JERUSALEM, July 22, 2008
Can Obama Clear His Mideast "Ambiguity"?
In Israel, Democrat Will Face Leaders On Both Sides Of Conflict Dubious Of His Capabilities
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Play CBS Video Video Obama's Tour Of The Mideast Barack Obama hopes to convince voters back home that he's comfortable on the world stage. Katie Couric reports on Obama's journey so far and the often precarious world of foreign policy.
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Video Possible Vice Presidents With the Democratic and GOP conventions drawing near, many are wondering who Barack Obama and John McCain will pick as their running mates. Vaughn Ververs, Sr. Political Editor of CBSNews.com, weighs in.
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Video Eye To Eye: Obama's Iraq Tour "Only On The Web": Katie Couric speaks with Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, about the short and long term implications of Barack Obama's tour of Iraq.
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Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama listens to U.S. Army shows Gen. David H. Petraeus (unseen) giving an update on the situation in Iraq in this photo provided by the U.S. Army from Baghdad, Iraq, July 21, 2008. (AP Photo/U.S. Army, HO)
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Photo Essay Obama in the Mideast Democratic presidential hopeful holds talks in Iraq, Afghanistan
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Photo Essay Barack Obama A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
The Democratic presidential hopeful has already gotten himself into hot water over one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian divide: the status of disputed Jerusalem. Last month, he tried to woo Israel's powerful lobby in Congress by saying Jerusalem should be Israel's capital and "must remain undivided."
Palestinians, who claim the city's eastern sector as capital of a future state, were furious. Obama's attempts to defuse the flap then got him into trouble with some Israelis and their U.S. supporters, when he clarified his remarks to say Jerusalem's fate should be negotiated - the long-standing U.S. position.
"When the candidate lands here tomorrow, a fog of ambiguity will still hover over his position: It remains unclear whether Jerusalem, the focus of his brief trip, will be a united city under Israeli sovereignty or the capital of two states. Barack Obama doesn't have a clear idea himself, and he has been straddling the fence," former dovish lawmaker Yossi Sarid wrote in Monday's Haaretz newspaper.
Obama arrives in Israel late Tuesday after visiting Afghanistan, Iraq and Jordan. He is to meet with Israeli leaders and, unlike Republican rival John McCain, an avid Israel supporter who visited in March, he'll travel to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian leaders, too.
This week is more than a series of photo ops, said CBS News anchor Katie Couric. Barack Obama hopes to convince voters back home that he's comfortable on the world stage and can juggle a number of delicate and potentially explosive foreign-policy issues. (Read Couric's report.)
Obama wrapped up his Iraq stop by meeting Tuesday with Sunni tribal leaders who have joined U.S. and Iraqi forces in the fight against insurgents.
Obama traveled to Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province west of Baghdad, to meet with Sunni leaders of the so-called Awakening Councils that rose up last year against al Qaeda in Iraq.
One senior Republican strategist said that if Obama's trip is successful, it could mark a new chapter for the McCain campaign, reports CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod, because if Obama does narrow the foreign policy credibility gap, McCain will have to start confronting his rival much more directly.
Obama has a solid Senate record of supporting Israel. He has reaffirmed his backing for Israel's right to defend itself and underscored the need to stop Iran from promoting terrorism or getting nuclear weapons. Like the Bush administration, he opposes negotiations with the Islamic militant group Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip.
Still, his openness to talking to Iran - Israel's bitterest enemy - and his relatively short stint on the U.S. national stage has made many Israelis uncomfortable at the prospect of an Obama presidency.
Ofer Malachi, a 40-year-old contractor from Jerusalem, says Obama would be "very dangerous for Israel" because of his willingness to engage in dialogue with Iran.
Israel is convinced Tehran is building nuclear weapons, despite its protestations to the contrary. Iran also backs two other Israeli foes, Hamas and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrilla group.
Obama "doesn't have a clue about what is needed to survive in the Middle East," Malachi said.
The U.S. historically has been Israel's strongest ally, and has made the Jewish state the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid. Politicians traditionally have courted the Jewish vote in the U.S. with demonstrations of loyalty to Israel.
But as far as Israel is concerned, Obama will have an especially hard act to follow. The Bush administration was a particularly staunch Israel backer.
