HRC's attack on Obama for not conducting hearings on Afghanistan is a cheap shot

[karynnj]

Her accusation would be true - if Biden and Kerry had held no hearings on Afghanistan. This is an incredibly significant issue in the SFRC - so there were 2 full committee hearings since January and at least one in the Subcommittee that Kerry heads that overseas Afghanistan. Both Kerry and Biden have been to Afghanistan several times and they are the ones with staff that is most expert in this area. Here are links to the two full committee meetings. They were held by the entire committee because of the importance of the issue - not because the chair of the area that overseas the near east (Kerry) or the chair of the area that overseas Europe and thus NATO (Obama) were not doing their jobs.

http://www.senate.gov/~foreign/hearings/2008/hrg080130p.html

http://www.senate.gov/~foreign/hearings/2008/hrg080131a.html

There was also a hearing in the near east subcommittee shortly before the January 31, 2008 whole committee hearing. (The website seems to only list the whole committee hearings. I knew of the other because I start DU in the JK group :) ) Here's a link to what was covered in that hearing.http://talkradionews.com/2008/01/senator-kerry-leads-discussion-on-saving-afghanistan

Here is a link from which you can watch the excellent press conference given by Biden and Kerry yesterday on Afghanistan and Pakistan yesterday. If you saw the press conference that Biden and Kerry held yesterday on Afghanistan, it is clear that these two Senators are coordinating their efforts on Pakistan and Afghanistan.
http://www.c-span.org/homepage.asp?Cat=Current_Event&Code=Congress&ShowVidNum=7&Rot_Cat_CD=Congress&Rot_HT=&Rot_WD=&ShowVidDays=365&ShowVidDesc=&ArchiveDays=30


Would it have made sense for Obama, with staffers who are expert on Europe, to have held hearing on this because NATO is there? It would have been showboating for Obama to call hearings on this when the two strongest Democratic Foreign policy experts are working very hard on the issue. HRC is insulting the SFRC, which looks like it is doing a good job holding hearings on this. Additionally, she is insulting Senators Kerry, Biden and Hagel, who are working very seriously on this issue.

[blm]

1. I thought the same last night. She never engaged in those matters much as she kept herself

busy for years with video games and flag burning....important stuff like that.

[Major Hogwash]

2. Well, she could start hearings of her own, if that's what she wants to do.

But, it's easier for her to criticize someone else for not doing something about what she wants done, isn't it?

Maybe when she gets off the campaign trail, she can start on this.

[karynnj]

3. I hope not - Senators Kerry and Biden are far more competent in this

I hope that one of them points out that the Subcommittee on Europe is not the natural place to hold these hearings - when they are doing their jobs.

[babylonsister]

4. Rec'd! Thanks for providing this info. nt

[dwahzon]

5. I have to wonder

why she thought it was to her advantage to even bring this up because the first reporter that looks into it, is going to find the same thing that you did.

Pretty weak arguments. I don't know who's doing her debate prep but they're really lousy at it.

[karynnj]

6. It would reflect poorly on the Democratic leadership of that committee if nothing was done

It is a major insult to Senators Biden and Kerry. The only circumstance under which Obama SHOULD have had hearings would have been that Biden refused to have full committee hearings and Kerry did nothing in the committee that oversees it.