UPDATE 09-17-08

Yesterday, Taheri accused Obama of attempting to derail a status-of-forces agreement between the US and Iraq by telling the Iraqis to wait until after the American elections and stop negotiating with the Bush administration. Obama responded by essentially confirming Taheri’s account:

According to Ed, Obama did try to interfere with diplomatic negotiations. Obama may have done a bit more than that, he may have violated protocol rules set forth in the following document, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 18 April 1961. Entered into force on 24 April 1964. See Article 41 for more information.

Obama did try to interfere with diplomatic negotiations. Obama may have done a bit more than that, he may have violated protocol rules set forth in the following document, Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 18 April 1961. Entered into force on 24 April 1964. See Article 41 for more information.

More from Ed:

Which is exactly what Taheri wrote. Barack Obama went to Iraq and interfered with the diplomatic efforts of the elected United States government, in a war zone no less, by telling the Iraqis to stop negotiating with the President.

Obama’s national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi also said this:

“Barack Obama has never urged a delay in negotiations, nor has he urged a delay in immediately beginning a responsible drawdown of our combat brigades.”

“These outright distortions will not changes the facts — Senator Obama is the only candidate who will safely and responsibly end the war in Iraq and refocus our attention on the real threat: a resurgent Al-Qaeda and Taliban along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border.”

Ed really exposed his outrage on this subject, a rage that all American citizens should be feeling at this time. I have Ed’s statement on that:

It wasn’t enough for Obama to fail at forcing the nation into a defeat in Iraq when he opposed the surge. Now he has interfered with our efforts to stabilize Iraq and provide for its security after the surge succeeded in keeping Iraq from falling into a failed state. And when he got caught working for failure and defeat, he tried making it into a smear against John McCain.

Ed we feel your rage over here at NoQuarter. I hope you and all other citizens of this country pay attention to the following statement. A former Deputy U.S. Attorney General, who will remain anonymous, relayed through Eastan McNeal yesterday and shared in a conversation this morning:

I saw the underlying piece by Amir Taheri in the New York Post today and believe him to be reliable.

There is a marginal difference between asking the Iraqi foreign minister “why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington” and asking him TO delay such an agreement, but that goes more to the Logan Act formalities than to the political significance of the interaction between Senator Obama and the Iraqi foreign minister.

Based on the reported information, Senator Obama was skirting closer to a violation of the Logan Act than to conduct conforming to the Constitutional definition of treason.

But whether or not Senator Obama’s conduct was unlawful, it was outrageous.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/09/17/obamas-iraq-double-talk-gate-response/

I detect another flip flop Sen. Obama.

He now talks of “the prospect of lasting success,” perhaps hoping that his own administration would inherit the kudos. And he makes no mention of his running mate Joe Biden’s pet project for carving Iraq into three separate states. He has even abandoned his earlier claim that toppling Saddam Hussein was “illegal” and admits that the US-led coalition’s presence in Iraq has a legal framework in the shape of the UN mandate.

In his statement on my Post article, Obama no longer talks of “withdrawal” but of “redeployment” and “drawdown” – which is exactly what is happening in Iraq now.

While I am encouraged by the senator’s evolution, I must also appeal to him to issue a “cease and desist” plea to the battalions of his sympathizers – who have been threatening me with death and worse in the days since my article appeared.

from Obama Objects, But The Evidence Says I’m Right

Quite an enlightening article on how to backtrack when you meddle in affairs as a citizen and you have NO business doing it PERIOD.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09172008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obama_objects_129453.htm?page=0

Update 09-16-08

Obama responded by essentially confirming Taheri’s account.  It wasn’t enough for Obama to fail at forcing the nation into a defeat in Iraq when he opposed the surge.  Now he has interfered with our efforts to stabilize Iraq and provide for its security after the surge succeeded in keeping Iraq from falling into a failed state.  And when he got caught working for failure and defeat, he tried making it into a smear against John McCain.

That’s not leadership America needs from a Senator, let alone a President.  The Senate should investigate this as a gross violation of the Constitution and the separation of powers between the branches of government.

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/16/did-obama-just-confirm-taheri/

Senator Obama uttered one sentence that could haunt him until Election Day. He said of Senator McCain and Governor Palin telling voters they would bring change, “they must think you’re stupid.” Given his stances on the surge, social issues, and his past, Mr. Obama will regret those words. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/09/words_obama_will_regret.html

Foreign Policy Experience Matters, we don’t need an infotainer:

Senator Obama told Iraqi officials that President Bush’s government was in a ‘”state of weakness and political confusion’” so the negotiations should be postponed until after the election.

http://wizbangblog.com/content/2008/09/15/during-his-july-tour-of-iraq-obama-tried-to-undermine-negotiations-between-the-us-and-iraq-for-troop-drawdown.php

Sen. Obama has no clue about the separation of the executive and legislative branches, and which one is actually the commander-in-chief.  Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.  By asking Iraqi leaders to delay a withdrawal plan, Barack Obama hopes to make the GOP look bad so that he can get elected.

“He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington,” Zebari said in an interview.

While campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.   “Obama has given Iraqis the impression that he doesn’t want Iraq to appear anything like a success, let alone a victory, for America.  The reason?  He fears that the perception of US victory there might revive the Bush Doctrine of “pre-emptive” war – that is, removing a threat before it strikes at America.”

