Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., August 29, 2008 Av 28, 5768 | | Israel Time: 18:17 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Comments:  28
Last update - 20:28 28/08/2008
Obama hits back, accuses McCain's top aides of ties to Iran
By Natasha Mozgovoya, Haaretz U.S. Correspondent, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Barack Obama 

Barack Obama's campaign this week hit back at Republican rival John McCain over attack ads claiming the Democratic presidential nominee is soft on Iran, by highlighting ties between McCain's top advisors and the Islamic Republic.

A statement released by the Obama campaign claims that McCain's top advisors "lobbied for companies doing business with Iran or otherwise have a vested interest in Iran."

At the same time, the statement says, McCain opposed closing a loophole allowing foreign subsidiaries of American corporations to do business with Iran.
Advertisement
The campaign also claims that McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, worked as a representative for Ukrainian firms doing business in Iran. It links Davis to Ukranian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov, whose conglomerate has two subsidiaries dealing with the Islamic Republic - one which has an office in Tehran and another that sells large pipes to Iran.

According to the release, McCain's chief strategist Charlie Black also lobbied for a Chinese oil company that signed a $16 billion contract with Iran.

In a June report on McCain's advisor in the Huffington Post political blog, Sam Stein wrote that in 2005, "John McCain's chief strategist Charlie Black" received $60,000 to lobby the U.S. government on behalf of the Chinese oil conglomerate CNOOC, which was "mounting an aggressive bid to buy Unocal, a California-based oil giant."

But CNOOC's bid collapsed, says Stein, "in part because of objections over the China oil industry's ties to Iran, a country in which it had already invested tens of millions of dollars."

The article went on to speculate that Black's work for CNOOC could cause problems for the McCain campaign, given that the candidate had been extremely vocal in his support for worldwide divestment from Iran. This includes statements the Arizona senator made to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in June, in which he argued that widespread divestment from Iran could lead to regime change.

Top Democrats: Obama strong on Mideast

Meanwhile, senior Democrats attending the party's convention underway in Denver have rushed to laud Obama's ability to deal with the threat of a nuclear Iran and the security issues facing the Middle East.

U.S. Representative Robert Wexler, Vice-Chair of the Convention, stressed Obama's qualifications while portraying the stark differences between his approach to foreign policy and that of President George W. Bush and McCain.

"For seven long years, America has paid a dear price for the national security mistakes of President Bush and John McCain," said Wexler, the congressman for Florida. "McCain offers more of the same failed policies that endanger both America and Israel. Barack Obama offers the change we need."

Wexler called Obama "the leader and friend Israel needs," and said he will bring prudence and insight to solving the security issues facing the United States, saying the Illinois senator "will responsibly end the war in Iraq, prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and turn our focus back to defeating Al Qaeda."

Wexler also mentioned Obama's recent trip to Israel, in which he visited, Sderot, Yad Vashem, and Jerusalem's Western Wall, and said that the candidate fully understands the importance of ensuring Israel's security.

"Because Barack Obama knows that the words "never again" must have real meaning in our time. That's the leadership we need to keep America strong and allies like Israel secure. Leadership that restores our strength and America's global standing," Wexler said.

Delaware Senator Joe Biden, Obama's running mate, also slammed the foreign policy of the Bush administration, accusing it of having had left the United States "less secure and more isolated than at any time in recent history."

"The Bush-McCain foreign policy has dug us into a very deep hole, with very few friends to help us climb out. These times require more than a good soldier, they require a good leader," Biden added.

