Trip to Middle East shows Obama willing to learn
(Last updated: 07/20/08 6:46pm)Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has been taking some heat for his lack of knowledge in foreign affairs — but this past weekend he might have proved that he is willing to learn.
The senator arrived in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday and received a firsthand idea of the issues American troops are dealing with.
On Sunday, he visited Afghanistan and had a heart-to-heart with President Hamid Karzai. Obama and two other senators traveling with him — Chuck Hagel, R-Neb. and Jack Reed, D-R.I. — talked for nearly two hours with Karzai about issues concerning the U.S. and Afghanistan.
The senators reaffirmed their bipartisan support for Afghanistan and stressed the importance of continuing the war against terrorism. The two parties also discussed the need for better cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan and the U.S. and Pakistan since terrorism affects each country.
The visits are part of a weeklong tour that will take him to Iraq, Israel and Western Europe in an effort to erase doubts people have about his abilities to handle things during a time of war.
Prior to his trip to Iraq, Obama had plans to pull troops out of Iraq. Since his visit to Afghanistan, Obama wants to approach the war in Iraq by shifting troops from Iraq to Afghanistan.
It might seem both presidential candidates have been doing some flip-flopping these days, but they might just be revising their strategies.
After receiving flack from conservatives that he doesn’t do the conservative role justice, supporters have seen Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., make some adjustments. Now, Obama has done an almost complete 180-degree turn on his views about the war in Iraq.
The difference between the two candidates is that Obama seems to be making changes he thinks are best for the country whereas McCain might be revising his ideas to please his supporters.
Of course there is speculation that Obama’s only purpose of this trip is to pay lip service to those directly affected by the war. McCain even called the trip a “campaign rally overseas” and suggested that Obama wouldn’t keep an open mind while in the Middle East. Contrary to what McCain and others have said, Obama looks as though he’ll emerge from this experience with a better understanding of the war and what needs to be done to help the Middle East.
By any means, this trip is a very smart move by Obama. It can mold him into a more well-rounded candidate and makes him more attractive to moderates. If people are on the fence about who to vote for, the transformation Obama undergoes during this trip might sway some voters in his direction.
McCain might always have an advantage over Obama when it comes to understanding the war firsthand, but what matters is that Obama is making an effort to better understand what is needed to assess the situation correctly.
Originally Published: 07/20/08 6:42pm
Dan
07/21/08 7:09amWilling to learn?
...I am afraid being “willing to learn” first-hand about the most important foreign policy issues—four months before the election— doesn’t suddenly qualify Obama for the presidency. Having “heart to hearts” with Karzai isn’t going to make up for Obama’s naivety and defeatist mentality.
“The difference between the two candidates is that Obama seems to be making changes he thinks are best for the country whereas McCain might be revising his ideas to please his supporters.”
How on earth can you make this argument?! This is completely laughable!
This sad, juvenile editorial is an attempt to bolster a weak candidate by making speculative claims that Obama is doing this for some reason other than pandering for center-right votes.
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Mike
07/21/08 7:24amObama hasn’t been to Iraq or Afghanistan in his 4 years in the Senate, but he goes over there 4 months before an election and that means he’s willing to learn? He’s been yammering about pulling out of Iraq since he was elected to the Senate, if he was really interested in learning about the situation there he would have gone to both Iraq and Afghanistan long before he did. The fact is, he’s not all that interested in learning about Iraq or Afghanistan, he’s only interested in a getting positive media coverage.
Bill Lumberg
07/21/08 7:47am“Obama wants to approach the war in Iraq by shifting troops from Iraq to Afghanistan.” And that means he is willing to learn, but just eight days ago we got this from the SN
“Link Text”:http://www.statenews.com/index.php/article/2008/07/shifting_focus_to_afghanistan_not_the_solution
Do you have any moral or ethical standards at all?
Bill Lumberg
07/21/08 7:48amLink Text
Hope it works this time.
