Obama Abroad

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  • Posted By: philipdenver @ 07/20/2008 4:48:49 PM

    When Hillary was running as the "experienced leader" I was scratching my head... here was Obama, with a huge support structure running like a well oiled machine, and Hillary's campaign was totally disfunctional, full of internal infighting, poor control of her lieutenants, and constantly broke. I asked myself... is this the kind of "experience" I want running the presidency?

    A commander in chief, as well as leader of foreign policy, relies on the support structure and advisors underneath him. McCain's organization reminds me of Hillary's... internal fighting (the conservatives don't support him) and poor control of his lieutenants (witness Gramm), poor structure, and having a hard time with the finances... etc. He has to have Joe Lieberman whispering in his ear correcting him on very basic info in his sound bites (harkens back to GW).
    Again I ask myself: is this what we have to look forward to as president?

    What Obama lacks in experience, he has in ability to learn, as well as listen and absorb other views. This is well documented.

    Furthermore, aside from the surge issue, where indeed the violence has diminished... on about 8 out of 10 issues Obama's judgement turns out to be right (witness Bush et al following Obama's lead on Iran, Afghanistan, timetable, etc) and Obama is usually the one defining the issues while McCain and the others (including Hillary before) are busy responding in panic. Overall, Obama has a better record than GW who tends to get about 8 out of 10 issues wrong. Granted... he got the surge right... but that's still only about 2 out of 10.

    So, what's our choice here?
    - an "inexperienced" guy who seems to define the game, who the world loves, who has the enthusiasm of the younger generation for whom this matters, and who has in no time built a political machine admired by all? or...
    - a supposed experienced guy who doesn't get a lot of love from his own party or GW himself (much less the congress he'll inherit if he wins), who has reversed nearly all the positions he stood for 4 years ago, doesn't have much to show in terms of financial or economic skill (the most pressing issue these days), and has a disfunctional campaign that is in reaction mode?
    I'm also reminded of McCain's statement "I know how to win a war"... and I ask "which war have you won?... and would your war campaign be as disfunctional as your presidential one?"

    Folks... high level principles is one thing... but a president can't accomplish a whole lot if he's waffling around like McCain or Hillary...

    On a different note, I read that article on Obama in the NYT. The impression it gave me was that while, yes, he learned to "play the game" in an opportunistic fashion, he never lost sight of the higher principles.

    If we had a decent Republican choice for candidate I'd be happy to vote for him. Unfortunately, although both candidates have problems, to me, Obama is coming in as a far stronger leader,

    • Posted By: loriw @ 07/20/2008 7:53:48 PM

      Philipdenver,
      just for clarification what were the 8 of 10 issues Obama was correct about?

    • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 6:34:49 PM

      There is a good article in the issue of Rolling stones with his photo in the front and it give info about the strategy of his campaign and how he set the tone for it. Whe it comes to leadership there are no question of who is able. When someone inspires this large number of people to do something they never done before and volunteer it shows leadership. He has empowered people and reminded them of their power to make changes.

  • Posted By: Natskis @ 07/20/2008 7:32:06 PM

    Fantastic Article Fareed, once again. You prove yourself to be the master of foreign policies :)

  • Posted By: josemarti @ 07/20/2008 6:37:05 PM

    Dear Mr. Zakaria. Have you read Mr. Obama's book : Dreams From My Father. Perhaps better entitled: "The White Man caused my father to "escape" from his home in Africa., end up in Hawaii where he met my mother who he abandoned after my birth, and forced him to return home where political upheavals (the result of colonialism) embittered him and alienated him from his multiple wives and countless children? In this fine autobiography we find that Mr. Obama's wordview is ultimately an attempt to absolve his father and channel his anger. No need to ask in which direction.

    • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 6:56:13 PM

      I read the book and I could understand his father wanted to conitnue his study.
      I also understood that in his culture man may have more than one wife. He id have dreams to help his country but I think his personality did him in.
      Barack as a young man like most of us did growing up needed to find his bearings as a person.
      I was adopted and I had to reconcile myself with that, we all have something we need to grow up about it.
      I think he learned a lot from his mother and his experiences in moving. I think he is a man of good character and will keep his word and if he cant he will explain why.
      He is brilliant, very sensitive but also strategic in his learning and planning.
      The book should have given a good idea about him as a person.
      Character is what counts.

