Posts with the tag Lee Hamilton

"No room at the Inn"

"NERVIE" — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 22:55:46 EST

BLOG January 7, 2009. Bush is still the President of the United States until January 20, 2009 which is in 13 days. Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Meantime, ladies and gentlemen there is only one President in the United States at a time.

The fact that the media is constantly asking President Elect Barack Obama or members of his staff for Obama’s point of view is staggering. Why aren’t the cameras and microphones still rolling on Bush’s face and demanding answers from him for his numerous discretions? Could it be that someone is worried about Obama not continuing the Bush Administrations “shoot them up” conciliatory reaction to the Israeli government on the Palestinians?

We are talking about the same Bush Administration who couldn’t find room at the Blair Manor inn, 35 rooms and 34 bathrooms in a 70,000 sq. ft. home with its own florist designated for heads of state when they are visiting White House officials. Knowing that the Obama girls needed grounding to prepare for school, the Bush Administration, gave the excuse that “because the place

was booked already” they could not be accommodated”. So even though this request was sent to the Bush staff by the 15th of December, the Obama family moved to another hotel across the street from the White House. Now we learn Monday night from the New York Times and reporter Carlson, that there wasn’t anyone at the Manor at the time and that “the past” Australian leader, was staying only on one day, isn’t due to be here until the 13th of January was asked to come by Bush once they realized that there could be a check. Bush couldn’t find a room at the Hilton for this guy? He isn’t a head of state now. Makes you wonder what is really behind the Manor excuse? Why isn’t the media slamming Bush for this?

“The coalition of the willing” is suppose to be behind the loyality to the Australian leader but rumor has it that Bush is meeting with this leader inorder to coerce him into accepting the prisoners of Guatanamo since Obama plans on closing Guatanamo. Alledgedly the purpose is to move the prisoners so that they don’t have media contact or the possibility of speaking to any members of the Obama team who are believed to have suffered torture, waterboarding, and maiming in the hope

CBS “Hot Sheet” reports today that President elect Barack Obama is deflecting responses regarding the Israeli and Hamas violence and killing with the following comments:

"We can't have two administrations running foreign policy at the same time. We simply can't do it," Mr. Obama said. "Until I take office, it would be imprudent of me to start sending out signals that we are running foreign policy."

On a follow-up, he was asked whether how his silence on the issue should be interpreted.

"I can't control how people interpret what I'm saying," he said. "The silence is not a consequence of lack of concern."

Israel needs to open up Gaza and allow the residents to move back and forth over the border, especially to acquire food, medicine and business. There needs to be a discussion over the representation of the Palestine community:

Why did the people choose Hamas to represent them?

Why does Israel always use military means to negotiate?

Haven’t we learned that war should be the last resort?

A master negotiator needs to come forth and find a means to an ever ending saga.

Imagine the mentally unstability of all the families in this region. We see the whole mental health community turn out in our area when a child dies. We are taking about hundreds of children dying from both sides of the conflict.

This morning on CNN Lee Hamilton says that the “opportunity to move decisively needs to be addressed and he hopes that based on Obama’s normal response to situations that he will be as concise and deliberate in responding to the Israeli situation. He believes the Bush Administration have performed poorly in this regard.”

Worried about Obama's foreign policy advisors

Patrick W — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:23:53 EDT

I am very concerned about his foreign policy advisors after coming across this written by Michael Jackman:

"The first advisor I will mention is former Indiana Congressman and Democrat, Tim Roemer. He was a member of the 9/11 Commission, and a representative of the war-profiteering weapons makers Boeing and Lockheed Martin, which also happen to be the world's largest defense contractors. While in office, Roemer voted for the Iraq War and said this: "The threat from Saddam is grave and growing and it's something we're going to have to address in the not-too-distant future." That statement mirrors the rhetoric of Bush and Cheney exactly. Why would a President Obama, who spoke out against the war in 2003, be interested in someone like Roemer's advice?"

Full article continued below...

Retired General Wesely Clark

Barbara — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:27:54 EDT

Unbelievable - a statement made by Clark has been twisted in to some ridiculous belief that Clark was attacking McCain. When does speaking the truth translate in to an attack?

Clark didn't say anything recently that he hasn't already said, in fact, wrote in his book, 'A Time to Lead' published in 2007.

From the Introduction of 'A Time to Lead':
Part of being a leader is being willing to stand up and speak out. In this book, I am doing just that. We need a deeper, more honest dialogue in America today, a dialogue about who we are, what we believe in, and how we ought to proceed in the world. Our nation is at war and our armed forces are fully committed. But we won't find a positive end to this war and win a lasting peace unless we really understand who we are. And even though we are "at war," the country is really being asked to give up very little. There have been no great tax levies, no mobilization of our youth, and no harnessing of our enormously productive and innovative potential, despite the public focus on Iraq.

We have been distracted politically from the public discussion of our future, including our challenges as well as our potential, and how we should move ahead. In consequence, we have neglected a whole range of concerns, like substandard public education, a woefully inaccessible health-care system, aging infrastructure, no national energy policy, and slackening environmental safeguards. And that's not the right way to face the future.

Clark supports Barack because of Barack's 'proven' history of Good Judgment. The quality of being a mediator, of being an organizer, of being someone that helps people of all backgrounds and belief systems to come together to work towards the common good. This judgment with a cool head is the only way America will have a chance to regain the respect for our country that we have lost these past 7 + years.

Clark isn't the only one that supports Barack's thinking on this ill advised war. Lee Hamilton, a former U.S. House member who co-chaired the commission that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and headed the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, said he was impressed by Obama's approach to national security and foreign policy.

Quote, Lee Hamilton: ``I read his national security and foreign policy speeches, and he comes across to me as pragmatic, visionary and tough,'' Hamilton said in an interview. ``He impresses me as a person who wants to use all the tools of presidential power.''

See http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=ag9nXSjQZIlA for the complete article written in April of 08.

When Barack takes his overseas trip, I would love to see him bring Lee Hamilton and Wesley Clark with him. And, though Powell may have been used by 'the powers in place', testifying to what we all now know was incorrect testimony, Powell may also be a strong person to accompany Barack on this trip.

Backing Obama's "Naive" Views: Lee Hamilton and the Iraq Study Group Report

Andrew Twiton — Fri, 16 May 2008 01:46:18 EDT

I was extremely frustrated by President Bush's comments today at the Knesset, especially in partnership with John McCain's attempts to paint Obama as inexperienced or naive on foreign policy issues.

When Barack Obama says that punishing countries and groups by not talking to them is a stupid foreign policy he is not expressing naive views. In fact, he is backed up by several serious statespeople.

One of the thoughts I had today was that Obama supporters should emphasize that his views are in line with people like Lee Hamilton and James Baker and the rest of the Iraq Study Group. Lee Hamilton's foreign policy experience is far greater than John McCain's. I think he is in a better place to judge Obama's ideas. Here's what he had to say when he endorsed Obama: “I read his national security and foreign policy speeches and he comes across to me as pragmatic, visionary and tough."

The Iraq Study Group had this to say about Iran and Syria:
"Given the ability of Iran and Syria to influence events within Iraq and their interest in avoiding chaos in Iraq, the United States should try to engage them constructively."

President Bush has not only failed to do this, he has ignored the need to.

Barack Obama gets former Rep. Lee Hamilton's endorsement

Fine Art Artist For Obama — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 15:38:35 EDT

In what could prove both a significant addition to his foreign policy credentials and a boost for the close Indiana primary, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois this afternoon scored the endorsement of former Rep. Lee Hamilton, one of the Democratic Party's leading foreign affairs experts.

Hamilton, a 35-year House member from Indiana, which holds its presidential primary May 6, chaired the Committee on Foreign Affairs and co-chaired both the 9/11 commission and the Iraq Study Group.

“I read his national security and foreign policy speeches," Hamilton told Bloomberg News today, "and he comes across to me as pragmatic, visionary and tough. He impresses me as a person who wants to use all the tools of presidential power.”

The backing of Hamilton, who was said to be on the list of possible vice presidential partners for Bill Clinton in 1992, could help Obama, who's been criticized for his foreign policy inexperience.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/04/barack-obama-ge.html

Very good news in Indiana

Tom Fox — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:08:15 EDT

The Indianapolis Star reports today that former Indiana Congressman Lee Hamilton plans to announce his endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama’s Presidential candadicy.

I've written about it here:

Big deal - St. Hamilton to endorse Obama

To quote myself - "If Lee Hamilton never walked on water, it is only because he never tried."

Barack Obama gets former Rep. Lee Hamilton's endorsement

Sandy — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:49:37 EDT

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