On Obama not commenting on the Gaza situation before taking office. Good or bad?

[NNN0LHI]

I think he is doing the right thing. Keep everyone wondering for a couple more weeks. What he says right now is meaningless in the grand scheme of things anyway. I don't see any plus side by interjecting himself into this mess until what he says actually means something.

Edit to add: But I am open to change my mind on this subject if someone can convince me otherwise.

Don

[Captain Hilts]

1. Good. On foreign policy you should have just one president. Even a lousy one such as Bush. nt

[ddss75]

19. He is doing what he should be doing

He is doing what he is supposed to be doing... HIS JOB. He is not going to inflame the situation, by giving credibility to Hamas by hintin that there is going to be a shifting of current US policy. Let's face it, the whole basis of that government is not to improve the lives of their constituents, it is obtain better launch points for attacks on Israel. Also he is not going to alienate the current government in Tel Aviv by meddling in their foreign policy. He is going to keep his mouth shut until he takes the oath of office and work to mediate a cease fire, just like every other president since Truman.

[MannyGoldstein]

2. If He Says Anything, He'll Make Somebody Angry

And, given his previous statements, he's not displeased with what's going on; it being the least awful of many awful paths.

[StudsT]

3. by not saying anything implies tacit approval

thats what has me concerned.

StudsT

[cali]

4. I'm not sure that's true.

His silence could be taken as tacit disagreement, as he's not backing bushco on it.

[StudsT]

7. that is what it generally means to most folks

though, i hope i am wrong as the status quo of a decades old oppressive de-facto apartheid system needs to end before there will be peace, imho.

StudsT

[cali]

12. how do you know what it means to most people?

You don't. And yes, the occupation needs to end.

[StudsT]

14. i believe, as a native english speaker, that silence is generally accepted as tacit approval

though i said i hope i am wrong about what Obama plans to do when he is inaugurated.

StudsT

[Political Tiger]

16. So with this "logic"

you are saying that PE-Obama approves of everything that is happening in the world since he hasn't spoken out about them?

It's a big world out there and there is plenty of unrest and fighting going on, yet I don't hear people demanding Obama speak out about all these other happenings in the world. Why is that?

[StudsT]

18. no, i am speaking of a specific crises that he has been asked about.

I hope that makes it clear.

StudsT

[Political Tiger]

23. So all the other crisis in the world

don't count as long as he is not asked about them?

The 400 people massacred in Congo over Christmas don't constitute a "crisis" because it doesn't make headlines?

[StudsT]

for this particular discussion, no

StudsT

[Political Tiger]

25. You made a blanket statement

You said "i believe, as a native english speaker, that silence is generally accepted as tacit approval."

So I take it what you meant to say was "i believe, as a native english speaker, that silence is generally accepted as tacit approval for this particular discussion?"

[chimpymustgo]

Exactly. Silence is acquiescence. Obama should show his leadership by calling for humanitarian aid

to Palestine and an immediate cease-fire. War is not the answer.

[GoesTo11]

22. Obama = War Criminal?

[Political Tiger]

11. No.

It "implies" that Obama understands that under the Constitution of the United States we only have one president at a time and that it would be improper for him to send mixed signals to the world that we have dual governments by usurping the current president.

[StudsT]

20. he has spoken out on other topics besides extraordinary times calls for extraordinary actions

and words.

StudsT

[Political Tiger]

24. Maybe he's waiting to become president first.

Since he's not president yet it's kinda hard for him to take any "extraordinary actions" right now, don't you think?

[burythehatchet]

29. Is there a guide somewhere on which topics are OK to discuss and which he chooses

to remain silent?

[Captain Hilts]

31. No, it doesn't.

LOVE your Nom de Net.

[leftchick]

5. to remain silent assumes consent

I thought everyone knew that.

[leftchick]

6. to remain silent assumes consent

I thought everyone knew that.

[CTyankee]

17. We don't know what he might be doing behind the scenes that we don't know about.

We don't know what kind of back channels he has set up to get things in place for an international plan for a cease fire and a plan going forward. We have 16 days left before we find out. I have to assume that he believes that for him to make a public statement now would make things worse, not better. So if he can't make the siutation better, he is keeping his own counsel and letting his back channels make some connections.

Just my guess, tho...

[Captain Hilts]

32. That's not fair to Obama. nt

[madokie]

8. From what I can see anything he would say or do right now would only be

used against him later on. That is my fear anyway so I'm happy he's stayed out of it so far. I trust him to do the right thing and thats why I voted for him.

[radfringe]

9. silence = consent... normally I'd agree...however

this is still the bush misadministration, bush is still in charge

meanwhile, the rightwingers are skewering him for keeping quiet, and if obama issues some sort of statement they'll skewer him for trying to take over before it's official

I'm confident obama is ontop of this mess, and it's been moved up on his "bush messes to clean-up to-do list"

[lamp_shade]

10. He's a pretty smart fella. I'll leave it at that. n/t

[messiah]

13. blah

Aipac, Iran.

[remember2000forever]

15. I Think That Obama Is Very Conflicted

As a good man, which I think Obama is, The President Elect probably is abhorred by the violence and strong-arming of Israel. As a Political Figure, Obama is caught in the never-ending mind-set of "Israel Protects The Middle East". (Read That As: US Middle East Interests).

[Sensitivity]

21. He is trapped and Israel is doing to him what Jesse Jackson wanted to. They are not taking chances.

[chimpymustgo]

27. That would be funny, if it weren't so TRAGIC.

[StudsT]

26. Harry Reid Just Supported the Bush admin on not calling for a cease fire

according to MSNBC just now

fyi

StudsT

[ecstatic]

28. I wonder if Reid consulted with any other Dems before

voicing that opinion? :shrug:

[StudsT]

30. nothing is said in politics by our leaders that hasn't been vetted especially on this issue

i think, going by our history, we will continue to back israel right or wrong but I do hope obama will be different.

we shall, see.

StudsT

[Fleshdancer]

33. If he disagrees with Bush, then he shouldn't comment

I don't recall any other President-elect being saddled with the expectation to make statements on every new event that occurs before he takes the oath of office. Perhaps I'm wrong about this and just don't remember?

I think if Obama disagrees with the current administration, then the smartest thing to do would be to not say anything publicly on this subject until he's President. It's not like the Palestinians or Israelis would benefit from the political sh*t storm that would take place here if Obama contradicted Bush on this.

[Smith_3]

34. I agree. I expect to hear some very clear statements once he is in office.

Why give away your position when you are not enabled to act?