Comments on: Quote Of The Day: On Obama, Al-Maliki And McCain http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/ An Internet hub for moderates, centrists, and independents, with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, and right Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:52:29 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Jazz http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146138 Jazz Sun, 20 Jul 2008 11:22:10 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146138 One of McCain's key points on the campaign trail, where he insisted that he got it right on Iraq and Obama got it wrong, was his "long term presence similar to Korea and Germany" plan. Now that this concept has been effectively blown out of the water by Maliki, I wonder how they will scrub that from the campaign message? One of McCain's key points on the campaign trail, where he insisted that he got it right on Iraq and Obama got it wrong, was his “long term presence similar to Korea and Germany” plan. Now that this concept has been effectively blown out of the water by Maliki, I wonder how they will scrub that from the campaign message?

]]> By: elrod http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146135 elrod Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:50:30 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146135 Jchem raises an interesting question: Is Maliki a puppet or a sovereign leader? I think we've seen a bit of both in these statements. Maliki the sovereign leader says, "It's time for US troops to go. Obama says leave in 16 months and I think that's great." Maliki the puppet, after much arm-twisting from the White House, releases a statement THROUGH CENTCOM that vaguely claims to be mistranslated (but doesn't say how) and then makes some incomprehensible point about conditions and horizons. <br><br>This about long-term strategy. McCain wants us in Iraq permanently like Korea. The Iraqi people and the Iraqi government do not. Maliki just made it clear that it's time to start heading for the exits. That the surge made this possible is irrelevant. Obama wants out of Iraq and into Afghanistan. McCain wants in Iraq and wants some phantom troops to beef up Afghanistan too. Jchem raises an interesting question: Is Maliki a puppet or a sovereign leader? I think we've seen a bit of both in these statements. Maliki the sovereign leader says, “It's time for US troops to go. Obama says leave in 16 months and I think that's great.” Maliki the puppet, after much arm-twisting from the White House, releases a statement THROUGH CENTCOM that vaguely claims to be mistranslated (but doesn't say how) and then makes some incomprehensible point about conditions and horizons.

This about long-term strategy. McCain wants us in Iraq permanently like Korea. The Iraqi people and the Iraqi government do not. Maliki just made it clear that it's time to start heading for the exits. That the surge made this possible is irrelevant. Obama wants out of Iraq and into Afghanistan. McCain wants in Iraq and wants some phantom troops to beef up Afghanistan too.

]]> By: JSpencer http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146134 JSpencer Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:19:45 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146134 One of the important differences vis a vis comments made by Maliki echoing comments made by Obama and Bush is that one of these two Americans has ruined much of his credibility and the other hasn't. This probably explains why one instance makes a more compelling story than the other. One of the important differences vis a vis comments made by Maliki echoing comments made by Obama and Bush is that one of these two Americans has ruined much of his credibility and the other hasn't. This probably explains why one instance makes a more compelling story than the other.

]]> By: Neocon http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146132 Neocon Sun, 20 Jul 2008 03:15:49 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146132 The bigger story to me is that this is the perfect opportunity for Bush to start pulling troops out now and taking some credit for doing what he said, drawing down once conditions are met. The bigger story to me is that this is the perfect opportunity for Bush to start pulling troops out now and taking some credit for doing what he said, drawing down once conditions are met.

]]> By: jchem http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146129 jchem Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:44:57 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146129 Just saw this on CNN:<br><br>"Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush."<br><br>Echoing statements made by the White House, eh? This is truly a fascinating story. First Maliki says something that is picked up by many liberal blogs, in the context of "It's over", or "Need we say more", or "The article speaks for itself". So what is the reaction to these new comments by Maliki. Is he still worth listening to or has he already taken himself off center stage? Just saw this on CNN:

“Government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said the possibility of troop withdrawal was based on the continuance of security improvements, echoing statements that the White House made Friday after a meeting between al-Maliki and U.S. President Bush.”

Echoing statements made by the White House, eh? This is truly a fascinating story. First Maliki says something that is picked up by many liberal blogs, in the context of “It's over”, or “Need we say more”, or “The article speaks for itself”. So what is the reaction to these new comments by Maliki. Is he still worth listening to or has he already taken himself off center stage?

