Obama's Berlin Speech July 24

Update: Transcript and reaction. Video coming!

Update: it's expected to start 1 pm eastern time live streaming at cnn.com

Obama's world tour map

The gates open at 4 pm Germany time (check out my Obama time clock in the sidebar. They are 9 hours ahead) More details
German chancellor Angela Merkel says she will tell Obama that Germany will have limited involvement in Afghanistan. There are big hopes for Obama to win the election. It seems that the whole world felt oppressed by the Bush administration. 
The expected fanfare: Time

Spiegel: More than 13,000 US citizens are officially registered as residents of Berlin, and Steltzer is convinced that Americans living in nearby countries will make a pilgrimage to Germany to get a glimpse of their idol. Steltzer learned from some fellow Democrats in Paris that some of them were hoping to make the trip to Berlin. Democrats Abroad in neighboring Denmark and the Netherlands have announced similar plans. And Christine Marques, who heads Democrats Abroad, will be coming to Germany's capital on Thursday from Switzerland.
Whether it turns out to be a couple thousand or a million, no one knows for sure how many people will ultimately converge near the Grosse Stern traffic circle in the middle of Berlin's Tiergarten park, the geographical heart of the city. And there is very little time left for dealing with the organization and logistics of the event. Nonetheless, city officials seem to be taking a laid back approach to Obama's planned speech. "There's nothing left that can shock us," an official at the municipal office in charge of the event says. After the Love Parade (more...) and the so-called "fan miles" held for soccer fans in the Tiergarten for the 2006 World Cup and the 2008 European Championship that persistently drew crowds of over 1 million beer-swilling soccer enthusiasts, Obama's appearance should be a piece of cake.

Der Spiegel's interview with Obama's foreign policy adviser, Susan Rice:

SPIEGEL: It is unusual for a US presidential candidate to travel to Europe in the middle of the campaign. Why is Barack Obama coming?
Susan Rice: Senator Obama believes it is critically important for the United States and Europe to cooperate far more effectively than we have in recent years. None of us can tackle the critical global challenges we face in isolation -- be it terrorism, proliferation, climate change, disease, poverty or energy security. Obama will want to discuss in Europe and Germany how we each view these challenges and how we can best address them together.

SPIEGEL: Critics say the trip is nothing but a PR stunt to strengthen his foreign-policy credentials and that he has only rarely been to Europe before.

Rice: Senator Obama has travelled to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and South Asia many times before. He lived in Asia. He bows to nobody in his understanding of this world. This trip will be yet another opportunity for Senator Obama to exchange views with the leaders of countries whose partnership is critically important to US national security.

High hopes for Obama:

Obama is the hope of a Western world filled with concerns. A recession looms as does high inflation sparked by exploding demand for commodities and natural resources. Furthermore, no one has yet come up with a convincing response to global warming. No one knows how to bring peace to the Middle East, Afghanistan or Iraq. And no one has a promising strategy for dealing with Islamist terrorism.
At the same time, the West is searching for its place in an "incomplete world order," as journalist Peter Bender describes the current state of affairs. How strong will China, Russia and India become? How should the West interact with these countries? And is there even such a thing as the "West" anymore?

It is time for leadership. And only one man inspires the kind of confidence that would enable him to assume this leadership: Barack Obama. Germans, in particular, are pinning their hopes on this man. Whereas just 10 percent favor the Republican candidate John McCain, fully 76 percent consider Barack Obama the better candidate.

The Media Isn't Being Played

It should be noted that the media, this time, is not being played by Bush-McCain. Even though Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki had to backtrack a bit on his meeting of the minds with Obama in order to please Bush, the media isn't buying that al-Maliki made a mistake or changed his mind or was misquoted. And hip hurrah for that! 

Obama Influencing Bush Policies

The folks on Fox News Sunday had a hard time arguing for Bush McCain this morning on this point. 

Philly: To an amazing extent, Bush foreign policy seems to be turning toward the positions of Barack Obama.
On Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and other issues, the administration was shifting gears just as the Illinois senator left embarked on his overseas voyage. Some of these changes were forced on the White House by events. Some reflect late recognition that policies were not working.

These shifts may well boost Obama when he argues that his approach to foreign policy is best. Such arguments will only work, however, if he refrains from hubris. His foreign-policy speeches reveal a man still on a learning curve.

Let's hope he listens and learns on his whirlwind trip.
Recent policy shifts at the White House have been quite stunning. On Friday, after talks between President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, the White House announced that the United States and Iraq will seek a "general time horizon" for deeper troop reductions. This was a Maliki demand that the White House had not anticipated or sought.

Bush officials insisted this was not an "arbitrary date for withdrawal," like the 16-month deadline Obama has promised for a U.S. troop exit. Yet Maliki has changed the tone of the U.S. political debate during the campaign season. It is now harder for Bush or John McCain to denounce Obama for talking of timelines.

Moreover, just in time for Obama's arrival, Maliki dropped a bombshell. In an interview with Der Spiegel that appeared yesterday, he said a U.S. withdrawal should come "as soon as possible." He then said Obama's timeline of "about 16 months" would "be the right time frame for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes."

