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La présidence Obama > The World as It is, Ben Rhodes > Flashcards

The World as It is, Ben Rhodes Flashcards

1
Q

Primary elections

Clinton / Obama flaws

A
  • Clinton, too closed to Bush because she voted for the Iraq war, couldn’t be trusted to bring change
  • Obama wasn’t experienced enough
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2
Q

Objectives after 8 years of Bush

A
  • wind down the wars
  • reinvigorate diplomacy
    restore America’s standing around the world
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3
Q

Rumors on Obama before elections

A
  • Muslim
  • Kenyan
  • terrorist sympathizer
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4
Q

NATO Summit, Strasbourg, 2009

A

Obama asked countries to increase their troop commitments in Afghanistan

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5
Q

Turkey, 2009

A

Promise of the campaign: he recognized the 1915 Armenian genocide

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6
Q

Impact of the Iraq war on Obama’s election

A

Rhodes thinks Obama would have never become president without the Iraq war

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7
Q

American contradictions : Afghanistan

A

War on terrorism in Afghanistan against jihadists who were armed by the US in the 80s

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8
Q

American contradictions : Israel

A

Palestinian Peace Agreement while foreign assistance finances the Israeli military (occupation of Palestinian territory)

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9
Q

Which prison did Obama want to close and why?

A

Guantanamo “Gitmo” because it represented a threat to American national security.
2009, King Badullah let the US down by refusing to take detainees.

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10
Q

War of Afghanistan’s nickname

A
  • Obama’s war

- given by the media because he had supported it and called for more brigades

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11
Q

Difference between Al Qaeda and Talibans

A
  • Al Qaeda is a terrorist group trying to attack the US

- Talibans are domestic political actors inside Afghanistan

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12
Q

Afghanistan surge, 2009

A
  • Obama didn’t want to send more troops but his advisors disagreed
  • Ultimately he decided to send 30 000 troops + 10 000 NATO
  • “temporary surge” supposed to last 18 months
  • to secure the population centers
  • training and counterterrorism
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13
Q

New START Treaty

A
  • Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
  • signed in April 2010 by Obama and Medvedev
  • the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms
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14
Q

Midterms 2010

A
  • Republicans took control of the House

- Senate remained Democrat

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15
Q

2 different worlds

A
  • inside the US

- outside the US (deeper connection with the people)

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16
Q

Start of the Arab Spring in Tunisia and Egypt

A
  • Started in Tunisia (Bouazizi), Ben Ali fled power in January 2011
  • Cairo: people started to set fire to themselves to protest against repression, corruption and Mubarak
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17
Q

US position on Egypt and challenges

A
  • the US backed Egypt by providing decades of military assistance following the Camp David Accords (1978)
  • challenge: side of the people in the streets (young team) or the side of the autocrats (senior team, stability with Mubarak)?
  • the US had to be on the right side of History
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18
Q

Clinton’s opinion on Egyptian government during the Arab Spring

A
  • it was stable

- she would put forward the Egyptian government’s view (close relationship during Clinton’s mandates)

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19
Q

Biden’s opinion on Mubarak

A

He was not a dictator

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20
Q

Obama’s statement on Egypt (written by Rhodes)

A
  • universal rights
  • respect
  • refrain from violence
  • pursue “a path of political change”
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21
Q

End of Mubarak

A
  • televised statement saying he would resign but not enough for Obama who wanted him to step down
  • Frank Wismer (former ambassador in Egypt) sent to counsel Mubarak
  • Cameron: need to be more aggressive
  • February 11th: Mubarak’s resignation
  • Obama admitted it was easier because he didn’t know Mubarak contrary to the Bushes, Clintons, Biden
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22
Q

