August 6th, 2008 by Matt

Another item to pass along from last week:

RealClearPolitics published a piece by Gregory Scoblete questioning the likelihood that Barack Obama will abide by his promises to withdraw from Iraq.  Scoblete calls Obama’s Iraq position an “untenable straddle–disavowing the war while simultaneously reaffirming the panoply of U.S. interests in the region that have made leaving Iraq seem so vexing.” Scoblete says the only way Obama could deliver on his pledge would be to sketch out a new strategic compact with the Middle East which would break cleanly from recent norms.  Scoblete suggests Obama could do this in part by lifting some of President Bush’s rhetoric circa 2002 decrying authoritarian regimes in the Middle East and the connection between the hopeless political and economic conditions they create and the consequent decision to resort to terrorism made by many young men.  Presumably Obama would seek a method different from the Bush adminstration to combat these conditions.

Posted in Election 08, Iraq, US foreign policy, US politics |