COMMENTS: 9
Iraq VP to Biden: Obama's "Reputation On the Line" Over Gaza
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Iraqi Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi said on Tuesday that the silence of new U.S. President Barack Obama regarding the tragedy in the Gaza Strip harms U.S. interests, urging the new administration to intervene to force Israel to stop aggressions on Gaza, a statement from al-Hashemi's office said.
"Al-Hashemi received at his office U.S. Vice President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday (Jan. 13) and told him that Iraqis, mainly Arabs and Muslims, are looking for the new U.S. administration to make real changes in the foreign policy," said the report received by Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
"The new administration's reputation is on the line with the new president's silence, who adopted a different opinion regarding the recent bombings in Mumbai," it added.
He urged the new administration under Obama to "intervene to force Israel to stop the aggression on Gaza in implementation of the UN Security Council number 1860 in this regard."
After days of diplomatic wrestling, the Security Council on Jan. 8 adopted the resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.
The 15-nation council approved the resolution with 14 voting in favor. The United States abstained.
On Monday (Jan. 12) afternoon, Biden arrived on a surprise visit to Iraq and met with Talabani and his deputy, Adel Abdelmahdi. Biden voted for the 2003 invasion of Iraq but later became a critic of the war and the way in which President George W. Bush was executing it.
He is best known in Iraq as the author of a 2006 plan to divide the country into self-governing Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish enclaves -- an idea that offended many Iraqi politicians and was quietly put on the back burner as violence ebbed.
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Comments are closed-
Posted by: Scientz on Jan 14, 2009 2:49 PM
Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Mumbai was simple, black-and-white terrorism. It was easy to condemn such an act without getting embroiled in controversy. Israel's incursion into Gaza, however, is a divisive, politically sensitive topic which Obama is wise not to wade into until he is the President.
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» Stop believing and do some real research for a change, Scientz
Posted by: LeftWright
» You don't think I know what I'm talking about . . .
Posted by: Scientz
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Posted by: Quannah on Jan 14, 2009 7:20 PM
Current rating: 4 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Will he go about this in an even-handed manner? Or will he cave to the pressure that will no doubt be brought to bear by the AIPAC/Zionist lobby? Will he choose to follow international law and take the moral high ground, or will he create policy based upon his re-election bid in four years?
Mr. Obama, you have less than a week to ponder the consequences. I hope you choose wisely.
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» Don't hold your breath, Quannah
Posted by: LeftWright
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Posted by: fanny666 on Jan 15, 2009 9:58 AM
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Video of the talk is not yet posted but keep checking back; supposedly audio will be on Democracy Now shortly as well.
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Posted by: sicntired on Jan 21, 2009 4:48 AM
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Posted by: mnstra on Jan 25, 2009 9:54 AM
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Posted by: day080209 on Feb 8, 2009 6:04 AM
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