Despite some usual equivocations on the subject, Obama rejects pre-emption as a legitimate form of self -defense. To be credible, his foreign-policy philosophy requires Iraq to be seen as a failure, a disaster, a quagmire, a pig with lipstick or any of the other apocalyptic adjectives used by the American defeat industry in the past five years.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09152008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/obama_tried_to_stall_gis_iraq_withdrawal_129150.htm?&page=0

Hoshyar Zebari didn’t hide behind a “high-level source in Baghdad” tag for this story.  Zebari’s testimony puts the onus on Obama to explain why he attempted to interfere with the Bush administration’s negotiations despite his having absolutely no authority to do so.  If Obama wants to negotiate a defeat for America, he needs to wait until Americans elect him to the White House before betraying our allies and our troops in the field.

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/09/15/did-obama-try-to-scotch-an-iraqi-us-agreement-on-military-forces/

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the prime minister worries about the senator’s “political debt to the anti-war lobby” which is determined to transform Iraq into a disaster to prove that toppling Saddam Hussein was “the biggest strategic blunder in US history.”

http://www.floppingaces.net/2008/09/15/politics-before-country-the-obama-doctrine/

This should be part of the debates, malicious  ineptitude or just plain stupidity?    Imagine trying to undermine the negotiations of one’s own government in a war zone without authority.  Now, that is audacity!

While chatting with the Foreign Minister of Iraq:

Mr. Zebari, who has served as foreign minister in every Iraqi government since 2003, finds Mr. Obama’s proposal worrying. In a meeting with Post editors and reporters Tuesday, he said that after all the pain and sacrifices of the past five years, “we are just turning the corner in Iraq.” A precipitous withdrawal, he said, “would create a huge vacuum and undo all the gains and achievements. And the others” — enemies of the United States — “would celebrate.”

Mr. Zebari said he told Mr. Obama that “Iraq is not an island.” In other words, an American withdrawal that destabilized the country would also roil the region around it and embolden U.S. adversaries such as al-Qaeda and Iran. “We have a deadly enemy,” Mr. Zebari said. “When he sees that you commit yourself to a certain timetable, he will use this to increase pressure and attacks, to make it look as though he is forcing you out. We have many actors who would love to take advantage of that opportunity.” Mr. Zebari says he believes U.S. forces can and should be drawn down. His point is that reductions should be made gradually, as the Iraqi army becomes stronger.

The foreign minister said “my message” to Mr. Obama “was very clear. . . . Really, we are making progress. I hope any actions you will take will not endanger this progress.” He said he was reassured by the candidate’s response, which caused him to think that Mr. Obama might not differ all that much from Mr. McCain. Mr. Zebari said that in addition to promising a visit, Mr. Obama said that “if there would be a Democratic administration, it will not take any irresponsible, reckless, sudden decisions or action to endanger your gains, your achievements, your stability or security. Whatever decision he will reach will be made through close consultation with the Iraqi government and U.S. military commanders in the field.” Certainly, it makes sense to consult with those who, like Mr. Zebari, have put their lives on the line for an Iraq that would be a democratic U.S. ally. Mr. Obama ought to listen carefully to what they are saying.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/17/AR2008061702034.html

Considering that Obama has now been called to task on trying to derail impending decisions on troop withdrawals and status-of-forces agreement, obviously to benefit his own political prospects! Is this not treason?   Working privately to try to derail official US govt. negotiations in a WAR zone over such highly sensitive and important matters…what the hell is the matter with Obama?

Odd, how a person with no governmental authority whatsoever, has the impertinent belief, that because he is the presumptive nominee for president at the time, that he can negotiate anything having to do with official United States forces actions.

http://quipster.wordpress.com/2008/09/15/behind-the-iraq-curtain-act-at-the-obama-show/

Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.This section shall not abridge the right of a citizen to apply, himself or his agent, to any foreign government or the agents thereof for redress of any injury which he may have sustained from such government or any of its agents or subjects.

The Logan Act (18 U.S.C.A. § 953 [1948]) is a single federal statute making it a crime for a citizen to confer with foreign governments against the interests of the United States.  Specifically, it prohibits citizens from negotiating with other nations on behalf of the United States without authorization.  Congress established the Logan Act in 1799 and last amended it in 1994.  Violation of the logan Act is a felony punishable under federal law with imprisonment of up to three years.

Hypocrisy isn’t the issue here; it’s the interference of Obama in military and diplomatic affairs. Just on diplomacy, interfering with the United States in its diplomatic efforts is a Logan Act violation. Interfering with war policy treads on even more serious ground, especially since the primary motivation appears to be winning an election without regard to whether it damages our ability to fight the enemy or drives wedges between us and our ally, the elected, representative government in Baghdad.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/09/15/is-obama-illegally-and-improperly-interfering-in-us-foreign-policy/#more-4824

Barack Hussein Obama BinLadin – Traitor running for POTUS. http://www.scam.com/showthread.php?s=dc7fb750679294c0d91202877b208396&p=578281#post578281

but we should vote for him because he is black according to Joe Biden: http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/15/biden-elect-obama-because-hes-black/

“That will be a transformative event in American politics and internationally,” Biden said. “That all by itself will be significant.” straight from the horse’s patoot as documented in the Citizen’s Times.com article at   http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880914028

First he tells a man in a wheelchair to stand, then in New Hampshire he admits Hillary Clinton might have been a better choice as vice president than he was and now this?
The man is a walking, talking gaffe. Most people have a filter in their head, which stops every thought from just being blurted out, and filters what should be said and what shouldn’t just come tumbling out.  Biden’s filter is gone, never existed maybe or is simply malfunctioning but he doesn’t seem to understand that every thought that goes on in his mind should not necessarily come out of his mouth.  http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2008/09/biden-thinks-voting-for-obama-just.html

I’m sure that Obama supporters will be outraged to realize that he has actively but quietly campaigned to prolong the war in Iraq. I’m also sure that the main stream media will be all over this Obama scandal. Hopefully, the media will investigate this to the same extent they have investigated the sex lives of the Palin family.  http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=2057