  • Posted By: sharenews @ 07/20/2008 6:55:17 PM

    NBC News
    THE SURGE SUCCEEDS: McCain was Right! Obama was Dead Wrong
    Chris Matthews
    MAY 30, 2008

    CHRIS MATTHEWS QUESTION TO DAVID AXLEROD, OBAMAS CHIEF STRATEGIST
    Do you know???do you know whether Senator Obama, given his position in the Senate, uh, on the FOREIGN RELATIONS Committee, do you know whether he thinks there has been progress made in Iraq . . because anecdotal evidence would tell you people returning, soldiers returning from Iraq, people, non-governmental people who have been in Iraq come back and say there actually has been progress made within the last year. Do you know what he (OBAMA) thinks about that?

    AXLERODS ANSWER (MAY 30, 2008)
    I think what he, what he said was, that theres been, uh, uh, the . . . I mean, he never disputed (? ? ?) the fact that if, that if you throw, uh, uh, a, a, a surge of American soldiers in an area that you can , uh, make a difference.

    OBAMA . ..REGARDING THE SURGE (JAN. 14, 2007)
    We cannot impose a military solution on what has effectively become a Civil war, and until we acknowledge that reality, uh, we can send 15,000 more troops, 20,000 more troops, 30,000 more troops, uh, I dont know any, uh, expert on the region or any military officer that I have spoken to, uh, privately, that believes that that is going to make a substantial difference on the situation on the ground.


    THE REAL DEAL: McCain was RIGHT. Obama was DEAD WRONG.
    Just imagine where we would be with the War in Iraq if Barack Obama was President?!


    ABOVE INTERVIEW ON VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4vlBgh7KLg

  • Posted By: chindognyc @ 07/20/2008 1:47:19 PM

    McCain supporters still have not answered my question. Why did the Washington meet with Iran for talks and with no pre-conditions. McCain said that Obama is out of touch. Is the Whie House out of touch now? All the McCain supporters said that Obama is a fool to talk to Iran with no pre-conditions and that the Bush administration was right. Well the Bush administration has just flip-flopped. Can I at least get an answer?

    • Posted By: mistermcfrugal @ 07/20/2008 3:03:03 PM

      Yeah, I'll give you an answer. I may not have this exactly right but I believe I'm close. First, Washington is not meeting with Iran for "talks" as you say. Some guy named Burns, lower level State Dept. diplomat is essentially sitting in on some kind of meeting. Rice has said, essentially, that we're not going to negotiate with Iran until they stop enriching uranium. So Burns is not "negotiating" anything. I think you should also note that neither Rice nor Bush will be there. If Obama was in office, I guess he'd be there. That's quite a difference!

      • Posted By: peartreehill @ 07/20/2008 6:54:16 PM

        Nope -- you do NOT have it right: Here is the info on Nicholas Burns. Why don't you Wingers bother to get the facts before you spout off your blather?

        Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns is the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, the Department of State???s third ranking official. Appointed by President Bush, he was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 17, 2005 and was sworn into office by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. As Under Secretary, he oversees U.S. policy in each region of the world and serves in the senior career Foreign Service position at the Department.

      • Posted By: chindognyc @ 07/20/2008 4:15:46 PM

        What you fail ro say is that, Bush said that there will be no talks with Iran until they give up there nuclear project. Now they send somebody to be in talks with Iran. I call that with out pre-conditions. I think you are no where near close.

