AMMAN, Jordan, July 21, 2008
Obama's Balancing Act Abroad
In The Middle East, Obama Juggles Troop And Territory Issues That Are Delicate And Potentially Explosive
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Presidential candidate Barack Obama greets Gen. David Petraeus in Baghdad. Photo released by the U.S. army, (AP Photo/Ssg. Lorie Jewell)
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Photo Essay Obama in the Mideast Democratic presidential hopeful holds talks in Iraq, Afghanistan
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During the primaries, Obama built his candidacy on the premise that he believed the Iraq War was a mistake he opposed all along. As he said: "a war that never should have been authorized. A war that I believe should never should have been waged."
Now he faces a delicate balancing act.
"What he has to do is pull off two difficult tricks," said President of the Council On Foreign Relations Richard Haass. "One is to be sympathetic to the troops there. At the same time, he's been critical of the policy. And secondly, he has to show some consistency with his policy. At the same time, he has to adapt to change. Pulling that off is obviously the political challenge in the immediate time frame that he faces."
Obama says he'd withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq within the first 16 months of his presidency. But later he gave himself flexibility by saying that after he talked to commanders on the ground he would "refine" his policies.
That's reassuring to some Iraqis who fear being abandoned by the United States.
"They don't like fast withdrawal because they are afraid of consequences, they are afraid (it will) create a vacancy that will be used by terrorists," said Dr. Mahmoud Othman, a member of Iraqi parliament.
Not only did Obama oppose the war, he opposed the surge - the addition of some 30,000 troops last year - saying it wouldn't work.
He said on Face The Nation in January of 2007: "We can send 15,000 more troops, 20,000 more troops, 30,000 more troops. I don't know any ... expert on the region or any military officer that I've spoken to privately that believes that that is going to make a substantial difference on the situation on the ground."
John McCain is now citing this as a major error in judgment.
"He was wrong when he said the surge wouldn't succeed," McCain said. "He was wrong when he said an increase in troops would do no good."
But the success of the surge - it has brought violence in Iraq way down - has paved the way for Obama to propose sending in as many as 10,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
Violence there is on the rise. Terrorist attacks are up 40 percent this year. More U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan in May and June than in Iraq. The Taliban are back - and al Qaeda is making its presence known across the border in Pakistan, launching attacks virtually unchallenged.
Often called The Forgotten War, Sen. Obama has pledged to make Afghanistan the focus of the war on terror.
Throughout his trip this week, from Kabul to London, Barack Obama will have to deal with anti-American anger and resentment that's grown since the invasion of Iraq.
Jordan is no exception. About half the population there is Palestinian, and many believe the war on terror will never be won unless the United States addresses the Arab-Israeli conflict.
That's precisely what Obama will try to do when he travels to Israel.
For the first time in years, there are some glimmers of hope in the Arab-Israeli stalemate.
All that as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been shuttling to the region to try to broker a peace deal in the final months of the Bush Administration.
Both sides in the conflict want a signal that a president Obama would be involved and engaged from the very beginning.
"You cannot leave a political vacuum," said Hanan Ashrawi, member of the Palestinian legislative council. "Here, that gets filled by violence,"
"As far as the Middle East is concerned, should Obama be elected, he won't have 100 days of mercy. The issues are burning, they are critical, they need experience, they need deep wisdom - simplistic ideas, slogans will not work here," said Haaretz columnist Ari Shavit.
Israel wants assurances its special relationship with the United States will continue. And last month, Obama tried to do just that when he spoke before a powerful American-Jewish group about one of the most contentious issues.
"And Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided," he said.
But the next day, he seemed to backtrack.
"It's going to be up to the parties to negotiate a range of these issues. And Jerusalem will be part of the negotiations," he said.
Whether Israel will share Jerusalem is just one issue. There is also the establishment of a Palestinian state, and the right of return for Palestinian refugees who lost their homes in 1948, when Israel was founded.
But beyond the Palestinian Question, Israel and the United States now see an even greater threat to the region's stability looming: a nuclear Iran.
Officials in Israel estimates Iran will be able to build a bomb as early as 2009, and worldwide concerns over a preemptive Israeli military strike are rising.
"Right now, Iran is on the march," Shavit said. "We have not seen America and Europe able to stop it. We've not seen a real change of heart in Tehran; we've not seeing the Iranians where they feel they're paying a high price for their endeavor, which is a dramatically dangerous endeavor."
All these issues will be on the table when Obama continues his whirlwind tour. But the ultimate success of this trip will be measured back home, with American votes, on Nov. 4, 2008.
