In “Some dare call it inappropriate,” John Hinderaker drew attention to Amir Tahiri’s New York Post column reporting how Barack Obama has tried privately to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence. John also noted the Obama campaign’s response to Taheri’s column. Taheri promptly shredded the Obama campaign’s response in a column that also merits attention. Pete Hegseth comments at NRO:
Taheri’s column comports with second-hand reports I’ve received from those with access to top U.S. decision-makers in Iraq. Rather than use his touch-down trip to Baghdad to fact-find and consult with senior Iraqi and American officials, Sen. Obama made a concerted effort to push his post–Bush administration agenda, undermining — in word and deed — current diplomatic efforts in Iraq. Tuesday, the Obama campaign essentially confirmed the details of Taheri’s reporting.
Some will see this interference in foreign policy during a time of war and cry, “Treason!†While the episode truly is a scandal, I will check my emotions — as I find the overabundance of outrage in our politics tiring and toxic. I believe, rather, that the underlying naivety of Obama’s overtures is the more disturbing lesson to be distilled from this discovery.
It’s not just that Sen. Obama doesn’t believe in the mission in Iraq, it’s that he still doesn’t get it (to plagiarize from the senator himself). Fundamentally, he doesn’t understand the mission in Iraq, what it takes to win a war, or the ramifications of the outcome of this war for the U.S.’s enduring national security. He just doesn’t get it.
Hegseth’s column provides sober commentary on Taheri’s revelations. (Andrew McCarthy also comments on Taheri’s revelations in another NRO column this morning.)
Coverage of the exchange prompted by Taher’s column has been extremely limited. See the news stories that turn up in this Google search on “Obama and Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari” (whose disclosure provided the basis of Taheri’s column). Insofar as the mainstream media are concerned, the story esentially remains a deep secret of campaign 2008.
UPDATE: ABC’s Jake Tapper disputes Taheri’s account. Taheri returns for another whack in “Obama 101.”
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