  • Posted By: sharenews @ 07/20/2008 6:53:59 PM

    ABC NEWS
    Only ABC Marks One Year Anniversary of the Successful Surge in Iraq
    By Brent Baker
    February 15, 2008 - 13:48 ET

    If the surge in Iraq did not work, you can be sure the networks would all use its one-year anniversary to highlight its failure, but on Thursday night only ABC's World News, of the three broadcast network evening newscasts, marked the anniversary. With ???Surge Success??? on screen, anchor Charles Gibson noted it was one year ago today that the surge began in Iraq -- the troop buildup ordered by the President (and urged by JOHN MCCAIN) when so many of his critics (BARACK OBAMA) were calling for a draw down of troops. 30,000 additional troops started arriving a year ago

    http://newsbusters.org/blogs/brent-baker/2008/02/15/only-abc-marks-one-year-anniversary-successful-surge-iraq

  • Posted By: mrithesh @ 07/20/2008 5:51:27 PM

    Dear Fareed Zakaria, It seems that everyone is there to write what a great leader Obama is. Atleast it looks as if the entire liberal press has closed its eyes and is dreaming of Obama as the great leader who will do exactly what they think is absolutely the correct thing to do. But there are as many correct ways as there are wrong ways too. Whether Obama is in for a rude shock or not, you seem to write the future to be the gloden era of America. The argument that Bush alone has destroyed the otherwise great American Dream is to be naive. And to paint it all in gold when Obama arrives can only be called stupid.

    • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 6:39:50 PM

      If the same things had been said about McCain I guess they would be facts?

      • Posted By: mrithesh @ 07/20/2008 6:53:52 PM

        Its not that McCain is all facts and all good. The point I want to make is why jump the gun and say "Obama - the solution for everthing!!!"

  • Posted By: notroubleatall1963 @ 07/20/2008 6:43:17 PM

    Nobody is more NAIVE abroad than the majority of big fat-assed Americans who can barely speak their own language much less learn enough of a foreign tongue to actually get by.

    I grew up overseas and find my fellow Americans often very naive, out-of-touch and totally off-kilter in foreign citires where they aren't even street-smart enough to protect their purses from pickpockets, or to wear subdued colors instead of botd tight short-shorts on their enormous bottoms... etc. They not only look like hicks, they often act vociferous, boisterous and crude. I remember going to Cancun one March only to find that it was MY FELLOS AMERICANS raising hell, drinking till they puked in the pool, starting fist-fights with the locals and generally making total and complete public nuisances of themselves.

    We should all be more circumspect abroad and not draw so much attention to our ignorance, arrogance and overbearing self-importance.

    Perhaps then we could be treated with the dignity that most accord to visiting foreigners in their countries. And we might extend the same courtesy to our own tourists from outside the US, hoping they don't get mugged, accosted or molested in our main city park (Central Park, in that bastion of American psuedo- sophistication, NYC, -- UGH)... or mugged at gunpoint in our othe rmajor cities and tourist spots.

    We are often the laughing stock of the world, yet many love us too. Let's give them some hope that we're not all the arrogant arseholes that we tend to elect (at least twice during the past eight years)..

  • Posted By: notroubleatall1963 @ 07/20/2008 6:31:32 PM

    Obama is already the Prez that both Bush and McSame are listening to. As some below puts it:


    "Nobody can call Barack Obama a naive in international issues as his presidential rival too is singing the same tune about Iraq and Afghanistan now! Al-Maliki's support for his idea of troops pull-out under a fixed timetable is a testimony to his profound understanding of foreign policies and his capabilities to chart out practical paths for the same!"

    Everyone thought Obama was "naive" before he beat Hillary too. Of my friends here in Texas, who mostly supported Hillary or McSame, most of them called me "naive" for voting for Obama. We are all white and middle aged (young at heart)... and look how well he did. Hillary was a much tougher opponent than McSame, though the latter is holding his own... or so it seems.

    But never ever underestimate an intelligent, thinking candidate - one with both intellectual skills and street-smart savoir faire.... he will bite McSame's *** in the Fall... bigtime.

  • Posted By: sharenews @ 07/20/2008 2:02:55 AM



    TimesOnline
    Stay-at-home Barack Obama comes Under Fire for a Lack of Foreign Experience
    December 21, 2007
    Tom Baldwin in Washington

    Fresh doubts over Barack Obama???s foreign policy credentials were expressed on both sides of the Atlantic last night, after it emerged that he had made only one brief official visit to London ??? and none elsewhere in Western Europe or Latin America.

