Not an objective analyst... and that wasn't an "article" it was an "op-ed column". No need to argue his points, they aren't facts just opinion.

Because I was appalled at the AUMF and I was completely and wholeheartedly against this war from the beginning...and I knew that Bush was going to take us there with that vote.  Me.  A stupid regular person.  Not a politician.  Not privvy to whatever information legislators get.

And it ain't about being against any war, 'cause you are looking at an ex-Medic who was against the first Iraq war, for the Afghani war and appalled by Iraq II, "Junior's Revenge."

While Senator Obama has been hugely critical of Clinton's vote on the AUMF, he has repeatedly stated that had he been in the Senate at the time, he didn't know how he would have voted.

he stated those comments at the time john kerry and edwards (who voted for AUMF) were vying for the presidency (and vp, obviously). it wouldnt look good questioning the judgement of your own party's candidates as they are trying to win an election

"he has repeatedly stated that had he been in the Senate at the time, he didn't know how he would have voted"

Please cite MULTIPLE instances where he has said this.  I am aware of ONE instance on Meet the Press where he was questioned about whether he would criticize John Kerry (at that time his party's nominee) for not recognizing that there was no case for the Iraq War.  Here's what he said:

''But, I'm not privy to Senate intelligence reports,'' Mr. Obama said. ''What would I have done? I don't know. What I know is that from my vantage point the case was not made.''

Now if later we were to find out that Bush actually had shown Kerry and Clinton hard evidence supporting a war in Iraq, we might be justified in believing that Obama may have voted the same way they did.  What we actually know, however, is that there was no such evidence, so Obama's "vantage point" was no less informed than Clinton's and he should be given credit for standing against a dumb war that would have disasterous American consequences.  See Linc Chafee's book:

As Mr. Bush pressed insistently for war, Chafee requested a meeting with CIA brass to examine the evidence against Saddam Hussein's regime. "Sooner or later, I have to vote on this war, show me everything you have," Chafee requests of the CIA.

"What they had, I discovered as the meeting stretched into an hour, was next to nothing," recalls Chafee. "They showed me what they had with little comment and no enthusiasm. Someone handed me one of the infamous aluminum tubes, the kind we were told Saddam was using to enrich weapons-grade uranium while plotting mushroom clouds over America, the `smoking gun' that Condoleezza Rice warned about.

"I looked at the aluminum tube, looked at the analysts and thought, I can go buy one of these at Adler's Hardware," the Providence hardware emporium, writes Chafee.

Wilson is in the uncomfortable position of attacking the person who believed him in 2002 and defending the person who didn't heed his warning.

All Obama has to do to stay competative in the general election is continue to hammer on McCain's war vote and continuation of the Bush economic policies while keeping his own nose clean.  I would imagine that we've heard from pretty much all the slander machines at this point, and if Wright or Ayers is the best they've got, the Republicans are in serious trouble.

   experience is limited mostly to visiting ambassadors, attending funerals and giving speeches.

  No one is arguing that Obama has more experience...but Clinton trying to paint herself as a warrior is also a bit silly.

Sorry, after numerous hit pieces that got more ridiculous with each iteration, I'm not sure I can give much credence to Mr. Wilson's opinion, apparent in its bias.

I don't for a minute buy into any assumption that Obama will be the nominee. That'd be the most dreadful outcome of this nominating process because he'd lose to McCain.

Hillary knows what to do about national security and foreign policy. Obama's attitudes and assumptions are those of a dangerous neophyte.

the war, and despite what the UN inspectors were saying, cheerled Bush into an invasion, including this:

    March 17, 2003

   Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the President's Remarks to the Nation

   When the President of the United States addresses the nation about possible military action, it is a solemn occasion for every American. Tonight, the President gave Saddam Hussein one last chance to avoid war, and the world hopes that Saddam Hussein will finally hear this ultimatum, understand the severity of those words, and act accordingly. While we wish there were more international support for the effort to disarm Saddam Hussein, at this critical juncture it is important for all of us to come together in support of our troops and pray that, if war does occur, this mission is accomplished swiftly and decisively with minimum loss of life and civilian casualties. I have had the honor of meeting and speaking with many of our brave men and women in uniform. They are the best trained, equipped, and motivated military in the entire world, we support them fully and we are grateful for their courageous service in these difficult times.

Bush: 'Leave Iraq within 48 hours'

   Monday, March 17, 2003

   All the decades of deceit and cruelty have now reached an end. Saddam Hussein and his sons must leave Iraq within 48 hours. Their refusal to do so will result in military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing.

