Sunday Roundup

Republicans love to portray Obama as naïve when it comes to foreign policy. Let's go to the scorecard. Iraq: Prime Minister Maliki just announced he supports Obama's troop withdrawal plan. Afghanistan: Obama has long argued that Iraq has been a dangerous distraction from what should be the real focus of the war on terror, Afghanistan, and has recommended sending additional troops there. McCain, who has opposed sending additional troops, did an about-face on Tuesday, all but yelling "Me too!" Iran: Obama has taken a lot of GOP fire for his willingness to negotiate with Tehran. This week, we learned the Bush administration has decided to send a top diplomat to a meeting with Iran's top nuclear negotiator, and is planning to open an "interests section" in Tehran. Score three for naiveté.

Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

Comments

[lainey]

Senator Obama has proven to be right on foreign affairs, yet I think that it is important to also note that he seems to be more concerned with doing the right thing as opposed to "being right.". This is good news for all who think that we are replacing one war with another. We are not. Afghanistan has been the forgotten war, yet if we stick to strategy that defends people of the nation who are so severely oppressed by the Taliban rule and al-Qaida, and the same that continue to plan further strikes against America and her allies, then we can leave Iraq for good and focus with our NATO allies on Afghanistan. In doing so, we should be able to help stabilize the region. While it would be great to finally find a time where we are not actively engaged in any type of military actions, it seems that this has never been so. If we are mindful that people--both military and innocent civilians--are suffering terribly, we can find some solace in knowing that our goals are noble.I pray for better days...

[PTTY]

First McCain said Obama was irresponsible for saying he would attack Al Queida in Pakistan if their was solid intelligence. Since calling Obama 'irresponsilbe' our miliarty has attacked Al Queida 4 times in Pakistan.

Thank you Arianna for this Post. CNN and FOX are so transparent. Watch tomorrow they are going to try and downplay Obama and the cheers he received from the Troops.

McCain calls Obama naive and reckless for wanting to set a timetable to get out of Iraq. Next thing you know the sovereign Iraq government demands we set a timetable and Bush has given in but would rather call it a "time horizon".

First Obama says yes he would attack Pakistan if need be, then Bush attacks Pakistan

McCain calls Obama reckless and an appeaser for saying he will sit down with leaders of countries unfriendly to the U.S. 3 months later the Bush successfully appeases and negotiates with N. Korea ('axis of evil') and they begin to dismantle their nuclear plants.

Now Bush is doing the same with Iran.

Obama has been saying Afganistan needs more troops and equipment for a year now while McCain barely mentioned it.

Obama makes a big speech about sending more Troops and of course McCain follows Obama's coattails and states what Obama has been saying all along.

Who has the judgement?

[DoTheMath]

How can we increase the exposure of the Huffington Post? This has become the only news outlet that consistently brings together ALL the relevant facts about each issue, not just the ones that favor McCain. Yet, about the only way to read HP is to specifically choose to come here. I hardly ever see HP among the Google News headlines anymore. How can we spread the truth?

[calichic]

That, my friend, is the million dollar question if you really want to change this country. Yes, how can we develop alternative media for the masses? Any social movement worth its salt will need to make this its #1 priority.

[JD8]

It's obvious McCain hasn't a clue and his advisors are sellouts, now especially in foreign policy:

Did McCain's Chief Foreign Policy Advisor sell us out? Seems like he was in the middle of the money for absolution scandal that the UK Times Online discovered.

"In a further link, Randy Scheunemann, chief foreign policy and national security adviser to John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, was listed in the WSE brochure as part of its executive team. Scheunemann and Associates, his lobbying firm, is reported as having represented the Caspian Alliance in 2005.

At the undercover meeting last week, Payne said Scheunemann had been “working with me on my payroll for five of the last eight years”. When confronted over the link to KMG, Payne declined to comment."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/...

What a surprise, it looks like one of the guys behind one of the worst foreign policies in our history is a sellout. If this guy goes down with Phil Gramm and all the other McCain lobbyist advisors who are dropping like flies, who will be left? McCain himself? They guy who doesn't understand the difference between Sunni and Shia? He'll really steer us right in Iraq. This is looking really really bad for McCain.

[JRandomPoster]

I'm sure the cognitive dissonance spin machine will find a way to allow for even these contradictions on the part of the white house.

Me, I'm a big fan of naiveté. It allows me to believe that we haven't gone so far down the road to ruin that we can't recover.

[sf94127]

As usual Arianna, you are right on the money. I don't know why America does not determine all its actions and policies based on your blogging.

[minnehot]

Bad journalism creates bad analysis once again:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/19/almaliki.obama/

[JRandomPoster]

Note the phrasing: "But a spokesman for al-Maliki said his remarks "were misunderstood, mistranslated and not conveyed accurately."