    Full story:
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3080794.ece


    • Posted By: notroubleatall1963 @ 07/20/2008 6:27:37 PM

      The London Times is the conservative news in Britain. Try the Guardian or the other newspapers for a more 'balanced' view. The Times is generally supportive of our conservative politicians.

  • Posted By: scabo @ 07/20/2008 1:31:51 PM

    Obama is a realist, but not worthy.

    • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 6:21:37 PM

      I suppose you are licensed to express such judgement, your honor!

  • Posted By: Anju Chandel @ 07/20/2008 6:19:47 PM

    I hope and pray that Barack Obama - the Optimistic Realist or the Realistic Optimist - gets to accomplish all what he envisages about America and the world at large - to make it a much better place to live! Americans are really fortunate to finally get a genuine leader like him!

    (Nobody can call Barack Obama a naive in international issues as his presidential rival too is singing the same tune about Iraq and Afghanistan now! Al-Maliki's support for his idea of troops pull-out under a fixed timetable is a testimony to his profound understanding of foreign policies and his capabilities to chart out practical paths for the same!)

  • Posted By: ndrock @ 07/20/2008 1:29:48 PM

    WoW!!! I guess you really told the McCain supporter!! Good Job!! While your at it, why don't you give the same bull crap to the Newsweek's God Golden Boy. You can spit all the venom, spin it anyway you and Newsweek wants, Obama still has less than McCain to show for experience.

    Obamas balls must have been sewed on a couple of times now, all that fence jumping must have tore them off a couple of times if not more. Newsweek should go back and look at his big change ideas, and see what they were then and now that he has been overseas and how many times he has ripped his balls while jumping the fence to take up what ever side he thinks will get him the votes and the best rating in the polls from day to day.

    I hate both candidates, but lesser of the two evils is still McCain.

    • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 6:19:17 PM

      Hate is not good for your blood pressure, I think you are angry at something.
      Maybe if you look at the positive side of things rather than the negative. Maybe if you become part of the solution you will not be part of the problem and feel a lot better.

    • Posted By: chindognyc @ 07/20/2008 1:39:46 PM

      Well, if McCain has so much experience, why did he pick Carly Fiorina to help in his economics plan. The same woman who said "Jobs in America are not Americans God-Given right." How come McCain knows nothing about economics and how come he doesn't know how to use a comp. How come everything that Obama said, the White House is following. Especially coming from somebody who has little experience.

  • Posted By: ragtopdodge @ 07/20/2008 12:05:01 PM

    The MSM finally starting to see the light that McCain is NOT a foreign policy expert and just another old crotchity bully in the vein of Dick Cheney.

    Obama knows foreign policy, regardless of the stupid American populace who thinks otherwise.

    • Posted By: mistermcfrugal @ 07/20/2008 3:10:26 PM

      You bet, just like he knows there are 57 states! If he knows there are 57 states, imagine what he knows about the rest of the world. We should crown him KIng of the World!

      • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 6:07:34 PM

        There are 57, states and territories, go and google. I think you are an idiot for not checking it.

  • Posted By: sharenews @ 07/20/2008 3:02:51 AM



    TimesOnline
    Stay-at-home Barack Obama comes Under Fire for a Lack of Foreign Experience
    December 21, 2007
    Tom Baldwin in Washington

    Fresh doubts over Barack Obama???s foreign policy credentials were expressed on both sides of the Atlantic last night, after it emerged that he had made only one brief official visit to London ??? and none elsewhere in Western Europe or Latin America.

    Full story:
    http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article3080794.ece


    • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 6:05:40 PM

      Foreign experience does not mean you have to visit people allover the world, that may help but it does not give you the basis for making assessment or strategies to follow.
      You have to study history of the world and of specific countries and relationship between them.culture, diplomacy,and many other subject that will help you make decision,You have to keep up with what is going on in the all parts of the world and read a lot of information and you also learn when a country does not longer exist under that name. McCain mentioned Cechoslovakia 3 times in his speeches.
      He is well adeptt in foreign relations and has travelled overseas. Meeting a Bush or other leaders teaches what?

