Biden’s New Brief

How ironic that the guy who thought Iraq was hopeless and should be divided into 3 states is now charged with keeping it united. Biden's resume is superficially impressive just based on how many people he has met and how long he has been around. But whenever his judgment is tested, he flunks.

As evidenced by the comments here so far and, as I suspect, many comments yet to come, few people understand the importance of putting VP Biden in a leading role on Iraq. That is because few people know that VP Biden is the only US official - if not the only person on the planet - who has developed and honed, over the course of the last five years, a comprehensive and viable strategy to promote a sustainable political settlement in Iraq so that US forces may be withdrawn without leaving the chaos of a fragmented state in their wake.

The Biden strategy for Iraq is based on federalism as outlined in the Iraqi constitution and remains the only hope there is for national political reconciliation in Iraq. The Vice President has already received overwhelming support for this strategy in Congress, from the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and, most importantly, from most of Iraq's sectarian leaders. Turkey is pretty enamored with the plan, too!

Anyone who knows anything about all of this knew that VP Biden would be a guiding force on the US withdrawal from Iraq and on the diplomatic effort that will be required to keep Iraq stable and united. But, it sure is nice to see an article about it in Newsweek!

With regard to Ambassador Hill - Having read of his last assignment, since when was Mid-East experience key ? Mr. Hill was recently within the very maw of hell - North Korea itself ! Iraq could certainly be no worse, and while not a plum assignment, demonstrates his supreme abilities in smoothing ruffled feathers and preventing war. VP Biden is surely no more or less than a suitable backup - he can be in places Mr. Hill can't and deliver formidable clout to back up Mr. Hill's task list which no doubt runneth over already. Certainly, the combined presence of these professional diplomats is a superb proof of the serious comittment of the new administration to defusing a foolishly begun war, and building a lasting peace. Thats an election promise being kept, and kept well. Both VP Biden and Ambassador Hill are both demonstrating consummate skill in carrying out their duties, and I suspect building on their reputations to both become people not seen since the era of Ronald Reagan - Statesmen well versed in the fine arts of Diplomacy and Statecraft.

"libertyfirst"...The situation in Iraq being "doomed" has nothing to do with this administratio you ignorant twit. It was doomed from the moment the republicans fabricated evidence in order to wage an illegal war there. Nice try in your efforts to shift the blame away from the bigots in the right wing, but the whole world is aware of who's who and what's what in American politics, and you and your ilk are the Ahmadinejads of America. You might mean well (you might also be certifiably insane), but your viewpoints and values have hurt this country in ways you'll probably never be able to grasp. Oh, and way to evoke the troops in your message. We all know how much the GOP tries to pretend that they support our troops, even though you all are the same ones who send them to die every time you're in office. Read a book.

Anyone who has met Joe Biden knows the depth and breadth of his knowledge and insight. Or, rather, believes it - only he could KNOW it. This is an extremely intelligent and thoughtful man whose heart is always in the right place. Comments about gaffes or misstating details just illustrate the mindset of the commenter. If such a small mind can HAVE a mindset. Joe was the brains behind the calming of the former Yugoslavia. Joe had the right plan for Iraq a couple of years ago; it likely would have worked to defuse hostilities better than did the "surge." The animosities among the three major factions never went away; the "surge" just temporarily chilled the violence. Now an actual lasting solution to governing the place is needed if we are to get out successfully. Otherwise we'll be right back where we were in 2006. Then either we send back the troops, or watch the carnage. I don't know if Joe can get the parties to agree, but he is our best hope.

You didn't mention his other massive portfolio: radical feminism. Biden has fully backed feminists in expanding VAWA (which blames all family disgreements on men and has produced no positive results), and is backing I-VAWA (a plan to directly entitle UN feminists with $1-billion annually to destroy marriage around the world). Lynn Rosenthal, the new White House advisor on violence against women, will align the party by force in executing these and various other welfare state expansions.

Hey Barry, YOU are the Commander-in-Chief, not the Vice President!!! I know you are busy destroying our economy in trying make America a socialist utopia, but you cannot delegate your constitutional duties as Commander-in-Chief to that fool Biden. Not only are you the weakest president in generations, you are violating the law.

Nice move by President Obama. Biden is brilliant in foreign relations and foreign policy. He is highly respected here and abroad, spending years of hard work developing relations with numerous foreign governments and leaders as member and Chair of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

When first in the mix for VP, Biden was sent on a fact-finding trip to Georgia and Ukraine; he will return to Georgia and Ukraine next month for the administration (full circle). I believe Obama is utilizing Bidens foreign policy expertise wisely, with Biden already traveling to and speaking in Munich, Costa Rica, Chile, Brussels, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the recent and historic trip to the Balkens-Kosovo/Serbia, and Lebanon. In Washington, Biden meets frequently with foreign leaders including French PM Fillon, Haitian PM Pierre-Louis, Japanese PM Abe, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and of course Karzai, Talibani, and Zardari and several others. This is good.

As mentioned earlier, VP Biden is highly versed in all that is Iraq, and the region and situation is complex at best. I could not feel more at ease knowing that Iraq is added to Bidens portfolio. Thank you Mr. President, and good on ya, Joe! And to Elizabeth Miller, thanks for an excellent synopsis.

Aside: Sadly, a few comments on this thread are mere name-calling and highly offensive remarks, with nothing of substance being said. I???m surprised these types of comments are welcomed on Newsweek. Rather a shame.

Does anyone else feel like we're living in the punchline of a bad joke?

Obama can not possibly trust Biden to go it alone. You just know Barry has a hand in Joe's briefs.

Ah yes..the guy who thinks that the French helped kick Hezbollah out of Lebanon and that Tim Kaine is the Governor of NJ is in charge of Obama's Iraq initiative.How nice for the Warlords and the Mullahs.My neighbor the democrat told me that if I voted for McCain w ewould have a moron as VP. I did and we do.