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During his first term, President Bush handed Israel a letter supporting the Jewish state's retention of major settlement blocs under any final settlement with the Palestinians. And despite repeated Palestinian protests, U.S. officials did little more than slap Israel on the wrist when it flouted U.S. policy on issues like settlement building, or reneged on promises to remove settlement satellites known as outposts.Maybe if we have an American president that actually set boundaries and expected Israel to stick to these boundaries, maybe we'd have some progress.
Laine Katz, Obama supporterLaine Katz, who emigrated from Philadelphia to Israel in the 1970s, counts herself as one of Obama's earliest supporters. She maintains Israel would be better off with an American president who would take the Israeli government to task for thumbing its nose at U.S. policy.
"Maybe if we have an American president that actually set boundaries and expected Israel to stick to these boundaries, maybe we'd have some progress in the peace process, instead of behaving like a spoiled child that always gets its way," said Katz, 50.
Obama is a Christian who makes much of his faith. But some Israelis worry about his allegiances, seizing on the fact that his father and stepfather were Muslims, that he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, and that he has an Arabic middle name, Hussein.
Lawmaker Arieh Eldad of the ultranationalist National Union Party said the name "concerned" him.
"I guess that the Arab citizens of the Arab states around Israel would be concerned if a nominee for being president of the United States, his family name would be Cohen," he said.
Eldad said he feared Obama would identify more easily with Arabs than with Israelis, and added, "If you combine it with policies to leave Iraq and to negotiate with Iran, that adds to our concerns here."
Obama's comment embracing Jerusalem as Israel's undivided capital alienated Palestinians looking for an American leader who will pressure Israel into key concessions. His clarifications haven't undone the damage.
Saqer Al Tamimi, a 42-year-old merchant from the West Bank town of Ramallah, is a disillusioned former fan.
"We used to expect he would be better because he's black, and black people were subject to discrimination, and so they may do us, the Palestinians, justice," Al Tamimi said. "Unfortunately, when they reach a certain level, the policy is already formulated for them."
But the candidate has also generated interest in the Palestinian territories because of his magnetism and the attention he shows to the disenfranchised and underprivileged.
"I am attracted to Obama's charisma," said Marwan Alian, 22, a law student in Gaza City.
At the same time, Alian said, "I doubt he can make any significant changes in our lives. He has a very tough mission regarding Iraq and regarding the American economy, so I don't think he will have time to help us, even if he wants to."
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- "1. Redistribute the country''''s wealth - Marxism 101
2. Grow the size of the government - Create new departments dedicated to supporting Item 1
3. Blame greedy American corporations for the pains of the US and the rest of the world
4 Increase taxes on those already paying the largest percentage and total amount. The top 1% already pay 39% of all taxes.
5 Nationalize healthcare
6 Campaign on a principle based on appealing to the lower income 50% of the US to despise the rich and convince 45% of the other half that their life is miserable so that once convinced of their doom and gloom, they will support the doomsayer and will want bigger government" Posted by Obama8years
Sounds like a good idea to me... - Reply to this comment
- Obama is the teacher saying to the world all my students did not fly into the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon! This is Obama''''s plan, legacy, and shows his charisma as well. First, all he is is a black teacher at law school. That''''s what he is using. Traditionally, when I think of a black professor, I think of someone who knows the laws dealing with "minorities" over everything else. I mean that''''s what they are best at, what they like dealing with, and what is expected of them by their students. So, here comes along Obama with that label. Minorities such as radical extreme Islamist groups can use this fatherly protection against the United States to come in and learn how to fly planes for example. Obama is keeping his fingers crossed when he talks to the heads of countries such as Palestine, Iraq, and Jordan. It might work in the short term for the terrorists. Maybe they want to see what they can get. Thus, unintentionally or intentionally Obama is telling countries such as these that maybe he wants to send American troops to Afghanistan to kill them like over 10,000 Russians were killed there. That''''s Barack Obama''''s plan, legacy, and secret. That''''s why I''''m begging you to vote for John McCain. John has the experience to get things done. God Bless Senator John McCain, our troops, and the USA
- Reply to this comment
- Does the Joker really look a lot like Al Franken ? Even the voice. The bland humor ( Joker better...) developing.
Side by side picture, that ear to ear grin.
This explains a lot. - Reply to this comment
- None of the choices for candidates- Obama nor McCain- are good for America.
And one of them will win.
