I think Obama flipped on the Israel and the Palestinian state. I think he was far more pro-Palestinian in the past but it’s hard to find out… he’s clearly no favorite today of a guy like Ali Abunimah which is good or bad depending on your position.

It’s certainly a fair question to Obama to discuss.

Alsammarae should be questioned by Fitzgerald and brought before the Congress to testify.

Whether the right fears Obama, I don’t know… I would think Clinton the more formidable candidate… but things change. Obama is just a rich target because he got so big, rose so fast… and just seem so typically Illinois when you google around on him…..

Going to go? Can’t you hear the crackling of the tin foil everywhere?

- Sen. Obama’s middle name is Hussein therefore he IS a closet Muslim (btw, my name is Alice therefore I MUST be German).

- Sen. Obama is a social organizer therefore he HAS done something illegal (’cause a direct action is “sometimes” a “code” for “illegal” action – quotations mine).

- Sen. Obama and Alsammarae must have crossed paths therefore Sen. Obama benefited from the lost $2 billion dollars in Iraq (I myself saw Alsammarae giving away pocket change to all people with whom he crossed paths, boy the pockets he had… I admire his tailor’s skills).

- Sen. Obama used drugs as a teenager therefore he CANNOT be a good president (presumably if he did drugs as an adult it would have been OK, oh wait, he would have to also be a radical right winger, sorry…)

Crackle, crackle, crackle…

Btw, who is Dateline, D.C.? Wait, don’t tell me – yet another quintessential Republican who believes that responsibility for his actions isn’t really his?

(And I also think they’re going to do a good job of rehabilitating “Hussein” for the millions of Americans who share that name in the process.)

Hussein, Hussein, Hussein…
The right’s going to go completely insane.

Or that it might be prudent to not comment on a matter that might come under review by the USAG and courts.

There’s a far greater connection to Bush as in he was an advisor on this whole disaster yet the connection to Obama is far more important to you.

Alsammarae’s family contacted both Durbin and Obama’s offices for help in getting his release. I’ve emailed Obama for a statement on wheterh Obama would support returning him to Iraq but have had no response.

The question as to whether Obama and Alsammarae -the Chicago ADC activist- crossed paths is interesting. Given the stonewalling from Obama’s office I’m not confident on getting a response to that one.

Ali Abunimah wrote of crossing pathes with Obama many times and having seen him on the same platform at Edward Siad at 1998 fund raiser.

Obama, whom I’ve met many times, has served as my local state senator in the Illinois legislature. I found him to be an inspiring politician, not least because he appeared to understand Middle East issues and take progressive views supporting Palestinian rights and opposing militarism. He participated in many events in the Chicago-area Arab community including a 1998 fundraiser with Edward Said as the keynote speaker. I even made contributions to his campaigns.

It seems likely they know of each other, but right now Obama seems pretty mum about Alsammarae. We’re left only with speculation.