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Add a Comment See all 137 Comments
- While I appreciated Ms. Couric''s interview and her persistence in pressing Sen. Obama on the surge issue, I am disheartened by the over the top coverage of Obama''s trip to the middle east and Europe.
Senator Obama is not responsible for carrying out US foreign policy. I wonder if the politicians in the region are taking advantage of the politcal situation in the US to advance their own political agendas. - Reply to this comment
- The internet version of this interview was substantive and very informative.
Couric''s choice of editing for the Evening News Broadcast was....underwhelming. - Reply to this comment
- Obama is just a Senator.
There is only one commander in chief.
Please,not Obama.
He is much too risky and very scary.
Posted by Alicerea1
First, Obama said during his stop in Afghanistan that he is traveling as a senator, as we have only one President at a time. Second, you think Obama is risky & scary? What about McCain who agreed with going into Iraq in the first place, a policy that cost over 4000 American lives based on lies! It put us at more risk from terrorists, not less, since we allowed the situation in Afghanistan, where the terrorists are based, get out of hand.
I''m sorry, but risky and very scary are exactly what electing McCain is! A candidate who said on more than one occasion that he is not very knowledgeable about the economy, but that he''s going to read Greenspan''s book! Give me a break! - Reply to this comment
- I''m concerned about Sen. McCain''s rants and raves about the surge is helping us "win" in Iraq. What exactly are we winning?
Winning more oil contracts? Winning less American deaths? Winning less Iraqi deaths? Winning a stable democracy in Iraq?
Without a concise goal which this administration has not yet produced I can''t see where there is any winning going on. - Reply to this comment
- Obama is just a Senator.
There is only one commander in chief.
Please,not Obama.
He is much too risky and very scary. - Reply to this comment
- What is wrong with the Media? Why can''t they investigate all of Obama''s stories and keep making an issue about them. He''s applying for the most challenging job in the "world".
Thank God McCain has the courage to stand up for Americans with his ads.
Just one of many issues surrounding Obama is enough for me and my community.
Obama has minimal government experience, an anti American Pastor as a mentor, many co workers that are radical leaders, a non practicing Muslim father and an Atheist as a mother. Obama is a fast talker, flip flopper and a racist man running for President: The media and the authorities should be investigating this man.
Just knowing that Louis Farrakhan, anti Semitic, radical, Nation of Islam leader supports Obama should be enough to make our hair stand up on end.
Watch Louis Farrakhan and his followers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7QUftErt_M
Farrakhan held a rally with 20,000 Islam members in Chicago just a few months ago.
Many questions need answering. Obama''s father was a non practicing Muslim. How do the Muslim nations view Obama? Aren%u2019t we at war?
Why shouldn''t that be a proper question to ask Obama?
Obama is risky and scary. The media should be talking about Obama''s relationships with radical leaders and anti American supporters as much as they should be reporting about a nominee that was being supported by the KKK.
What are they afraid of? - Reply to this comment
- OBAMA IS WINNING, HA, HA, HA!!! OBAMA IS WINNING, HA, HA, HA!!!
AND THERE''''S NOTHING YOU ANTIOBAMA FREAKS CAN DO ABOUT IT.
AND YOU BETTER GET USED TO IT GOOD BECAUSE HE''''LL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT FOR 8 FREAKING YEARS!!!
Posted by closethippy1
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Are you retarded or something? Time for your meds, pal. - Reply to this comment
- Does anyone really need more proof that the LAMEstram media is in the tank for this guy? Even Clinton never got all 3 network anchors to travel with him abroad.
This settles that case once and for all. They have proven themselves unworthy of reporting ''news'' to the American people.
Wonder if Chris Matthews is still getting ''tingles'' up his leg (wonder which one) when he watches Obama? - Reply to this comment
- Obamalamadingdong will be well received in EU because he''s such a good socialist. Say dingdong, why don''t you stay there. The EU trash love you!
- Reply to this comment
- Obama wants to move the war from Iraq it Afghanistan, so the terrorists, aka Alqeda, Taliban, Osama binLadin can re-infiltrate Iraq. What then? Move the war back to Iraq? The "baby Jesus" goes over there and spouts his plan to withdraw the troops in 16 months....Ummmm that''s after the Germans slapped his hand for wanting to make a speech from the Brandenburg Gate....It takes great stature to have that honor...Who does he think he''s kidding? Anyway, back to Iraq...Nouri al-Makiki is a back-stabbing panderer. Bush should tell him to stick Obama up his, withdraw the troops immediately and let the chips fall where they may....