    • Posted By: chindognyc @ 07/20/2008 10:06:07 AM

      Give me a break. McCain went to Latin America to talk about free-trade. We are loosing jobs right here in America for cheap labor. Please explain to me why would the White House follow every advise that Obama made. We met with Iran with no pre-conditions.

      • Posted By: sharenews @ 07/20/2008 4:22:53 PM


        PRO-HILLARY website launched. Anyone who would like to sign the pledge (reiterated below and on the site), here is the link to the site: http://www.together4us.com/

        REMEMBER THIS MEDIA BLITZ AGAINST HILLARY NON STOP? : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcdnlNZg2iM

        THE BYLAWS COMMITTE VOTE UNFAIRLY IN THE EYES OF MANY!
        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1whezcwSrQE


        ALL the more to sign the pledge (repeated below) on this webiste www.together4us.com

        THE PLEDGE OF TOGETHERNESS: SPREAD THE WORD!

        We stand together with her 18 million voters in pursuit of all of the following:

        Bring us together by honoring Hillary Clinton and her supporters at the Democratic National Convention in Denver by:

        Placing her name into nomination (following traditional protocol)

        Ensuring a roll-call vote

        Inviting her to speak, during prime-time, on August 26th, the 88th anniversary of Women's Suffrage

        Bring us together by adoption of policies on the Platform Committee that Hillary Clinton has championed.

        Bring us together through reform of the primary and caucus system to reflect the basic principle of one person - one vote.

        Bring us together through outspoken denunciation of all gender bias, racism and other forms of discrimination.

        Bring us together by making a concerted effort to retire her campaign debt.

        We are being asked to embrace Party Unity without the fair representation of Hillary Clinton and her 18 million voters. Party Unity requires bilateral action. We ask Barack Obama and the DNC to respond.


  • Posted By: josemarti @ 07/20/2008 6:00:33 PM

    You want to know how Senator Obama views the world? Read his autobiography: Dreams From My Father.

  • Posted By: Omaar @ 07/20/2008 12:47:25 PM

    Jim Webb & Wesley Clarke...Real Viet Nam Heroes...

    John McCain: Fact..Graduated Last in his Class, No Military Command in Viet Nam, Fact..6 Wrecked Planes, Fact..Air Plane Shot Down, Becomes a VIET NAM POW, Fact..Semi-Tortured an when the Viet Cong, realized they had a Navy Admirals son, they gave him Special Treatment, Fact...Mccain Devulged Classified Information to the Enemy and those same Jailers in Viet Nam Endorse him Today...Fact..MCain was dubbed the "Singing Bird"..Fact..McCain Devulged (Classified Information) to the Viet Cong and McCain made Several Anti-American Video Tapes in Support of the Viet Cong, that are Now Classified, Forever, Known Facts. Yet he is a Senator and is Running for President of the USA, Most Military Men, Dislike McCain.

    Had this been anyonelse he'd Never ever Represent a State or Government.

    Only in America....

    Note: John McCain has yet to get the Military Endorsement from General Patraeus, to this day and was told by Patraeus's Staf, "To Stop, Using his Pictures and Images in McCain's Campaign"

    Yet Another Glaring & Glowing Fact about Mr. "I Know How to Win Wars" John McCain

    What Successful wars, has McCain Ever been a part of and what Military Strategies has McCain Concieved, Created and the Joint Military Staffs Implemented and Aplied in any Successful War(s)

    Ans: NONE !!!!

    So Much for John McCain's "Military Experience" when the Bulk of McCain's Military Experience was spent as a Prisoner Of war in Viet Nam...

    Thats what Wesley Clark was talking about and its ....TRUE !!!

    So much for McCain's Military Know How and Experience in Winning Wars !!!

    What a Joke and he's Counting on the Simple Minds that look at his Military Uniform and won't think to QUESTION his Military Records and History.

    Go Vote for "Citizen Cane", Er Um, The "Real Manchurian Candidate"...

    I Mean Senator John McCain...Your Strong Steadfast and True Military Patriot !!

