President Obama's first call to a foreign leader was to Palestinian President Abbas

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office today as he sought to make good on his promise of “ushering in a new era of peace”.

In a flurry of telephone calls from the Oval Office, he reached out to leaders in the region and vowed to engage immediately in pursuit of a permanent Arab-Israeli settlement.

The spokesman for President Abbas revealed that Mr Obama had told the Palestinian leader that their conversation was his first with a foreign leader since taking office. The new President had promised to “deploy every possible effort to achieve peace”, the spokesman said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle5563280.ece

[one...two...tree 2,762]

[alienlovechild 75]

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office today as he sought to make good on his promise of “ushering in a new era of peace”.

When Israelis pulls out of Gaza as they surely will. Will Obama get the credit for something that would happen anyway?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office today as he sought to make good on his promise of "ushering in a new era of peace".

When Israelis pulls out of Gaza as they surely will. Will Obama get the credit for something that would happen anyway?

How do you know they will for sure? They haven't yet.

[Pooky 3,786]

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office today as he sought to make good on his promise of "ushering in a new era of peace".

When Israelis pulls out of Gaza as they surely will. Will Obama get the credit for something that would happen anyway?

How do you know they will for sure? They haven't yet.

Yes they have http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28765761/

But Mahmoud Abbas can't do anything. Hamas don't respect him, don't like him and won't talk to him. The smuggling of weapons into Gaza is already back in full swing across the Egyptian border and the Israelis are waiting on their border, knowing that Hamas is going to start shooting before Obama gets the chance to do anything.

It makes me sick to think that we will be right back where we were in no time. The flow of weapons into Gaza must be stopped, to force Hamas to adopt an alternative course of action. And once they are out of weapons, the only alternative is talking.

[mox 298]

When Israelis pulls out of Gaza as they surely will. Will Obama get the credit for something that would happen anyway?

Is it really important who gets credit? Are we still in middle school?

Here: When the Israelis pull out of Gaza, it surely will have been due to the actions of George W. Bush and ####### Cheney. Sean Hannity probably had a hand in it too. Well done everyone!

Better?

[alienlovechild 75]

How do you know they will for sure? They haven't yet.

Need examples of Israeli policy? Lebanon, West Bank raids, Sinai . . .the IDF will pull out fairly quickly.

Is it really important who gets credit? Are we still in middle school?

Here: When the Israelis pull out of Gaza, it surely will have been due to the actions of George W. Bush and ####### Cheney. Sean Hannity probably had a hand in it too. Well done everyone!

Better?

You're funny as one of the biggest blame assigners around. None of the folks you mentioned will get any credit but they will get some blame to varying degrees. Dust off your poms poms because I expect Obama is going to get the credit for anything positive whether he can rightly claim credit or not.

[SAT 9,609]

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office today as he sought to make good on his promise of “ushering in a new era of peace”.

In a flurry of telephone calls from the Oval Office, he reached out to leaders in the region and vowed to engage immediately in pursuit of a permanent Arab-Israeli settlement.

The spokesman for President Abbas revealed that Mr Obama had told the Palestinian leader that their conversation was his first with a foreign leader since taking office. The new President had promised to “deploy every possible effort to achieve peace”, the spokesman said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle5563280.ece

Obama's first trip as president should be to go to Egypt.....to visit his Mummy....

[Pooky 3,786]

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office today as he sought to make good on his promise of “ushering in a new era of peace”.

In a flurry of telephone calls from the Oval Office, he reached out to leaders in the region and vowed to engage immediately in pursuit of a permanent Arab-Israeli settlement.

The spokesman for President Abbas revealed that Mr Obama had told the Palestinian leader that their conversation was his first with a foreign leader since taking office. The new President had promised to “deploy every possible effort to achieve peace”, the spokesman said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...icle5563280.ece

Obama's first trip as president should be to go to Egypt.....to visit his Mummy....

Oh, that was BAD

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Obama's first trip as president should be to go to Egypt.....to visit his Mummy....

Fess up, one of your kids heard that one is school.

[SAT 9,609]

Obama's first trip as president should be to go to Egypt.....to visit his Mummy....

Fess up, one of your kids heard that one is school.

yes.......yes it's true......

[mox 298]

Is it really important who gets credit? Are we still in middle school?

Here: When the Israelis pull out of Gaza, it surely will have been due to the actions of George W. Bush and ####### Cheney. Sean Hannity probably had a hand in it too. Well done everyone!

Better?

You're funny as one of the biggest blame assigners around. None of the folks you mentioned will get any credit but they will get some blame to varying degrees.

Assuming I am one of the "biggest blame assigners around," are you saying my behavior is acceptable, and therefore so is yours? Either way, you didn't answer the question. Why does credit matter? What I think matters is that people stop dying. Give Sean Hannity the credit if that's what it takes.

Dust off your poms poms because I expect Obama is going to get the credit for anything positive whether he can rightly claim credit or not.

Again with the credit. Who cares? If you're so concerned about credit, are you going to stand for Obama when he is unfairly credited with a failure? Somehow I doubt that.

I have said, and I will keep saying, that Obama gets no free rides from me. I know that you want a cheerleader to rail against, but sorry I am not that man. Just because I think Bush was a horrible, destructive President, it does not follow that I believe that Obama is or will be a great President. I like what I see so far, but I'm no cheerleader, and have even been critical of him during the election. (for example, I said that I thought he needed to be more forthcoming on his relationship with William Ayers. I am still not satisfied with his answers.)

[doodlebugg 10]

President Obama placed the Middle East at the forefront of his first hours in office today as he sought to make good on his promise of “ushering in a new era of peace”.

When Israelis pulls out of Gaza as they surely will. Will Obama get the credit for something that would happen anyway?

I give him credit for them pulling out. Maybe I'm alone in this but do you think it's really a coincidence that the ceasefire and subsequent withdrawal of troops (which they said they weren't going to do) right before he took office was a coincidence?

Also, Obama is not stupid. I'd be very shocked if he didn't also talk to Hamas though we'll never hear about that in the papers. Seems idiotic to me when a and b are fighting to just talk to b and some of a's EX friends. Obama isn't THAT dumb.

[mox 298]

I give him credit for them pulling out. Maybe I'm alone in this but do you think it's really a coincidence that the ceasefire and subsequent withdrawal of troops (which they said they weren't going to do) right before he took office was a coincidence?

Although neither side formally admitted it, it's been taken as a given that the current ceasefire was due very largely to the inauguration. Neither side wants to be the crisis that Obama has to deal with on his first day.

[alienlovechild 75]

I give him credit for them pulling out. Maybe I'm alone in this but do you think it's really a coincidence that the ceasefire and subsequent withdrawal of troops (which they said they weren't going to do) right before he took office was a coincidence?

Although neither side formally admitted it, it's been taken as a given that the current ceasefire was due very largely to the inauguration. Neither side wants to be the crisis that Obama has to deal with on his first day.

So Obama's inauguration indirectly is responsible for the cease fire but let's not use the word "credit".

Why does credit matter? What I think matters is that people stop dying.

It builds an aura of competence and public approval which in turn leads to greater political power. You really believe mere presence of Obama in the White House on the first day has paid a dividend of saving lives in Gaza. . .but it's not giving "credit"?