Note that it isn't, "He didn't say that." It is a "clarification" - in other words, damage control after the WH came down on al-Maliki.

[sf94127]

My comment was tongue in cheek.

[Snowball]

Just evidence that the Bush regime's propaganda machine is in damage control mode. Nothing more.

[rem]

Thank you, Arianna, for putting hypertext links in your post. It helps to be able to tell out naive Republican friends that we can cite a BBC report as well as a Huffington Post report when we try to shepherd them into reality.

[JRandomPoster]

Sad and telling that we have to rely on sources like the BBC to get our news.

[rem]

Thank you, Arianna, for putting links in your essay. It helps to see citations. We readers can then point to even more sources when arguing points with our Republican friends who often forget what their own have told them if it was more than a month ago.

[rwe2late]

Sorry Arianna,

but what is actually naive is a pledge to vigorouly continue the so-called "war on terror", intensifying it against Afghans, expanding it to Pakistanis, and escalating it against Iranians.

Continued bases and continued occupations results in continued economic ruin and continued loss of liberty to enriched elites and repressive war acts.

[realtalk]

John McCain claims he is stronger on foreign policy, BUT THE FACT IS John McCain is the one who supported the invasion of Iraq, one of the WORST foreign policy mistakes the USA has ever made!
AND John McCain failed to recognizing that our focus should have been always been on Afghanistan, and the Taliban, and AlQueada, the people who are responsible for the death of over 3000 people on 9/11.
ADD TO THAT, THAT John McCain has NO PLANS to get out of Iraq, even though we have been there for 5 years, and the results of that is that we DO NOT have enough soldiers left to fight the Taliban, and AlQueada, in Afghnanistan.

THE FACT IS EVERY FOREIGN POLICY DECISION JOHN McCAIN HAS MADE OVER THE PAST 8 YEARS HAS BEEN WRONG!!

John McCain's claims his strength is foreign policy, BUT that "my friends", is TOTAL BULLSH*T!!!

[cincigal]

John McCain was,along with Joe Biden, constantly advising Bush to send more troops to Iraq before the war went totally out of control.Bush kept saying that the generals said they didnt need more.If Bush had took McCain and Biden advise the war would have been over four years ago.I wouldnt brag about Maliki's support of Obama's plan of withdrawal just yet.This afternoon he announced that that was a misunderst­anding.Oba­ma is "naive",as well as incompetent.He refuses to debate McCain,one on one just as he did with Senator Clinton after she made a complete idiot of him on ABC.He is nowhere without a written script,just like Bush.He refuses to be interviewed by any foreign press,because he might be asked some real questions,not the softball crap put forth by the fawning US kerpiffle.In short,he is an empty suit,again just like his brother Bush.You people are electing another puppet.

[LMT]

I'm so glad cicigal joined us here to give the McCain campaign report. Reiterating the Mr Obama is the one who would be the "Bush third term". Oh, puhleeeeese! That is such a sad claim, yet oh so RepubliCON.

cinci should also note that it is ALWAYS the candidate who has fallen way behind who "demands" debates as John-boy has. Leading candidates don't need them! However, I actually think that Obama has been exceptionally kind to McBush by not debating him yet. When you get Obama on a stage with McBush, poor McBush is going to be wishing he could slip into the woodwork. It'll be a repeat of this eye-rolling, chin rubbing, "I don't know enough to respond" moment on the Double Talk Express when asked the now infamous Viagara/co­ntraceptiv­es question. Now THAT will be priceless!

[calchala]

We'll talk about this after Obama utterly obliterates McCain in the debates. Have you seen McCain debate? I have. He's absolutely awful.

[JRandomPoster]

Aside from the completely bogus presented reasoning for the war, probably the biggest mistake in the execution of the Iraq was using what was a fully adequate attack force as a police force. An occupation is a completely different game than invasion. Even Bush Sr. knew this.

With this said, I am not sure that even putting a million boots on the ground from day one would have held things in check long enough to achieve the (mostly unstated) goals of this administration.

[SurrealPumpkin]

Maybe foreign policy IS McCain's strong point. Scary?

[CharlieMarlowe]

Well, you can put him to the test. At his next townhall meeting ask him how he is planning to resond to the Russians claiming the mineral-rich continental shelf in the Arctic, especially how this might effect the new shipping routes through the Arctic's Northwest passage now that the ice is retreating.
Would he support Canada in any military altercation between Russia and Canada in the north? Or ask him his policy on China's designs on Taiwan. Does he agree with President Lee of South Korea's hardline stance against North Korea? How does he plan on keeping the violence in Afghanistan from de-stabilizing Pakistan? How will he deal with India and China if that happens? The trick in testing a politician's sophistication in foreign policy areas is to ask questions from a non-US-centric viewpoint.

