See, I Can Praise Obama

Two items about Obama's decision-making and political acumen. .

• It was overshadowed by both the Notre Dame faux-outrage and the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, but President Obama has nominated Miguel Diaz as Ambassador to the Vatican.  Dr. Diaz is a theologian at St. John's School of Theology-Seminary, a major Roman Catholic seminary.  Obama had been having trouble with this appointment; there were rumors that the Vatican refused to accept Caroline Kennedy, who was never formally nominated.  I completely agree with Mark Silk - which should be no surprise - that this was an astute move.  Diaz is not only obviously Hispanic, but as a respected theologian at a respected seminary, it's hard for the shrieking ninnies of Roman Catholicism - here's looking at you, Bill Donohue - to have their ginned-up outrage gain any traction.  The Ambassador to the Holy See is not the most important of positions, but it resonates within the Catholic community, and they are an important part of the Democratic coalition.  Anything that helps keep them within the coalition without making concessions to far-right extremists is a good move.

• The other is a report which suggests that Obama's decision not to release the latest batch of Abu Ghraib photos - or at least to delay the release - came more from Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki.  When informed of the photos imminent released, al Maliki reportedly said, "Baghdad will burn."  As Auguste at Pandagon says,

on first glance I’d say that when the prime minister of Iraq warns that “Baghdad will burn”, and you’re sitting thousands of miles from Baghdad and he’s not, maybe you believe him.

I know that a lot of the discussion following the reversal centered around whether we give Obama the benefit of the doubt too easily, and I found myself beginning to lean towards the “yes, we do” side of things. I’d hate to make the mistake of jumping back in with both feet, but “Baghdad will burn” is more compelling than yowling noise about supporting the troops.

Perhaps al Maliki is being disingenuous.  But if his reaction formed the basis for Obama's decision, then I feel a lot better about that decision.  The photos need to come out.  But we do need to consider the welfare of a people who have already suffered enough at our hands.

Comments

[Corvus9]

You know, I don't really see how the purported al Maliki comment changes anything. The point of the Maliki comment is "people will die." The point of not wanting to endanger troops is "people will die." In one case the people are Iraqis, the other U.S. troops. In either case, it's just people, and it's our duty as citizens of the country that launched this war to not try to make their situations any harder than it is. If that means we can't see these pictures yet, well, ok.

[ari]

I'm not sure why, but I think that al Maliki story is hogwash*.

*What the kids call, "bullshit."

[Stephen]

Corvus,

For me, it's that having a bunch of terminally ignorant Americans - people for whom multiculturalism means no longer putting ketchup on their tacos - proclaim that those savage A-rabs will freak out just isn't credible. But I'm much more willing to accept what al Maliki says will be the reaction of his fellow citizens.

[Corvus9]

But hasn't it been consistently stated by intelligence officials and higher-ups in the military that the Abu Ghraib photos were used as recruitment tools by terrorists? Hasn't this been argued by the left? So wouldn't another set of photos reasonably have the same effect? Does it really make you terminally ignorant to assume that?

And what terminally ignorant Americans are we talking about, here? The Military Brass? Because that's who I assume convinced Obama to change his mind, not any pinheads in the press or anything.

[oddjob]

Perhaps al Maliki is being disingenuous. But if his reaction formed the basis for Obama's decision, then I feel a lot better about that decision. The photos need to come out. But we do need to consider the welfare of a people who have already suffered enough at our hands.

My thoughts precisely, in every detail.