webfact Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 US says it should have sent high official to Paris marchBy JULIE PACEWASHINGTON (AP) — In a rare admission of error, the White House said Monday that President Barack Obama or another high-level representative should have joined dozens of world leaders at an anti-terror rally in Paris.While leaders from Europe, the Middle East and Africa linked arms for Sunday's march through the boulevards of Paris, the United States was represented by its ambassador to France. Attorney General Eric Holder was in Paris for security meetings but did not attend the march."It's fair to say we should have sent someone with a higher profile," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said. The administration also announced that Secretary of State John Kerry, who was on a long-planned trip to India Sunday, will visit France later this week.The White House appeared to have been caught off guard by both the scope of international representation at the rally and by the criticism of the decision to send only Ambassador Jane Hartley. Monday's admission of error seemed aimed at blunting criticism that the decision was tone deaf or disrespectful of the longstanding U.S. alliance with France.France has been on edge following the attacks that left 17 people dead and heightened fears about the spread of terrorism in the West. Three of the gunmen, who claimed allegiance to Islamic extremist groups, were killed by police, though French authorities said Monday that as many as six terror cell members might still be at large.Before the White House acknowledged its misstep, Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said the administration had made a mistake by not at least sending Holder or Kerry to attend the Sunday rally. And Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said it was an example of Obama's team keeping allies at a distance."Where was the president? Where was the vice president? Where was the secretary of state? Where was the attorney general, who had been there moments before, but chose to get on a plane and fly back home?" Cruz asked Monday during a speech at the conservative Heritage Foundation.Some Obama administration officials, too, privately expressed frustration that a high-level U.S. representative did not participate in the march. Earnest said the White House took the blame but that Obama himself was not personally involved in the decision. Earnest would not say who was responsible for deciding the administration's participation in the event.The fallout from the weekend rally underscored the degree to which the Obama White House has sometimes struggled with the potential importance of symbolic gestures."Part of this job is the theater of it," Obama said last summer amid criticism that he had gone golfing just minutes after speaking about the beheading of an American journalist in Syria. "It's not something that comes naturally to me. But it matters. And I'm mindful of that."Earnest suggested it was the elaborate security apparatus required for presidential travel that prohibited Obama, as well as Vice President Joe Biden, from traveling to Paris on relatively short notice."There's no doubt that had the president or vice president, on this very short time frame, gone to participate in this event that took place outdoors with more than a million people in attendance, that it would have significantly impacted the ability of those who attended the march to participate in the way they did yesterday," he said.Planning for presidential travel overseas often begins months in advance, and security personnel typically arrive days ahead of Obama. However, trips are occasionally pulled together more quickly, including last year when Obama traveled to South Africa for a memorial service following the death of Nelson Mandela. Vice presidents can also typically travel with a lighter security footprint.Dozens of world leaders did attend the march in Paris Sunday, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. More than one million people joined in the march, which French officials called the largest demonstration in their country's history.Smaller marches were held in cities around the world, including one in Washington, just a few blocks from the White House. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland attended that event.Earnest said that despite the lack of a high-level U.S. official at the Paris march, there should be no doubt about Obama's commitment to America's alliance with France. He noted that Obama had spoken to French President Francois Hollande following the initial attack and had visited the French Embassy in Washington to sign a condolence book. The French ambassador to the U.S. also planned to visit the White House Monday to meet with the Obama's top counterterrorism adviser.___AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Ahmedabad, India and AP writers Eric Tucker and Philip Elliott in Washington contributed to this report.-- (c) Associated Press 2015-01-13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post F430murci Posted January 13, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2015 Obama is just a dumb arrssee. What else can he say. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveAustin Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Yes, bit of an oversight (snub?), should have at least had Kerry there. I agree that Obama is not the best pres you guys have had. Time to get another Bush back in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samran Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Wait for it... Obama - awful president etc etc. Devil incarnate... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loles Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The US pussies were scared ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post F430murci Posted January 13, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2015 The US xxxxxx were scared ... Nah, Obama just doesn't care unless it is a black person in harms way. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 It was a mistake. A weird one. Even weirder to admit it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggt Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The way the Obama administration handles it's foreign affairs...defies logic...is insulting...and is causing former friends of the US to look elsewhere for commerce and security... Who can blame them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 A troll post has been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailiketoo Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) The French asked Netanyahu not to come. So maybe they asked Obama not to come too? Or why did the French ask Netanyahu not to come when they asked Obama to come? You see what I'm getting at here? Did Obama not come because the French asked Netanyahu not to come? Seems to me if any countries are riling up the terrorists it's Israel and America. If the French asked Netanyahu not to come why didn't they also ask Obama not to come? I think Obama should have been there regardless of what the French wanted. Netanyahu came even though the French asked him not to come so why not Obama? I'm a pro American poster (I think most people here know that) but there comes a time that one must finally realize American politicians just aren't that bright and this is a good example. Edited January 13, 2015 by thailiketoo 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Jingthing Posted January 13, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) The French asked Netanyahu not to come. So maybe they asked Obama not to come too? Or why did the French ask Netanyahu not to come when they asked Obama to come? You see what I'm getting at here? Did Obama not come because the French asked Netanyahu not to come? Seems to me if any countries are riling up the terrorists it's Israel and America. If the French asked Netanyahu not to come why didn't they also ask Obama not to come? I think Obama should have been there regardless of what the French wanted. Netanyahu came even though the French asked him not to come so why not Obama? I'm a pro American poster (I think most people here know that) but there comes a time that one must finally realize American politicians just aren't that bright and this is a good example. Is there a link where it says the French asked Netanyahu not to come? Not saying that's wrong, but I didn't see that. I do know the French don't want any Israeli PM to say emphatically to the French Jews, it's time for you to escape because you are not safe in France (which arguably is true). They don't even like it when Israel invites them more mildly, which Netanyahu did do on this trip. BTW, the store owner of the grocery where the antisemitic terror attack happened has expressed that he has had enough and wants to move to Israel. Some people may not realize that there have been a number of such terror attacks against Jews in France in recent years. Funny, no mass marches about those. Clearly if the grocery attack had happened without Charlie there would have been NO RESPONSE ... no rally, no world leaders. I am glad Netanyahu came and I am glad he did indeed push his way into the front of the line. Edited January 13, 2015 by Jingthing 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailiketoo Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The French asked Netanyahu not to come. So maybe they asked Obama not to come too? Or why did the French ask Netanyahu not to come when they asked Obama to come? You see what I'm getting at here? Did Obama not come because the French asked Netanyahu not to come? Seems to me if any countries are riling up the terrorists it's Israel and America. If the French asked Netanyahu not to come why didn't they also ask Obama not to come? I think Obama should have been there regardless of what the French wanted. Netanyahu came even though the French asked him not to come so why not Obama? I'm a pro American poster (I think most people here know that) but there comes a time that one must finally realize American politicians just aren't that bright and this is a good example. Is there a link where it says the French asked Netanyahu not to come? Not saying that's wrong, but I didn't see that. I do know the French don't want any Israeli PM to say emphatically to the French Jews, it's time for you to escape because you are not safe in France (which arguably is true). They don't even like it when Israel invites them more mildly, which Netanyahu did do on this trip. BTW, the store owner of the grocery where the antisemitic terror attack happened has expressed that he has had enough and wants to move to Israel. Some people may not realize that there have been a number of such terror attacks against Jews in France in recent years. Funny, no mass marches about those. Clearly if the grocery attack had happened without Charlie there would have been NO RESPONSE ... no rally, no world leaders. I am glad Netanyahu came and I am glad he did indeed push his way into the front of the line. I heard it on CNN (I think, because the wife mostly watches CNN) French President Francois Hollande conveyed a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend asking him not to come to Paris to take part in the march against terror on Sunday, according to an Israeli source who was privy to the contacts between the Elysees Palace and the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. The fact that this message had been conveyed was first reported by Channel 2. After the French government began to send invitations to world leaders to participate in the rally against terror, Hollande’s national security adviser, Jacques Audibert, contacted his Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, and said that Hollande would prefer that Netanyahu not attend, the source said. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.636557 Jerusalem confirms: Netanyahu wasn't wanted at Paris solidarity rallyhttp://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/57421-150112-jerusalem-confirms-france-didn-t-want-netanyahu-to-attend-solidarity-rally 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) I am happy that France doesn't want their Jews to flee for their lives. But history, both recent and not so recent shows that France can't always be trusted on such matters. Ideally French Jews choosing to move to Israel should do that because of attraction to Israel rather than feeling they are targets in France, but right now the ideal isn't being met. Edited January 13, 2015 by Jingthing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewsterbudgen Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 If he'd gone, his critics would have criticised him for hogging the limelight. The bloke can't win, except, thankfully, the elections that matter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arjunadawn Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The way the Obama administration handles it's foreign affairs...defies logic...is insulting...and is causing former friends of the US to look elsewhere for commerce and security... Who can blame them? It does defy logic- if we apply the thinking that any president's interests are a reflection of the nation's best interests. I refuse to believe that the totality of this administration's actions are illogical, or even this single snub to the France fraternity of nations gathering- there is a very clear pattern of logic, calculation, and intention of this president. If one mused "perhaps the president's interests are not a reflection of the nation's best interests after all" a stark and clear pattern emerges showing logic and calculation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jingthing Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 If he'd gone, his critics would have criticised him for hogging the limelight. The bloke can't win, except, thankfully, the elections that matter Should have sent Biden. That would have worked. He's not even much of a target. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h90 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The US pussies were scared ... Why? The politicians weren't on the march. They closed down a side street, put the usual security with snipers, etc.. Than they made the photo and than everyone went home. So no one was ever at the march. Just a bit of a photo show. (big topic in German newspapers) (you wouldn't expect that our rulers mix with the ordinary smelly people, or?) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailiketoo Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) If he'd gone, his critics would have criticised him for hogging the limelight. The bloke can't win, except, thankfully, the elections that matter Should have sent Biden. That would have worked. He's not even much of a target. Can't, he is Obama's insurance against assassination. He should have sent Michelle; my wife does all the stuff I don't think is important enough to do. Edited January 13, 2015 by thailiketoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
up-country_sinclair Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Why would the US president (or Secretary of State for that matter) be required to go to France? The presence of the US ambassador was more than sufficient. For the life of me I can't imagine what Netanyahu was doing there other than a thinly veiled attempt to help him in the upcoming election. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Netanyahu was there because he has a BIG problem with Islamic terrorism. That really should not surprise anyone. Even Jon Stewart criticized Obama for not attending. He lost points with freedom loving people all over the world. Jon Stewart really went after President Obama for his absence at the Paris unity rally yesterday, asking bewilderedly, “Couldn’t Obama have at least sent a friend?” http://www.mediaite.com/tv/what-the-fck-jon-stewart-trashes-obama-for-paris-rally-absence/ Edited January 13, 2015 by Ulysses G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Credo Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The presence of the US President would have been a lightening rod for discussion. I am quite happy that he didn't go and I am quite happy that the ambassador took part. It might have been a nice gesture to send someone a little higher up the ranks, but not too high. At the same time as the march was going on there were some very high level security meetings being held in France. The US was present for those. Europe needs to get it's act together with regard to terrorism. They need to do it on their own terms and in their own time. I am sure that the US stands in solidarity with France and the French people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
up-country_sinclair Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Even Jon Stewart criticized Obama for not attending. Wow. Even John Stewart? President Obama must be really regretting this decision now that a TV comedian has criticized him. So, let me see if I've got this straight: whenever a terrorist kills 17 people in a foreign country, the US president has to attend a march. Is that the rule? What about 16? Is it OK if he doesn't go? 15? Just out of curiosity, did the French president show up in Boston after the marathon bombings? How about Oklahoma City? Also, did the US president go to London after the bus bombings on 7/7/2005? What a bunch of hyper-partisan nonsense this is. Edited January 13, 2015 by up-country_sinclair 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailiketoo Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The presence of the US President would have been a lightening rod for discussion. I am quite happy that he didn't go and I am quite happy that the ambassador took part. It might have been a nice gesture to send someone a little higher up the ranks, but not too high. At the same time as the march was going on there were some very high level security meetings being held in France. The US was present for those. Europe needs to get it's act together with regard to terrorism. They need to do it on their own terms and in their own time. I am sure that the US stands in solidarity with France and the French people. As it is the absence of the US President is the lightening rod for discussion. You'd think they'd have one smart 12 year old in the White house that had the sense to say, "hey Pres this is big and you should be there." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post quandow Posted January 13, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted January 13, 2015 I have tried for YEARS to defend the office of the president, but this loser has proven to be just another jackass whose main interest is promoting corporations and getting in a few rounds of golf. His BLATANT disregard for what's actually happening in world events is shameful. He was recently asked point blank from a reporter why he has only used the term radical terrorism ONCE during his entire time in office - the stammering and the throat clearing was embarrassing. The bold faced LIES he told about Obamacare will be his legacy. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fvw53 Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The French asked Netanyahu not to come. So maybe they asked Obama not to come too? Or why did the French ask Netanyahu not to come when they asked Obama to come? You see what I'm getting at here? Did Obama not come because the French asked Netanyahu not to come? Seems to me if any countries are riling up the terrorists it's Israel and America. If the French asked Netanyahu not to come why didn't they also ask Obama not to come? I think Obama should have been there regardless of what the French wanted. Netanyahu came even though the French asked him not to come so why not Obama? I'm a pro American poster (I think most people here know that) but there comes a time that one must finally realize American politicians just aren't that bright and this is a good example. Is there a link where it says the French asked Netanyahu not to come? Not saying that's wrong, but I didn't see that. I do know the French don't want any Israeli PM to say emphatically to the French Jews, it's time for you to escape because you are not safe in France (which arguably is true). They don't even like it when Israel invites them more mildly, which Netanyahu did do on this trip. BTW, the store owner of the grocery where the antisemitic terror attack happened has expressed that he has had enough and wants to move to Israel. Some people may not realize that there have been a number of such terror attacks against Jews in France in recent years. Funny, no mass marches about those. Clearly if the grocery attack had happened without Charlie there would have been NO RESPONSE ... no rally, no world leaders. I am glad Netanyahu came and I am glad he did indeed push his way into the front of the line. I heard it on CNN (I think, because the wife mostly watches CNN) French President Francois Hollande conveyed a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend asking him not to come to Paris to take part in the march against terror on Sunday, according to an Israeli source who was privy to the contacts between the Elysees Palace and the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem. The fact that this message had been conveyed was first reported by Channel 2. After the French government began to send invitations to world leaders to participate in the rally against terror, Hollande’s national security adviser, Jacques Audibert, contacted his Israeli counterpart, Yossi Cohen, and said that Hollande would prefer that Netanyahu not attend, the source said. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.636557Jerusalem confirms: Netanyahu wasn't wanted at Paris solidarity rallyhttp://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/diplomacy-defense/57421-150112-jerusalem-confirms-france-didn-t-want-netanyahu-to-attend-solidarity-rally Complete story is here http://blogs.forward.com/forward-thinking/212583/how-bibi-tried-to-make-paris-all-about-him/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 It would have been nice if the other world leaders had attended the march as well. Not turning up for a fake photo opportunity surrounded by your security team is not being a hypocrite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ulysses G. Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 (edited) Just out of curiosity, did the French president show up in Boston after the marathon bombings? How about Oklahoma City? Wake up. The President of France the was the FIRST to visit the US After 9/11. We owe them at least one and the other events that you have mentioned did not have a giant demonstration against Islamic terrorism with (other) leaders from all over the world taking part in solidarity. This was a very unique event. Edited January 13, 2015 by Ulysses G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaibah Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Just out of curiosity, did the French president show up in Boston after the marathon bombings? How about Oklahoma City? Wake up. The President Of France the was the FIRST to visit the US After 9/11. We owe them at least one. Yes sir the janitor in the White House blew this one big time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thailiketoo Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 It would have been nice if the other world leaders had attended the march as well. Not turning up for a fake photo opportunity surrounded by your security team is not being a hypocrite. It was not a fake photo opportunity. It was a real photo opportunity to demonstrate to the world of radical Islam that the civilized world was all against them minus Barrack Hussein Obama. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicog Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 It would have been nice if the other world leaders had attended the march as well. Not turning up for a fake photo opportunity surrounded by your security team is not being a hypocrite. It was not a fake photo opportunity. It was a real photo opportunity to demonstrate to the world of radical Islam that the civilized world was all against them minus Barrack Hussein Obama. Rubbish, it was designed to make the world think these people care by sending misleading images like this around the world. And if you want to know what true hypocrisy is, read this admirable young man's account: http://www.smh.com.au/world/daniel-wickhams-epic-twitter-attack-on-world-leaders-at-paris-march-20150113-12myjf.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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