- Reply to this comment
- now the little schemer is traveling the world over at the expense of taxpayers before anyone nails him with a phony b.certificate?
Posted by fenner at 04:17 AM : Jul 22, 2008
Does it EVER occur to you bird-brained losers that he must have had to have his background checked prior to becoming a Senator? And if the birth certificate he presented then was any different from the one he has now, don''t you think it would have been all over every major news channel?
People with tiny, useless brains such as yourself are just sooooo pathetic! - Reply to this comment
- CORRECTION:::: he didnt forget any of it.. HE LIED!!!
Posted by fenner at 04:14 AM : Jul 22, 2008
You are truly a moron of the lowest order. I pity you. - Reply to this comment
- OBAMA IS WINNING, HA, HA, HA!!! OBAMA IS WINNING, HA, HA, HA!!!
AND THERE''S NOTHING YOU ANTIOBAMA FREAKS CAN DO ABOUT IT.
AND YOU BETTER GET USED TO IT GOOD BECAUSE HE''LL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT FOR 8 FREAKING YEARS!!! - Reply to this comment
- SUBTITLE FROM THE ARTICLE ABOVE:
"In The Middle East, Obama Juggles Troop And Territory Issues That Are Delicate And Potentially Explosive"
Oh, but of course they''re "delicate and potentially explosive" matters. Only "experts" and those geniuses at the White House should handle these most complicated situations.
Everyone else is just too d.umb for them. Everyone who''s not part of the establishment please move over and don''t get in the way of these rocket scientists we have running the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Arab-Israeli issue, and Iran, because they''''re doing such a wonderful and intelligent job.
Oh, goodness, why would anyone else would want to tackle this "delicate and potentially explosive" issues and get us into trouble? - Reply to this comment
- Getting the troops out is not the answer, I suppose you want the enemy coming into our land (they are already planted here) and start cutting off peoples necks and all other horrible acts.
I thank God for our military men and women and I pray for them daily. I pray that we will stay strong as a Nation and not buckle to Obama and his charm and boyish ways. WE NEED A LEADER - Reply to this comment
- He [Obama] said on Face The Nation in January of 2007: "We can send 15,000 more troops, 20,000 more troops, 30,000 more troops. I don''t know any ... expert on the region or any military officer that I''ve spoken to privately that believes that that is going to make a substantial difference on the situation on the ground."
John McCain is now citing this as a major error in judgment.
"He was wrong when he said the surge wouldn''t succeed," McCain said. "He was wrong when he said an increase in troops would do no good."
But the success of the surge - it has brought violence in Iraq way down - has paved the way for Obama to propose sending in as many as 10,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
Obama was wrong. McCain was right. - Reply to this comment
- Bottom Line
Well our terrific soldiers only succeeded because of the Sunni awakening----good thing for OBAMA to say to the world if you are going to be the President of the US. - Reply to this comment
- yup - - u obama supporters are of a rare breed alright. mostly off balanced and ready to believe anything obama tells u to believe.... a kind of third-world dictatorship underfooting?
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Posted by fenner
Beleive anything hugh, like Obama dodging bullets in Bosnia. Oh wait that was Hillary. Face it, your girl was a horrible cannidate who lost to a junior senator. She is a souless brainless word that rymes with witch. She would sell chelsea''s soul to Satin if it got her elected and I guarantee you that she, just like some of her supporters will vote McCain this year, so she has a shot in 2012. What she doesn''t understand is that It wasn''t just a Obama win, it was a Hillary loss. The public, the media and the world saw threw her painted on makeup and saw the demon behind the eye liner. - Reply to this comment
- "One is to be sympathetic to the troops there."
--------------If he want''s to be sympathetic to the troops there get them the hell out of there. - Reply to this comment
- obama knows his base has shifted under his feet so now hes trying to align himself with the right in order to steal mcCain''''s voters. wont happen. these are not your obama voters you are looking at... these are REAL pro-HILL-proMcCain voters and they will NEVER vote obama.
thats just the way it is.
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Posted by fenner
Anyone who supported that witch Billary should have their vote taken away from them because of pure ignorance. How can you support a women who''s can''t even keep her husband in line. Who never did anything on her own without her husband and who has no soul.
Its also laughable that Hillary supporters align themselves with McCain, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity all because they are bitter about Billary Cunton loosing to Obama. You people have no substance and you fenner are the reason Women get pigeon toed as too emotional and not thinking things threw. McCain and Clinton don''t share anything policy wise. You people are the laughing stock of the country - Reply to this comment
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