    • Posted By: raddave @ 07/20/2008 1:15:44 PM

      Omaar, Even though I support Obama, I must point out some very big mistakes in your post. John McCain did not finish last in his class from the Naval Academy. However he did finish 894 or ot 899.

      McCain crashed 2 planes and had one destroyed in the fire on the U.S.S. Forrestal. In spite of what some website say, McCain was not responsible for the fire. He did not wreck 6 planes before being shot down.

      McCain did not provide the Viet Cong with any information, because he was being held by the North Vietnamese Army.

      By regulations neither General Petraeus, nor the military can endorse a pesidential candidate. Gen. Petraeus asked McCain to stop using his pictures and images because it would seem as though he endorses McCain, which he cannot do.

      McCain spent 5 years as a POW, His military career was 33 years long, so the bulk of his career was not spent in a POW camp.

      The fact is BOTH sides are trying to use false information to make the other candidate seem icompetent.

      • Posted By: chindognyc @ 07/20/2008 1:41:44 PM

        raddave, I like what Omaar has to say, but I am glad that you can come and show some mistakes and still show your support. Good job.

        • Posted By: raddave @ 07/20/2008 2:14:56 PM

          Omaar didn't "say" anything original. He has just copied and pasted word for word from previous postings on Newsweeks sites.

        • Posted By: Galasso @ 07/20/2008 2:08:01 PM

          Omaar is a professional "cut and paste" blogger who never had an original thought. His repetitive posts of the same long inaccurate diatribes is either the result of a obsessive-compulsive mental disorder generated by sitting in front of a computer in excess or he is off his medication.

  • Posted By: kaiservonppants @ 07/20/2008 3:54:27 PM

    Obama's realism seems mostly directed at his election campaign. I haven't heard much about his veiws on U.S. foriegn policy of the past. His admiration of George Bush Sr. is just part of the Democrates standerd package of jabs at the current Bush. I doubt he would actually agreed to attack Iraq then. Judging from the company he keeps I would suspect that he has a pretty negative veiw of America's influence in world history. On the other hand he desperatly wants to be president. Between those are his values on foriegn policy. His promise to the Moveon.org crowd to leave Iraq, no mater what, may be his first campaighn promise he'll break. I dont think he really beleives he can let Iraq go to who ever and then break Al-Queda inspired terroism by focusing on Afghanistan. Couldn't they just shift their focus to iraq? Its much more valuable as base for terrorism than Afghanistan.

    The idea that Bush only sees good and evil and Obama can pickout all the subdivisions seems a like a cliched sterotyp of republican presidents since Reagan as cowboys. Bush sees all kinds of shades too. He has been walking a delicate line with nations like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, whos people are very supportive of Al-Queda but who's leadership opposes it. The democrate would have us alinate are few friends in the region. Leaning on the nations too much could make them jump in with the extreamist. And as far as the push for democracy in Iraq would Obama be willing to put some puppet strongman in power , like the U.S would do in the cold war? Any thing but a commitment to democracy would be interpited as imperialism.

    • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 4:13:42 PM

      maybe you should read the article again...and again. You missed the point entirely.
      You speak of Bush seeing all shades ? Do you know him personally? The man is bone headed as you can get. and he does not seem to have a foreign policy that represents his party ideology. I am not sure he can think long enough to realize one.

  • Posted By: joelaw DDS @ 07/20/2008 4:10:34 PM

    There is nothing static in our world and, no foreign policy no matter how viewed must remain static. America undoubtedly is the leader of the free world and, will remain so in the nearest future. A tunnel world view will not do any good for American foreign policy. Even the worst of leaders in our world need to be shown some respect. Most world leaders are today silently telling the 'big brother' they hate been talking down on. Some degree of respect will go a long way in reassuring the world that a leader can only lead one nation at a time; that is, his own The world of the future will demand a humane, firm, and understanding leadership. Obama ,does have these trails. McCain might have experience when it comes to years of service, but he definitely has not portaryed sign of a world leader that is ready to tolerate others in a larger global pool

    Joelaw DDS

  • Posted By: lee226 @ 07/20/2008 4:03:48 PM

    His steady temperament hides the lion strenght.

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