G
Gandalf Grey
Guest
Hey Bill, You Want Obama's Foreign Policy? Here's Your (Obama's) Foreign
Policy, Right Here!
By Steve Young
Created Apr 11 2008 - 7:41am
Ever since Barack Obama appeared to be a real presidential possibility, the
far right conservative talk show hosts, along with far-right independent,
Bill O'Reilly, have said that Obama is about platitudes with no real policy.
I realize that the crack research teams on these shows may have not yet
figured out the secret code for finding Barack Obama's website, but after
months of trying out endless combinations of letters, numbers and symbols,
or what we in the decoding biz call "sipherin'," I discovered that if you
key in the letters, "B-a-r-a-c-k-O-b-a-m-a" (all in that order) followed by
a "." and the designation, "com", you'll be transferred to a website [1]
which purports to hold the key to understanding Obama's policies, all of
which are portrayed as words within structured sentences.
While I wasn't able to consume the entire concept of "reading" all of it,
since Mr. O'Reilly again wrote in his column today [2].
"...we simply don't know what the Senator's overall world view is. His
rhetoric on Iraq and other trouble spots remains rooted in the past, and he
has not yet clearly defined his future strategy."
Fortunately, I was able to copy and paste what the site calls "Barack
Obama's Plan"...whatever that means, for Bill.
It's listed below and since I'm sure O'Reilly and the other Lords of Loud
are far to busy to go all through the work of finding this or that site or
this column for that matter, would you all mind forwarding it to
oreilly@foxnews.com [3]. Thanks. I'm sure Bill, crack journalist that he is,
will be forever indebted.
Barack Obama's Plan
Ending the War in Iraq
In 2005, he called for a phased withdrawal of our troops; In 2006, he called
for a timetable to remove our troops, a political solution within Iraq, and
aggressive diplomacy with all of Iraq's neighbors; In January 2007, he
introduced legislation in the Senate to remove all of our combat troops from
Iraq by March 2008. In September 2007, he laid out a detailed plan for how
he will end the war as president.
Bring Our Troops Home: Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops
from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have
all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. Obama will make it
clear that we will not build any permanent bases in Iraq. He will keep some
troops in Iraq to protect our embassy and diplomats; if al Qaeda attempts to
build a base within Iraq, he will keep troops in Iraq or elsewhere in the
region to carry out targeted strikes on al Qaeda.
Press Iraq's leaders to reconcile: The best way to press Iraq's leaders to
take responsibility for their future is to make it clear that we are
leaving. As we remove our troops, Obama will engage representatives from all
levels of Iraqi society - in and out of government - to seek a new accord on
Iraq's Constitution and governance. The United Nations will play a central
role in this convention, which should not adjourn until a new national
accord is reached addressing tough questions like federalism and oil
revenue-sharing.
Regional Diplomacy: Obama will launch the most aggressive diplomatic effort
in recent American history to reach a new compact on the stability of Iraq
and the Middle East. This effort will include all of Iraq's neighbors -
including Iran and Syria. This compact will aim to secure Iraq's borders;
keep neighboring countries from meddling inside Iraq; isolate al Qaeda;
support reconciliation among Iraq's sectarian groups; and provide financial
support for Iraq's reconstruction.
Humanitarian Initiative: Obama believes that America has a moral and
security responsibility to confront Iraq's humanitarian crisis - two million
Iraqis are refugees; two million more are displaced inside their own
country. Obama will form an international working group to address this
crisis. He will provide at least $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi
refugees in neighboring countries, and ensure that Iraqis inside their own
country can find a safe-haven. Iran
The Problem: Iran has sought nuclear weapons, supports militias inside Iraq
and terror across the region, and its leaders threaten Israel and deny the
Holocaust. But Obama believes that we have not exhausted our non-military
options in confronting this threat; in many ways, we have yet to try them.
That's why Obama stood up to the Bush administration's warnings of war, just
like he stood up to the war in Iraq.
Opposed Bush-Cheney Saber Rattling: Obama opposed the Kyl-Lieberman
amendment, which says we should use our military presence in Iraq to counter
the threat from Iran. Obama believes that it was reckless for Congress to
give George Bush any justification to extend the Iraq War or to attack Iran.
Obama also introduced a resolution in the Senate declaring that no act of
Congress - including Kyl-Lieberman - gives the Bush administration
authorization to attack Iran.
Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct
presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to
pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer
the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and
support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World
Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal
diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step
up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of
comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress.
