Why Is Media Ignoring Accusations Obama Interfered With Iraq Withdrawal Negotiations?

Why Is Media Ignoring Accusations Obama Interfered With Iraq Withdrawal Negotiations?

By John Stephenson (Bio | Archive)
September 16, 2008 - 09:49 ET

While the media use all their resources to hunt fake scandals on Sarah Palin, there are some serious developments that America needs to know about. The accusation from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry is that Barack Obama attempted to undermine troop withdrawal negotiations when he made his publicity trip to Iraq. For some reason, we have heard very little reporting on this from the media, even after Obama practically admitted to this.

In the New York Post, conservative Iranian-born columnist Amir Taheri quoted Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari as saying the Democrat made the demand when he visited Baghdad in July, while publicly demanding an early withdrawal.

“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.

“However, as an Iraqi, I prefer to have a security agreement that regulates the activities of foreign troops, rather than keeping the matter open,” Zebari reportedly said. …
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.

In other words, since his opposition to the surge was wrong and we are now seeing success he wanted to sweep all opportunities for bringing the troops home away until he, if he were to become president, would get the credit. Shameless!

Ed Morrissey:

Barack Obama went to Iraq and interfered with the diplomatic efforts of the elected United States government, in a war zone no less, by telling the Iraqis to stop negotiating with the President. How exactly does that make Taheri’s column untruthful?
It wasn’t enough for Obama to fail at forcing the nation into a defeat in Iraq when he opposed the surge. Now he has interfered with our efforts to stabilize Iraq and provide for its security after the surge succeeded in keeping Iraq from falling into a failed state. And when he got caught working for failure and defeat, he tried making it into a smear against John McCain.

This is a new low for Senator Obama. The Senate should investigate this as a violation of the Constitution and seperation of powers, but don’t expect them to. The media should be all over this, but you will hear as least as possible about this from them.

—John Stephenson is editor of Stop The ACLU.

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Because Governor Palin

September 16, 2008 - 09:52 ET by amber

Because Governor Palin bought a tanning bed, geeze, thought you knew.

If I lived for three months

September 16, 2008 - 10:04 ET by BD

If I lived for three months of the year without sun, I would purchase one as well.

By the way, those of us who work the day shift in SCIFs and never see the sun for weeks at a time would WELCOME a governmentally purchased sunlamp/tanning bed.

People used to marvel that my team lived in Hawaii but looked like we lived in Nome Alaska in a mushroom farm.

Vitamin D Babyyyyy!!!!!!

Burrowing in

September 16, 2008 - 15:14 ET by nofate

BD, good to see you still around! Thought you had dropped off the face of the earth. Turns out you were just burrowing in. Is SCIF the same place that the codebreakers used in WWII that led to our placement at Midway? If so, you may be a mushroom, but they are feeding us the manure :-). Sometimes I think they ought to feed us a little more, i.e. the subject of this post. That man is on a mission to completely change the U.S. It is all laid out in the writings of Saul Alinsky, Antonio Gramsci, Georg Lukacs, and others. It is chilling that more Americans don't see it.

Be well, BD.

"The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."

michaelyon-online.com

Actually, there are several

September 16, 2008 - 17:37 ET by BD

Actually, there are several "SCIFs" in Hawaii and many of them claim to be the one that Commander Joe Rocheforts guys lived in during WWII. But I think that actual building was torn down years ago to make room for a parking lot.

For a while I lived in the same compound he was in, and as I alluded in my earlier post, We would go in before the sun rose in the morning - then come out after the sun had set in the evening and were thus extremely pale individuals.

Don't hold your breath (again)

September 16, 2008 - 10:12 ET by jazbo

Gov Palin's tanning bed is much more important.

Those who believe in nothing will believe anything.

This is the $64K question

September 16, 2008 - 10:08 ET by Blonde

It's puzzling. Drudge has really been driving alot of the news cycle of late.

I keep waiting for this to break on Fox.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

barrack would NEVER want to

September 16, 2008 - 10:12 ET by seaniep

barrack would NEVER want to lose a war to win an election

or would he?