Reaction of the US towards the Libya uprising

A
  • Global impression the US was too slow (revolt led by social media)
  • Most people in government didn’t want to do anything
  • Libya was not a priority
  • Sarkozy to push UNSC for a no-fly zone to prevent Gaddafi’s planes from bombing civilians and rebel forces
  • Rice: Gaddafi would massacre civilians. She put forward an “all necessary measures” to protect civilians
  • Rice, Clinton and Power: duty to join the French and British. Humanitarian risks. Obama picked their side
  • Gates and Biden: against intervention because no American interest in Libya and the regime was not a direct threat
  • Rhodes: the international community is ready to act, the US mustn’t just watch
  • Cameron and Sarkozy would lead after a period of days
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23
Q

Results of the operation in Libya

A
  • Gaddafi’s forces were stopped on the outskirts of Benghazi
  • tens of thousands of lives might have been saved
  • not a single American was injured
  • transfer to NATO command with French and British pilots
  • New Yorker “leading from behind”
  • Trump states Americans were killed
  • October 2011: Gaddafi was killed
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24
Q

Bin Laden

A
  • compound in Abbottabad in Pakistan
  • Biden against a raid
  • Gates compared it to Desert one (failure - Jimmy Carter)
  • Clinton voted yes
  • the risk of Bin Laden escaping was superior to the risk of the mission
  • Rhodes prepared 4 speeches for 4 different scenarios
  • White House Correspondents’ Dinner the day before the raid (Obama released his birth certificate a few days before)
  • Photo album of the operation never released (Obama’s choice)
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25
Q

Spring 2011: assessments

A
  • 100 000 troops had left Iraq
  • the economy had stabilized
  • healthcare reform was law
  • Bin Laden was dead
  • the war in Afghanistan was about to turn to deescalation
  • the Arab Spring brought the promise of positive change
  • BUT supporting characters (Congress, world) were missing
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26
Q

Trip to the UK, 2011

A
  • David Plouffe (2008 campaign manager): the Queen would be a “great validator” for white people (2012 campaign around the corner)
  • Obama first president to speak to the British Parliament
  • Speech: broad defense of Western values
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27
Q

Trip to Russia, 2011

A
  • to meet President Medvedev
  • they got along after the 2008 crisis (invasion of Georgia)
  • New START treaty
  • agreement to resupply US troops in Afghanistan through Russia
  • cooperated to enforce stronger sanctions on Iran
  • Medvedev supported Obama. Putin (PM) criticized Medvedev
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28
Q

Syrian crisis, Summer 2011

A
  • the people wanted Bashar al-Assad to fall but he was supported by Russia and Iran
  • Free Syrian Army was formed to resist the regime
  • August: statement for Assad to step aside, followed by Cameron, Sarkozy and Merkel
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29
Q

United Nations General Assembly, September 2011

A
  • hot issue: welcoming Palestine. The US would support Israel
  • Sarkozy showed his support for Palestinian recognition
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30
Q

Trip to Burma, November 2011

A
  • Suu Kyi was released

- Clinton went to visit

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31
Q

Trip to Asia, November 2011

A
  • to elevate the importance of the Asia Pacific Region (Asia seemed to represent the future)
  • Hawaii, APEC summit. TPP (the US would write the rules of international trade and not China)
  • Bali for the East Asia Summit (first time US President)
  • Burma: opening engagement with the Burmese government
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32
Q

US troops in Irak, December 2011

A

The last convoy of US stroops left Iraq (agreement signed by Bush before Obama took office)

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33
Q

Cairo, threat at the US embassy, September 2012

A

Google/Youtube vidéo “Innocence of Muslims” (Muhammad humiliation)

34
Q

Libya, September 2012

A
  • crisis escalating
  • Chris Stevens (US Ambassador) died
  • from American intervention who saved tens of thousands of people to Mitt Romney’s critics
  • lots of protests in Tunis, Lebanon and Khartoum
  • Susan Rice picked to answer shows (Clinton wouldn’t)
35
Q

Mitt Romney on Benghazi attacks, September 2012

A

Disgraceful from the administration to “sympathize” with those who waged the attacks

