Obama Urges Germany To Remain Committed To The Fight In Afghanistan, But Can’t Explain His Own Lack Of Leadership On The Issue

In His Berlin Speech, Obama Urged Germany To Remain Committed To Winning The War In Afghanistan:

Obama: “This is the moment when we must renew our resolve to rout the terrorists who threaten our security in Afghanistan, and the traffickers who sell drugs on your streets. No one welcomes war. I recognize the enormous difficulties in Afghanistan. But my country and yours have a stake in seeing that NATO’s first mission beyond Europe’s borders is a success. For the people of Afghanistan, and for our shared security, the work must be done. … The Afghan people need our troops and your troops; our support and your support to defeat the Taliban and al Qaeda, to develop their economy, and to help them rebuild their nation. We have too much at stake to turn back now.” (Sen. Barack Obama, Remarks At Victory Column, Berlin, Germany, 7/24/08)

But Obama Has Failed To Lead As Chair Of The Subcommittee With Jurisdiction Over NATO Operations In Afghanistan:

Obama Has Served As Chairman Of The Subcommittee On European Affairs From 2007 - 2008. (U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Website, www.senate.gov, Accessed 7/24/08)

The Subcommittee On European Affairs Has Jurisdiction Over The Countries Of Europe As Well As NATO Activities. “Jurisdiction: The subcommittee deals with all matters concerning U.S. relations with the countries on the continent of Europe … and with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.” (U.S. Senate Committee On Foreign Relations Website, foreign.senate.gov, Accessed 7/24/08)

• As Chairman Of The Subcommittee On European Affairs, Obama Could Have Held Hearings On The Role Of NATO In Afghanistan. “[A]mbassador John Ritch, who served for two decades as the Senate Foreign Rel ations Committee’s senior staffer on European affairs and East-West relations … [P]oints out that as subcommittee chair, Obama could have examined a wide variety of urgent matters, from the role of NATO in Afghanistan and Iraq to European energy policy and European responses to climate change…” (Joe Conason, “Obama’s European Problem,” Salon.com, www.salon.com, 12/29/07)

This Week, Obama Backtracked On His Excuse For Not Holding Hearings On Afghanistan:

On Tuesday, Obama Claimed That He Never Convened A Hearing On NATO Operations In Afghanistan Because Those Issues Are Dealt With At The Full Committee Level. CBS’ Katie Couric: “If you believe, Senator, Afghanistan is, in fact, the central front in the war on terror, why was this your first trip there? And why didn’t you hold a single hearing as chairman of the subcommittee that oversees the fighting force there?” Obama: “Well, the, actually, the subcommittee that I chair is the European subcommittee. And any issues related to Afghanistan were always dealt with in the full committee, precisely because it’s so important. That’s not a matter that you would deal with in a subcommittee setting.” (Int erview With Sen. Barack Obama, “Obama: Surge Doesn’t Meet Long-Term Goals,” CBS News’ “Evening News,” www.cbsnews.com, 7/22/08)

But In February, Obama Said He Had Not Convened A Hearing On Afghanistan Because He Became The Subcommittee Chair At The Beginning Of His Campaign. NBC’s Tim Russert: “Senator Obama, I want you to respond to not holding oversight for your subcommittee. But also, do you reserve a right as American president to go back into Iraq, once you have withdrawn, with sizable troops in order to quell any kind of insurrection or civil war?” Obama: “Well, first of all, I became chairman of this committee at the beginning of this campaign, at the beginning of 2007. So it is true that we haven’t had oversight hearings on Afghanistan.” (MSNBC Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Cleve land, OH, 2/26/08)

Kain's major subjects of focus at NeoConstant are international strategy; support of Israel; the failure of the international community to stop genocide; the spread of American power and democracy; historical analysis; and current events both domestically and abroad. He writes here, Newsvine and his blog, IndiePundit.