In Iraq, Mixed Feelings About Obama and His Troop Proposal (WTF alert)

[Wretched Excess]

I am hoping that this is just the NYT perverting the facts and spinning the story, but after
reading this, I almost wanted to pull out of iraq tomorrow afternoon.

BHO was nominated on a platform of feeding the iraqis to the terrorists, restoring sectarian slaughter,
and guaranteeing the collapse of their country and more than likely the restoration of some brand of
tyranny . . . and this guy would be "very happy if he was elected president" because he is "young" and
"very active"?

so is my four year old nephew.  asshats

Mr. Sultan, however, like many Iraqis, feels instinctively close to the senator because he heard that he had Muslim roots.

“Every time I see Obama I say: ‘He’s close to us. Maybe he’ll see us in a different way,’ ” Mr. Sultan said. “I find Obama very close to my heart.”

Race is also a consideration. Muhammad Ahmed Kareem, 49, an engineer from Mosul, said he had high expectations of Mr. Obama because his experience as a black man in America might give him more empathy for others who feel oppressed by a powerful West. “Blacks suffered a lot of discrimination, much like Arabs,” Mr. Kareem said. “That’s why we expect that his tenure will be much better.”

if it was up to BHO, you would still be at the mercy of saddam obama hussein, which, among other things (and leaving the
obvious strong argument on the GWOT aside for the moment), also says rather strongly that he believes that arabs aren't
worth fighting for.

oh, and the freaking NYT gets is troop bashing in (of course) around the middle of the story . . .

“He seems like a nice guy,” Mr. Ibrahim said. But he hoped that Mr. Obama’s statements about a relatively fast pullout were mere campaign talk.

“It’s a very big assumption that just because he wants to pull troops out, he’ll be able to do it,” he said. “The American strategy in the region requires troops to remain in Iraq for a long time.”

interesting that even in iraq, his supporters seem to sense that he will do nothing that he says he will, and would probably
fail even if he tried.

this is just an infuriating story.  I would wager that this is on no way an accurate portrayal of the typical iraqi attitudes on
the american presence in iraq.

In Iraq, Mixed Feelings About Obama and His Troop Proposal

BAGHDAD — A tough Iraqi general, a former special operations officer with a baritone voice and a barrel chest, melted into smiles when asked about Senator Barack Obama.

“Everyone in Iraq likes him,” said the general, Nassir al-Hiti. “I like him. He’s young. Very active. We would be very happy if he was elected president.”

But mention Mr. Obama’s plan for withdrawing American soldiers, and the general stiffens.

“Very difficult,” he said, shaking his head. “Any army would love to work without any help, but let me be honest: for now, we don’t have that ability.”

Thus in a few brisk sentences, the general summed up the conflicting emotions about Mr. Obama in Iraq, the place outside America with perhaps the most riding on its relationship with him.

There was, as Mr. Obama prepared to visit here, excitement over a man who is the anti-Bush in almost every way: a Democrat who opposed a war that many Iraqis feel devastated their nation. And many in the political elite recognize that Mr. Obama shares their hope for a more rapid withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.

Much  More

[Jim]

everyone from somewhere else wants a weak American president but that does not mean that they do not want our protection.  they know that the Pentagon will see to that.

[Chris_]

Lets start with the fact that this is the NYT, who is not known for truth-telling when it comes to Iraq......then one must wonder....assuming that these comments are even true.....how many people that they had to interview to finally come up with this particular set of quotations......and then remember that this is the NYT.....

doc

[DumbAss Tanker]

It takes a long time to truly and deeply appreciate the benefits of peace.  This guy's generation, and their sons, would be perfectly happy to be going back to trying to kill their sectarian enemies as long as they thought they might come out on top.  That's just the way people really are deep down inside, us included, and why McCain's real 'hundred years' comment made perfect sense, before the Democrat spin-monkeys got hold of it.