36
Q

Trip to Burma, November 2012

A
  • to meet Suu Kyi with Clinton

- Rohinga issue

37
Q

End of 2012

Israel

A
  • Israel at war with Gaza
  • Mohamed Morsi recently elected in Egypt (Muslim Brotherhood)
  • Obama talked to him to stop influence Hamas to stop firing Israel
38
Q

Fall 2012, Syria

A
  • recommendations to provide military support to the Syrian opposition but Obama says no
  • Rhodes wants something bigger
  • Obama thinks the US cannot fix the Middle East
39
Q

First trip to Israel, March 2013

A
  • meeting with Mahmoud Abbas
40
Q

Trip to Africa, June 2013

A
  • tensions in Egypt: Morsi toppled in a military takeover and sent to prison
  • el-Sisi new leader “savior of Egypt: coup
  • hope of Arab SPring stopped in 2013
41
Q

Cuba negotiations 2013 (first meeting)

A
  • Rhodes in charge
  • Alan Gross (accused of spying) needed to be released from prison
  • in exchange Cuba asked for the Wasp Network
  • May 2013: message to the Cubans to propose a meeting, they accepted
  • engaging with Cuba would improve the standing of the US in Latin America
  • Alejandro Castro would be in charge
  • meeting in Canada
  • Castro listed historical facts “history lesson” of the Cold War.
  • Rhodes insisted on wanting to look forward
  • successful meeting that created a channel
42
Q

Burma, July 2013

A
  • trip without Obama
  • Rhodes participated
  • the US supported Burma’s transition to democracy, the reconciliation of ethnic groups and better conditions for Rohingyas
43
Q

Syria, July 2013

A
  • chemical attacks
  • 2012: Obama warned Syrian that the red line would be the use of chemical weapons
  • Obama decided to provide “direct military support” to the Syrian oposition
  • Republicans in Congress: Syrian is not a direct threat to the US and violation of the separation of powers
  • John Boehner asked for answers
  • Obama needed congressional authorization
  • the lawyers were concerned because no firm international legal basis for bombing Syrian: no self-defense, no UN resolution, no domestic legal basis for the President to take military action (hypocrisy from Republicans who had defended Bush’s ability to do whatever he wanted as Commander-in-Chief)
  • British Parliament voted against
  • Clinton, AIPAC, Saudi Arabia supported
  • Putin accepted to work with the US
  • Kerry put up quickly an agreement
  • a few days later Syrian announced theu would give chemical weapons up
  • Congressional vote never took place
  • the US stayed out of it
44
Q

Summer 2013, Wikileaks

A
  • Edward Snowden

- surveillance state because of the activities of the NSA

45
Q

2013 conspiracy theories

A
  • Chris Stevens killed to run guns to jihadists in Syria

- Internet video insulting Ismal was a use from the administration

46
Q

Critics on Susan Rice and Ben Rhodes

A
  • Susan Rice supposed to become Secretary of State but she took her name out of the race because unethical, incompetent, careerist who lied
  • Rhodes victim of threats and conspiracies
47
Q

Iran, from June 2013 to October 2015

A
  • Hassan Rohani elected President
  • he wants to improve relations with the West
  • Obama sent a letter proposing discussions on the nuclear issue: positive response
  • channel in Oman in August
  • Iran would freeze their nuclear program in return for some limited relief from sanctions
  • P5+A would negotiate with the Iranians
  • failed meeting at UNGA but phone call: Obama first American president to speak to an Iranian President since the Islamic Revolution in 1979
  • they both agreed to pursue dialogue
  • Kerry in charge
  • meetings in Geneva
  • the deal is signed in October 2015 and prevented Iran from getting a nuclear weapon
  • deal needed Congressional support: the team would call Congress members one by one
  • letter from physicists, European ambassadors, Israeli generals, rabbis, Iranian dissidents to support the deal
48
Q

Constant racism in the Obama White House (2nde mandate)