Renewing American Diplomacy
The Problem: The United States is trapped by the Bush-Cheney approach to
diplomacy that refuses to talk to leaders we don't like. Not talking doesn't
make us look tough - it makes us look arrogant, it denies us opportunities
to make progress, and it makes it harder for America to rally international
support for our leadership. On challenges ranging from terrorism to disease,
nuclear weapons to climate change, we cannot make progress unless we can
draw on strong international support.
Talk to our Foes and Friends: Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of
all nations, friend and foe. He will do the careful preparation necessary,
but will signal that America is ready to come to the table, and that he is
willing to lead. And if America is willing to come to the table, the world
will be more willing to rally behind American leadership to deal with
challenges like terrorism, and Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs.
Expand our Diplomatic Presence: To make diplomacy a priority, Obama will
stop shuttering consulates and start opening them in the tough and hopeless
corners of the world - particularly in Africa. He will expand our foreign
service, and develop the capacity of our civilian aid workers to work
alongside the military.
Strengthen NATO: Obama will rally NATO members to contribute troops to
collective security operations, urging them to invest more in reconstruction
and stabilization operations, streamlining the decision-making processes,
and giving NATO commanders in the field more flexibility.
Seek New Partnerships in Asia: Obama will forge a more effective framework
in Asia that goes beyond bilateral agreements, occasional summits, and ad
hoc arrangements, such as the six-party talks on North Korea. He will
maintain strong ties with allies like Japan, South Korea and Australia; work
to build an infrastructure with countries in East Asia that can promote
stability and prosperity; and work to ensure that China plays by
international rules.
Building a 21st Century Military
The Problem: The excellence of our military is unmatched. But as a result of
a misguided war in Iraq, our forces are under pressure as never before.
Obama will make the investments we need so that the finest military in the
world is best-prepared to meet 21st-century threats.
Rebuild Trust: Obama will rebuild trust with those who serve by ensuring
that soldiers and Marines have sufficient training time before they are sent
into battle.
Expand the Military: We have learned from Iraq that our military needs more
men and women in uniform to reduce the strain on our active force. Obama
will increase the size of ground forces, adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army
and 27,000 Marines.
New Capabilities: Obama will give our troops new equipment, armor, training,
and skills like language training. He will also strengthen our civilian
capacity, so that our civilian agencies have the critical skills and
equipment they need to integrate their efforts with our military.
Strengthen Guard and Reserve: Obama will restore the readiness of the
National Guard and Reserves. He will permit them adequate time to train and
rest between deployments, and provide the National Guard with the equipment
they need for foreign and domestic emergencies. He will also give the Guard
a seat at the table by making the Chief of the National Guard a member of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Bipartisanship and Openness
The Problem: Under the Bush administration, foreign policy has been used as
a political wedge issue to divide us - not as a cause to bring America
together. And it is no coincidence that one of the most secretive
administrations in history has pursued policies that have been disastrous
for the American people. Obama strongly believes that our foreign policy is
stronger when Americans are united, and the government is open and candid
with the American people. A Record of Bringing People Together: In the
Senate, Obama has worked with Republicans and Democrats to advance important
policy initiatives on securing weapons of mass destruction and conventional
weapons, increasing funding for nonproliferation, and countering instability
in Congo.
Consultative Group: Obama will convene a bipartisan Consultative Group of
leading members of Congress to foster better executive-legislative relations
and bipartisan unity on foreign policy. This group will be comprised of the
congressional leadership of both political parties, and the chair and
ranking members of the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Intelligence, and
Appropriations Committees. This group will meet with the president once a
month to review foreign policy priorities, and will be consulted in advance
of military action.
Getting Politics out of Intelligence: Obama would insulate the Director of
National Intelligence from political pressure by giving the DNI a fixed
term, like the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Obama will seek consistency
and integrity at the top of our intelligence community - not just a
political ally. Change the Culture of Secrecy: Obama will reverse President
Bush's policy of secrecy. He will institute a National Declassification
Center to make declassification secure but routine, efficient, and
cost-effective.
Engaging the American People on Foreign Policy: Obama will bring foreign
policy decisions directly to the people by requiring his national security
officials to have periodic national broadband town hall meetings to discuss
foreign policy. He will personally deliver occasional fireside chats via
webcast.
There was more, but let's not go crazy.
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson
Policy, Right Here!
By Steve Young
Created Apr 11 2008 - 7:41am
Ever since Barack Obama appeared to be a real presidential possibility, the
far right conservative talk show hosts, along with far-right independent,
Bill O'Reilly, have said that Obama is about platitudes with no real policy.