Obama in Germany July 24

Updated with fanfare and time of speech!
A German magazine speculates earlier this month on what Obama might talk about. He'll speak at the Victory Tower.

Spiegel: A July 24 date has been set by the campaign for a Berlin visit and more details are gradually emerging. During his visit to the German capital, Obama plans to hold a keynote address on trans-Atlantic relations.
"During this campaign, Senator Obama has been criticized for his lack of interest in Europe," an Obama campaign adviser with knowledge of the planning for the trip told SPIEGEL ONLINE. "This trip is partly a response to this, and I am sure he wants to address the issue of trans-Atlantic relations."

The possibility has not been ruled out that the speech could instead be given in Paris or London -- the other stops on Obama's short Europe trip. But Obama's team likes the location of Berlin and the Brandenburg Gate. "The setting would be great," the advisor said. "The memory of John F. Kennedy's famous Berlin speech is still alive. Berlin is a bridge between East and West, and the German-American relationship is very strong," said the advisor.

Maliki Backs Obama's Plan for Iraq Exit

The more I think about it, we've been so had by the Bush administration. What is Bush McCain going to say now? That they don't know what's good for them, only the U.S. does. What a mess.

'AS SOON AS POSSIBLE'
Iraq Leader Maliki Supports Obama's Withdrawal Plans

In an interview with SPIEGEL, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Barack Obama's 16 timeframe for a withdrawal from Iraq is the right one.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki supports US presidential candidate Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq within 16 months. When asked in and interview with SPIEGEL when he thinks US troops should leave Iraq, Maliki responded "as soon as possible, as far as we are concerned." He then continued: "US presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes.

Maliki was careful to back away from outright support for Obama. "Of course, this is by no means an election endorsement. Who they choose as their president is the Americans' business," he said. But then, apparently referring to Republican candidate John McCain's more open-ended Iraq policy, Maliki said: "Those who operate on the premise of short time periods in Iraq today are being more realistic. Artificially prolonging the tenure of US troops in Iraq would cause problems."

More by way of the Swamp, in the German newspaper Spiegel:

The situation in Iraq seems to be improving. SPIEGEL spoke with Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki about his approval of Barack Obama's withdrawal plans and what he hopes from US President Bush in his last months in office.

SPIEGEL: Mr. Prime Minister, the war and its consequences have cost more than 100,000 lives and caused great suffering in your country. Saddam Hussein and his regime are now part of the past. Was all of this worth the price?

Maliki: The casualties have been and continue to be enormous. But anyone who was familiar with the dictator's nature and his intentions knows what could have been in store for us instead of this war. Saddam waged wars against Iran and Kuwait, and against Iraqis in the north and south of his own country, wars in which hundreds of thousands died. And he was capable of instigating even more wars. Yes, the casualties are great, but I see our struggle as an enormous effort to avoid other such wars in the future.
SPIEGEL: Germany was opposed to the war. German Economics Minister Michael Glos was in Baghdad the week before last, Daimler AG plans to build trucks in Iraq, and you will travel to Berlin this week. Has everything been smoothed out between Germany and Iraq?
Maliki: We want closer relations, and it is my impression that the Germans -- the government, the people and German companies -- want the same thing. Our task is to rebuild a country, and the Germans are famous for effective and efficient work. We have great confidence in them and want to involve them in the development of our country.

SPIEGEL: And there is truly no resentment against a country that opposed the war in 2003?

Maliki: We do not judge our partners on the basis of whether or not they were militarily involved in toppling Saddam. The decisions back then corresponded to the national will of the countries, and we respect that.

SPIEGEL: What exactly do you expect from the Germans and from German companies?

Maliki: We want to get to know them, and we want to know what they want -- and the things they fear when thinking about Iraq. We have to start over again in many areas, including oil production, the development of the power grid and all industries. There is much to be done.

SPIEGEL: What do you expect from the Germans, politically and militarily? The Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) occasionally trains Iraqi security forces -- but only in neighboring countries.
Read the rest

Update: Obama's response

Obama Campaign Senior National Security Advisor, Dr. Susan Rice, in response to Prime Minister Maliki's support for Senator Obama's Iraq plan...

Senator Obama welcomes Prime Minister Maliki's support for a 16 month timeline for the redeployment of U.S combat brigades. This presents an important opportunity to transition to Iraqi responsibility, while restoring our military and increasing our commitment to finish the fight in Afghanistan.

Obama's foreign policy advisers.

Obama's Overseas Details For July

I don't know about you but I'm really excited to see Obama welcomed all over the world.

Swamp: Reports in foreign media now suggest the trip is scheduled for late July.

The French news agency Agence France-Press reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet with Obama at the Elysee Palace on Friday July 25.

In Israel, Obama is expected to arrive on Tuesday July 22 or Wednesday July 23 for a two- or three-day visit to include a meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, according to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, which cited a report in the Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot.

The German magazine Der Spiegel reports that the Obama campaign is considering a major speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, the site of a famous Ronald Reagan speech in 1987 in which the former president challenged then-Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down that wall." A large new U.S. embassy opened there on July 4.