Obama Triangulates and Won't Go Where Other Great Americans Will on Hamas

Ben Smith of Politico points out that Barack Obama has "drawn a line" regarding which of the world's problematic bad guys should be met by Presidents like himself -- and Jimmy Carter. He thinks Carter should not meet any Hamas leaders.

I guess isolation works for some and not others -- but ah, just when does one know in Obama's play book?

Apparently, he's OK meeting Israeli leaders because they disavow terrorism -- but still they protect and establish illegal settlements and have installed more roadblocks and inhibitions to Palestinian mobility than was the case since the November 2007 Annapolis Summit. And while knocking Carter's efforts, Obama fails to articulate how any negotiation that does not include in some way a wrestling match and attempt at a negotiation with Hamas will be stable enough to believe in.

A leading Knesset Member in Israel who strongly favors Senator Obama if he had the chance to vote in the U.S. elections told me recently that his one fear about Obama is that in his quest for the White House, he will ultimately have to shed his pragmatic approach to problem solving and demonstrate to critics "that he will be more Israeli than the Israelis."

To establish a context, look at this roster of great Americans -- all national foreign policy leaders, military leaders, former government officials, and public intellectuals -- who have been able to go where Barack Obama seems unable.

They all signed a letter at the time of the Annapolis Summit to President Bush and Secretary of State Rice that said that:

As to Hamas, we believe that a genuine dialogue with the organization is far preferable to its isolation; it could be conducted, for example, by the UN and Quartet Middle East envoys. Promoting a cease-fire between Israel and Gaza would be a good starting point.

While he didn't sign our letter, Colin Powell has also said that Hamas should not be isolated and must be engaged.

The roster of American leaders who led the letter are:

BRENT SCOWCROFT, ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI, THOMAS PICKERING, CARLA HILLS, LEE HAMILTON, THEODORE SORENSEN, ERIC SHINSEKI, NANCY KASSEBAUM BAKER, and PAUL VOLCKER.

Others that are included on the roster of signatories are:

US AID Deputy Administrator HARRIET "HATTIE" BABBITT, former USIA Chief JOSEPH DUFFEY, former US Senator GARY HART, former US Senator LINCOLN CHAFEE, RAND Corporation Board Member and New America Foundation/American Strategy Program Chair RITA HAUSER, former Assistant Secretary of State JAMES DOBBINS, former State Department Policy Planning Director MORTON HALPERIN, former Deputy Ambassador to the UN WILLIAM VAN DEN HEUVEL, former Israel Foreign Minister SCHLOMO BEN-AMI. . .

former US Senator BIRCH BAYH, former Congressman and Corning CEO AMO HOUGHTON Jr., former National Intelligence Council Chairman ROBERT HUTCHINGS, Fletcher School Dean and former U.S. Ambassador STEPHEN BOSWORTH, former Assistant Secretary of Defense LAWRENCE KORB, former American Political Science Association President and Columbia University professor ROBERT JERVIS, Kings College Terrorism Chair and New America Foundation Senior Fellow ANATOL LIEVEN, former National Security Agency Director Lt. General WILLIAM ODOM. . .

Committee for the Republic President WILLIAM NITZE, Brookings Visiting Senior Fellow DIANA VILLIERS NEGROPONTE, Former CIA Deputy Director JOHN McLAUGHLIN, former US Ambassador JOHN MALOTT, former EU Commissioner for Foreign Relations CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, former National Intelligence Officer for the Near East PAUL PILLAR, former US Senator LARRY PRESSLER, former US Ambassador FELIX ROHATYN. . .

MIT Center for International Studies Director RICHARD SAMUELS, retired Marine Corps General JOHN J. "JACK" SHEEHAN, Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School Dean ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER, Former Congressman STEPHEN SOLARZ, former First USA Bank CEO and Adagio Partners CEO RICHARD VAGUE, Former US Senator and UN Foundation President TIMOTHY WIRTH, and former US Ambassador and AIG Vice Chairman FRANK WISNER. . .

former New Jersey Governor and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator CHRISTINE TODD WHITMAN, Nixon Center President and National Interest Publisher DIMITRI SIMES, former National Security Advisor to Vice President Al Gore LEON FUERTH, Brookings Senior Fellow PHILIP GORDON, former US Ambassador to NATO ROBERT HUNTER, former Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister ANWAR IBRAHIM, former CIA Deputy Director JOHN McLAUGHLIN. . .

former State Department Chief of Staff LAWRENCE WILKERSON, Lehman Brothers Managing Director THEODORE ROOSEVELT IV, former US Ambassador JOSEPH WILSON, former Chief Monitor of the Middle East Roadmap at the Department of State JOHN S. WOLF -- among others.

Former President Jimmy Carter is right to try and do what can be done to kick the tires of an alternative, internal solution to the political division of Palestine. His work may fail -- but the effort is worth exploring.

