Major WH Blunder: Emails al-Maliki Story to Reporters

[Gunit Hussein Sangh]

Stupid is as stupid does.

The White House this afternoon accidentally sent to its extensive distribution list a Reuters story headlined "Iraqi PM backs Obama troop exit plan - magazine."

The story relayed how Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told the German magazine Der Spiegel that "he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months ... ‘U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes,'" the prime minister said.

The White House employee had intended to send the article to an internal distribution list, ABC News' Martha Raddatz reports, but hit the wrong button.

The Obama camp of course pounced on this:

The national security adviser to the Obama campaign, Susan Rice, said the senator welcomed Maliki's support.

"This presents an important opportunity to transition to Iraqi responsibility, while restoring our military and increasing our commitment to finish the fight in Afghanistan," Rice said in a statement Saturday

No real response yet from the mcsame campaign. But there was this:

Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said, simply, "We're fucked." No response yet from the McCain campaign, although here's what McCain said the last time Maliki mentioned withdrawal: "Since we are succeeding, then I am convinced, as I have said before, we can withdraw and withdraw with honor, not according to a set timetable. And I’m confident that is what Prime Minister Maliki is talking about, since he has told me that for many meetings we’'ve had."

Obiously there must have been a translation problem or something.

Update:

McCain camp already has an ad out slamming Maliki

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Z4hvVoDO3o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8Z4hvVoDO3o</a>

[OswaldTheOsprey]

Stupid is as stupid does.

The White House this afternoon accidentally sent to its extensive distribution list a Reuters story headlined "Iraqi PM backs Obama troop exit plan - magazine."

The story relayed how Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told the German magazine Der Spiegel that "he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months ... ‘U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes,'" the prime minister said.

The White House employee had intended to send the article to an internal distribution list, ABC News' Martha Raddatz reports, but hit the wrong button.

The Obama camp of course pounced on this:

The national security adviser to the Obama campaign, Susan Rice, said the senator welcomed Maliki's support.

"This presents an important opportunity to transition to Iraqi responsibility, while restoring our military and increasing our commitment to finish the fight in Afghanistan," Rice said in a statement Saturday

No real response yet from the mcsame campaign. But there was this:

Via e-mail, a prominent Republican strategist who occasionally provides advice to the McCain campaign said, simply, "We're fucked." No response yet from the McCain campaign, although here's what McCain said the last time Maliki mentioned withdrawal: "Since we are succeeding, then I am convinced, as I have said before, we can withdraw and withdraw with honor, not according to a set timetable. And I’m confident that is what Prime Minister Maliki is talking about, since he has told me that for many meetings we’'ve had."

Obiously there must have been a translation problem or something.

Update:

McCain camp already has an ad out slamming Maliki

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Z4hvVoDO3o" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/8Z4hvVoDO3o</a>

It's his goddamned country-if he doesn't want us there fine by me. We should never have went in the first place.

OswaldTheOsprey

[Mr. Dirlewanger]

We are there, Oswald. You are a principled man. There is no doubt about that, IMO. I respect you. We must win, however. There is no turning  back the clock.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

We are there, Oswald. You are a principled man. There is no doubt about that, IMO. I respect you. We must win, however. There is turning no back the clock.

I respect you as a principled man also Mr. D. However we will just have to agree to disagree.

OswaldTheOsprey

[Mr. Dirlewanger]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

Much worse for whom? The internationalist establishment?

OswaldTheOsprey

[Mr. Dirlewanger]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

Much worse for whom? The internationalist establishment?

OswaldTheOsprey

Is it so easy to separate us all?

[OswaldTheOsprey]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

Much worse for whom? The internationalist establishment?

OswaldTheOsprey

Is it so easy to separate us all?

Perhaps not easy-but one must stand on what one believes.

OswaldTheOsprey

[Gunit Hussein Sangh]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

How many lives are worth our *face*

One thing that's kind of funny .... today the talking bobble heads on tv are saying that the comments of Maliki were *mis-translated* and that he *really* doesn't support a 16 month timetable .... oops excuse me .... tiiiiiiime horizon ... for withdraw. This denial was issued thru Centcom .... and if there's one thing we know after the past 7 years .... we can always trust anything issued via the military.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

How many lives are worth our *face*

One thing that's kind of funny .... today the talking bobble heads on tv are saying that the comments of Maliki were *mis-translated* and that he *really* doesn't support a 16 month timetable .... oops excuse me .... tiiiiiiime horizon ... for withdraw. This denial was issued thru Centcom .... and if there's one thing we know after the past 7 years .... we can always trust anything issued via the military.

I will take saving American lives over saving a politician's face any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

OswaldTheOsprey

[conley]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

How many lives are worth our *face*

One thing that's kind of funny .... today the talking bobble heads on tv are saying that the comments of Maliki were *mis-translated* and that he *really* doesn't support a 16 month timetable .... oops excuse me .... tiiiiiiime horizon ... for withdraw. This denial was issued thru Centcom .... and if there's one thing we know after the past 7 years .... we can always trust anything issued via the military.

I will take saving American lives over saving a politician's face any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

OswaldTheOsprey

Agreed...our "face" already has egg on it from this whole debacle (no wmds found, 'mission accomplished', abu gharib, the list goes on and on...)

[BigLebowski]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

How many lives are worth our *face*

One thing that's kind of funny .... today the talking bobble heads on tv are saying that the comments of Maliki were *mis-translated* and that he *really* doesn't support a 16 month timetable .... oops excuse me .... tiiiiiiime horizon ... for withdraw. This denial was issued thru Centcom .... and if there's one thing we know after the past 7 years .... we can always trust anything issued via the military.

I will take saving American lives over saving a politician's face any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

OswaldTheOsprey

Agreed!
Except I can't do twice on Sundays with church and football and all. 

[-]

Save face from whom?

Americans or foreigners?


The "face" of the government has already been tarnished.  And they are making this country look horrible as the days go by.

Not only that, but people actually think that we are losing this war if we pull out. 

I need to ask.  When do we WIN?  What constitutes victory for US?  This isn't even our war anymore.  It's a huge foreign policing effort.  People are sick of it, inside and out.

[OswaldTheOsprey]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

How many lives are worth our *face*

One thing that's kind of funny .... today the talking bobble heads on tv are saying that the comments of Maliki were *mis-translated* and that he *really* doesn't support a 16 month timetable .... oops excuse me .... tiiiiiiime horizon ... for withdraw. This denial was issued thru Centcom .... and if there's one thing we know after the past 7 years .... we can always trust anything issued via the military.

I will take saving American lives over saving a politician's face any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

OswaldTheOsprey

Agreed!
Except I can't do twice on Sundays with church and football and all. 

Of course! You have your priorities in order!

OswaldTheOsprey

[OswaldTheOsprey]

If you think the USA has been damaged by going in the first place, that's fine.  It will be much worse, however, if we don't win this. I say, put aside your grievances and support the effort. We must save face, at least.

How many lives are worth our *face*

One thing that's kind of funny .... today the talking bobble heads on tv are saying that the comments of Maliki were *mis-translated* and that he *really* doesn't support a 16 month timetable .... oops excuse me .... tiiiiiiime horizon ... for withdraw. This denial was issued thru Centcom .... and if there's one thing we know after the past 7 years .... we can always trust anything issued via the military.

I will take saving American lives over saving a politician's face any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

OswaldTheOsprey

Agreed...our "face" already has egg on it from this whole debacle (no wmds found, 'mission accomplished', abu gharib, the list goes on and on...)

Not a "face" to show in public that is for sure!

OswaldTheOsprey