Related articles:
  • Bill Clinton backs Obama at convention, draws comparison with own campaign
  • Aluf Benn / A casually deployed radar system
  • Bradley Burston / What really scares us about Barack Obama
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Three years in captivity
    Aviva Shalit accuses politicians of being too busy with their own affairs to free her son.
    Hezbollah in Venezuela
    Western gov'ts fear the group is establishing cells in the South American country.
      1.   OBAMA IS RIGHT ABOUT ALL FOREIGN POLICIES PROBLEMS 12:49  |  indrajaya 28/08/08
      2.   It is time those "top Democrats" advised Obama that the only way 13:31  |  Nadav 28/08/08
      3.   The deep hole that has been dug... 13:48  |  sandra chitayat 28/08/08
      4.   America is isolated? 14:45  |  Lynn 28/08/08
      5.   Another speech that said nothing 14:47  |  Lynn 28/08/08
      6.   Soft on Iran 15:15  |  Brod 28/08/08
      7.   OBAMA`S HAS A VISION ABOUT PEACE 17:03  |  indrajaya 28/08/08
      8.   CLINTON HIT A NAIL ON THE HEAD 17:08  |  indrajaya 28/08/08
      9.   US must deal Iran`s WTO membership against Iran`s recognition of 17:28  |  Ben 28/08/08
      10.   On politicians and oil money. A turning wheel. 17:50  |  Stephen 28/08/08
      11.   Nadav - Even if you got what you wanted 18:19  |  American 28/08/08
      12.   #8 Indy.....that didn`t happen 18:25  |  Lynn 28/08/08
      13.   INDRAJAYA`s Out In Leftist Field; Very Far from Obama`s stance 18:36  |  JP 28/08/08
      14.   # 12, LYNN 18:46  |  indrajaya 28/08/08
      15.   when indrajaya and "people" like him/her want obama to win,thats 19:11  |  terrornator 28/08/08
      16.   # 15, TERRORNATOR 19:28  |  indrajaya 28/08/08
      17.   We all buy from China. Got a GE appliance at home? 20:12  |  JM 28/08/08
      18.   Trade practices 21:14  |  Gregor 28/08/08
      19.   #3 Sandra...a little premature, don`t you think? 21:57  |  DR 28/08/08
      20.   Obama`s backers - objective review 22:21  |  Arie 28/08/08
      21.   Obama & Democrats love misinformation 23:46  |  Dish It Out 28/08/08
      22.   Friends... a lovely photo on PressTV-SCO members. 00:42  |  Maureen Ann 29/08/08
      23.   KeKe 01:00  |  Empty promises 29/08/08
      24.   Nothing new 01:19  |  Mark Lincoln 29/08/08
      25.   True History Please: US and Iran 01:32  |  John Isenhower 29/08/08
      26.   Change 09:21  |  Shimon Cleopas 29/08/08
      27.   #20 Arie--how could you fix your mouth to post 18:03  |  ballistic 29/08/08
      28.   #21 Dish it Out 18:10  |  ballistic 29/08/08
     Read & React
    Jonathan Spyer: Fatah never gave up dream of one-state solution
    Responses: 16
    Aluf Benn: Assad working post-Georgia world to his advantage
    Responses: 22
    Obama: You can't protect Israel by talking tough in Washington
    Responses: 45
    Jews visit demolished W. Bank settlement for 1st time since pullout
    Responses: 20


    More Headlines
    17:00 Nigerian group demands ransom of $12m for kidnapped Israeli
    17:02 Report: Hezbollah's new missiles have range 'Israel can't fathom'
    17:28 Mother says she drowned 4-year-old son because he was 'burden on her'
    11:31 Obama: You don't protect Israel, deter Iran by talking tough in D.C.
    13:09 Forbes features Livni on list of world's most powerful women
    16:51 Serbia to seek extradition of alleged ex-Nazi living in U.S.
    15:23 Abie Nathan laid to rest; Peres: 'he was greatest freedom fighter'
    16:23 Olmert to hold further talks with Abbas on Sunday
    18:04 Police quiz Olmert's wife on purchase of Jerusalem home
    12:47 Rose's mother was under lover's 'guru-like influence,' says best friend
    02:59 Jerusalem official: Hamas ups ante in Shalit deal
    12:45 Palestinians: Explosive device kills farmer in West Bank
    10:39 Hezbollah downs Lebanese chopper, thinking it Israeli
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    MBA in Israel in English
    APPLY NOW! Limited spaces available
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved