with some Clarkie commentary...
Some transcript if you haven't listened to it yet. See downthread... or up...
_______________________________________________
WES(on the Samantha Power Iraq quote):
I found the comments quite disturbing - because to get out of Iraq is gonna be very difficult, and if you don't go into it with some fixed ideas in mind --and I think Senator Clinton's plan has it exactly right, You've got to do it with a responsible withdrawal- You've got to know when you're gonna begin, and you've gotta work it through -- if you simply show up and say "OK now what's this all about?" You're gonna own the war. (bad cell reception here)
Iraq ---there will be concerns of chaos and pandemonium, there'll be concerns about renewed civil war, neighbors in the region will be concerned--- It's gonna take a REAL STRENGTH OF CHARACTER to execute a pullback from Iraq and to preserve America's interests in the region at the same time. And that means KNOWING where you're headed before you start down the path. So, I think what you've got from senator Clinton is a real plan that indicates the strength of character necessary to lead the nation and be a Commander in Chief of the armed forces.
I'm quite concerned about what we've heard from the Obama camp today, because I'm not sure exactly where it leaves us, but I'm quite concerned that it will leave us... still at war.
Thank you General Clark - Next Jamie Rubin
JAMIE:
Yes, I think General Clark has spoken to the substantive importance of this and the words frankly speak to it directly and don't need much interpretation.
I think the point here is that on Monday this week Samantha Powers, described as probably the most influential of his advisers, with unlimitied access to the candidate, and given a very unique description as a unique Svengali guru-- wahtever you want to call it.... and frankly I feel very sorry for her. I know he... she's done great research on the subject of genocide... She's a very scholarly and intense person.
The problem here is at the TOP -- Senator Obama has created in his Foreign Policy team, an unworkable structure-- to have someone like this operating out on the side with unlimited access, and talking openly. And that's his fault- not her fault. She's a professor, she's a very enthusiastic person. I think her remarks were... awful about Senator clinton and about this, but I feel sorry for her that she's been put in a position where he can't seem to run a foreign policy team the way it's supposed to run.
Now Senator Obama has said in several of the debates that the way he's running his campaign is a good indicator of his ability to manage the incredibly challenging job of President. He said that in at least one debate. And on foreigh affairs, in particular....words matter. And frankly much of foreign affairs is making sure that the rest of the world understands what you say, what you mean, and that you mean what you say.
And to have two in a row...to have a private difference of view expressed on NAFTA by a top economic advisor, and then the next week to have- on the fundamental issue of this campaign - again the impression that one thing is said for political purposes perhaps, and another thing is what's actually gonna happen... um, is amateur hour on making foreign policy. I'm sorry to say that but that's what I think it is, having been involved a litte bit in the organization required and the discipline required to communicate in this area. The reason words matter in this case is because in many respects this election is going to be a referendum on Iraq.
WES REPLIES TO DAVID CORN of MOTHER JONES (a semi-hostile question like 'Aren't you all making much ado about nothing?')
WES:
--And Jamie, if I could just follow up on what you're saying ... The environment in which this is going to become operative -- were the Democrats to win, and were the Obama team to go in there -- Consider this: Both the General in charge, Dave Petraeus, and the Ambassador Brian Crocker, are scheduled to leave... So the strong leadership, the experienced hands on the ground... won't be there.
So the new team comes in-- there'll be all manner of predictions of catastrophe and calamity. That's the way these things are when you're trying to pull forces back. And if you don't have some strong principals to guide you - you'll end up owning the problem.
And what concerns me about the statement that Samantha made- and I know Samantha very well, she's a fine person-- But if this represents the position of the candidate....it suggests that what's going to happen is that there isn't strong guidance at the outset.. That, "Folks we're leaving. Now, let's get it going and then we'll talk about the details."
And we've got to have the strength of character to commence withdrawal and pull out of there. This is about strong leadership. Strong leadership is about operating from principals that can be looked at, and examined, and worked over, and defended. And that didn't come through. Maybe they're there, but we didn't see that. What we saw was basically, you know... everything's up for grabs.
ANDREA MITCHELL chimes in and tells them that they are not being FAIR to Obama -- and asks if they think this is a "fair attack"? (cough)... Then she tops it off with another question about Clinton having talked to Canada about NAFTA saying it's the same as Goolsbee did on behalf of Obama. She asks them again. They deny it again. She expresses doubt ... geez Andrea. Give it a rest...
WES (on Iraq pull out again)
I don't think you can say - as some of the Democratic candidates tried to say - long in advance of the circumstances -- Well this is it, they're all going to be gone, everything's going to be out of there, the last American soldier will have left - You can't say that. Because to say that is to say something that is probably not going to be _____ (done? inaudible word, cell going out)
I always thought, as an average American voter, that what people said in campaigns is what they intended to do.
And so I was very concerned when I heard candidates promising a hard end date... like... 16 months. That's it. They're outta there. I'm thinking, how can they possibly mean that? What does that say about their judgment? I think what you have to have is a hard beginning date. And that's what Hillary has. You have to have----
(and then, Wes's phone goes out-- and then he comes back!)
I'm on a highway in Oklahoma. It didn't come through, sorry.
What I was attempting to convey was the importance of a realistic position as a campaign pledge-- and what Hillary has is a realistic position. What we've heard from the others.... is not.
http://securingamerica.com/ccn/node/14953#comment-289377
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