Assessing the Obama Mideast team
The Jerusalem Post / Steven Rosen
12-Feb-2009 (3 comments)

We now have most of the nominees for the key Mideast positions in the Obama White House and the State and Defense departments, including Puneet Talwar and Dan Shapiro at the National Security Council; George Mitchell and his deputy Fred Hof, Dennis Ross, Bill Burns and Jeffrey Feltman at the State Department; Tony Blinken in Vice President Joseph Biden's office; and Michele Flournoy and Sandy Vershbow at Defense. It is possible to make the first assessment of where Barack Obama is going from what we know about these people. The Left is not happy with most of Obama's core Mideast team, with the possible exception of Mitchell. None of the people announced or reliably reported up to now is known to bring a pronounced "Arabist" perspective, nor to be a consistent critic of Israel, nor to be an apologist for Iran, Syria, Hizbullah or Hamas.

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Ostaad

AIPAC is bemused

by Ostaad on Thu Feb 12, 2009 09:57 AM PST

Steve Rosen and Keith Weisman were two AIPAC staffers assigned to "Iran Desk", which was a espionage by AIPAC to report policy discussions about Iran. Rosen and Weisman, whose picture and "advice" on how to successfully lobby Washington appeared on NIAC's web site (the photo and the article were removed after the scandal was publicized), fired by AIPAC after they were charged and indicted for the violation of Espionage Act. Their trials have taken a long time due to legal delay tactics by their lawyers. But that has made those AIPAC spies "unemployable" by AIPAC and other Jewish lobbies. Their co-defendat Larry Franklin, who was in charge of Iran Desk in the Pentagon, was tried for the same charges, convicted and imprisoned. Rosen and Weisman will hopefully end up in jail sooner or later.


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Like a rat in a corner

by Mehrnaz (not verified) on Sat Feb 14, 2009 01:42 AM PST

Thank you Ostaad. Of course, having lost face and the handle of blackmail significantly amongst the Western population, and fearful of any raproachment between Iran and the US, like rats in a corner, the Zionists and their lobbies are fighting back to secure an attack on Iran. Look forward to the day, sooner or later, that not just these spies but Israeli state and it inhuman accomplices are tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity.


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much to ur chagrin, Obama has proven so far to be quite smart!

by Well wisher (not verified) on Fri Feb 13, 2009 06:33 AM PST

Ostaad joon, I doubt it very much but let us hope for your and all your ilk's sake of sanity (whatever left of it) on this Website that Khatami or another stooge president can manage to pull the wool over Obama's eyes and help IR get away with their usual mischievous ways otherwise I can see the day that you guys here would have a fit and completely lose it.


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