A
  • Trump saying Obama wasn’t American and believed by other Republicans
  • “Kenyan monkey”, “a Muslim” on social media
  • no Congressional Republicans came to the screening of Lincoln at the White House
  • hope that his preisdency would bring racial reconciliation: Rice and Rhodes wanted him to be more personal because he could carry a legacy
49
Q

Mandela’s death

A
  • Reagan backed the Apartheid in 1980s
  • handshake with Raul Castro: first President since the Revolution
  • the mdeia didn’t mention his speech but his selfi with Danish PM
50
Q

Cuba negotiations 2013 (second meeting)

A
  • Second meeting: articificial insemination accepted for the wife of one prisoner in exchange for improvements in Alan Gross’s confinements
  • Cubans refused Snowden in transit
51
Q

Cuba negotiations 2013 (third meeting)

What did the US want to change?

A
  • the State Sponsor of Terrorism list
  • unwiding the US embargo
  • restoring diplomatic relations
  • the reform of Cuba’s economy and political system (Internet access, labor rights, political freedoms)
52
Q

Cuba negotiations 2013 (third meeting)

What did Cuba want to change?

A
  • the embargo lifted

- the naval base at Guantanamo returned

53
Q

Cuba negotiations 2013 (fourth meeting)

A
  • after the handshake
  • in Trinidad and Tobago
  • Cubans still want the release of the Cuban 5 but they Americans don’t want to free Gerard Hernandez
54
Q

Crisis in Ukraine, 2013-2014

A
  • pro-Russian Victor Yanukovych suspended preparations to enter into an “association agreement” with the EU.
  • people held demonstrations (Maidan square)
  • intercepted call between Nuland (Secretary of State for Europe) and Pyatt (Ambassador in Kiev)
  • it seemed they picked a new leader
  • Numand’s “Fuck the EU” criticizing the lack of actions from the EU
  • call put on Twitter by the Russian government
  • February 2014: Obama and Putin agreed on a formula that included elections in Ukraine but Yanukovitch fled
  • March: Crimea was annexed, sanctions on Russia
55
Q

Putin’s election, May 2012

A
  • deteriorating relationship with the US
  • Putin 45 minutes late to meet Obama
  • Russia granted Snowden asylum in Moscow in August 2013
56
Q

2007
After a terrorist attack…
Obama and Clinton

A
  • Obama: the first thing to do is to have an effective emergency response
  • Clinton: the first thing to do is go after the people
  • Obama’s doctrine: “Don’t do stupid shit” (The World As It Is - Ben Rhodes)
57
Q

Spring 2014, Cuba negotiations in Vatican because…

A
  • had credibility with both the American and Cuban people
  • neutral in foreign affairs
  • supported a rapprochement
58
Q

Cuba negotiations in Vatican, Spring 2014

A
  • McCarrick’s help (cardinal who retired)

- Cardinal Ortega came to Washington with a letter from the Pope

59
Q

Cuba negotiations, last meeting in Canada.

The Americans wanted…

A
  • the release of political prisoners
  • the increased access to Internet
  • human rights and economic reform
  • they agreed, the agreement would be shared with the Vatican
60
Q

Number of troops in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2014

A
  • 180 000

- 15 000

61
Q

ISIL

A
  • rebranded version of Al Qaeda in Irak
  • declared Raqqa (Syria) its capital in January 2014
  • took over Mossul in June 2014 and changed into Islamic State
  • attacks on Yazidis: Obama decided to send supplies and start targeted airstrikes
  • Jim Foley (40 year old journalist held hostage) was beheaded in response to the bombing
  • Obama hesitated to give a statement that would elevate ISIL, yet he did
  • he was criticized for playing golf that same afternoon
62
Q

Cuba negotiations in Vatican, December 2014

A
  • Cubans agreed to release 53 political prisoners and expand access to the Internet
  • the US agreed to ease restrictions on travel and commerce
  • public announcement: first call between leaders of Cuba and US since the revolution
63
Q

Midterms 2014

A

Democrats were beaten

64
Q

After Foley’s beheading, Obama refered to…

A

“Global war on terror” and not “radical Islam”.

