Obama Will Address AIPAC Today, But Will He Be Able To Defend His Weak Record On Issues Critical To Israel
WASHINGTON , June 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by the Republican National Committee:
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Obama Has Pivoted In His Opposition To Legislation Labeling Iran's Revolutionary Guard A Terrorist Organization:
Obama Has Been Inconsistent In His Views On Labeling Iran's Revolutionary Guard A Terrorist Organization. "Obama's campaign suddenly discovered that their man -- despite having spent the last nine months campaigning on his opposition to Kyl-Lieberman -- 'has consistently urged that Iran's Revolutionary Guard be labeled what it is: a terrorist organization.' Well, not that consistently. Senator Obama has been scrupulously careful not to call explicitly for designation of the IRGC as a terrorist organization. Now, however, with the Democratic nomination almost in hand, Obama feels comfortable telling a pro- Israel audience what it wants to hear." ( Danielle Pletka , "Obama's Pander Pivot," Weekly Standard, 6/4/08)
-- "[T]he Audience At AIPAC Might Ask Why Senator Obama Has Pivoted From Opposition To 'Lieberman-Kyl' To Support For The IRGC Designation His Audience Demands. Is This Really Change They Can Believe In?" (Danielle Pletka, "Obama's Pander Pivot," Weekly Standard, 6/4/08)Former Israeli Ambassador To The U.S. Danny Ayalon Expressed Concern About Obama's Ability To Address Issues Important To Israel's Security:
Former Israeli Ambassador To The U.S. Danny Ayalon: "The threat of Islamic terrorism and the expanding scourge of fanaticism are also concepts which have been addressed by Obama in only the most ambiguous of terms." ( Danny Ayalon , Op-Ed, "Who Are You, Barack Obama ?" The Jerusalem Post, 1/23/08)
-- Ayalon: "As far as Israel is concerned, Obama has yet to suggest specific measures he would enact regarding the Jewish State's Qualitative Military Edge that allows us to defend ourselves against our current and future enemies. Given the increasingly tense security environment Israel is confronting on all sides, now is not the time for American leaders to shy away from such fundamental questions. The four years ahead are far too critical for global security to place the presidency of the United States in the hands of a leader whose campaign is leaving us with more questions than answers."(Danny Ayalon, Op-Ed, "Who Are You, Barack Obama?" The Jerusalem Post, 1/23/08)Obama Received Jimmy Carter's Endorsement After Failing To Condemn The Former President's Meeting With Hamas:
"Former President Jimmy Carter Said He 'll Endorse Democrat Barack Obama After The Polls Close On The Final Primary Contests. 'The Fact Is The Obama People Already Know They Have My Vote When The Polls Close Tonight,' Carter Told The Associated Press..." ("Former President Carter: I Will Endorse Obama," The Associated Press, 6/3/08)
"Defying Opposition From The Bush Administration And Israel, Former President Jimmy Carter Met For Several Hours Friday Night In Syria With The Exiled Leader Of Hamas, The Militant Islamist Group, To Discuss Efforts To Resolve The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict." ( Robert F. Worth , "Defying Israel, Carter Meets Hamas Leader," The
NOTE: "The Campaign Of Sen. John McCain (Ariz.), The Presumptive Republican Nominee, Was Quick To Blast Carter's Plans [To Meet With Hamas] And Called On Both Obama And Clinton To Condemn The Meeting With What The State Department Lists As A Terrorist Group." ( Glenn Kessler , "Former President Carter To Meet With Hamas Chief," The Washington Post, 4/10/08)
-- "Both Clinton And Obama Issued Statements With Milder Language, Saying They 'Disagreed' Or Did 'Not Agree' With Carter's Plans." (Glenn Kessler, "Former President Carter To Meet With Hamas Chief," The Washington Post, 4/10/08)Hamas Praised Obama's Foreign Policy:
"During An Interview On WABC Radio ... Top Hamas Political Adviser Ahmed Yousef Said The Terrorist Group Supports Obama's Foreign Policy Vision." ( Mosheh Oinounou , "A Hamas Problem For Obama?" Fox News' "Cameron's Corner" Blog, foxnews.com, 4/16/08)
-- Yousef: "We don't mind -- actually we like Mr. Obama. We hope he will (win) the election and I do believe he is like John Kennedy, great man with great principle, and he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community but not with domination and arrogance..." (Mosheh Oinounou, "A Hamas Problem For Obama?" Fox News' "Cameron's Corner" Blog, foxnews.com, 4/16/08)"Obama's Chief Strategist, David Axelrod , Said He Was 'Flattered' By The Comparison To JFK..." (Editorial, "Hamas & Obama: Terrorist Flatter," The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 4/21/08)
Jewish Voters Expressed Concern About Obama's Remarks On The Suffering Of The Palestinian People:
Obama: "Now, in the interim, nobody's suffering more than the Palestinian people from this whole process."
