Saturday, July 5, 2008

An Unnecessary Danger -Senator Obama's Planned Visit To Iraq



Charlie Black’s Bhutto’s Assassination Remarks makes Senator Obama’s Future Planned Trip To IRAQ An Unneccassary Danger: According to Charlie Black, McCain's chief strategist, “The assassination of Benazir Bhutto in December was an "unfortunate event.” "But his (McCain’s) knowledge and ability to talk about it reemphasized that this is the guy who's ready to be Commander-in-Chief. And it helped us."

Clarlie Black is the Chairman of BKSH which is a lobbying subsidiary of Burson-Marsteller. Charlie Black and Mark Penn, former chief strategist for Hillary Clinton are business partners. Penn is the CEO of Burson-Marsteller, which is one of the largest public relations firms in the world. One of the noted client of Burson-Marsteller is Blackwater. In 2007, Blackwater was accused of killing several Iraqi civilians. Blackwater hired BKSH to help them with their image after the Iraqi civilians' claims.

Blackwater USA is one of three United States-based private security firms contracted by the State Department to provide security for diplomats and other senior civilians in Iraq. According to the New York Times, Blackwater guards the most prominent American diplomats. The NY Times also reported that Blackwater has received government contract worth more than 1 billion dollars since 2002.

The Republicans have mounted an effort to weaken Obama on his signature issue the Iraq War. Part of their effort includes a demand that he goes to Iraq to "talk" to the the commanders on the ground before the November election. Obama has agreed to this self serving and dangerous demand of John McCain and his supporters.

Obama should remember thathis nation suffered great misery and pain with the political assassination of John and Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. In fact we will never know who was responsible for the deaths of John Kennedy, King, Robert Kennedy, Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto 1953 - 2007, and Patrick Daniel Tillman (November 6, 1976- April 23. 2004).

According to Wikipedia “The controversy surrounding the full details of Tillman’s death has sparked many investigations. CNN in a March 5, 2006, article on CNN.com stated, “The U.S. Army will launch a criminal investigation to determine whether former NFL player Cpl. Pat Tillman's 2004 death from friendly fire in Afghanistan was negligent homicide, CNN learned on Saturday. The Pentagon's inspector general directed the Army Criminal Investigative Division to conduct the probe, sources said. "

Initial reports after his death said Tillman, 27, was shot and killed by Taliban forces during an ambush on April 22, 2004. An investigation later found that fellow soldiers shot Tillman, thinking he was part of an enemy force firing at them. Tillman's family demanded to know why his uniform and body armour were burned a day after he was killed and why they were not immediately told he might have been killed by fellow soldiers.” Who killed Corporal Patrick Tillman and why was he killed? Did the Army Rangers protect him in Afghanistan?

Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto assassination occurred on December 27, 2007, as she was campaigning ahead of the January 8, 2008, scheduled elections. President Pervez Musharraf's government was responsible for Bhutto's safety and security. According to one of Robert Novak's columns, "the assassination of Benazir Bhutto followed two months of urgent pleas to the State Department by her representatives for better protection. The U.S. reaction was that she was worried over nothing, expressing assurance that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf would not let anything happen to her."

On December 28, 2007, the Washington Post in an article titled “US Brokered Bhutto’s Return to Pakistan.” The article stated in part: “As part of the deal, Bhutto's party agreed not to protest against Musharraf's reelection in September to his third term. In return, Musharraf agreed to lift the corruption charges against Bhutto. But Bhutto sought one particular guarantee -- that Washington would ensure Musharraf followed through on free and fair elections producing a civilian government. Rice, who became engaged in the final stages of brokering a deal, called Bhutto in Dubai and pledged that Washington would see the process through, according to Siegel. A week later, on Oct. 18, Bhutto returned. Ten weeks later, she was dead.

America can’t afford to lose Senator Obama. Many Americans especially Black Americans and young voters need the hope and excitement that Obama brings to the political process. If he was killed in an “accident” in Iraq or worst the Bush Administration would be in charge or investigating his death. Based on the results of Tillman investigation and 2003 leak of CIA operative's identity investigation how successful would an investigation of an “accident” and/or an “assassination” of our Democratic nominee be in Iraq?

Do you think that Senator Obama will be safe with Black’s client “Blackwater USA” or for that matter any security firm in Iraq responsible for his protection? How many billion of dollars have Blackwater made since 2002? How much “protection” would you provide to someone who was going to end your billion(s) dollar contract with the Republicaians?

After Obama is in the White House he can travel to Iraq. If anything happens to him as a sitting President Obama’s Justice Department would be in charge of investigating and bringing those responsible to justice. OBAMA the only way you can lose this election is if you are DEAD or IF your name is not on the ballot. The Republicans know this fact. The Karl Rove playbook must not work this time. If and when McCain or his mouth pieces ask Obama how many days have passed since his 2006 visit to Iraq a good response from Obama would be ask how many days has it been since George declared that we would get Bin Laden Dead or Alive? How many days has it been since Bush uttered “Bring It On”?

Please Senator Obama remember that this election is not about you it is about the American people. We have waited forty years since Dr. King’s death for your appearance on the political scene and we can’t afford to wait another forty years for the movement that is Barack Obama to occur again in this nation history.

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.” http://books.google.com/books?id=sx1cLRaobBQC

























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