The correct position for Obama to have taken is to say that he would be open to what someone like a Jimmy Carter. . .or a Colin Powell. . .or a Tony Blair, Joschka Fischer, Javier Solana, Vladimir Putin, Hu Jintao, or Saudi King Abdullah might be able to achieve by way of Hamas and Fatah. Emissaries are important, and they can create opportunities a President can't often take the risks to do himself or herself.

Obama, in my view, has tarnished his foreign policy credentials here. If he can't embrace what these Americans have been able to do -- and what Senator Chuck Hagel has suggested be done with Hamas -- then what use is his new vision?

What is his position today if not one that has been influenced by special interests whose political weight has undermined the strategic interests of the United States?

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Comments

[calbears]

Hamas did not stage a "coup" in Gaza. The won the election in which they and not Mahmoud Abbas should be in charge of the Palestinian security forces.

The central issue between Fatah and Hamas is about whether the gendarme of the P.A. will serve the security interests of the Palestinian people or only Israel's designs for the region, which are clearly not about a Palestinian state but about their bizarre state that keeps trying to have as much Palestinian land as possible with as few Palestinians on that land.

You want to not have political forces like Hamas around? Get Israel to take their colonists and go home to the 778% of Palestine they won in the 1967 war. Since no one is prepared to do that in the U.S., and Israel's lobby won't permit it, then get ready for Palestinians to demand equality instead of freedom.

Obama can't do anything about this, and people who expect him to are ignoring the fact that the U.S. cannot broker any "peace," because it is now a co-belligerent to Israel's annexation of the Palestinian Territories.

[BubbaC33]

The territories have not been annexed by Israel, but were taken legally during the course of a defensive war in 1967. Israel was attacked by her Arab neighbors, unprovoked, and took the territories and are legally able to keep the land. And the territories are necessary for the defense of Israel and a historic part of Eretz Israel.
A "Palestinian" homeland was created in 1922 when over 60% of the Jewish homeland was taken to form Transjordan, a place for those Arabs unwilling to live in a Jewish state. A two-state solution exists and no one wanting peace in the Middle East is blind to this idea.

[OliverTwist]

A candidate for president cannot say he or she will meet with Hamas leaders and still expect to be elected president. An ex-president or a president can meet with Hamas leaders and should. Diplomacy of this type falls into the catagory of changes that need to take place but will at first be resisted by most Americans.

[BubbaC33]

You have just called Obama a liar with your posted comment. He has said he will meet with any and all world leaders with no preconditions. Unless that has changed he ought to be consistent and stick to his position.
However, it is wrong to talk with Hamas, a terrorist organization run by criminals.

[Horst]

Obama has, unbelievably, never been to Continental Europe. He has no foreign policy experience......but that, after all, is the American way. Don't expect any foreign policy breakthroughs if he becomes President.

[EspressoAtNoon]

Unlike Hillary who dodged sniper fire in Bosnia, and brought peace to Northern Ireland?

[vernonbc]

Wrong. Obama has been to Europe.

Disagree with his policies all you want but, please, don't post lies about him.

[WLA]

Mr. Clemons,

Nice try, setting this political trap for Senator Obama. Nevermind that Senators Clinton or McCain would also not sign on to this policy. But what does that matter? It is kitchen sink time, afterall.

[jeffepops]

The list of signatories contains many successful Americans, rich Americans and famous Americans, and a very few "great" Americans.

Of course, many more Americans who fall into the above categories -- liberal and conservative -- hold just the opposite view, insofar as Hamas in concerned.

There is nothing in Obama's history or prior speeches to indicate he has any interest in legitimizing Hamas. I am surprised this writer has somehow failed to observe this fact.

[sebocd]

Barack Obama and Jimmy Carter have a lot in common, but Senator Obama is a politician and President Carter is not and it cost him a second term. Jimmy Carter has nothing to lose and he takes advantage of that and says what many are thinking but will not say. No president ever demonstrated such sincerity about brokering peace between Israel and her enemies and accomplished so much. But "good faith" doesn't keep presidents in office. Trying to drag Barack Obama into a position of political suicide in the middle of a nominating campaign is pharasidical entrapment. Senator Obama is too smart for that. That's why Mrs. Murphy is voting for the handsome black Irishman Senator O'Bama.

[BuckeyeNut]

I'm not surprised at all about Obama not having an opinion about carter going to see hamas. As someone said earlier "he don't want to offend anyone (voters)" I sure do wish that carter would stay with his habitat for humanity and his peanut farm. I cannot think of any president (including bush) whose foreign policy was more laughable. Maybe carter can give hamas a few tips on taking over more of our embassys. I served in the military with carter as the CIC and he gutted all of the services. Morale, especially, after the fiasco in the iranian desert. was lower then whale doodoo at the bottom of the ocean. Carter is dangerous and sooooooooooooo naive!

[wiseapple]

What? Have you ever heard of the Camp David Accords? It kinda helped Carter get a Nobel Peace prize. How can you say his foreign policy was laughable?

