Morning Joe, Halperin, Tried 2 Set Up Obama On Surge Today
Tue Jul 22, 2008 at 07:10:00 AM PDT
This morning on Morning Joe; the cast (Mika, Schuster, Geist and guest Time's Mark Halperin), took an excerpt from last nights excellent Nightline interview/profile, with Terry Moran. In the portion the broadcast, Obama indicated He wouldn't support The Surge, if given the chance again.
Note: That Nightline segment is worth it, just to see the hundreds (maybe a thousand) troops, staff and dignitaries, cheer Obama wildy, when he was introduced and gave a speech at the US Embassy's Green Zone. It was the 3 pointer/Kuwait moment on steriods. Don't miss it when it becomes available on You Tube.
Back to the Morning Joe crew. They were just absolutely licking their chops at the prospect that Obama has a 10am press conference (Est)scheduled, with a bunch of frothing at the mouth reporters, huddled in Jordan the past few days. who They were hoping these blasted him (ala Andrea Mitchell) on The Surge. Well it didn't happen (though A.Mitchell lied on the air today, about Obama position on Petraeus).
Why? Because despite the fact Obama was right on The War, right on Afghanistan, Right on Iraq Troop withdrawal, now the media is expected to focus on his Nightline Interview, where he didn't give a glowing endorsement of The Surge.
In fairness to Obama, Morning Joe didn't show the portion of the
Nightline interview, where he stated that (and I'm paraphrasing).
"The Surge, did work, in combination with other factors. But it was not the only condition that created a better situation in Iraq. It was in unison, with other factors, such as the Sunni Awakening, better Government training of soldiers and the Militia's realization that they had to work with the Government. The Surge didn't happen in a Vacuum.
Can you believe after this first two days. The media now wants to focus on "Gotcha" questions?
Despite what Morning Joe Broadcast. What Obama said was true (though I've said many times, that when Republican's say "The Surge is working". He should just say, "ok, it's working, so let's leave Iraq now"). Call em on their bluff! You know they don't want to leave.
But either way; anyone who is dutifully enganged in Iraqi politics knows that The Surge at best was part of the reason, and certainly not the only reason for Iraq's reduction in violence Any honest General or reporter can tell you that when asked (as a matter of fact, a General stated this approx. 9:30am on MSNBC, with host Monica N.). But let's not listen to Obama or McCain. Let's listen to the Prime Minister.
Even Prime Minister, Al-Maliki feels that way. Here's what he had to say in that now famous Der Spiegel Interview, as Kossack GregMitch pointed out yesterday:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
"There are many factors, but I see them in the following order. First, there is the political rapprochement we have managed to achieve in central Iraq. This has enabled us, above all, to pull the plug on al-Qaida. Second, there is the progress being made by our security forces. Third, there is the deep sense of abhorrence with which the population has reacted to the atrocities of al-Qaida and the militias. Finally, of course, there is the economic recovery."
But John McCain has played this game at home; where he want's to pimp the media on the Surge, as much as he can (especially now, since he's grasping for straws and talking points on Obama's trip).
As GregMitch pointed out yesterday. "Notice there is no mention by Al-Maliki of The Surge being paramount in Iraq.
Well there are multiple sources I can point to to illustrate this. But how about the Council Of Foreign Relations (A US based think tank/originization.
Here's what the Author Steve Simon, in their publication, Foreign Affairs Had to say about The Surge:
More than a year on, a growing conventional wisdom holds that the surge has paid off handsomely. U.S. casualties are down significantly from their peak in mid-2007, the level of violence in Iraq is lower than at any point since 2005, and Baghdad seems the safest it has been since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime five years ago. Some backers of the surge even argue that the Iraqi civil war is over and that victory on Washington's terms is in sight -- so long as the United States has the will to see its current efforts through to their conclusion.
Unfortunately, such claims misconstrue the causes of the recent fall in violence and, more important, ignore a fatal flaw in the strategy. The surge has changed the situation not by itself but only in conjunction with several other developments: the grim successes of ethnic cleansing, the tactical quiescence of the Shiite militias, and a series of deals between U.S. forces and Sunni tribes that constitute a new bottom-up approach to pacifying Iraq. The problem is that this strategy to reduce violence is not linked to any sustainable plan for building a viable Iraqi state. If anything, it has made such an outcome less likely, by stoking the revanchist fantasies of Sunni Arab tribes and pitting them against the central government and against one another. In other words, the recent short-term gains have come at the expense of the long-term goal of a stable, unitary Iraq.
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/...
You see, Obama was just telling the truth on Nightline. But Morning Joe (obviosuly disgruntled that Obama was having such a great trip), pulled out one portion of Obama's interview on The Surge (albeit the more obstinate one), instead of the more acknowledging, comprehensive one, which followed it.
Either way; the media, still seems to be receiving their talking points from John McCain (The Surge, The Surge, like Giuliani's 911, 911). Once again, McCain is a politician that was Wrong on the Iraq War, wrong on Occupying it, wrong on Afghanistan/Pakistan, and is now wrong on leaving it.
John McCain, has just been plain wrong on everything! But the cast and crew of Morning Joe, and Time's Mark Halperin wished to set him up, and see him get grilled today (considering that most of these guys wouldn't know the difference between Anbar Province, Anwar Sadat or Asbury Park, NJ).
The media truly is his base. But John McCain is so dumb/gullible & undiciplined. That instead of talking about the economy (which he should be doing and is badly behind in), he can't help himself, but to to be goaded into talking Obama' trip everyday. Instead, McCain should be connecting with voters in the battle ground states, that he's currently visiting (& so far behind in).
He truly is dumb!
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