(Sen. Barack Obama , Remarks At A Campaign Event, Muscatine, IA , 3/11/07)
"[I]n The Halls Of The AIPAC Policy Conference ... There Was No Denying That The Members Of The Pro-Israel Group -- Largely Democrats, Though They Tilt Right -- Feel A Real, If Kind Of Inchoate, Skepticism About The Illinois Senator." ( Ben Smith , "Obama's Jewish Problem," The Politico's " Ben Smith's Blog," www.politico.com, 3/13/07)
Iowa Democrat David Adelman Wrote To Obama Seeking Clarification On His Comments. "Now, an Iowa Democrat and AIPAC member, David Adelman , has written Obama a letter asking for clarification of Obama's remark to the Des Moines register that 'nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people,' a statement Adelman writes he found 'deeply troubling.'" ( Ben Smith , "Obama's Jewish Problem," The Politico's " Ben Smith's Blog," www.politico.com, 3/13/07)
Obama Said Anti-Israel Terrorist Groups Had "Legitimate Claims":
Obama Said That Hezbollah And Hamas Had "Legitimate Claims." "The U.S. needs a foreign policy that 'looks at the root causes of problems and dangers.' Obama compared Hezbollah to Hamas. Both need to be compelled to understand that 'they're going down a blind alley with violence that weakens their legitimate claims.' He knows these movements aren't going away anytime soon ('Those missiles aren't going to dissolve'), but 'if they decide to shift, we're going to recognize that. That's an evolution that should be recognized.'" ( David Brooks , Op-Ed, "Obama Admires Bush," The
At An April 2007 Debate, Obama Did Not List Israel As One Of The U.S.'s Strongest Allies:
Obama Required Prompting To Say That Israel Was One Of The U.S.'s Closest Allies. "Obama appeared to hesitate when he was asked to name the United States' three closest allies, then listed the European Union, NATO and Japan . He added Israel after debate moderator Brian Williams prompted him." ( Steven Thomma , "S.C. Lawmaker Gives Clinton High Marks," McClatchy Newspapers, 4/28/07)
Obama Has Said That He Would Meet With Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , Even Though Iran Has Threatened To Wipe Israel Off The Map:
At A July 2007 Debate, Obama Didn't Hesitate To Announce He Would Personally Meet With The Leaders Of Iran And Other Rogue Nations. Question: "[W]ould you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, in Washington or anywhere else, with the leaders of Iran , Syria , Venezuela , Cuba and North Korea -region>, in order to bridge the gap that divides our countries?"... Obama: "I would. And the reason is this, that the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration - is ridiculous." (Sen. Barack Obama , CNN/YouTube Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Charleston, SC , 7/23/07)
Ahmadinejad Referred To Israel As A "Stinking Corpse" And Said It Was "On Its Way To Annihilation." "President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Israel a 'stinking corpse' that was doomed to fail, and warned countries that they would 'burn in the fire of their people's hatred' if they helped Israel , the news agency IRNA reported. 'Today the reason for Zionist regime's existence is questioned, and this regime is on its way to annihilation,' he said in a speech on the 60th anniversary of the Jewish state." ( Nazila Fathi , " Iran : A Hate Note On Israel's Birthday," The
Ahmadinejad Previously Said Israel Should Be Wiped Off The Map And Denied That The Holocaust Occurred. "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said in the past he wants to wipe Israel off the map and dismissed the Holocaust as a myth." ( Nick Wadhams , " Israel : No Greater Threat To World's Values Than The Leaders Of Iran," The Associated Press, 9/21/06)
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