OBAMA TRIED TO STALL TROOPS IRAQ WITHDRAWAL - Update!

Barack Obama's White House campaign angrily denied (?) Monday a report that he had secretly urged the Iraqis to postpone a deal to withdraw US troops until after November's election.

In the New York Post, conservative Iranian-born columnist Amir Taheri quoted Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari as saying the Democrat made the demand when he visited Baghdad in July, while publicly demanding an early withdrawal.

"He asked why we were not prepared to delay an agreement until after the US elections and the formation of a new administration in Washington," Zebari said in an interview, according to Taheri.

"However, as an Iraqi, I prefer to have a security agreement that regulates the activities of foreign troops, rather than keeping the matter open," Zebari reportedly said.

The Republican campaign of John McCain seized on the report to accuse Obama of double-speak on Iraq, calling it an "egregious act of political interference by a presidential candidate seeking political advantage overseas."

But Obama's national security spokeswoman Wendy Morigi said Taheri's article bore "as much resemblance to the truth as a McCain campaign commercial."

In fact, Obama had told the Iraqis that they should not rush through a "Strategic Framework Agreement" governing the future of US forces until after President George W. Bush leaves office, she said.

Which is exactly what Amir Taheri quoted Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari as saying....Obama has now confirmed the report!

Has Obama committed a fatal mistake?  A Crime?

Amir Taheri has reported in todays NY Post that during his trip to Iraq, Sen. Obama attempted to pressure Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari and others into delaying the removal of US Troops until after the election, and the swearing in of the new President.  He also attempted to persuade the US Military commanders to take the same position, and not recommend sending the troops home. They declined. 

Not only is this in direct opposition to the position that Sen. Obama has consistently pressed (getting the troops out immediately), but may also be a violation of US law.

Interestingly, although the Iraqi's felt that Sen. Obabma had a higher probability of winning the election, they did not trust Sen. Obama.  Maybe we shouldn't either.

Full story here....