McCain Campaign Demands Explanation for Obama Interference with U.S. - Iraq Troop Withdrawal Negotiations
The McCain Campaign has issued a statement regarding the news that Barack Obama attempted to interfere with U.S. - Iraq Negotiations on withdrawal of American Troops from Iraq:
McCain spokesman Randy Scheunemann stated as follows:
At this point, it is not yet clear what official American negotiations Senator Obama tried to undermine with Iraqi leaders, but the possibility of such actions is unprecedented. It should be concerning to all that he reportedly urged that the democratically-elected Iraqi government listen to him rather than the US administration in power. If news reports are accurate, this is an egregious act of political interference by a presidential candidate seeking political advantage overseas. Senator Obama needs to reveal what he said to Iraq's Foreign Minister during their closed door meeting. The charge that he sought to delay the withdrawal of Americans from Iraq raises serious questions about Senator Obama's judgment and it demands an explanation.
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This is big
If Obama really did ask Iraqi officials to delay the withdrawal of Americans from Iraq, this is bad for him on so many levels. It shows he totally overstepped his bounds by trying to go over the head of President Bush, shows his arrogance and goes against the message of his primary campaign regarding getting our troops out of Iraq in 16 months.
Funny thing is most of the media outlets are ignoring this story so far. This has the potential to strike a blow that Obama could not conceivably recover from.
Fox and Friends attempt to question
I have been watching all media very closely since this first came out. So far the only reference I have seen is on Fox and Friends this morning, when the question was asked to a spokesman for Obama about the truth to the news article in NY Post. The spokesman denied the allegations and it was dropped like a hot potatoe. I do sincerely hope that the McCain investigators will get to the bottom of this soon and uncover Obama to be the "wolf in sheeps clothing" that he is.
Obama's demand
Let's stop spinning this story, let's state the FACTS, and let's consider the wisdom of Obama's alleged actions (they are hearsay at this point, but that seems to matter little to right wingers). First, if he made a plea to delay the drawdown agreement, it was not a plea to delay the actual drawdown of troops. The agreement that is being discussed by the Bush Administration has a target of 2011 or 2012. Obama likely suggested (since no one knows for sure) that since the current occupation of Iraq is so unpopular with US citizens and so divisive, that an agreement negotiated by the new President would be preferable to one negotiated by a lame duck President. Obama has stated that he favors a gradual withdrawal starting immediately, and completed by late 2009 or early 2010 is his position. McCain has stated that a planned withdrawal is off the table at this point. I think that Obama's suggestion that the election is a referendum on what the US citizens prefer is a reasonable approach, and is not a "delay in troop withdrawal".
But Jeff
He is not allowed to do that or else he is breaking the Logan's act -
The Logan Act is a United States federal law that forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments. It was passed in 1799 and last amended in 1994. Violation of the Logan Act is a felony, punishable under federal law with imprisonment of up to three years.
The text of the Act is broad and is addressed at any attempt of a US citizen to conduct foreign relations without authority. However, there is no record of any convictions or even prosecutions under the Logan Act
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He is not the president nor allowed to make such agreements.
Loophole?
Is there a loophole for Obama because he is a member of Congress involved on Senate Committee on Foreign Relations?
I'm thinking along those lines since almost NO ONE is covering this story.
Media not covering the story...
Well I am not surprise that the media is not covering the story like how they cover Sarah Palin including the tanning bed at her house. How come the media never did the story about Obama's relationship with terrorist William Ayers...anyway, back to the topic... here's the two quotes, one from Iraqi official and from Obama's adviser...
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Check this out...it's another Obama denial -- a completely incriminating denial
Quote:
"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, according to Taheri.
Quote:
But Obama's national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said Taheri's article bore "as much resemblance to the truth as a McCain campaign commercial."In fact, Obama had told the Iraqis that they should not rush through a "Strategic Framework Agreement" governing the future of US forces until after President George W. Bush leaves office, she said.
Maybe it's just my eyes, but how are these two statements ANY different?
Media "non-coverage"
For 2 days I was frustrated about the media not covering this story. Last evening, I finally found an article buried in Fox news website....which I posted on this site. I have sent 3 e-mails to Glenn Beck in hopes that he would investigate it ....so far nothing. I also sent the story out to my e-mail list ...with the hope that the folks on my list would forward it to their lists....thereby getting some coverage. The story on Fox News website was no longer there this morning....then the short attempt by Fox and Friends to allow the Obama campaign to deny it again. So it appears that the news media is simply planning to ignore the story in the hope that it will go away.
But it won't....here's why. The McCain campaign is fully aware of the article in the New York Post and the Obama denial and their "misstatement" today. McCain's people so far have shown themselves to be pretty good strategists. So if the media persists in ignoring this story and not fully investigating these allegations of misconduct on the part of Obama when he violated the conditions of the Logan Act....don't be surprised if the story surfaces in a McCain ad at an appropriate time (last week before the election, for instance)....or McCain might address this issue in one of the debates.
This action by Obama is too good not to have political value for McCain, because it speaks volumes of Obama's arrogance and self-serving determination for political gains even at the risk of stepping into an arena where he had no authority whatsoever to represent the government of the United States to negotiate with a foreign government. Obama is obviously totally ignorant of diplomacy and protocol. Yet....this guy thinks he is qualified to be president and to lead our nation. How naive of him ....and how moronic and uninformed of anyone who plans on voting for him.
Logan Act
This story is huge, and if all was fair in the universe it would be investigated not only by the press but by the State Department.
However, our government isn't in the business of investigating or upholding the Logan Act. When Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California went to Iraq (paid for by Saddam) and met with him prior to the war, all three should now be in federal prison.
I don't have much faith that anything will happen to the Dems chosen one over this.
BHO AND THE LOGAN ACT
I reported BHO's little talk in Iraq concerning the Logan Act to the FBI. I'll let you know if anyone contacts me.
Google: obama logan act and see all the articles.
From Wikipedia,
The Logan Act is a United States federal law that forbids unauthorized citizens from negotiating with foreign governments. It was passed in 1799 and last amended in 1994. Violation of the Logan Act is a felony, punishable under federal law with imprisonment of up to three years.
The text of the Act is broad and is addressed at any attempt of a US citizen to conduct foreign relations without authority. However, there is no record of any convictions or even prosecutions under the Logan Act.[1][2]