Did Senator Obama Ask the Iraqis to Delay U.S. Troop Withdrawl?

Posted By Blackfive

[Editor note: Bumping up to today, there's an update at the end of the post.]

In today's New York Post, Conservative columnist (and yes, he's formerly from Iran), Amir Taheri writes:

WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.

According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.

"He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington," Zebari said in an interview...

While some of you will dispute Taheri's claims, he quotes the Foreign Minister. 

If this is true, Senator Obama should be exposed for playing politics with the troops.  If it's not true, Senator Obama should refute this immediately as he stands accused of crippling a US President, undermining negotiations with a foreign power, handing strategic control of our forces in Iraq to Congress, etc.

More at Wizbang! and Hot Air (Hot Air addresses Taheri credibility, as well)...

Update: Instapundit posts the Obama response.  Go read it (remember what I said above, "Senator Obama should refute this immediately...") and see if you think it passes the common sense test. 

Now, we need to hear from the Iraqi government.

Maybe the MSM will finally start looking into this (as it seems to have legs).  Perhaps they are too busy talking to the Governor of Alaska's hair dresser.

Update 2:  Check Comment from MattMantx below about a potential misunderstanding of which agreement Senator Obama was trying to stall.  Apparently, MSNBC is paying attention and will hopefully not just publish the Obama campaign's press releases as a story and actually talk to the Foreign Minister.

Update 3:  Bob Owens at Pajamas Media has an updated report that you should read - it includes contacts to the Obama and McCain campaigns.

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Did Senator Obama Ask the Iraqis to Delay U.S. Troop Withdrawl?

[Editor note: Bumping up to today, there's an update at the end of the post.]

In today's New York Post, Conservative columnist (and yes, he's formerly from Iran), Amir Taheri writes:

WHILE campaigning in public for a speedy withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, Sen. Barack Obama has tried in private to persuade Iraqi leaders to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence.

According to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, Obama made his demand for delay a key theme of his discussions with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad in July.

"He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington," Zebari said in an interview...

While some of you will dispute Taheri's claims, he quotes the Foreign Minister. 

If this is true, Senator Obama should be exposed for playing politics with the troops.  If it's not true, Senator Obama should refute this immediately as he stands accused of crippling a US President, undermining negotiations with a foreign power, handing strategic control of our forces in Iraq to Congress, etc.

More at Wizbang! and Hot Air (Hot Air addresses Taheri credibility, as well)...

Update: Instapundit posts the Obama response.  Go read it (remember what I said above, "Senator Obama should refute this immediately...") and see if you think it passes the common sense test. 

Now, we need to hear from the Iraqi government.

Maybe the MSM will finally start looking into this (as it seems to have legs).  Perhaps they are too busy talking to the Governor of Alaska's hair dresser.

Update 2:  Check Comment from MattMantx below about a potential misunderstanding of which agreement Senator Obama was trying to stall.  Apparently, MSNBC is paying attention and will hopefully not just publish the Obama campaign's press releases as a story and actually talk to the Foreign Minister.

Update 3:  Bob Owens at Pajamas Media has an updated report that you should read - it includes contacts to the Obama and McCain campaigns.

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