Will Obama Bring "Only Technical" Changes to Iraq?

Posted by Raed Jarrar, Raed in the Middle at 8:37 AM on November 7, 2008.

I didn't find this in the English media, but Arab media (including Al-Jazeera) reported today:

Iraqi Presidency Council said in its first reaction to Barack Obama winning the U.S. presidential election: there is only one U.S. policy in Iraq, and the changes that may occur during Obama's time "would be only technical."

As you've heard already, Obama picked congressman Rahm Emanuel to become the White House's chief of staff. Mr. Emanuel, an Israeli citizen who has served in the Israeli Army (he denies both), was the only one out of Illinois' nine congressmen who voted for the invasion of Iraq in 2002.

I know that the confetti has not settled down yet, but I think it's time already to ask the Obama-Biden campaign some questions about their foreign policy plans, especially regarding the U.S. role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and regarding ending the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

I did not vote for Obama or donate to his campaign, but I'll send him a couple of questions anyway. For those of you who have donated your money or time to support Obama, or have voted for him, I think it's your personal responsibility to contact him. You can send your questions to the campaign by clicking here.

Here is the question I've sent:

Dear President-elect Obama

I am writing to congratulate you for your landslide victory yesterday.

I am very concerned about the Iraqi government's announcement today that your administrations' policy in Iraq will continue to be the same one adopted by the Bush administration, and that any changes that may occur during your time "would be only technical."

Do you agree with this statement, or are you still committed to ending the U.S. occupation like you have promised during the campaign?

Thank you.

Tagged as: iraq, barack obama, iraq occupation, rahm emanuel

Raed Jarrar is an Iraqi architect who writes the Raed In The Middle blog and contributes to numerous others.