I realize that the crack research teams on these shows may have not yet
figured out the secret code for finding Barack Obama's website, but after
months of trying out endless combinations of letters, numbers and symbols,
or what we in the decoding biz call "sipherin'," I discovered that if you
key in the letters, "B-a-r-a-c-k-O-b-a-m-a" (all in that order) followed by
a "." and the designation, "com", you'll be transferred to a website [1]
which purports to hold the key to understanding Obama's policies, all of
which are portrayed as words within structured sentences.
While I wasn't able to consume the entire concept of "reading" all of it,
since Mr. O'Reilly again wrote in his column today [2].
"...we simply don't know what the Senator's overall world view is. His
rhetoric on Iraq and other trouble spots remains rooted in the past, and he
has not yet clearly defined his future strategy."
Fortunately, I was able to copy and paste what the site calls "Barack
Obama's Plan"...whatever that means, for Bill.
It's listed below and since I'm sure O'Reilly and the other Lords of Loud
are far to busy to go all through the work of finding this or that site or
this column for that matter, would you all mind forwarding it to
oreilly@foxnews.com [3]. Thanks. I'm sure Bill, crack journalist that he is,
will be forever indebted.
Barack Obama's Plan
Ending the War in Iraq
In 2005, he called for a phased withdrawal of our troops; In 2006, he called
for a timetable to remove our troops, a political solution within Iraq, and
aggressive diplomacy with all of Iraq's neighbors; In January 2007, he
introduced legislation in the Senate to remove all of our combat troops from
Iraq by March 2008. In September 2007, he laid out a detailed plan for how
he will end the war as president.
Bring Our Troops Home: Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops
from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have
all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months. Obama will make it
clear that we will not build any permanent bases in Iraq. He will keep some
troops in Iraq to protect our embassy and diplomats; if al Qaeda attempts to
build a base within Iraq, he will keep troops in Iraq or elsewhere in the
region to carry out targeted strikes on al Qaeda.
Press Iraq's leaders to reconcile: The best way to press Iraq's leaders to
take responsibility for their future is to make it clear that we are
leaving. As we remove our troops, Obama will engage representatives from all
levels of Iraqi society - in and out of government - to seek a new accord on
Iraq's Constitution and governance. The United Nations will play a central
role in this convention, which should not adjourn until a new national
accord is reached addressing tough questions like federalism and oil
revenue-sharing.
Regional Diplomacy: Obama will launch the most aggressive diplomatic effort
in recent American history to reach a new compact on the stability of Iraq
and the Middle East. This effort will include all of Iraq's neighbors -
including Iran and Syria. This compact will aim to secure Iraq's borders;
keep neighboring countries from meddling inside Iraq; isolate al Qaeda;
support reconciliation among Iraq's sectarian groups; and provide financial
support for Iraq's reconstruction.
Humanitarian Initiative: Obama believes that America has a moral and
security responsibility to confront Iraq's humanitarian crisis - two million
Iraqis are refugees; two million more are displaced inside their own
country. Obama will form an international working group to address this
crisis. He will provide at least $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi
refugees in neighboring countries, and ensure that Iraqis inside their own
country can find a safe-haven. Iran
The Problem: Iran has sought nuclear weapons, supports militias inside Iraq
and terror across the region, and its leaders threaten Israel and deny the
Holocaust. But Obama believes that we have not exhausted our non-military
options in confronting this threat; in many ways, we have yet to try them.
That's why Obama stood up to the Bush administration's warnings of war, just
like he stood up to the war in Iraq.
Opposed Bush-Cheney Saber Rattling: Obama opposed the Kyl-Lieberman
amendment, which says we should use our military presence in Iraq to counter
the threat from Iran. Obama believes that it was reckless for Congress to
give George Bush any justification to extend the Iraq War or to attack Iran.
Obama also introduced a resolution in the Senate declaring that no act of
Congress - including Kyl-Lieberman - gives the Bush administration
authorization to attack Iran.
Diplomacy: Obama is the only major candidate who supports tough, direct
presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions. Now is the time to
pressure Iran directly to change their troubling behavior. Obama would offer
the Iranian regime a choice. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and
support for terrorism, we will offer incentives like membership in the World
Trade Organization, economic investments, and a move toward normal
diplomatic relations. If Iran continues its troubling behavior, we will step
up our economic pressure and political isolation. Seeking this kind of
comprehensive settlement with Iran is our best way to make progress.