Our military has never been gutted. It has never been second to any other military. It has never been out-funded by any other country's military funding.

Don't try to be apologetic for voting for Reagan in 1980. You bought into that crap, and it's a mistake you'll have to live with!

[ProFromOre]

I find it interesting that ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI is on your list in that it wasn't that long ago that Sen Obama was being pounded on by some in the media because Zbg Brz was a foreign policy adviser of Obama.

If I had the time, I'd go back and find out if you where one of the members of the press pounding on Obama about Zbg Brz. I'd alos see how many others of those on the list may be advisors to Obama, as well. Maybe even who on there advises Hillary.

But, considering your 'article' doesn't take into account that NONE of the candidates are advocating any relations with Hamas and none will. Hell, look at the heat Obama took when he said he'd sit down with Iran or Syria, even though many more said he was correct or how hope the crap that got flung his way when he advocated striking the mountains of Pakistan, if the Paki's wouldn't. I think Bush even piled on him over that one and then DID exactly that weeks later.

The bottom line is, your reaching for something hammer Obama on - why don't you do something productive, like hammer on the treasonous bastards in the Bush crime family. Help the country by getting them impeached and convicted of war crimes.

[jhNY]

Since Obama is an Islamic terrorist who won't pledge allegiance oto our sacred flag, he's trying to compesate by misdirecting us to believe he is tough on Hamas, but the truly wary will see through his devious machinations.

[nestici]

could you pack any more lies in?

[Syco]

We know hillary is the devil

[CC1]

Yes, as is Obama and McCain also. Good candidates were weeded out as usual.

[Duncan77]

You're taking the piss right?

[ProFromOre]

Since when did the United States, by design a federalist republic of states, designate our flag as sacred? Making something sacrosanct is usually in the domain of a religion.

With your 'not quite' correct usage, over abundance of multi-syllabic words and poor grammar, I'm suspecting you may not be genuine....

Maybe someone who is more familiar with a government that makes things 'sacred'. But that couldn't be right, since everything you wrote is a lie, except the spelling of Obama and Hamas.

[WLA]

I can't believe there is anyone in America thinking like this after the last seven years. Who needs Rove?

[Rog49Thomas]

When one deifies one's candidates, I suppose it comes as a profound shock when they act as politicians.

Our leaders are no different than the rest of us.

They are humans with all the frailties and foibles that we have.

Israel is the "third rail" of US politics.

Any politician from Illinois (land of Chuck Percy) would know this.

[FirstShirt]

He has no vision. He has talking points.

[northeast73]

Obama doesnt want to (further) alienate the Jews.

He is so transparent.

[frustratedinohio]

I don't understand why anyone ever thought he was a foreign policy expert. All the experts have said his approach of talking to everyone is dangerous and now you can see that he's flipping here. It's as if he hadn't thought his approach all the way through. He should not be President. It would be worse than letting a kid play with fire. It would be like letting a kid play with nuclear weapons. The really bad thing is that he's so arrogant. I don't think he will listen to the advice of his supporters on this list, if they even try to tell him he needs to change his philosophy.

[theMightyT]

No one ever thought he was an expert. he himself said he wasn't an expert. so why are you under the impression that he is?

What "experts" are you citing who have said his approach to talking to everyone is dangerous? You're trying to imply that simply opening negotiations with another country's leader is somehow inherently perilous for the United States? All the candidates have said the negotiation is a good thing - some have suggested a set of conditions that must be met before talking, some haven't - but all agree that dialogue is good.

Not sure where you're coming from regarding your kid playing with nuclear weapons analogy... i'm not sure you thought your argument all the way through before posting it. And you can't be serious about arrogance... compared to Clinton, who expected a coronation on February 5th, Obama is as humble as can be...

[WLA]

Tha "arrogance" thing is a talking point launched by Karl Rove in his interview with GQ a few weeks back.

[EspressoAtNoon]

"All the experts have said his approach of talking to everyone is dangerous"

- ALL of the experts? What experts? John McCain? Wolfowitz? Feith? Perle? Rumsfeld? George W.?

Your, so called, experts have destroyed this country and its credibility in the world.

[nyscribbler]

Look at who you cite as having the "nerve" to talk to Hamas. They are non-elected or retired. The political electees can't utter safely the words you espouse. Get over it. The integrity of the individual we vote for will determine whether they deal with Hamas effectively and fairly. You won't determine that from the comments of any of the three major candidates. It's unfair to pillory one and not the others, anyway. I think Obama has that integrity. I'm not sure about Clinton. But McCain is so myopic and warmongering that one can be sure that his foreign policy will make a hash of things.

[THEhillbilly]

"Obama, in my view, has tarnished his foreign policy credentials here."
Clean off that patina and what do you find of these putative credentials? Air.

Your headline was hilarious. "Other great Americans." Good one.