--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Richard J. Williams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Jim wrote: > > Listening to Obama I get the sense of > > someone who is consumately aware of what > > he is facing as President, and how to > > handle it... > > > Actually he sounds pretty confused to me. > He just left his church and denounced his > own pastor. Then backed down on talking > to the terrorists without preconditions.
Political expediency-- Let's remember that this is a Presidential contest, the ultimate job interview if you will, and creating a good first impression is key to landing the job. His message must be both unique, positive and appeal to the largest number of voters, while at the same time he must maintain his personal identity. > Now he's talking about making going to war > with Iran and making Jerusalem the > capital of Israel with a cement wall > around it. I always thought Tel Aviv was > the capital of Israel. Not in his major speeches he hasn't. You may be misintepreting him. > > > As for the war we have started... > > > So, what do you think Obama will do about > the Palestinian problem? Or Darfur? Or > Somalia? The right thing. The silence that he carries with him allows him unlimited creativity. I think predicting how he acts on this or that creates limitations to his options. > > it is the definitive statement on our > > impotence and incoherence as a country, > > > Maybe the definitive statement on our > impotence was when we retreated from Somalia > on a United Nations mission when a single > Black Hawk went down. Yes, and our incoherence with regard to foreign policy-- we had no clear mission going in to Somalia, so we couldn't sustain it once we ran into trouble. Incoherence can't escalate itself; not enough precision and focus. > > to blindly kill others in lieu of working > > out our global differences another way. > > > Are you suggesting that the U.S. 'can work' > something out with Osama bin Laden? Not at all, though Bin Laden is dependent on nation states for his supplies and influence, and we can apply pressure on them. > > I think the best way to win this war is > > to withdraw, > > > Are you suggesting that we withdraw U.S. > forces from Afghanistan and NATO? That does > not make any sense, Jim. We are NATO allies. Yes, I am suggesting we withdraw. believe me, with all the lawyers working for the government, we can justify it, NATO alliance or not. > > and begin serious negotiations with our > > enemies. > > > So, you think the United States has enemies. > We should never negotiate with terrorists. > Even Obama is not advocating that. There is no point negotiating with terrorists; they are symptomatic of larger geopolitical problems that need attention first, before they will lose their influence. > > Nothing facile and naive, but something > > with teeth. > > > Like what? Give up our support for Israel? > Obama does not advocate that either. Again, I don't know, however if the collective consciousness of this country is shown that firm dealing, diplomatically and economically, with our enemies can be successful, the current non-option of always attacking with weapons will lose its appeal. We have a defense budget twice that of the rest of the world. we need other options to avoid causing serious harm to the planet and everyone on it. > > We still have access to, and control a lot > > of this planet's wealth. > > > Maybe we could buy Burma with our wealth. But > would you be willing to pay for it? What would the US want Burma for? > > Surely we can use this as leverage against > > others, vs. attempting to bomb and blast > > them into submission. > > > Maybe we could buy Darfur. See my Burma answer. Both Burma and Darfur are minor players geopolitically. An economic aid plan conditionally tied to some key concessions may work. Or we find out who is pulling the strings for those countries and begin dealing with them. > "Speaking today to the American Israel Public > Affairs Committee, Obama won applause with a > promise to "do everything in my power to > prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon." Iran is doing nothing more than engaging in an arms race to keep the world's strongest military power from invading or attacking them. Pulling out from Iraq is the best way we can turn down the heat and prevent Iran from accelerating their nuclear program. > Read more: > > 'Obama seeks to reassure Jewish Americans' > By Johanna Neuman > Los Angeles Times, June 5, 2008 > http://tinyurl.com/5rsnf2 > > RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian President > Mahmoud Abbas rejected Barack Obama's call on > Wednesday for Jerusalem to be the undivided > capital of Israel and repeated his demand for > a Palestinian capital in the city. > > 'Abbas slams Obama Jerusalem comment' > Reuters, June 4, 2008 > http://tinyurl.com/3no2xg >
