by Bay Fang
In his first major foreign policy address as the Democratic presidential nominee, Senator Barack Obama not only fired away at Iran, but also issued a stern warning to Syria, saying that the country's "support for terror and meddling in Lebanon" had to end.
Speaking before the pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC, he said that Israel's bombing last September of an alleged secret nuclear site in Syria was "justified."
Ahmed Salkini, spokesman for the Syrian embassy, said in response, "We understand the context of Mr. Obama's speech, namely his audience. Our message to him and to any future US president is that while the US has some misgivings toward Syrian policy, we also have misgivings toward US policy, so why don't we sit down and talk it out. The Bush administration's policy of talking around Syria has failed miserably - it's time to return to a policy that has worked in the past, one of dialogue and engagement."
Funny, that sounds remarkably like what Obama himself has said about engaging hostile foreign leaders.
In his speech, Obama also said that the US should support any peace talks between Israel and Syria, if Israel decides that they serve its interests.
There has been one preliminary round of indirect talks, brokered through Turkey, but neither side seems to believe much progress can be made in the near future.
Salkini said that while the preliminary talks were "quite positive," "We are not expecting much to be accomplished before the end of the year, due to the domestic political situation in Israel, and a lack of serious US commitment."
In other words, like Obama, they are simply waiting this administration out.
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Comments
How come Syria never gets credit for thwarting an al-Qaeda attack on the US Embassy over there? A few of their soldiers were killed protecting our territory. Guess it's easy to gloss over this fact when you mistakenly view the world in black & white with no shades of gray.
Posted by: jackson | June 4, 2008 1:55 PM
And that is why Mc- C A N E, must NOT get back in the whitehouse. And to those who would suggest he is not in there, they are wrong. He is with those other war-mongerers. And I like the little old guy, but he has agreed with his buddies. So out you go with them shorty.
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Southsider | June 4, 2008 2:07 PM
Wait a minute... Syria is part of Obama's Magical Plan to Instantly Stabilize the Middle East. Consider this gem, courtesy of Obamabot bill r --
"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.",
So before he trusted Syria and Iran. Now he seems not to trust Syria (no new word on Iran, just yet). So was he lying then or now?
Posted by: MJ | June 4, 2008 3:22 PM
Hm, a beginning...
Posted by: RuthieM | June 4, 2008 3:44 PM
Bay Fang - in the tank for Obama.
According to Obama, Iran wasn't a threat. Now, standing before a pro-Israel group, Iran is a threat.
Spin, baby, spin. No better hope and change like that derived from duplicity and contradiction.
This is no "beginning" it's a smoke screen.
Didn't Nancy Pelosi try to talk to Syria, as well? And Kucinich?
How'd that work out?
Posted by: Nah | June 4, 2008 4:18 PM
My sentiments exactly, Nah @ 4:18 pm. Mark Set Go - Let the flanking, the tacking, the spinning, the triangulation begin.
Posted by: Django Scott - Houston, Tx | June 4, 2008 4:51 PM
Noteworthy, Obama has changed his tune numerous times, With Syria, Iran, Iraq, Israel, it depends on who his audience is. McCain has maintained the same all the way. Straightforwardness, and straight talk. Obama will get confused as to what he said about who, since it represents the "Change" he is talking about.
Posted by: conservativeMike | June 4, 2008 5:44 PM
Obama has always been committed to Israel and it's security. I am sure he will show more intelligence in our Middle East policy when he is POTUS then we have seen in a long time. Israel's security has not been well served by the NeoCon/McCain policies that AIPAC has been closely associated with but AIPAC and Israelis can be sure that while policy will change the US commitment to Israel will not.
Palestinians will be well served by any progress towards peace and stability. The last 8 years have been a bigger disaster for them then they have been even for Israel.
Posted by: John E | June 4, 2008 6:15 PM
Obama is a genius.
He is the best thing this country could have asked for; and the world will benefit as well.
You wait-n-see!
Posted by: Obama the Great in 08! | June 4, 2008 10:52 PM