Choosing the lesser evil is going to be a very tough task for us americans this coming November - Reply to this comment
- Obama hopes his Sightseeing Tour Of The Mideast
will convince voters back home that he''s comfortable on the world stage. And he has lots of fun too. - Reply to this comment
I thought I heard and seen everything about Obama. Its incredible that the Democrats would even want this, excuse me saying this, but I see no other way to call Obama but a racist, he has an antipathy to white people, your videos have proven that. WHat a sad day for America to actually want to have a leader such as Barack Obama. THis is only the beginning of Obama marxist Ice berg.
Posted by Obama8years at 02:59 PM : Jul 22, 2008
No sane person is giving you any credibility what so ever. Your lies and bushite fool no one except the other delusional people like yourself. Your rants like you are pure krap. Only 182 days left! Enjoy!- Reply to this comment
- There''''s only two kinds of white folks, there''''s only two kinds, bad white folks and worse white folks. That''''s the only two kinds of white folks there are. Malcolm X, used to say, from the teachings of the nation of terrorislam founder Elijah Muhammad, that all white folks are bad. He said if you find one good, kill him first before he turns bad. Because he''''s only faking.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelre
port/article.jsp?sid=169
SHOCKING Obama words: what he really thinks of white folks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI
77cU3jsFs&feature=related
The shocking video Barack Obama does not want you to see!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pr
hnc2fxAzg&feature=related
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I thought I heard and seen everything about Obama. Its incredible that the Democrats would even want this, excuse me saying this, but I see no other way to call Obama but a racist, he has an antipathy to white people, your videos have proven that. WHat a sad day for America to actually want to have a leader such as Barack Obama. THis is only the beginning of Obama marxist Ice berg. - Reply to this comment
- There''s only two kinds of white folks, there''s only two kinds, bad white folks and worse white folks. That''s the only two kinds of white folks there are. Malcolm X, used to say, from the teachings of the nation of terrorislam founder Elijah Muhammad, that all white folks are bad. He said if you find one good, kill him first before he turns bad. Because he''s only faking.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?sid=169
SHOCKING Obama words: what he really thinks of white folks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI77cU3jsFs&feature=related
The shocking video Barack Obama does not want you to see!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prhnc2fxAzg&feature=related - Reply to this comment
- Obama is a modern-day Marxist. Rev wright also taught Obama his marxist liberation theology as well. Obama ate it up for 20 years. The Democrats really screwed up with this one. After 3 to 1 in spending money and having the whole media in Obama pocket, Obama seems to be drowning.
Castro and Obama share many of the same values and principles for the country''s economy:
1. Redistribute the country''s wealth - Marxism 101
2. Grow the size of the government - Create new departments dedicated to supporting Item 1
3. Blame greedy American corporations for the pains of the US and the rest of the world
4 Increase taxes on those already paying the largest percentage and total amount. The top 1% already pay 39% of all taxes.
5 Nationalize healthcare
6 Campaign on a principle based on appealing to the lower income 50% of the US to despise the rich and convince 45% of the other half that their life is miserable so that once convinced of their doom and gloom, they will support the doomsayer and will want bigger government - Reply to this comment
- What ambiguity? He is for whatever his audience says. That''s why he has such well developed ears.
- Reply to this comment
- MAKE A CHOICE MARXISM OR DEMOCRACY.
6 Campaign on a principle based on appealing to the lower income 50% of the US to despise the rich and convince 45% of the other half that their life is miserable so that once convinced of their doom and gloom, they will support the doomsayer and will want bigger government
7. Convince the public, that America is perceived as evil, thus, hated by the rest of the world.
8. Abandon America''s principle of helping the world rid itself of dictatorships, thus, put our weapons down, throw our arms up, and retreat in shame from Iraq.
9. Support dictatorships throughout the world and elevate them to be recognized by the US as worthy leaders that need to be heard without preconditions - legitimize them
10. Grow the support base by expanding the lowest income class in the country by increasing and broadening entitlements; however, add to that the importation of poverty into the United States by giving Amnesty to well over 20 million illegal aliens in the country. Furthermore, promote this policy in order to attract even more illegal immigration prior to the granting of the amnesty in order to achieve the highest number of "new, uneducated, government-dependent poor class", I call the "new poor - Reply to this comment
- DO YOU WANT A PRESIDENT THAT PREFERS THE TERRORISLAMIC CALL TO PRAYER OVER THE NATIONAL ANTHEM???
