http://www.spectator.org/dsp_article.asp?art_id=1…

And what it says does raise the stakes to me.

Quote: The Obama campaign spent more than five hours on Monday attempting to figure out the best refutation of the explosive New York Post report that quoted Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari as saying that Barack Obama during his July visit to Baghdad demanded that Iraq not negotiate with the Bush Administration on the withdrawal of American troops. Instead, he asked that they delay such negotiations until after the presidential handover at the end of January. endquote…

That is very different from talking to the press about what you want to see.

McCain or Obama would be grossly interfering with the government if they were to suggest to any foreign head of state that they — not negotiate with the US until after the election on any matter. Period.

They can say in public all they want about what foreign policy items they believe are right for the US. They can't sit down with a foreign head of state and try to manipulate foreign policy by undermining current efforts.

This is probably one of those moments Obama's inexperience is showing. A seasoned Washington veteran likely wouldn't have done this.

This also vaguely reminds me of the Clinton impeachment period: It was one thing to lie about having sex with an intern to the media and American public.

It was a very and fundamentally different thing to lie about that relationship under oath in a sexual harassment lawsuit.

He got away with it in the American public thanks to the media having enough voices saying it was just about sex.

Obama will skate by much more easily on this thing.

But, still, you can undermine current administration policy in the press and public opinion all you want as a candidate.

You cannot, however, actively seek to undermine policy through conversations with foreign heads of state or high ranking government officials.

—well—-obviously you can and get away with it—-but you shouldn't be able to….

Red flag #1. The source: the New York Post. You know, Rupert Murdock.

Red flag #2. The reporter: Amir Taheri. Google his name and you will allegations of conspiracies and fabrications and retracted stories.

Red flag #3. In the article itself, he conflates two different things to make his charge and confuse the reader. The first paragraph claims Obama tried "to delay an agreement on a draw-down of the American military presence."

We don't have the full transcript of what the Foreign Minister said, but if you look at the selected quote that was used, "However, as an Iraqi, I prefer to have a security agreement that regulates the activities of foreign troops, rather than keeping the matter open", it appeared that the Minister was actually talking about the negotiations for a Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq. That is further supported by comments about extending the UN mandate.

I think it's premature to go off on what may or may not have been discussed, and in what context, based on this weak source.

Public foreign policy statements from both campaigns are already influencing other countries, many of whom have put issues on hold until the US election is decided.

How can there be a "Status of Forces Agreement" when people are still dying by the tens, twenties & thirties? I said it during my first tour there in 2004 & I'll say it today…we might have kicked the royal Dog Crap out of them, but as soon as we put the DoS, via Paul Bremmer in charge, we lost the war. So what, we got rid of THEIR dictator that we more than helped prop up against Iran? There will be another one, probably already there, who will be just as bad, if not worse. The Iraqis will get the government they deserve, as they did previously.

They especially want to gain legal control over Civilian Contractors (I will not go into the right/wrong of contractor actions here) and it looks like the U.S. is more-than-willing to throw them a U.S. contractor bone sometime in the near future.

Now we have Brother Obama trying to cut midnight deals with a foreign power when he is NOT guranteed of even being the next president??? Sounds like Jimmy Carter & Jesse Jackson moves. If this Jackass is elected, then Heaven help us!

I would just close saying this…"If" you serve overseas as either a civilian contractor, or as a U.S. military member, then DO NOT be surprised when YOUR government feeds you up to the locals on a silver platter…all for the sake of political expediency.