[lainey]

Mr. Obama is sophisticated enough for such problems as he is a big picture person who does have a world view. However, it is noted that he is running for President of the United States and that should be is biggest concern. It is not his job to tell the Canadians what to do, yet he has been vocal on Russia's attempt to dominate the world and its impact in the Security Council. Surely he understands the situation of Pakistan as he has talked about it from the beginning. The remote region of FATA needs stabilization and that is what he has talked about greatly. Having al Qaida and the Taliban running free--as Musharaff has allowed--further deteriorates such stability. He deserves more credit and we all know it. He has a keen mind and right-on foresight. I wouldn't underestimate his knowledge in the world in which we live.

[letsgetsmart]

The current trends are for a dem sweep this fall and it constantly amazes me to hear the republicans talk like they just need to make a small point here or there to convince people to vote for them in the various races. This group has been in lock step for eight years and done so many bad things and have so many members who have been exposed as criminal or disgusting people that the public is moving away from them across the board. I know that there are easily influenced citizens or we wouldn't have so many scams running all the time but the majority of us do see what we are looking at and if enough of the majority votes then they are going to lose. They need a complete house cleaning and a fresh start to get rid of the publics anger of them. All we have to do is go about our normal lives at the gas pump or grocery store or pay our utility bills to get ticked at them some more. Do they honestly think we will forgive these things? All of the people looking for work only have one thing on their minds while they stand in line, what happened to put me here and whose fault is it?

[kcmookie]

Well stated, I often am to aggressive in my statement regarding the general stupidity of people who want to continue down the same path we have been on, you message is easier for others to hear, good job!

[IamPhenom]

The other day, there were news articles all over about how Teddy Roosevelt was John McCain’s idol, role model, and favorite President.

Now, take a wild guess who the youngest serving President in US history was? That’s right, TEDDY ROOSEVELT. Roosevelt was only 42 when he took over the Presidency after McKinley’s assassination. Roosevelt also had very little political experience at the time. He was briefly the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, served only 2 years as Governor of NY, then became McKinley’s Vice President for about 6 months before becoming the President.

Obama’s camp needs to use this whenever the McCain camp tries to attack Obama for not being old or experienced enough for the job.

[jsinclair]

Great point! I hope they know this.

[Nolewoman]

Somebody please tell them. This is an excellent idea.

[skruff]

Roosevelt served as president of the board of New York City Police Commissioners During that time he reformed the police department referred to widly as the most corrupt in the nation.

President Harrison appointed Roosevelt to the United States Civil Service Commission, where he served until 1895.

Roosvelt served as deputy sheriff in Medora, North Dakota. He learned to ride,rope, and improved his shooting skills. Arguablly no 20th century President was closer to real people.

From early childhood Roosevely traveled in Europe, and the middle east. As an adult he extended those travels to Africa, the far East, and Greenland.

Including the experience of Governor of NY, and McKinley"s Vice President He had been a New York Assemblyman writing more bills than any other New York state legislator.

Roosvelt Graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude from Harvard University, wrote numerous books, and consorted with the most intelligent and connected people of the time.

He also had (unlike Obama) the humbling experience of losing elections (when running for mayor of New York he came in third.) It is good to have a couple of falls before winning the big one...

[memi69]

Can you say: "Yes We Can"?

Its incredible that its taken the freshman senator from Illinois to map out a plan for Iraq and Afghanistan to see any inkling of a shift in policy from the Bush administration. I'm wondering if maybe, since Bush has defined the phrase hard-line approach to governing, that it took Obama's ideas to make him see that there are other ways to do things.

Then I woke up. Much as Bush says he doesn't follow the polls, I think he lives by them. Maybe he finally looked in the mirror and realized that he screwed up. That or there was divine intervention involved.

[MissKaren]

Bush (and McCain) are genetically incapable of seeing that they screwed up. McCain is even incapable of admitting that he changes his mind. Orwell would be impressed with the demonstration of doublethink that lets them grab onto Obama's ideas and then say they are not Obama's ideas at all.

[imnotstopping]

Nixon used to say he didn't take any notice of polls, too.

[bluff]

For too many years, Republican politics have amounted to nothing more than the 'naked emperor' schtick. Some little 'kid' was bound to appear out of the crowd and call their bluff. (Let's face it, to suddenly have a whole electorate gazing at your stark-nakedness would be a bit unnerving.)

The little 'kid's not naive, he simply knows naked when he sees it.

[mcostello]

Dear Arianna and huffpo staff:
If you let our politicians post and then censor anything that might hurt their feelings, then you are doing them no favors. They should hear what your readership thinks.
I was censored on the Linda whats her name peice for using caps (?) to tell her to just get busy.
You are far to sensitive to her feelings.