If this is true, then primates can levitate from human anus's

September 16, 2008 - 10:14 ET by JWF

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.

"Barack Obama has never urged a delay in negotiations..."

You are talking to the Iraqi's directly telling them to slow down signing the SFA.

Doesn't sound like he urged a delay in negotiations at all. Ow, a monkey just flew out of my butt.

Where is the White House response to this? Sounds like someone already thinks they are President.

I don't see the big

September 16, 2008 - 10:16 ET by athoughtor2

I don't see the big problem....The MSM has already given the election to Obam's, thus he is now commander if chief in their eyes. so why shouldn't he start carrying out some of those duties on his trip to Iraq...

wow

September 16, 2008 - 10:17 ET by Mazzi

Oh puhleeze! How is this relevant? Everyone knows that Obama is going to be president, and it would just confuse the issue if the troop withdraw was coordinated now. Obama would just have to change it all after January. Right?

Can you believe the balls on this guy? What an arrogant, egotistical slimebag! Sometimes I almost feel sorry for the guy - watching his dreams and expectation fall around his ankles - and then I read something like this and I cheer at Karma.

"When a government robs Peter to pay Paul, they can always count on the support of Paul." ~ George Bernard Shaw~

Calling Charlie Gibson!

September 16, 2008 - 10:21 ET by Red Jeep

So when is Charlie Gibson of ABC News rushing to put together a 3 part interview with BO about this? After all it is the seriousness of the charge….

or even better let's get

September 16, 2008 - 10:27 ET by athoughtor2

or even better let's get olberman...afterall he is the formost expert , according to himself, in constitutional law when it comes to the office of the President.

Someone in the msm will

September 16, 2008 - 10:29 ET by Free Thinker

Someone in the msm will follow up when they have to because the dreaded new media will cover it. For now we will be treated to Breaking News alerts like Sarah Palin bought a tanning bed, or she fired someone, or that she is a Christian. Oh yeah, and while the msm is trying to create controversy with Palin, Obama keeps dropping in the polls.

Obama's Empty Bucket!! Columbo's observations!

September 16, 2008 - 10:38 ET by gailannr

Columbo:

Excuse me Mr. Obama, I mean Senator Obama, sir. Um . . . know you are busy and important and stuff. I mean running for president is very important and . . . ah . . . I hate to bother you. I will only take a minute ok, sir?

See, I have these missing pieces that are holding me up, and I was wondering sir, if you could take time out of your busy schedule and help me out. You know, no big deal, just some loose ends and things.

Hey, you have a nice place here! The wife sees houses like this on TV all the time and says boy she wishes she had digs like this you know? Is that painting real? Really? Wow. I saw something like that in a museum once!

Oh, sorry sir. I didn't mean to get off the track. So if you could just help me out a minute and give me some details, I will get right out of your way. I want to close this case and maybe take the wife to Coney Island or something. Ever been to Coney Island ? No, I didn't think so. .

Well, listen, anyways, I can't seem to get some information I need to wrap this up. These things seem to either be "locked" or "not available'. I'm sure it's just some oversight or glitch or something, so if you could you tell me where these things are . . I . . . I . . . have them written down here somewhere . . oh wait. Sorry about the smears. It was raining out. I'll just read it to you.

Could you help me please find these things, sir?

1. Occidental College records -- Not released
2. Columbia College records -- Not released
3. Columbia Thesis paper -- "not available"
4. Harvard College records -- Not released
5. Selective Service Registration -- Not released
6. Medical records -- Not released
7. Illinois State Senate schedule -- "not available"
8. Law practice client list -- Not released
9. Certified Copy of original Birth certificate -- Not released
10. Embossed, signed paper Certification of Live Birth -- Not released
11. Harvard Law Review articles published -- None
12. University of Chicago scholarly articles -- None

13. Your Record of baptism-- Not released or "not available"

14. Your Illinois State Senate records--"not available"

Oh hey listen! I know you are busy! Is this too much for you now? I mean tell you what. I will come back tomorrow. Give you some time to get these things together, you know? I mean, I know you are busy, so I will just let myself out. I will be back tomorrow.