[Wretched Excess]

Lets start with the fact that this is the NYT, who is not known for truth-telling when it comes to Iraq......then one must wonder....assuming that these comments are even true.....how many people that they had to interview to finally come up with this particular set of quotations......and then remember that this is the NYT.....

doc

I said repeatedly that I was mindful of the fact that it was the NYT.   it pissed me off nonetheless.
and they said in the story:

And despite those improvements, street interviews remain risky in Iraq. For this article, 18 people were interviewed about their opinions of Mr. Obama, in Baghdad, in the northern city of Mosul, in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, and in the Sunni suburb of Abu Ghraib, west of Baghdad.

[Uhhuh35]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

[DumbAss Tanker]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

It's like his Blackness.  He can turn it on or off as circumstances and his survival instincts dictate.

[Chris_]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

It's like his Blackness.  He can turn it on or off as circumstances and his survival instincts dictate.

Not to mention the demographics of the crowd he's pandering to at the moment.

[Wretched Excess]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

I was wondering if someone would pick up on that . . . that comment by the iraqi gov't official
was preceded by a "clarifying sentence":

Mr. Obama has never practiced Islam; his father, whom he barely knew, was born Muslim, but became a nonbeliever. Mr. Sultan, however, like many Iraqis, feels instinctively close to the senator because he heard that he had Muslim roots.

JUST in case someone was about to get the wrong idea. . . .    these bastards are SO in the tank for this guy, it's laughable.

[Wretched Excess]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

It's like his Blackness.  He can turn it on or off as circumstances and his survival instincts dictate.

they call those things chameleons, don't they?

[Chris_]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

It's like his Blackness.  He can turn it on or off as circumstances and his survival instincts dictate.

they call those things chameleons, don't they?

Chameleon, politician, con-artist, bald faced liar.  It's all about the same.

[Chris_]

I said repeatedly that I was mindful of the fact that it was the NYT.   it pissed me off nonetheless.
and they said in the story:

My comment was a (somewhat lame) attempt at sarcasm.......you might want to lighten up a bit........

doc

[Willow]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

  A NYT oopsie???

[TheSarge]

Lets start with the fact that this is the NYT, who is not known for truth-telling when it comes to Iraq......then one must wonder....assuming that these comments are even true.....how many people that they had to interview to finally come up with this particular set of quotations......and then remember that this is the NYT.....

doc

Knowing how the NYT operates and seeing how they've selectively used quotes from soldiers...I'd say the pro Obama quotes in that article are from the ONLY people they could find thinking like that in all of Baghdad.

[Tess Anderson]

Well, it's like anything else when it comes to Barack Hussein Obama - he's a Muslim when it's convienent for him to be one only. I find it telling that real Muslims always consider him one of their own, though.

I just think it's so stupid he went to Iraq to talk about what to do when he already has his mind made up that he wants to stick to his sixteen months to withdrawl (surrender) plan. All he can do is to make a total fool out of himself over in the Middle East again - he's going to get hammered over his recent statements on Jerusalem alone.

[docstew]

Wait a second. We're told that Obama isn't a Muslim so we have nothing to worry about. Yet Iraqis' feel better about Obama because he has Muslim roots? Is this a real story or a planted one?

if he has muslim roots, but is a christian, wouldn't they view him as an apostate?  why are they so happy about someone their religion demands be put to death?

[formerlurker]

Frightening altogether that the media would place any importance at all on what the feelings of Iraqis are on choosing our next president.  Is this supposed to persuade us in some manner to vote for Obama?    Seriously?   

During the first Democratic debate the candidates all talked the talk about immediately withdrawing troops from Iraq.    Biden the jackass was the only one who called them on it by calling them liars.   He said they don't have Congressional support to do such a thing now, and sure as hell won't have the support to do it in the future.   So in short, it won't happen.    I laughed out loud over that, as he actually spoke the truth. 

It won't happen.   Politicians lie, and Liberals' lies are whoppers.   This one ranks right up there with that middle class tax cut Billy-Jeff based both his presidental platforms on.  Never happened as he never intended for it to happen.