Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani spoke on a conference call to discuss recent allegations made against Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) that one of his advisers met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is rumored to sponsor terrorism. Giuliani feels that the lack of disclosure on the part of the Illinois senator shows his inexperience.

Giuliani also said that the adviser offered information to Assad on how to effectively negotiate with the Bush administration, but upon returning to the United States did not disclose this meeting to the public. He concluded by saying that Obama is one of the least experienced presidential candidates in the last 100 years, if not all time. Randy Scheunemann, Senior Foreign Policy Adviser to John McCain, added that Obama’s commitment to negotiate with leaders of nations who work with terrorists, as was stated in a debate during the Democratic primaries, also shows Obama’s inexperience.

At a discussion hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, former Iraqi Prime Minister and current member of Parliament, Ayad Allawi, describes the failures of the Parliament to create democracy. He says millions of Iraqis would not be fleeing their country if it was a free democracy. He says fourteen-year-old Iraqi girls fled the country to be prostitutes in Syria rather than remain in unstable Iraq. (1:03)

 

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Senator John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign held a conference call on the one-year anniversary of Senator Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) declaration that he would hold diplomatic meetings with various dictators “without preconditions” once he becomes President. (more…)

 

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David Albright, the president of the Institute for Science and International Security, talks about the Israeli-an attack on Syria’s supposed nuclear facility. Albright says that the U.S. needs to pay more attention to illicit nuclear trading to prevent nations like Syria from being able to create nuclear facilities. He also says that diplomacy is very important, explaining that Syria probably wouldn’t have been able to complete construction of the facility due to what was being said at the Six Party talks. (0:42)

 

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The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) held a discussion on “Israel’s Airstrike on Syria’s Nuclear Reactor: Preventive War and the Nonproliferation Regime.” In September of 2007, Israel attacked what was rumored to be a partially constructed nuclear facility in Syria, and this facility has remained a subject of speculation in the months following the attack. Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, explained that there was very little information pertaining to this Syrian site immediately after the raid. Now, seven months after the fact, Kimball said U.S. intelligence believes that the site was a small nuclear facility under construction for Syrian military purposes. (more…)

Deputy Prime Minister of Israel Haim Ramon spoke at the 20th annual Soref Symposium. He spoke on the challenges facing Israel currently and some of its recent conflicts. He said that in the past the major challenge facing Israel has been the Israel Palestine conflict. Ramon however, said that currently the most important conflict is between moderate ideals and radical Islam in the Middle East.

He spoke on Syria and said that in order to understand Syria one must judge their actions and not their words. He said at times Syria has been supportive of peace with Israel but they still continue to support radical Islam. Ramon went on to say that the Doha Agreement was a victory for Syria because it strengthened Hezbollah in Lebanon.
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The American Enterprise Institute hosted a panel on Lebanon highlighting many of the issues affecting the country. The panel consisted of Danielle Pletka and Michael Rubin of AEI, Robert Malley of the International Crisis Group, Lee Smith of the Hudson Institute, and Hassan Mneimneh, Iraq Memory Foundation.
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Briefer: Dana Perino
By: Ellen Ratner

Schedule:

The President had a private meeting with the King of Jordan in the dining room off the Oval Office. On the King’s visit, Dana said that the President had lots vested in mideast peace talks and that it was good that leaders could talk frankly with the President. He had his usual briefings and then will give the Medal of Honor to Dr. DeBakey. Later he has a photo op with Johns Hopkins donors, and then he will give the Baldridge Award.

Taxes:

The White House wants people to know that it is important for every taxpayer to fill out 1040A form so that they will get a stimulus rebate. This is available for anyone who makes $3,000 plus per year.

North Korea and the Syrians:

Dana said that they would continue to brief members of Congress on national intelligence.

Equal Pay Bill:

Dana would not comment on the bill or if the President would veto as she said they might not be able to get the votes for cloture in the Senate.

Pakistan:

Dana would not comment on reports that the Pakistani government is working with the Taliban militants. She said however that they are “concerned about these types of approaches.”

President’s Remarks Yesterday on Economy:

Dana said that we don’t know what this period is yet and we do not have the data yet, and that the President wants more robust growth in the country.

Farm Bill:

There may be a push for a one-year extension if they can’t get it done.

Col. Pat Malay, a regimental commander in western Iraq says that the difference in foreign fighters between his first tour and his current tour in Iraq is dramatic. (0:29)

 

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At the House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on “Neglected Responsibilities: The U.S. Response to the Iraqi Refugee Crisis,” Congressman William Delahunt (D-MA) says that we cannot allow a breeding ground for terrorism to fester in the Middle East, and he says he suggests the vast numbers of refugees will produce terrorist of the future unless they are treated with respect and dignity. (:27)

 

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