WEAK ON IRAN

Today, Obama Told NBC's Tim Russert That "We've Got To Talk Directly To Iran," Even Though The Country Is The "Most Active" State Sponsor Of Terrorism And Responsible For The Deaths Of U.S. Troops:

Obama Reiterated His Call For The U.S. To Talk Directly With Iran. Obama: "I have consistently said that we've got to talk directly to Iran, send them a clear message that they have to stop not only with their potential funding of militias inside of Iraq but they also have to stop funding Hamas, they have to stop funding Hezbollah. They've got to stand down on their nuclear weapons. There will be continued consequences for those kinds of actions. But that here are also some carrots and possible benefits if they change behavior those kind of direct talks have not taken place. That's the kind of change in foreign policy that I plan to put in place when I'm President of the United States." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/4/08)

The State Department's Recently Released Annual Terrorism Report Says That Iraq Is The World's "Most Active" State Sponsor Of Terrorism. "Iran remained the most active state sponsor of terrorism. Elements of its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were directly involved in the planning and support of terrorist acts throughout the region and continued to support a variety of groups in their use of terrorism to advance their common regional goals. Iran provides aid to Palestinian terrorist groups, Lebanese Hizballah, Iraq-based militants, and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan." ("Co untry Reports On Terrorism," U.S. Department Of State, Office Of The Coordinator For Counterterrorism, 4/30/08)

Iran Is Responsible For U.S. And Coalition Deaths In Iraq. "Despite its pledge to support the stabilization of Iraq, Iranian authorities continued to provide lethal support, including weapons, training, funding, and guidance, to some Iraqi militant groups that target Coalition and Iraqi security forces and Iraqi civilians. In this way, Iranian government forces have been responsible for attacks on Coalition forces." ("Country Reports On Terrorism," U.S. Department Of State, Office Of The Coordinator For Counterterrorism, 4/30/08)

WEAK ON AFGHANISTAN

Obama Said The U.S. Needs To Focus On Afghanistan, But Has Failed To Hold Any Hearings On Operations There And Voted Against Critical Military And Reconstruction Funding:

Obama Said The U.S. Needs To Devote More Attention And Resources To Afghanistan. "I think we have to be focused on Afghanistan. It is one of the reasons that I was opposed to the war in Iraq in the first place." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/4/08)

Obama Voted Against An Iraq And Afghanistan Emergency Spending Bill. (H.R. 2206, CQ Vote #181: Passed 80-14: R 42-3; D 37-10; I 1-1, 5/24/07, Obama Voted Nay)

• The Bill Provided The Following For U.S. Operations In Afghanistan:

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  • $40 million for new power generation
  • $314 million for rural road rebuilding
  • $155 million for rural development
  • $19 million for agriculture
  • $174 million for Provincial Reconstruction Teams
  • $25 million for governance capacity building
  • $10 million for a Civilian Assistance Program
  • $79 million to support Diplomatic and Consular Programs
  • $16 million for Migration and Refugee Assistance
  • $16 million for International Disaster and Famine Assistance for Internally Displaced Persons Assistance
  • $47 million for International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement activities

(Stephen Daggett, Amy Belasco, Pat Towell, Susan B. Epstein, Connie Veillette, Curt Tarnoff, Rhoda Margesson, and Bart Elias, "FY2007 Supplemental  Appropriations For Defense, Foreign Affairs, And Other Purposes," Congressional Research Service, 7/2/07)

Obama Has Held Zero Hearings As Chairman Of The Subcommittee On European Affairs. "Doubts about Barack Obama's presidential credentials have crystallized during the past two weeks over his stewardship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on European Affairs, which has convened no policy hearings since he took over as its chairman last January." (Joe Conason, "Obama's European Problem," Salon.com, http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2007/12/29/obama_europe, 12/29/07)

• As Chairman Of The Subcommittee On European Affairs, Obama Could Have Held Hearings On The Role Of NATO In Afghanistan. "[A]mbassador John Ritch, who served for two decades as the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's senior staffer on European affairs and East-West relations...[P]oints out that as subcommittee chair, Obama could have examined a wide variety of urgent matters, from the role of NATO in Afghanistan and Iraq to European energy policy and European responses to climate change..." (Joe Conason, "Obama's European Problem," Salon.com,  http://www.salon.com/opinion%0d%0a%20/conason/2007/12/29/obama_europe, 12/29/07)

Obama Has Never Been To Afghanistan; Skipped The Opportunity To Go In 2006. "Obama's second trip abroad as a U.S. Senator starts in Qatar and, in addition to Iraq, will include stops in Kuwait, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian territories, according to a statement from his Washington office." ("Obama To Visit Middle East, Including Iraq," The Associated Press, 1/4/06)

• "[Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN)] Is Traveling With U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Sen. Christopher 'Kit' Bond, R-Mo., And Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn. Their Weeklong Trip Including A Stop In Israel For Meetings With Israeli And Palestinian Officials. Other Stops Included Kuwait, Qatar, Afghanistan And Pakistan." (Rick Callahan, "Bayh: Next Six Months Crucial To Iraq's Future," The Associated Press, 1/7/06)

o       "After A Two-Day Iraq Tour, Obama Is To Travel To Jordan And Israel On His Own." (Jeff Zeleny, "Obama Making 1st Visit To Iraq," Chicago Tribune, 1/5/06)

MISINFORMED ON AL QAEDA AND INCONSISTENT ON IRAQ

Obama's Claim That Al Qaeda Is "Stronger Than At Any Time Since 2001" Contradicted By State Department Counterterrorism Expert:

Obama: "We now know that al Qaeda is stronger than at any time since 2001."  (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/4/08)

State Department Counter Terrorism Coordinator Dell Dailey Says That Al Qaeda Is Weaker Than On September 11, 2001.  Question: "Compared to 9/11, is Al Qaeda stronger now or weaker?" Dailey: "We think Al Qaeda is weaker now than it was at 9/11 time frame. There are a lot of things that have taken place since 9/11." (State Department Counter Terrorism Coordinator Dell Dailey, Press Conference, 4/30/08)

Obama Has Been Inconsistent In Explaining How Potential Genocide In Iraq Would Affect His Plan For Withdrawal:

Obama Said That He Would Consider The Possibility Of Genocide Breaking Out In Iraq If The U.S. Withdrew. NBC's Tim Russert: "Ambassador Ryan Crocker said that a quick withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq could result in genocide. Would you factor that in? And if that began to emerge as an issue, would you stop the withdrawal?" Obama: "Tim, of course I would factor in the possibilities of genocide, and I factored it in when I said that I would begin a phased withdrawal." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 5/4/08)   

But Obama Previously Said Preventing Genocide Would Not Be A Sufficient Reason To Remain In Iraq. "Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn't a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces there." (Philip Elliot, "Obama: Don't Stay in Iraq Over Genocide," The Associated Press, 7/21/07)