'Sabotaging negotiations with Syria'

A case in point was documented in a Washington Post column last weekend by Jim Hoagland, who quoted diplomatic sources stating the White House decision makers unilaterally announced last month the U.S. would send an ambassador to Syria.

The U.S. withdrew its ambassador from Syria four years ago in protest of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, an attack widely blamed on Damascus.

The U.S. official told WND the White House hastily leaked the news of an ambassador, ensuring against any possibility of extracting concessions from Syria since there was no need for Damascus to negotiate.

'Still in campaign mode'
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'Sabotaging negotiations with Syria'

A case in point was documented in a Washington Post column last weekend by Jim Hoagland, who quoted diplomatic sources stating the White House decision makers unilaterally announced last month the U.S. would send an ambassador to Syria.

The U.S. withdrew its ambassador from Syria four years ago in protest of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, an attack widely blamed on Damascus.

The U.S. official told WND the White House hastily leaked the news of an ambassador, ensuring against any possibility of extracting concessions from Syria since there was no need for Damascus to negotiate.

'Still in campaign mode'

The diplomatic sources said it was significant Obama has only called one Cabinet meeting thus far – a symbolic confab to mark his 100th day in office.

The sources also said it was telling that Clinton was not granted the right to appoint her own deputies.

The senior U.S. official said Emanuel is most heavily involved in drafting policy, describing him as a sort of policy CEO, while Axelrod works to brand White House decisions.

The source described the decision-making group as "ignorant" and as "still in campaign mode," citing as one example the lack of understanding among the group of Syria's strong ties to Iran.

In another example, a second source said Obama and his team last week made numerous factual errors while negotiating in Russia, completely surprising Russian President Dmitry Medvedev with their lack of knowledge.

The second source said the main goal of the White House "politburo" is creating an image of the U.S. working with the international community and of ensuring Obama's reelection in 2012.

The diplomatic sources said Obama is involved in the decision-making process but that he is particularly obsessed with the Palestinian issue. The sources declined to describe Obama as anti-Israel, but they painted him as heavily pro-Palestinian.

The sources said a main goal of the Obama administration is to oversee an eventual withdrawal from Iraq, even if that means cutting deals that would undermine U.S. security in other areas. The sources said they are concerned many foreign policy decisions are based o...

The second source said the main goal of the White House "politburo" is creating an image of the U.S. working with the international community and of ensuring Obama's reelection in 2012.

The diplomatic sources said Obama is involved in the decision-making process but that he is particularly obsessed with the Palestinian issue. The sources declined to describe Obama as anti-Israel, but they painted him as heavily pro-Palestinian.

The sources said a main goal of the Obama administration is to oversee an eventual withdrawal from Iraq, even if that means cutting deals that would undermine U.S. security in other areas. The sources said they are concerned many foreign policy decisions are based on branding and are not taking U.S. security into consideration.

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