Obama Apologizes to Hillary for 'Monster' Remark - Page 4 - PhillyBlog

seand · #31 (**permalink**) 05-19-2008, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illiniwek

I've never heard any of the three presidential candidates say anything that suggested they understood how the Sunni-Shi'ite fault line affects events in the region

From April 11, 2007:

Quote:

Obama issued this statement responding to McCain's Iraq speech today (and making another jab at the Arizona senator's comments after his Baghdad marketplace visit): "No matter how much this Administration wishes it to be true, the idea that the situation in Iraq is improving because it only takes a security detail of 100 soldiers, three Blackhawk helicopters, and two Apache gunships to walk through a market in the middle of Baghdad is simply not credible or reflective of the facts on the ground."

Obama added, "What we need today is a surge in honesty. The truth is, the Iraqis have made little progress toward the political solution between Shiia and Sunni which is the last, best hope to end this war. I believe that letting the Iraqi government know America will not be there forever is the best way to pressure the warring factions toward this political settlement."

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archi...11/131696.aspx

Illiniwek · #32 (**permalink**) 05-19-2008, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Illiniwek

I've never heard any of the three presidential candidates say anything that suggested they understood how the Sunni-Shi'ite fault line affects events in the region; nor have I heard much in the way of understanding for the Turkish-Arabic-Persian division of the Islamic world in the Middle East.

Nor have I yet.

Obama's remarks about Hezbollah and about his willingness to accept, essentially, a post-1992 status quo for Iraq suggest he still has plenty of homework to do.