"Who wants to know these things?" asked Senator Obama.

Columbo answered: THE PEOPLE

just minor

September 16, 2008 - 10:45 ET by athoughtor2

just minor details.....however, you might be in luck. i think dan rather is going to do an hour long 60 minute special on all those subjects....mary mapes will produce it. afterall they want to get to the bottom of the candidates lives.

Well done! Pray for a

September 16, 2008 - 20:22 ET by celator

Well done! Pray for a miracle that the MSM will be even the slightest attention to the list and do their job!

The major media report only half the news. Why are they surprised they have only half the potential audience?

Conspiracy theories of Reagan delaying hostage release..

September 16, 2008 - 11:09 ET by Gary Hall

Brings back memories -- memories of how the MSM wanted the conspiracy theories to be true which sought to show that Ronald Reagan, as a private citizen had negociated with the Iranians, convincing them to hold off the release of the hostages until after he was sworn in as president. This would help assure his election, etc.

It's important to remember here that 1.) Congressional and Senate investigations tossed all this out - not true., and 2.) Former President Carter did act as an emissary for the US, flying to Germany and receiving the hostages upon their arrival there.

Not only did the forests suffer from all of the conspiracy books written on this topic and from the bok reviews granted them in the MSM, but given any opportunity and a few seconds, journalists seldom have resisted the chance to bring it up -- and I'll bet you that if somehow they are forced to cover the Obama story here anytime soon, that they will not be able to do it without wrongly asserting that Reagan had been here before.

Obama's game here -- shhh. The media simply does not want the voters to know this, about their guy. (;~/ gary

They Are What They Accuse

September 16, 2008 - 15:23 ET by nofate

Exactly what I was thinking as I read this, GH. As Rush says, (paraphrasing) "They are what they accuse us loudest of." It's when they brush off the charge like that that "reporters" should get suspicious of this bunch. Of course when Sarah self deprecates herself and pit bulls, why that is a slap at "The One", true "reporters" must heed the call to right the wrong.

Bizarro world!

"The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."

michaelyon-online.com

Please continue to pound

September 16, 2008 - 11:14 ET by Clear thinker

Please continue to pound this story hard. The country needs to hear this ASAP. I don't expect the liberal media in this country to cover this story until it get's legs under it. Then the liberal media will spin it for Obama in ways unimagined in American journalistic history.

If this story is 100% true, then Obama has NO right to even be on a ballot.

Sarah Palin - Joe Lieberman - Hate Fest 2008

Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/

Clearly thinker..'Obama, the great vote disenfranchiser'

September 16, 2008 - 11:35 ET by Gary Hall

Speaking of right to be on a ballot -- are you familiar with 'Obama, the great vote disenfranchiser'? gary

Obama knows his way around a ballot

Gary... I knew how he

September 16, 2008 - 11:50 ET by Clear thinker

Gary...

I knew how he won. Maybe 'won' is not the right word. Slight of hand is more like it. After he loses in November at least he will have a future as an Illusionist.

Sarah Palin - Joe Lieberman - Hate Fest 2008

Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/

i agree with clear thinker...

September 16, 2008 - 11:38 ET by ncovert

if this story is totally true...shouldn't charges be brought up? can you imagine if someone on the GOP ticket had done this? the msm would be bush's biggest supporters..."how could you undermine the president...".

this makes me so angry...weren't some people warning he may do this? and everyone wrote it off...like nooooo...he won't discuss policy that isn't why he is there...wait...didn't OBAMA say that??? that there is only one president at a time or something like that? i knew he was shady...but this just proves it. someone in congress needs to bring this up and say they are going to investigate and then maybe it will get some coverage. even if pelosi won't go forward with it...it at the VERY LEAST needs to be brought to the floor! OUTRAGEOUS.

Obama, Busted!

September 16, 2008 - 11:42 ET by CobraMan

"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."