HUSSEIN SAYS MUSIM CALL TO PRAYER IS ONE OF THE PRETTIEST SOUNDS ON EARTH AT SUNSET
%u201CI was a little Jakarta street kid,%u201D Obama said in a wide-ranging interview in his office (excerpts are on Nicholas D. Kristofs''s blog, http://www.nytimes.com/ontheground). He once got in trouble for making faces during Koran study classes in his elementary school, but a president is less likely to stereotype Muslims as fanatics %u2014 and more likely to be aware of their nationalism %u2014 if he once studied the Koran with them.
Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it%u2019ll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as %u201Cone of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.%u201D
http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/opinion/06kristof.html?_r=2&scp=5&sq=nicholas+kristof%20obama&st=nyt&oref=slogin&oref=slogin - Reply to this comment
- AS an american do you choose Marxism or Freedom?
11. Dictate to Americans that they should be ashamed for using 25% of the world''s energy while only having 3% of the population and that A/C thermostats in should be set at higher than 72 degrees.
12. Give up America''s sovereignty for the "good of the world" and to save the planet from "global warming" by supporting new treaties on international boundaries, not drilling in ANWR or offshore, but standing by while Castro plans to drill off the Florida coast.
13. Campaigning on a message of "change", because it sounds good.
The list can go on and on, as Castro and Obama share many principles for the formula for a failed state, but one in which the party of the "new poor" remains in power through the growth of government. As this party provides more and more entitlements for its citizens and big government prevails, the country becomes less and less productive. Eventually, America''s economy is no better off than Cuba''s. Therefore, Fidel, go ahead and send Obama that box of Cohibas, for he is a Marxist just like you. - Reply to this comment
- WIll Mccain Overtake Obama in the next few weeks. He came up 15 points , with Obama shady past, I see more and more average american democrats leaving the left liberal looneys behind and taking a stand and voting for Mccain. Heres the proof.
Gallup Tracking 07/19 - 07/21 2645 RV 45 42 Obama +3.0
Rasmussen Tracking 07/19 - 07/21 3000 LV 46 46 Tie - Reply to this comment
- fascist nazi terrorislamists: Seeks to maintain traditional political, economic, cultural and religious values and impose them on other people.
Posted by terrorislamo at 12:56 PM : Jul 22, 2008
So why are you still supporting bush? - Reply to this comment
- But it just doesn%u2019t make any sense to reward Bush%u2019s Republican incompetence with more of the same (or worse) incompetence from Republican John McCain.
Posted by IndyVet66 at 11:42 AM : Jul 22, 2008
You are too kind. The screwups of Bush, of and in themselves, should not rule out putting another Republican in the White House, only someone who would continue Bush''s ill-advised and disastrous policies.
To reject a Republican for the White House, you have to argue about their inherent unsuitability for public service. In this regard, consider that Republican leaders tend to be corrupt, unethical and dishonest. This is a wellspring for so much mischief in politics and government. For some reason, Republicans--especially the religious right--fall for men who are charming and can lie through their teeth. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by johndevinejr at 12:14 PM : Jul 22, 2008
fascist nazi terrorislamists: Seeks to maintain traditional political, economic, cultural and religious values and impose them on other people. - Reply to this comment
- Obama is a Christian who makes much of his faith. But some Israelis worry about his allegiances, seizing on the fact that his father and stepfather were Muslims, that he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, the world''s largest Muslim country, and that he has an Arabic middle name, Hussein.
Lawmaker Arieh Eldad of the ultranationalist National Union Party said the name "concerned" him.
For you info. The above piece came from the headline article that you should have read first. - Reply to this comment
- And to criticize him because his middle name is Hussein, as one of the Jew law makers did, is in itself an indication that he will be dealing with some real numbskulls.
Posted by leftyintexas
I didn''t hear about this, was this on the current rip? - Reply to this comment
- They can''t be any more dubious of OBAMA''S capabilities than we are of them and their capabilities or bush''s or Rice''s. What have they been doing since 1948? What has bush and Rice done for the past eight years to bring peace to the region? What have they accomplished? NOTHING! It''s ridiculous to criticize OBAMA before listening to what he has to say. And to criticize him because his middle name is Hussein, as one of the Jew law makers did, is in itself an indication that he will be dealing with some real numbskulls.
- Reply to this comment
Mike Huckabee on GOP "rock stars," 2012, health care reform and more.
