoli of Brooklyn, NY, Obama, Beverly Ezeokoli of Brooklyn, NY, and Michelle Obama. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)

[don'tbedenied]

This reads like a press release.

[wolfcreek]

Got dissed by the EU and Pakistan.....

[SJackson]

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I pleased that our President has immediately engaged our nations two most pressing issues, Gitmo and Gaza. Next gays in the military, and he'll get around to the economic stuff. Everyone will get their pie.

[Pearls Before Swine]

Acting swiftly the day after his inauguration, Obama -- who had vowed a bolder pursuit of Israeli-Palestinian peace than his predecessor George W. Bush -- called Israeli and Arab leaders to commit to "active engagement" and to promise help in consolidating the Gaza ceasefire.

All presidents start this way. Mideast peace seems to be one of the Holy Grail items of politics. Carter and Clinton tried it. GWB dabbled before the Palestinians became too outrageous to work with. Now BHO feels obligated to try his hand at it. It must stem from some primal drive for presidents, maybe fueled by hopes of a legacy-building Peace Prize.