Dear Editor,
A recent letter writer (“Don’t jump on the Obama bandwagon,” Jan. 24) presented two reasons he does not believe that [Democratic presidential candidate Senator] Barack Obama is the best choice for President. I would like to explain why I believe that not only is Mr. Obama the best person to lead our country, but also the candidate with the most sensible policy positions.
First, I and many other supporters of Senator Obama are very proud of the fact that he has been a staunch supporter of a woman’s right to choose throughout his career. Second, his strategy of phased withdrawal and concerted efforts at regional diplomacy [in the Middle East] are neither na’ve nor blindly optimistic. In fact, his proposed strategy is a very practical and effective plan to promote the U.S.’s short- and long-term strategic interests in the region. Rather than handing the country over to al-Qaeda, a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq would be a showing of good faith. A responsible withdrawal would demonstrate our intention to not make Iraq a colony or a client state, but rather an independent, vital contributor to the family of democratic states.
Furthermore, removing U.S. combat troops eliminates one of the main motivating factors for the insurgency-namely the pervasive sense of U.S. colonial interests in Iraq. As for the al-Qaeda presence in the country, reports from the last several months suggest that most sectors of Iraqi society now actively oppose al-Qaeda. The cowardly, civilian-targeting tactics used by al-Zarqawi’s al-Qaeda in Iraq has turned the people against the organization and its leaders. One way that we can ensure that al-Qaeda never has a safe haven in Iraq is to help create a stable, strong and independent democracy. Moreover, while the military surge in Iraq may be working, in some areas there is simply too little political progress.
The only way to accomplish this goal, as Senator Obama has suggested, is engaging in blunt and multi-faceted diplomacy with all of the local and regional players, including Iran. Ignoring the fact that Iran’s regional stature was bolstered greatly the instant Saddam Hussein was overthrown is dangerous and irresponsible. Thus, Mr. Obama’s plan of engagement and constructive dialogue with Iran is not simply feel-good rhetoric of unity, but a vital part of any future foreign policy strategy in the Middle East. Senator Obama has consistently proven that he has the ability to engage and negotiate with diverse groups in a meaningful way. It is precisely this skill in engagement that makes him the best choice for President.
Sincerely,
Ben Kastan
Class of ’08