OBAMA TRIED TO STALL GIS' IRAQ WITHDRAWAL [election is over?]

New York Post ^ | 09/15/08 | AMIR TAHERI

[Enchante]

WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.

According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.

"He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington," Zebari said in an interview.

Obama insisted that Congress should be involved in negotiations on the status of US troops - and that it was in the interests of both sides not to have an agreement negotiated by the Bush administration in its "state of weakness and political confusion."

[Enchante]

I don’t want us to get too far ahead of ourselves but it Obambi is allowed to steal the election after this is revealed then our country is in worse shape than I’d thought. By rights he should soon be one of the most reviled figures in US history, and no matter how much the media try to protect him now this can no longer be kept under wraps.

[Gator_that_eats_Dems]

Just sent the link to Mr. Rushbo.

[Allegra]

The Iraqis don't like Obama and hope McCain wins.

The Iranian Mullahcracy like Obama and hopes he wins.

'Nuff said.

[Joe Miner]

The Logan Act makes it a felony and provides for a prison sentence of up to three years for any American, “without authority of the United States,” to communicate with a foreign government in an effort to influence that government’s behavior on any “disputes or controversies with the United States.”

[Kakaze]

Bardering, the lives of troops for political advancement.

Tell me one more time B. Hussein, how much you care about the welfare of Soldiers and vets.

Its no wonder everytime I see him my reflex response is S.O. B.

[Enchante]

To All:

I don’t actually like how the media attaches ‘gate’ to every scandal, but given that they operate with that template I think we should try to promote “OBAMA-GATE” as the label for this scandal.

That puts Obama himself right smack at the center of the controversy, as it should be.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“The Logan Act makes it a felony ..”

Yes, but all he has to do is deny he said it and it turns into a stalemate. This could have legs politically, but I can’t imagine it will get to the point of legal action.

[tet68]

Isn't he supposed to be registered as an agent of foreign powers if he has direct negotiations with foreign governments?

[davidosborne]

there is no such thing as getting too far ahead in this election.. Sarah Palin has given McCain this election on a silver platter.. only HE can mess it up at this point..

David

[Enchante]

makes sense — I’m sure that the Mullahs would love to be dealing with a simpering weakling like Obama.....

.... and the Iraqis must realize that Obama would sell them out in a heartbeat....

[niteowl77]

I cannot express the seething rage I feel right now towards that arrogant little parasite.

Mr. niteowl77

[tet68]

That’s what I was thinking of.

[nathanbedford]

I agree that this could be game breaking but let's make sure of what we have.

First, is this an opinion piece or is this a news piece? On its face and seems to be an opinion piece yet I could not find reference to a news source for the complaints against Obama's conduct. Did I miss something?

Second, do we have anything more than he said,he said? In other words the author, Amir Tahiri, purports to quote the Iraqi foreign minister-a reputable enough source in itself-but where did he get the quote? Is it quoted elsewhere in other publications? Were there transcripts of any of these discussions? Have any other Iraqi officials corroborated the allegations?

The posters on this thread are absolutely right, the matter must be brought to a boil to determine what Obama says, will he denying it outright? Does he intend to explain it away? But we will get no traction unless he must comment somehow.

[Shery]

We all know that Obama wanted to take credit for bringing the troops home, a promise he made to his base support. If Bush up-staged him, he could not claim that promise...so, once again, it’s all Bush’s fault!

[9YearLurker]

Tahiri is good, but you’re right, if this gets attention Obama will engage in some sort of denial, and we don’t know how good a position we’re in. I.e., would Iraq’s foreign minister stick to his claim? Is there anyone else to back it up?

But it’s got to get coverage in order to force Obama to respond at all. As long as the source sticks to his guns, Obama would be in trouble anyway, as he doesn’t want to be caught in this sort of international bicker.

[9YearLurker]

Why is this only coming out now? Because before the Iraqis thought Obama was a sure thing as the next president, and now it’s not looking that way?

[Enchante]

I certainly agree it needs to be nailed down. My impression is that the author, Amir Taheri (who is well respected, though maybe not by liberals), conducted his own interview with the FM (Taheri says "in an interview" and does not refer to anyone else conducting the interview, so that should normally imply that Taheri conducted the interview himself).

But you are right, it could all degenerate into "he said, he said" if it is not nailed down more firmly. The Obama campaign must be pressed hard immediately to confirm or deny the report.... if they try to deny that Obama said anything like this at all, then a lot will depend upon whether the FM is ready to confirm or not, who else might have been present, etc. Hope that Taheri has his ducks well lined up already, and that the Iraqis are willing to stand by their account.

[davidosborne]

popcorn.. someone get me some popcorn NOW !! :)

[davidosborne]

Passing the bucket to my fellow FReepers.. let's sit back and see how Obama responds to this one..

[Enchante]

Yeah, I have to imagine that in the summer the Iraqi FM and others felt they had to accept Obama’s bombast and expect that they would be dealing with him as the next POTUS, but now since the brilliant advent of Sarah Palin and the shift in the electoral landscape, it’s dawned on them that Obama might well lose..... and if they have even the slightest sense of US politics at all they will know that this is just the kind of outrage that will help Obama to lose.

[of course, that will be the next line of retreat by the Obamanation, to claim that eviiiillll forces in the Iraqi regime are in collusion with Bush/McCain to undermine the Obamessiah]