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Obama Stays Tactically Silent on Gaza

Leaves himself room to maneuver when he takes office

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 30, 2008 9:22 AM CST
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(Newser) – As the violence mounts in Gaza, the vacationing Barack Obama has remained pointedly silent, resisting calls from both Jewish and Muslim groups to take a stand on the conflict. The White House and senior Democrats like Harry Reid have been less shy, expressing strong support for Israel, but Obama doesn’t want to say anything that will tie his hands when he takes office, observers tell the Washington Times.

David Axelrod hinted at his boss’s position Sunday, noting Obama’s July comments on the situation: “If somebody was sending rockets into my house … I’m going to do everything in my power to stop that.” But he avoided any concrete statements on the current crisis. “He may well believe that the Israelis are acting foolishly,” said one former State Department analyst. “This is a very messy situation for Obama. I would remain silent, too.”

In this July 23, 2008 file photo, then-US Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, listens to Israel's President Shimon Peres, not seen, during a meeting in Jerusalem.
In this July 23, 2008 file photo, then-US Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, listens to Israel's President Shimon Peres, not seen, during a meeting in Jerusalem.   (AP Photo/Baz Ratner, Pool, File)
Israeli soldiers are seen at a staging area near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008.
Israeli soldiers are seen at a staging area near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2008.   (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
President-elect Barack Obama, wearing a Chicago White Sox baseball cap, greets onlookers after working out at the Semper Fit Center at Marine Corp Base Hawaii in Kailua, Hawaii, Dec. 29, 2008.
President-elect Barack Obama, wearing a Chicago White Sox baseball cap, greets onlookers after working out at the Semper Fit Center at Marine Corp Base Hawaii in Kailua, Hawaii, Dec. 29, 2008.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 12 comments
Fondue
Dec 30, 2008 10:52 PM CST
HERE HERE NEWSER001 And thank you dear patriot!
Shannonals
Dec 30, 2008 9:57 PM CST
Corona_king, I love how you, "couch warriors", love to ply your proganada
Newser001
Dec 30, 2008 7:17 PM CST
You are so ignorant. You didn't serve your country... Otherwise you'd understand my anger regarding Bush's behavior in the National Guard. Its no secret. He was packing his nose, drunk, out of control. That's not how a soldier behaves. His daddy and his position saved him from court-martial. You've no place to talk about anybody. I fought for your freedom, ignorant fool. I lost friends, comrades in arms. I still have nightmares. You just sit there on your ass, watching FOXNews, hanging on every word, and all their right-wing trash. Understand, it is time for change - a Centralist approach, neither left or right; what's best for OUR country. Your party, on its watch, definitely created a FUBAR. If you can't find any fault over the last 8 years, in what this country has experienced under Bush's watch, you'll never understand. Clinton screwed up too, I don't deny that. And truth be told, I hated the schmuck after he had the audacity to look us in the face and outright lie about Lewinsky. All he had to do was keep his damn mouth shut. But nobody's perfect, not me, not you. But at least have the decency to admit, Bush was and is an absolute disaster. Consider the countless men, women and child he is responsible for killing. It's no laughing matter. It weights heavily on my heart. I fear you have no conscious, no soul, no heart, no compassion. Those are the minimal qualities to being human AND a real American. You appear to have none, and until you do, you're simply fodder to the rest of us here at Newser.

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Barack Obama • Israel • Gaza • President Obama

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