Whereas, in March 2003, Obama was still trying to trying to do what he could to prevent an invasion:

   MAR 2003: Obama Said It's Not Too Late To Stop The War. "State Sen. Barack Obama (D-Chicago) told the crowd, `It's not too late' to stop the war." (Chicago Sun- Times, 3/17/03)

   MAR 2003: Obama Challenged Other Candidates To Take A Position On Iraq War. The AP wrote, "Barack Obama is criticizing the idea of war against Iraq and challenging his Democratic opponents in the U.S. Senate race to take a stand on the question...Issuing the challenge at a weekend speech in Champaign, Obama said he does not oppose war if it's necessary. But he believes Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein poses no immediate threat and that, with Iraq's economy in shambles, he can be "contained" until internal pressures force him out...Obama said candidates wishing to unseat Republican Sen. Peter Fitzgerald in 2004 should speak up now as the Bush administration moves closer to using military force against Iraq. `What's tempting is to take the path of least resistance and keep quiet on the issue, knowing that maybe in two or three or six months, at least the fighting will be over and you can see how it plays itself out,' said Obama, a state senator from Chicago." (AP, 3/3/2003)

It's pathetic how far Wilson has sunk with his cronyism. Here is the pits: "Obama's long and close relationship with the anti-American hate-monger Wright". What the hell does Wright's bullshit have to do with Obama whose foreign policy positions through the years are out there for everyone to see?

Maybe he's harboring a hope to be her VP or a cushy job in her administration. Seems that HRC sent Rendell, Bayh, Wilson etall on a game of musical chairs for the VP spot.

Hey, look, another anti-Obama editorial from Joe Wil-zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

1. Dodging sniper fire in Bosnia - false

2. Negotiating border openings in Macedonia and peace in Ireland - false and exaggerated
   
3. Suggesting intervention in Rwanda - false
   
4. Voting to authorize Iraq, then saying it wasn't really an authorization to go to war
   
5. Voting to give Bush power to provoke conflict in Iran
   
6. Provoking diplomatic crisis by suggesting she will obliterate Iran

Meanwhile, Obama was right about  

1. Iraq - not only in the cost in money, but in diverting attention away from the War on Terror
   
2. Pakistan - we had all of our eggs in the Musharraf basket and look where he took us
   
3. Diplomacy - the only way that we will ever have leverage with the Iranians is to meet them face to face - when we did that with NKorea we began to see results. When the Europeans did it with Libya they got major results.  
   

..I would've said this article was written by a Republican, but...oh wait, Joe Wilson IS a Republican!! Oh well, I don't fault him. I guess he is standing up for a fellow Republican, Hillary.  

I respect Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame, however, Joe seems to be cherry picking here and that Wright comment has nothing to do with foreign policy.  

I'm surprised he favors someone who voted for the war, over someone who was outspoken against it.

Wilson's position is confusing.  I never had any doubts that we were about to go to war in Iraq, and I find the implication that we were all tricked into war pretty disingenuous.  The American people were tricked.  They trusted in Congress to know the facts and to offer a well-reasoned resistance to this war if it was unjust.  Congress folded.  There was not much real resistance, and so the American people were never "unsold" on the war.  

But I'm not sure I understand why Obama needs "help" on this issue.  As far as the "end the war" crowd goes, he had more credibility than any Democrat running, with the exception of Congressman Kucinich, who took the additional step of voting against the war.  If the race becomes about the war, then Obama has already won, and an attempt to weaken HIS position is desperation from McCain and politically stupid, since he'd be bringing up a position on which the American people and he tend to disagree.  

But, I DO think Obama could be helped with someone like Clark as his VP nominee.  The use of force WHEN NECESSARY is exemplified by Clark's service, and he'd be a remarkable contrast with McCain.  McCain's service is admirable and should be honored, but there's a reason why Clark was the general, and not McCain.

to start a discussion wherein we identify ways to fix (actual and perceived) weaknesses in Obama's foreign policy/national security credentials.

So far, I have seen numerous attempts to hijack the thread, and precious little discussion of the intended subject. So here's my try.

If Obama gets the nom, I think he could shore up his foreign policy credentials by lining up some top talent and well known names that he could pre-announce as his proposed appointments at the cabinet level and just below. This would not only add to people's comfort level that he will have a seasoned team, it will help him to hit the ground running in 2009, as his top people will already be in place by election time, and can get a good jump on the transition process. It is essential that we move all the Bush political appointees OUT as quickly as possible, before they have a chance to do any further damage. In fact, I hope Clinton would do something similar if she gets the nom.

It may sound odd given the current level of hostilities, but I think the Clintons could and would be very helpful in persuading any former Clinton admin. officials to sign on. I have a few names in mind, but I will withhold them to avoid provoking a fight over the specific names, rather than the concept.

I do not think the VP choice would be a good way to build FP credibility for a couple of reasons. First, if Obama were to pick a well known name with a lot of FP experience, (Biden for example) it might actually serve to make his own lack of FP experience stand out more in comparison. Secondly, it might raise uncomfortable echos of Bush-Cheney, causing people to wonder just how much control over FP would wind up in the VPs hands in an Obama administration. There are lots of factors to consider when picking the VP, and shoring up a perceived policy weakness is only one of them.

As for attacking McCain, I think that is a given. McCain is widely perceived among the general public to have FP "gravitas". This is what I think Clinton meant by her poorly worded statement about meeting the C in C threshhold. Nearly all here agree that the public perception of McCain's FP credibility is wrong - but let us have no illusions - it will take a lot of work to puncture that myth, especially because it is one so cherished by the MSM. Luckily, we have a great weapon against McCain in this area. His own mouth.

is for him to QUIT.