WaPo: Obama Shifting The National Foreign Policy Debate

Washington Post:

Sen. Barack Obama, on his first and likely only overseas trip as the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has remade the campaign's foreign policy playing field, neatly sidestepping Republican charges that he has been naive and wrong on Iraq and moving to a broader, post-Iraq focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In essence, Obama has declared the war in Iraq all but over. "There is security progress," he said during yesterday's news conference in Amman, Jordan. "Now we need a political solution." While a diminished U.S. force under his presidency would continue to protect U.S. personnel, target terrorists and provide training, he said, it would be up to Baghdad to consolidate the victory by "setting up a government that is working for the people."

Two days spent in Afghanistan and two days in Iraq, Obama said, reinforced his belief that it is time for the United States to move on. Calling the situation in Afghanistan "perilous and urgent," he said both U.S. military and Afghan government officials agree that "we must act now to reverse a deteriorating situation."

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[mydoglucky]

Obama, clearly, is comfortable on the world stage and certainly has a firm grasp of foreign issues. The debates this fall will be interesting. Will the media now be looking to see if McCain has a grasp of foreign affairs? They SHOULD!

[NotMcCain]

It cracks me up how McCain and Bush keep trying to respond to Obama's leadership. Must be very frustrating for them to face someone who actually understands things, and thinks and judges and leads so well on his own.

There's no question in my mind that his campaign has not only changed the discussion of Iraq, but has affected both Bush and McCain's policies.

That's leadership, people.

[liberalloons]

What has he done to prove his leadership again?

[GuyFawkes]

I think he's done everything he can on foreign policy,, until the debates. If you're not gonna vote for him because of foreign policy after this, then, well...

If I were the campaign, when he gets back, I'd just go 24/7 on economy. Hit Ohio, Colorado, Virginia, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Michigan, and Nevada like they were punching bags.

[LAB10]

Mac can't keep up. He just playing catch up. Bless his little old heart.

[uvymopkq]

He has to go to foreign policy, he thinks we have 57 states in Union.

[ThunderclapNewman]

No, he does not.

He misspoke when referring to the number of primaries and caucuses.

Only witless tr0lls like you ever mention it.

[Viper]

Andits one of the few things that they mention after 18 months...

Regards

[olivia]

Well that does it, I'll never vote for him!

[Gma11]

Yes he is!!

This trip has been marvelous and has showcased Obama's leadership skills superlatively.

[boogygran]

The photos and reports coming back indicate that Senator Obama is very comfortable and confident in his role as visiting US Presidential Democratic candidate-to-be. And the people he comes in contact with, officials and citizens alike, appear to be very cordial and receptive. I'd say that his trip so far has already done a lot to raise the hopes of many of the nations that President Obama will be working with in an official capacity soon.

Boogy-hussein-gran for Obama

[waverly]

It's nice to see a REAL LEADER in action.

[lennix]

first andrea is part of the old news that just doin't get it and they are in shock that a black man is this smart people are not beliving the msm any more and are thinking for they self msm blew it when they let bush lie us into war chang is here and the whole world knows it but us

[speakingtruthtopower]

Senator Obama is quoted saying it would be up to Baghdad to consolidate the victory by "setting up a government that is working for the people." Relatively speaking, the U.S. government is not currently a "government working for the people". This is evident by the lowest congressional approval ratings in history, a plummeting dollar that has lost over half of it's value against the Euro since it's introduction, more jobs and businesses moving overseas,11-13% inflation (if you factor in fuel and food) and most importantly, the blatant disregard and dismantling of the constitution and the rule of law by many of our elected leaders and the special interests that they serve. As a lifelong democrat, I was really "hopeful" that Obama might be the leader our country needs to bring fundamental change to Washington. But with his surprising policy reversals on FISA, NAFTA and many other issues, I feel like we will only get a better version of "more of the same". Real change will only come when corporations, lobbyists and special interests no longer control the destiny of our country, we restore the rule of law and uphold and defend the constitution.

[brainuser]

36 hours in Israel, only 45 minutes for the Palestinian leader. What's with that? On top of wiping his hands clean of any Israel-Iran dispute.

[Brillig]

O-BA-MA! Even a baby can say it.

[Grunty1]

GW can't :-)

[BaltimoreSteve]

What is most significant is that McCain is now forced to debate Obama as, at least, an equal on foreign affairs. Obama has proven his ability while McMistake continues to demonstrate his confusion of the facts.

[RobinLandseadel]

Understand that the war machine has no use for withdrawal, it would slow down profitability on their end. Understand, as well, that the war machine is inherently parasitic, entropic—anything that plutonian is just a negative energy flow.

McCain's/Bush's/The Dickmeister's Enron/Haliburton Frankenstein's monster is the real source of terrorism on this planet. Al Queda just doesn't have the wherewithal to cause as much havoc as the Neo-Con crowd, the jihad just don't have the cash on hand that the plutes do.

[Agnim]

As for McCain, who wants to always any war or 'fight the last battle' over the escalation/surge, McCain is refusing to ALSO remind the American people that he is greatly responsible for this UNPROVOKED Iraq bush war in the first place.

Without the UNPROVOKED war, there wouldn't be a need for an escalation/surge.
One cannot first create a huge mess UNPROVOKED, and then try to divert attention from the huge mess by focusing on one relatively clean spot -- the escalation-surge.

It is only fitting that Providence does not give any credit for the warmonger who helped to create the UNPROVOKED war in the first place