]]> By: Ricorun http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146128 Ricorun Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:42:16 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146128 jchem: <i>Let's get this straight...does his word matter, or is he still a puppet?</i><br><br>It appears the supporters of the "puppet" POV (which is to say those who believe Maliki says what he says at any given time out of political expedience) have switched sides. That's why I consider the bigger story to be the announced agreement between the Iraqi gov't and the Bush admin. That plus the fact that the Bush admin was unable to push a long-term status of forces agreement past the Iraqi gov't. The two combined indicate that the political forces inside Iraq are getting more confident and starting to spread their wings. jchem: Let's get this straight…does his word matter, or is he still a puppet?

It appears the supporters of the “puppet” POV (which is to say those who believe Maliki says what he says at any given time out of political expedience) have switched sides. That's why I consider the bigger story to be the announced agreement between the Iraqi gov't and the Bush admin. That plus the fact that the Bush admin was unable to push a long-term status of forces agreement past the Iraqi gov't. The two combined indicate that the political forces inside Iraq are getting more confident and starting to spread their wings.

]]> By: jchem http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146125 jchem Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:09:47 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146125 This is really something. Only a couple of years ago, when Maliki was agreeing with Bush about the need to stay there, he was lampooned for being nothing more than a puppet. But now that he comes out and agrees with Obama about the need for us to get out of there soon, he's hailed as someone who we need to be paying attention to. Let's get this straight...does his word matter, or is he still a puppet? This is really something. Only a couple of years ago, when Maliki was agreeing with Bush about the need to stay there, he was lampooned for being nothing more than a puppet. But now that he comes out and agrees with Obama about the need for us to get out of there soon, he's hailed as someone who we need to be paying attention to. Let's get this straight…does his word matter, or is he still a puppet?

]]> By: Neocon http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146120 Neocon Sun, 20 Jul 2008 00:29:35 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146120 They should respond by Withdrawing Brigades Tomorrow. <br><br>Seriously this gives Bush the perfect opening he needs to start drawing down forces and leaving Iraq under a We win formula. If he does not jump on this then he should fire all his advisors and hire me to watch his back. They should respond by Withdrawing Brigades Tomorrow.

Seriously this gives Bush the perfect opening he needs to start drawing down forces and leaving Iraq under a We win formula. If he does not jump on this then he should fire all his advisors and hire me to watch his back.

]]> By: OOPS!: White House Shares Report On Iraqi P.M. Nuri al-Maliki’s Agreement With Barack Obama’s Sixteen-Month U.S. Troop Withdrawal Plan With Massive External Distribution List | THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™ http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-113369 OOPS!: White House Shares Report On Iraqi P.M. Nuri al-Maliki’s Agreement With Barack Obama’s Sixteen-Month U.S. Troop Withdrawal Plan With Massive External Distribution List | THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™ Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:13:48 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-113369 [...] The Moderate Voice (Joe Gandelman): “…imagery matters in U.S. politics, and this represents one more day when McCain can’t show McGain. …” [...] [...] The Moderate Voice (Joe Gandelman): “…imagery matters in U.S. politics, and this represents one more day when McCain can’t show McGain. …” [...]

]]> By: Ricorun http://themoderatevoice.com/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-146119 Ricorun Sat, 19 Jul 2008 23:08:36 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/politics/foreign/maliki/21175/quote-of-the-day-on-obama-al-maliki-and-mccain/#comment-146119 It seems to me the bigger news was the announced agreement between the Iraqi gov't and the Bush admin on "general time horizons for aspirational goals". One could perhaps argue away Maliki's comments as one politician's politically expedient ruminations, or whatever. But the agreement indicates that it's much broader than that. <br><br>I do love that euphemism though. As I said in an earlier thread, it reminds me of George Carlin: it’s not “shell shock” anymore, now it’s “post traumatic stress syndrome”. Likewise, its not “timeline” anymore, now it’s “general time horizon for aspirational goals”. Lol! It seems to me the bigger news was the announced agreement between the Iraqi gov't and the Bush admin on “general time horizons for aspirational goals”. One could perhaps argue away Maliki's comments as one politician's politically expedient ruminations, or whatever. But the agreement indicates that it's much broader than that.

I do love that euphemism though. As I said in an earlier thread, it reminds me of George Carlin: it’s not “shell shock” anymore, now it’s “post traumatic stress syndrome”. Likewise, its not “timeline” anymore, now it’s “general time horizon for aspirational goals”. Lol!

]]>