Obama's Next Op-ed

Senator Barack Obama boldly put his plan for Iraq in print on the op-ed page of the New York Times today. In it, he says he will "pursue a diplomatic offensive with every nation in the region on behalf of Iraq's stability..." I read that literally -- a diplomatic offensive with every nation in the region, including Syria and Iran. This is way overdue. After all, precious time has been lost since the likes of Larry Eagleburger, Ed Meese, Alan Simpson and Sandra Day O'Connor called for such action in their Iraq Study Group Report.

As Sen. Obama recognizes in his op-ed, and as evidenced by other news of the day, we have to shift our focus to the chaos on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. And that's really the key op-ed -- "My Plan for Pakistan."

I visited Islamabad on a Senate trip in 2003. Every street and marketplace and bus stop was teeming with people. They were buying and selling, and not just the goods of everyday life; they were buying and selling the ideas that will determine whether America wins or loses the fight against Islamic extremism.

A regional approach is crucial to our success in Iraq, but it is also vital to our success on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. And whenever you're dealing with Pakistan, you're automatically dealing with India. So the next op-ed won't be easy for Sen. Obama. I suppose the tragic folly of the Iraq War is that everything else is now more difficult because of it.

Why is it more difficult? Because the international community, if they don't downright abhor the Bush/Cheney approach, certainly don't trust our foreign policies. After all, we invaded a country on the false premise that it posed an imminent threat. Regaining the trust of the international community will be the next president's biggest challenge. Is it naïve to think that if the Syrians, Indians, Pakistanis, Afghans and Iranians trusted us, stabilizing the region would be less difficult?

In his piece, Sen. Obama alludes to the political attacks he will soon have to endure. As he wrote, there will be charges of "flip-flopping and surrender." But these attacks will likely come from the same people who committed the worst sin of all -- contributing to the fracturing of American credibility. As Sen. Obama considers a "My Plan for Pakistan" op-ed, it wouldn't be a bad idea to start by implementing the regional approach and beginning the hard work of restoring trust in America.

Comments

[Scarabus]

What a novel idea! Listen as well as talk? Refrain from saber-rattling threats? Treat war as a last resort rather than a first? Actually acknowledge the incredibly complex historical­-religious­-political morass in the Middle East?

[Gma11]

Thank you. Senator Chafee. I agree with your assessment.

And thank you for your ethical service.

[4President]

Okay, but watch this:

{As Sen. Obama recognizes in his op-ed, and as evidenced by other news of the day, we have to shift our focus to the chaos on the Afghanista­n-Pakistan border. And that's really the key op-ed -- "My Plan for Pakistan."}

This is all more of that "Unilateral Cowboy Summitry!"

Barack Obama and the Dems want to appease Bin Laden by surrendering and making any and every concession, up to and including changing America's official language from English!

What would sitting down and meeting with - a mean, really mean, bad, super bad, and ugly and EVIL (that's a good word because everyone knows what you mean) mean guys like those guys - accomplish?

I could go on and on. We would never debate the issues on merit when it comes to important matters of National Security or Foreign Diplomacy.

_____________

[majorian]

Upon re-reading your post, it's come to my attention that you might have been demonstrating how rabid right-wing zealots will respond to this. If so, sorry - my bad! :p

[4President]

Anything to distract you from the issues!

[BrianManning81]

Hmmm...that's not what he will do. Let me guess, you like not being trusted by the rest of the world? Watch them leave us behind.

[eden4barack08]

"...a mean, really mean, bad, super bad, and ugly and EVIL ..." hmmm, what exactly is the foundation or the source for this? Is it like 'the big bad wolf'? or 'the boogieman'?

[paixa3]

Mr. Chafee, thank you for writing your most valued opinion. I hope Obama publishes many more that the MSM does NOT attempt to distort them.

Peace to you.

[teemcee]

Dear Mr. Chafee--
Thank you for your ongoing thoughtful and well-informed writings. Someone of your intelligence could be very valuable in an Obama Administration!

[hopeless277]

Fool me once(FISA), shame on you. Fool me twice(every other position he says he holds) shame on me. I won't get fooled again. I will not vote for a liar and a fraud. I will write in John Edwards. Obama is a fake.

[GOP4MoreTears]

Must You, prove Phil Gramm right?

HERE, have some cheese with your WHINE

[axt113]

His only changed stance is FISA

[foolchild0]

Public funds, my friend. And his support of faith-based initiatives, which he cleverly never brought up on the campaign trail, is concerning to anyone who believes in the separation of church and state.

[majorian]

That's really fascinating. In the meantime, you would take your ego trip to the point of indirectly helping into office an archconservative politician who is as anti-progress as it comes on issues like Iraq, Iran, social security, gay rights, torture, and the FISA issue itself?

You have every right to do so, of course - just don't go around calling yourself a progressive if you're so viscerally opposed to progress.

[BrianManning81]

Right you are majorian. right your are

[LABC]

and if Edwards is the VP? Ahhh... let's just bask in the glow of your self-right­eousness..­.mmmm....

[ghop]

Erm..you have a short memory. I remember Edwards running fast to the center in 2004, especialy in regards to gay rights and NAFTA. Edwards also said he'd support some form of faith-based initiatives in Jan 08 and voted for the war.

How's that purity working for ya?

[majorian]

Indeed - and say what you will about the faith-based initiatives thing (personally, I think it's a great thing to promote, if it's sufficiently regulated), but at least Obama has supported them from the beginning. He hasn't run to the center in any way, shape, or form on that issue.