Renewing American Diplomacy
The Problem: The United States is trapped by the Bush-Cheney approach to
diplomacy that refuses to talk to leaders we don't like. Not talking doesn't
make us look tough - it makes us look arrogant, it denies us opportunities
to make progress, and it makes it harder for America to rally international
support for our leadership. On challenges ranging from terrorism to disease,
nuclear weapons to climate change, we cannot make progress unless we can
draw on strong international support.
Talk to our Foes and Friends: Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of
all nations, friend and foe. He will do the careful preparation necessary,
but will signal that America is ready to come to the table, and that he is
willing to lead. And if America is willing to come to the table, the world
will be more willing to rally behind American leadership to deal with
challenges like terrorism, and Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs.
Expand our Diplomatic Presence: To make diplomacy a priority, Obama will
stop shuttering consulates and start opening them in the tough and hopeless
corners of the world - particularly in Africa. He will expand our foreign
service, and develop the capacity of our civilian aid workers to work
alongside the military.
Strengthen NATO: Obama will rally NATO members to contribute troops to
collective security operations, urging them to invest more in reconstruction
and stabilization operations, streamlining the decision-making processes,
and giving NATO commanders in the field more flexibility.
Seek New Partnerships in Asia: Obama will forge a more effective framework
in Asia that goes beyond bilateral agreements, occasional summits, and ad
hoc arrangements, such as the six-party talks on North Korea. He will
maintain strong ties with allies like Japan, South Korea and Australia; work
to build an infrastructure with countries in East Asia that can promote
stability and prosperity; and work to ensure that China plays by
international rules.
Building a 21st Century Military
The Problem: The excellence of our military is unmatched. But as a result of
a misguided war in Iraq, our forces are under pressure as never before.
Obama will make the investments we need so that the finest military in the
world is best-prepared to meet 21st-century threats.
Rebuild Trust: Obama will rebuild trust with those who serve by ensuring
that soldiers and Marines have sufficient training time before they are sent
into battle.
Expand the Military: We have learned from Iraq that our military needs more
men and women in uniform to reduce the strain on our active force. Obama
will increase the size of ground forces, adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army
and 27,000 Marines.
New Capabilities: Obama will give our troops new equipment, armor, training,
and skills like language training. He will also strengthen our civilian
capacity, so that our civilian agencies have the critical skills and
equipment they need to integrate their efforts with our military.
Strengthen Guard and Reserve: Obama will restore the readiness of the
National Guard and Reserves. He will permit them adequate time to train and
rest between deployments, and provide the National Guard with the equipment
they need for foreign and domestic emergencies. He will also give the Guard
a seat at the table by making the Chief of the National Guard a member of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Bipartisanship and Openness
The Problem: Under the Bush administration, foreign policy has been used as
a political wedge issue to divide us - not as a cause to bring America
together. And it is no coincidence that one of the most secretive
administrations in history has pursued policies that have been disastrous
for the American people. Obama strongly believes that our foreign policy is
stronger when Americans are united, and the government is open and candid
with the American people. A Record of Bringing People Together: In the
Senate, Obama has worked with Republicans and Democrats to advance important
policy initiatives on securing weapons of mass destruction and conventional
weapons, increasing funding for nonproliferation, and countering instability
in Congo.
Consultative Group: Obama will convene a bipartisan Consultative Group of
leading members of Congress to foster better executive-legislative relations
and bipartisan unity on foreign policy. This group will be comprised of the
congressional leadership of both political parties, and the chair and
ranking members of the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Intelligence, and
Appropriations Committees. This group will meet with the president once a
month to review foreign policy priorities, and will be consulted in advance
of military action.
Getting Politics out of Intelligence: Obama would insulate the Director of
National Intelligence from political pressure by giving the DNI a fixed
term, like the Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Obama will seek consistency
and integrity at the top of our intelligence community - not just a
political ally. Change the Culture of Secrecy: Obama will reverse President
Bush's policy of secrecy. He will institute a National Declassification
Center to make declassification secure but routine, efficient, and
cost-effective.
Engaging the American People on Foreign Policy: Obama will bring foreign
policy decisions directly to the people by requiring his national security
officials to have periodic national broadband town hall meetings to discuss
foreign policy. He will personally deliver occasional fireside chats via
webcast.
There was more, but let's not go crazy.
--
NOTICE: This post contains copyrighted material the use of which has not
always been authorized by the copyright owner. I am making such material
available to advance understanding of
political, human rights, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues. I
believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of such copyrighted material as
provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright
Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107
"A little patience and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their
spells dissolve, and the people recovering their true sight, restore their
government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are
suffering deeply in spirit,
and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions of enormous public
debt. But if the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have
patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning
back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at
stake."
-Thomas Jefferson