He Came, Trod Gently, and Did Quite Well

[babylonsister]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-zogby/he-came-trod-gently-and-d_b_115070.html

James Zogby
He Came, Trod Gently, and Did Quite Well
Posted July 25, 2008 | 05:49 PM (EST)

snip//

Instead of playing safe at home, Obama ventured out into treacherous waters, where the dangers were not only the unpredictable circumstances of Iraq, Afghanistan and the Israel-Palestine conflict, but the watchful eye of the U.S. media. While some critics suggested that the presence of all three major newtork news anchors (and a hundred other assorted media personnel) ensured maximum coverage for the trip, this carried dangers as well. Stung by criticism that they favored Obama, many journalists would feel a need to prove their credibility by pouncing on any major mistake made by the candidate. This could have proved fatal.

It was in Afghanistan and Iraq, where nearly 200,000 U.S. troops have been engaged in combat for over five years, that Obama was to face down his greatest challenge. Prior to the trip, he had been taunted by his Republican opponent, Senator John McCain, for articulating a policy before visiting the war zone and meeting with commanders on the ground. Obama had called for a 16 month drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq and a stepped-up effort in Afghanistan, which he has identified as presenting the more direct terrorist threat to the U.S. and the region.

Just days before his departure from the U.S., sudden shifts in positions by both the Iraqi Prime Minister and President Bush played into Obama's favor. Prime Minister al-Maliki was quoted as saying that a U.S. departure from Iraq was indeed desirable within the time frame articulated by Senator Obama. (A statement which al-Maliki at first disputed making but ultimately reaffirmed.) And President Bush, himself, appeared to accept the idea of a timetable for drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq, while also arguing that a beefing up of the U.S. military in Afghanistan was needed.

The military's leadership did express their reservations about a withdrawal timetable, and that might have spelled trouble for the Democratic candidate. Despite the U.S. public's reservations about the war, they have demonstrated increasing appreciation for the commitment and sacrifice U.S. forces have made in Iraq. This provided Obama with a challenge which, in the end, he handled quite well. The visuals of the enthusiastic reception given the youthful Senator by U.S. combat forces provided ample evidence of their acceptance of his leadership. At the same time, while indicating a respectful understanding of the concerns expressed by U.S. military leaders, he noted that - if he were to become "Commander in Chief" - he would consider their views but assert his strategic priorities for where best to employ U.S. forces, demonstrating confident political savvy and his vision.

snip//

From there, it was off to Germany, where his address before a crowd of 200,000 could only be described as a tour de force. The Berlin speech focused on rebuilding America's image and restoring U.S.-European ties. Making reference to the tearing down of Berlin's iconic wall, the Senator issued a line whose meaning might have been missed by some, but whose implications were of significance on many levels, including people in the Middle East, when he said, "The walls between races and tribes; natives and immigrants; Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down."

A final observation: During all this time, Senator McCain was clearly frustrated. Some observers noted that while McCain might have taken advantage of Senator Obama's absence from the U.S. to focus on critical domestic messages that would have strengthened his standing, he instead was reduced to an angry heckler on the sidelines. Clearly, the winner in this round was Obama.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Did he remember to put in the part about

"You are either with us or you are with the terrorists". I imagine that line would today be somewhat hard to deliver.