Report: During "Victory Lap" in the Middle East This Summer, Barack Obama Played Politics With American Troops in Iraq

Playing War Politics overseas is in poor form

Obama tried to stall GIs' Iraq Withdrawal

Amir Taheri

Last updated: 4:10 am
September 15, 2008
Posted: 4:02 am
September 15, 2008

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.

According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.

"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.

Obama insisted that Congress should be involved in negotiations on the status of US troops - and that it was in the interests of both sides not to have an agreement negotiated by the Bush administration in its "state of weakness and political confusion."

"However, as an Iraqi, I prefer to have a security agreement that regulates the activities of foreign troops, rather than keeping the matter open." Zebari says.

Though Obama claims the US presence is "illegal," he suddenly remembered that Americans troops were in Iraq within the legal framework of a UN mandate. His advice was that, rather than reach an accord with the "weakened Bush administration," Iraq should seek an extension of the UN mandate.

While in Iraq, Obama also tried to persuade the US commanders, including Gen. David Petraeus, to suggest a "realistic withdrawal date." They declined.

Obama has made many contradictory statements with regard to Iraq. His latest position is that US combat troops should be out by 2010. Yet his effort to delay an agreement would make that withdrawal deadline impossible to meet.[More]

If true, and all indication seems to be that it is, Obama’s shameless attempt to keep American troops in Iraq for political gain must be exposed to the whole country. And he should drop out of the presidential race immediately.

Maybe the MSM can spare a reporter or two out of the dozens who have flocked to Wasilla and Anchorage to dig up dirt on Alaska Governor and Republican running mate Sarah Palin to look into Obama’s alleged treachery.

Like that’s gonna happen.