While the mainstream media has given much press to Hillary Clinton's latest misstatements, little if anything is being said of Sen. Obama.
The senator from Illinois has his own tales to live down as well. For example, during a speech in 2002 Obama gave us a heart-rending story of his grandfather's service in uniform during World War II.
"My grandfather signed up for a war the day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, fought in Patton's army," stated Obama.
"He saw the dead and dying across the fields of Europe; he heard the stories of fellow troops who first entered Auschwitz and Treblinka. He fought in the name of a larger freedom, part of that arsenal of democracy that triumphed over evil, and he did not fight in vain."
All this would be great if it weren't pure fiction. For starters, the Nazis destroyed the Treblinka death camp in 1943 after shooting the last prisoners, a group of Jewish girls.
Then there is the problem of the locations of Treblinka and Auschwitz. Both Nazi death camps were located inside Poland. Thus, no American troops ever entered the camps until years after the war was over.
Auschwitz was taken by the Soviet Union after the Nazis evacuated most of the prisoners. The retreating Nazis left those too weak or sick to walk behind. The 322nd Rifle Division of the Red Army liberated them on Jan. 27 1945.
So unless Obama's Grandfather was working for Joe Stalin, liberating Europe in a Soviet Army uniform, he was not likely to hear stories about Auschwitz or Treblinka from his fellow soldiers.
Then there is the never-ending comedy following Obama and his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. The longtime Obama pastor's words of racial hate-speech have come back to haunt the senator. The attempt by Obama to provide reassurance that his pastor of choice had no impact on his own view of race relations inside America has backfired.
According to San Antonio Express-News columnist Jonathan Gurwitz, "Weeks have passed since Barack Obama asked his countrymen to lend him their ears. He came to Philadelphia to bury the controversy over the crackpot theories of his longtime pastor and spiritual mentor, not to praise them.
"Obama followed the speech with an appearance on a Philadelphia radio program in which he sought to clarify the comparison of his grandmother's unsavory biases and the delusions of his pastor. 'The point I was making,' he said, 'was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity, but that she is a typical white person.'"
This line was spoken not by a character in a Mel Brooks film but by a candidate for the president of the United States.
What is of more concern is how does Obama deal with major policy issues? Few know of Obama's position on anything and this ambiguity keeps the candidate on the lips of the easily misled that place into him all the qualities that they wish but have never heard.
China, for example, is a major policy issue and, although the candidate has said little on the Asian giant while campaigning, he has said much while in the Senate.
In May 2003, Obama stated, "Many Americans also benefit from inexpensive Chinese products that keep down our cost of living, and China is an important link in the global supply chain that benefits U.S. commercial interests."
This line, which is nearly identical to an advertisement by Wal-Mart, illustrates that Obama will not change much when it comes to trade, national security, and China.
"U.S. engagement is vital to maintaining the balance, and therefore peace, among potentially competing powers. In particular, the rise of China requires a clear-sighted view of our interests. A policy that seeks cooperation with China on security, economic, energy and environmental issues, maintains our military strength in the Western Pacific, and strengthens our ability to compete must be a foundation of any successful policy," said Obama in September 2007.
The so-called "engagement" policy has been in place since Bill Clinton took office. As Obama illustrated on the Senate floor, he is not likely to change that.
In fact, in December 2007, Obama defended the Chinese on U.N. Human Rights Day.
"China stressed the importance of family and reminded U.N. delegates that every right carried with it companion duties," stated Obama.
The bleak view I have of Obama's China policy is backed by the Senator's choice for top national security adviser, former Clinton aide — Anthony Lake. Lake was a major player in the China-Gate affair where the communist state made off with a long list of space, satellite, and advanced missile technology.
Lake also played a major role in helping Enron — the now bankrupt energy company — to obtain an exclusive gas deal in Africa. Enron failed to match the terms offered by South African firm Sasol for the giant Pande gas fields in Mozambique.
When Mozambique threatened to cancel the Enron Pande gas deal, Lake promptly suspended a $135 million humanitarian aid payment. Lake also wrote a threatening letter directly to the president of Mozambique.
"There is at the moment a debate of unprecedented intensity in Washington with regard to my government's overall budget, and particularly, funding for foreign assistance. Mr. President, we hope for a mutual effect on Africa on this debate. However, it will become increasingly difficult to defend such programs if some are able to argue that promising countries like Mozambique are not moving ahead rapidly to ensure economic growth through resources development," wrote Lake.
In the end, Mozambique caved, giving the exclusive deal to Enron.
Lake has long been an "engagement" policy supporter, which translates into "appeasement." Obama is in line to keep that same policy of placing the economic interests of a few above the national security interests of America. Obama also has his moments of fiction. Yet, pay no attention to the man behind the Illinois curtain. We all know the wizard can fix everything.
© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.
|