Tim
07/21/08 8:13amI’ve been to a number of countries around the world and don’t think that qualifies me as much of a foreign policy expert. I would guess Presidents learn more during daily briefings than they do on a trip.
Visits like these are more symbolic than informative, as Mike critiqued above. That’s not a criticism it’s the nature of politics. McCain’s moves are just as politically orchestrated.
Tom W.
07/21/08 8:41amTim, you got it. Obama’s foreign policy is not created/addressed/discussed in a vacuum: Link Text”:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25728913/
I think Obama’s trip is more about building his international image than his domestic. Although I’d guess Obama hopes this trip will address some of the “experience” criticism he has received since entering the race, I think this is more about showing Europe and the Mid-East that he is wants the US to be global Partners not renegades.
Townsend
07/21/08 9:50amIt always saddens me that the SN is infested w/ so many right-wing trolls… Funny, while you guys tout old fuddy-duddy McCain and continue to rip Obama, your boy McCain — the guy with all this experience — doesn’t even know the difference between Sunnis and Shiites; thinks Sunnie bin Laden is holed up/propped up in Shiite Iran (until Joe Lieberman had to publicly whisper in McCain’s ear)… When has Barack made such a horrible, ridiculous gaffe? (and McCain did it more than once, showing it was no mere accident)…
Glad to see you guys want your right-winger boy in office; maybe then he’ll have learned how to log onto the Internet.
Barry The Kid
07/22/08 9:36amObambi: “is Iraq going to be on the exam?”
What a joke, this election is.
Sweet this is gonna be good
07/24/08 8:16amGreat! A guy wants to be President and figures that OJT is good enough. I’m glad my informed vote will be cancelled out by someone who is alleviating their guilt for something they never did.
zach
07/24/08 1:19pmThis may be the most useless/uninformed editorial that has grazed the pages of the State News.
Obama is trying to do what’s best whereas McCain is trying to gain support?
Let me make this clear: Obama is shifting to the center to gain Independent or Republican support, because he knows damn well that his base, regardless of how frustrated they may get, will not turn their back on him and vote for McCain.
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Townsend
07/24/08 1:39pmLike I said, SN has a bunch of Right-Wing wackos reading… Thanks guys (sarcastic); you’ve helped show the anti-intellectual leanings of (some; but too many) MSU alums/fans.
Townsend
07/24/08 1:43pm^^are you fools really serious? Are you that naive; dumb that you’re so totally oblivious to 7+ disastrous years of Bush you want an extension of it by way of McCain!!?? Huh!!??
You all need lobotomies… If you morons are the “future” of America, then I’m moving to Canada.
zach
07/24/08 2:14pmStating the obvious makes one a right-wing wacko?
You should consider broadening your view on things.
I am merely stating that on the Iraq issue, Obama is trying to make political gains by moving to the center, which would not be possible had it not been for the surge that he opposed. If the situation in Iraq were the way it was during the Primary/Caucus season, Obama would look crazy for still urging that we pull out within 16 months.
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Dave
07/25/08 12:39amTownsend, move to Canada. I am curious if you have ever done anything in your life that has not been motivated by either liberal guilt or self loathing of the United States. I am proud that I have been able to survive the nonsense that goes on in academia, and if being “intellectual” includes the requirement that I put all my faith in a corrupt politician like Obama, then I am certainly not an “intellectual.” Apparently I am a hate monger because I don’t buy into the hope and change platitudes.
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Townsend
07/25/08 1:48amObama…‘corrupt politician’!? … boy, Dave, you need to shut up now b/c you’ve well proven you’re a total moron.
zach
07/25/08 11:33amI hate to break it to Townsend, but Obama is not this pure and corrput-free politician. He is nothing new—he is the establishment.
The Chicago political scene is as corrupt as anything in America—do a little research on his past, stuff the mainstream media will not follow.
We all know about his pathetic associations with Wright and Ayers. There is much more. I recommend Townsend do some research of his own rather than listening to Olbermann’s talking points. (And don’t reference Bill O, I can’t stand him—he is the same as KO)