After having read Yon’s and Luttrell’s books, I just have to tell you, Barry, who the f&*# do you think is smart? You or Gen. David Petraeus? You’re a tool.

Who said I was a mechanic?

Besides, when Obama himself says we do not want to be rigid and when Maliki makes a point of saying he likes the idea but wants some flexibility and changes if necessary…it seems neither of them is really even serious about this. They just think it sounds good to the voters.

Meanwhile the grownups will have to deal with the realities.

Terrye on July 22, 2008 at 4:15 PM

You would never make it in the car repair business.

Hmmm… who to listen to… the general? Or the lawyer-cum-politician? It’s a tough one.

Spolitics on July 22, 2008 at 3:43 PM

Hmmm… come this November or January… if you can channel the dead, you may want to ask Truman and MacArthur about that.

Obama is trying to have it both ways.

thirteen28 on July 22, 2008 at 3:18 PM

I think that Bush (and McCain?) is trying to have it both ways with his “time horizons” mumbo jumbo.

But Maliki just gave Obama a big wet kiss with the 16 month comment, and now Obama owes him.

And after all Bush has done for Maliki. The damn ingrate. But then Bush did say that Iraq was a sovereign nation and Maliki was it’s duly elected leader and that he wanted them to stand up so that we could stand down.

That is no way for the US to be entering negotiations–by owning the other side.

That is what Obama has done. He sold out our best interests in return for Maliki’s endorsement. And somehow you think Bush is doing something wrong here?

JiangxiDad on July 22, 2008 at 3:07 PM

I really doubt that Obama thought that Maliki would “endorse” him. Bush and McCain apparently never saw it coming. They would have had their spin worked out better up front if they had. Of course, McCain in particular doesn’t seem to see much coming at all these days. Is Obama that much smarter than them?

The American people will speak this November as to the matter of what they think is in our best interests.

So when I speak about having lived in Indonesia for four years, having family that is impoverished in small villages in Africa—knowing the leaders is not important—what I know is the people. . . .

He was under age 10 during the 4 years he lived in Indonesia (with his American mother who hated America — just not enough to turn down the American welfare checks that supported her and little Barry O). He didn’t have any meaningful contact with his family in impoverished small villages in Africa until he was an adult and made a trip to Kenya to meet them. But these long ago and oh-so-brief interactions somehow make him an expert on foreign peoples?

What an arrogant tool this guy is. Has anyone this unqualified to be President ever been this close to being elected?

BTW, since Barry’s a multi-millionaire now, shouldn’t he be kicking in some $$ to the “family” back in Kenya, so that they don’t have to continue living in such “impoverished” conditions? I mean, since they’re so close and all, it seems like the least he could do.

I don’t think Obama got Maliki’s endorsement here. They did not even discuss the timeline at their meeting. At least that is what the press release said.

Maliki signed on to the times horizon plan with Bush just a couple of weeks ago. He is not denouncing that plan in anyway so far as I know.

Obama: Maliki wants a “time frame” with “some flexibility”

thirteen28: Obama is trying to have it both ways.

I think Maliki wants to be able to go to his people and promise them that their government will eventually be able to stand on its own…at the same time, he does not want to be the head of a failed regime. Tightrope.

Your Bush/Diem analogy fails.

JiangxiDad on July 22, 2008 at 1:58 PM

I am sure that Maliki goes to bed every night hoping you are right.

MB4 on July 22, 2008 at 2:18 PM

Don’t really understand your answer. My point is that Maliki has to negotiate an agreement that is in his best interests–as he should. We too must do the same thing. But Maliki just gave Obama a big wet kiss with the 16 month comment, and now Obama owes him. That is no way for the US to be entering negotiations–by owning the other side.

That is what Obama has done. He sold out our best interests in return for Maliki’s endorsement. And somehow you think Bush is doing something wrong here?

Texas Gal on July 22, 2008 at 2:52 PM

Hey, if you think we’re funny, you should hear Barry doing his comedy routine:

“Foreign policy is the area where I am probably most confident that I know more and understand the world better than Senator Clinton or Senator McCain.”

“It’s ironic because this is supposedly the place where experience is most needed to be Commander-in-Chief. Experience in Washington is not knowledge of the world. This I know. When Senator Clinton brags ‘I’ve met leaders from eighty countries’—I know what those trips are like! I’ve been on them. You go from the airport to the embassy. There’s a group of children who do native dance. You meet with the CIA station chief and the embassy and they give you a briefing. You go take a tour of a plant that [with] the assistance of USAID has started something. And then—you go.

“You do that in eighty countries—you don’t know those eighty countries. So when I speak about having lived in Indonesia for four years, having family that is impoverished in small villages in Africa—knowing the leaders is not important—what I know is the people. . . .

“I traveled to Pakistan when I was in college—I knew what Sunni and Shia was [sic] before I joined the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. . . .”

doing what he wants to do in Iraq…

And what’s that Barack? Win? Is there a better path to victory than ensuring we don’t draw down too hastily…?

Well, this dust-up with Patraeus at least gives Obama’s far Left supporters something to cling to.

He is not the President or the Sec of State nor acting on their behalf.

The Logan Act (18 U.S.C.A. § 953 [1948]) is a single federal statute making it a crime for a citizen to confer with foreign governments against the interests of the United States. Specifically, it prohibits citizens from negotiating with other nations on behalf of the United States without authorization

If he is fact finding he needs to leave his Campaign Agenda out of discussion. As he has no qualifications in Diplomacy or the Military, he needs st STFU and listen to those who have them. Lets start with Gen. Petraeus. His amateur hour merry band of 300 advisors that are not currently employed by the State Department should STFU as well.

As he never held hearings or meetings on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has a rather steep learning curve ahead. His on the job training status is not something that flushes out his empty resume.

The cure for ignorance is information. There is no cure for arrogance or outright stupidity. He suffers greatly from both.

a capella on July 22, 2008 at 2:08 PM

Buy Danish on July 22, 2008 at 2:23 PM

Y’all are cracking me up!!

;)

Nope, the “Uh” and the “I mean” are tools for the slow-witted to buy time to think about what they want to say. OhEssYouCowboys on July 22, 2008 at 1:43 PM

Could be, could also be his attempt to sound thoughtful. I wish I had the time to plot his ahs and uhs to see what parts of speech with which he most frequently associates them. Could be indicative of discomfort with specifics. Frank Luntz oughta have someone research this.

His speech is affected. He is a poor speaker. All of this talk about his great oratorical skill is a case of the emperor’s new clothes.

I’d say he’s got all the street creds he needs on foreign policy.

a capella on July 22, 2008 at 2:08 PM

Ah, yes, all that is true, and of course it’s a huge resume’ enhancer that he lived in Indonesia while in Elementary School, and had a roommate from Pakistan while at Columbia. But street creds are like stick ball and do not explain his claim that he’s in the major leagues now, and has been for the past 7 years.