Republicans attacked.

65
Q

Countering Violent Extremism Task Force created in 2011

A

Series of measures to combat the threat from ISIL and other extremist groups (White supremacists)

66
Q

Mass shooting, Charleston, June 2015

A
  • Dylann Roof killed 9 people
  • white supremacist
  • in a church
  • Obama sang during the memorial
  • letter “Thank you for everything you are trying to do to help people”
67
Q

ACA upheld by the Supreme Court in…

A

June 2015

68
Q

Supreme Court ruled in favor fo same-sex marriage in…

A

June 2015

69
Q

Trip to Laos, July 2016

A
  • most heavily bombed country in history
  • UXO: Unexploded ordnances
  • Johnson and Nixon bombed Laos to preserve their credibility after failing in Vietnam
  • to Obama, preserving one’s credibility is the worst reason to go to war
  • mission to protect the Laotian from these bombs
70
Q

Paris attacks, G20 Summit, Antalya, November 2015

A

“Why can’t we take out these bastards ?” Jim Acosta

71
Q

2015, Congress and refugees

A
  • proposals to ban refugees coming to the US

- Elizabeth Phu: NSC staffer who was a Vietnamese refugee after Americans pulled out of South Vietnam

72
Q

Cop 21, November 2015

A
  • Obama regretted Republicans didn’t believe in climate change
73
Q

Havana trip, March 2016

A
  • last President to go to Cuba: Cooleridge (1923-29)
  • meeting with Raul Castro who presented the outlines of a tourist economy
  • announcements that Americans would be able to travel, more transactions and initiation of a direct mail service
  • Cubans agreed for a press conference between Obama and Castro after the meeting and for Obama’s speech to be broadcast/uncensored to the Cubans
74
Q

40 months after Benghazi

A
  • House Select Committee on Benghazi
  • for Rhodes and Rice
  • Republicans wanted to highlight that Rhodes had a mater’s degree in fiction
  • David Samuels piece in the New York Times: on Rhodes: a disaster
  • how the media can change the story and influence
75
Q

Trip to Japan, May 2016

A
  • first American President to go to Hiroshima
  • with Caroline Kennedy (American Ambassador in Japan 2013-2017)
  • warm welcome because Obama was willing to acknowledge difficult histories and show respect
76
Q

ISIL in 2016

A
  • social media campaign to recruit and radicalize Americans

- Global Engagement Center (GEC): new unit to map and spot ISIL propaganda + Russian disinformation in 2016

77
Q

Trip to London, April 2016

A
  • to help Cameron fight off Brexit referendum (they needed Obama’s help (very popular)
78
Q

Hillary Clinton’s mail scandals in 2016

A
  • she used a private email server
  • April 2016, James Comey (FBI Director) announced he wouldn’t pursue charges against Clinton
  • After a rally in Charlotte, Obama and Clinton went to get some food at a barbecue (as he did in 2012) to sha esome hands but Hillary left after a few minutes
79
Q

Democratic Convention in Philadelphia, July 2016

A
  • Russians hacked the DNC

- Wikileaks dumped thousands of DNC emails into the public domain

80
Q

September 2016 G20 and Russia

A
  • last meeting with Putin before the elections and same disagreements on Syria, Ukraine, Snwoden living in Moscow, hacking
  • Susan Rice trying to get Congress to put out a bipartisan statament on Russia meddling in the election
  • but biggest news of the day: Trump’s sexual assaults
81
Q

Obama’s popularity before the 2016 election

A
  • popularity kept rising

- feeling that people came to the meetings to see Obama and less interested in what Hillary had to say

82
Q

Sanctions on Russia after the 2016 election

A
  • NSC meeting on Russia
  • review presented to Congress before he left office because Trump would never agree with this
  • 2 Russian estates used for intelligence gathering closed
  • 35 Russian agents expelled from the country

La présidence Obama (16 decks)

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