"Here is the truth: fighting a war without end will not force the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future. And fighting in a war without end will not make the American people safer.

So when I am Commander-in-Chief, I will set a new goal on day one: I will end this war." Source

I see, Obama, you’ll "end this war" after you take office, but you will do anything you can to EXTEND that war until you are elected.

Obama, you have no respect for our military and our allies in Iraq and you will use them just to future your political ambitions. I hope this will be your death knell in the upcoming election

Obama: My job is above my pay grade

This is the funniest quote

September 16, 2008 - 11:49 ET by Dan The Man 2

This is the funniest quote from the AFP article "But Obama's national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said Taheri's article bore "as much resemblance to the truth as a McCain campaign commercial."

And I believe it ddi have as much truth in it as a McCain commercial wich is the funny part. I love a liberal when they open their pie holes and crap comes out.

Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.

I wish someone would follow

September 16, 2008 - 11:58 ET by athoughtor2

I wish someone would follow up with her and ask what did Obama and the various military leaders discuss.

It would all be much simpler....

September 16, 2008 - 12:16 ET by Prester John

....if Bush just resigned effective immediately and McCain called for Obama's coronation by acclamtion.

No muss, no fuss.

You know, this is a crying

September 16, 2008 - 13:27 ET by marpel

You know, this is a crying shame that the media is not talking about this. This is a terrible thing to have happened and the American people deserve to know about this.

Sean Hannity is right. Journalism died in 2008.

Because

September 16, 2008 - 15:18 ET by docb

it has been proven a lie!!!! Next.

Proven?

September 16, 2008 - 15:23 ET by John Stephenson

Can you cite your proof?

Cockroaches

September 16, 2008 - 15:25 ET by nofate

Cockroaches always come out when they think we're not looking. Take off your tinfoil hat and join the real world or you may get squished.

"The future is not set. There is no fate but what we make for ourselves."

michaelyon-online.com

Ha, nofate

September 16, 2008 - 16:20 ET by Blonde

You are fixated on docb's tinfoil hat....only I suspect she used Saran, as you suggested yesterday....brains are leaking on the floor, LOL.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

docb... You say it's a

September 16, 2008 - 16:04 ET by Clear thinker

docb...

You say it's a lie and we are supposed to just blindly believe you? Not a chance. Please, we would all love to see your PROOF!

Sarah Palin - Joe Lieberman - Hate Fest 2008

Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/

Troll on, honey

September 16, 2008 - 16:17 ET by Blonde

We need a better class of troll, here.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

docb, Obama so much as

September 16, 2008 - 16:32 ET by bassndude

docb, Obama so much as admited it! He just tried to spin it as a little misunderstanding. Obama is as guilty as the ears on his head.

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

The MSM will break this

September 16, 2008 - 15:59 ET by BuffNBone

The MSM will break this story only AFTER it shows up in the National Enquirer.

Kinda makes me wonder what he was saying when he met with the Heads of State during his European Vacation.

"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"

Obama Violated the Logan Act

September 16, 2008 - 16:15 ET by Tufrmone

I'm puzzled why this isn't getting more play in the media or any play at all.

Even if you accept Obama's National Security Spokeswoman Wendy Morigi's attempted exculpatory version of what Obama did - he clearly violated the Logan Act.

"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."

The Logan Act (18 U.S.C.A. § 953 [1948]) states the following:

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be,
who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly
commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any
foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to
influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any
officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies
with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States,
shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three
years, or both.

The attempt to slow down, or otherwise interfere in negotiations or agreement of any kind between the United States and a foreign nation violates the clear wording of the act.

There is no exception for people running for President.

Obama is supposed to be a Constitutional Scholar and therefore he must have been aware of this statute. Unless the Whitehouse gave him some sort of special permission which they obviously did not, he's in trouble.

Moreover, assuming the Obama Spokesperson is correct, if Obama was successful in slowing down the agreement it would necessarily lead to the unnecessary loss of lives of American soldiers.