FACTBOX: Obama's advisers on Middle East policy

Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:56pm EDT
 
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(Reuters) - Barack Obama's Middle East policy advisers say the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate will take a hands-on approach to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking if elected president but without pressuring Israel any more than his rivals for the White House.

Following are Obama's top advisers on Middle East policy.

DANIEL SHAPIRO

Shapiro, a strategist on Middle East issues for Obama, has advised members of Congress, including Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, and Sen. Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat. Shapiro worked on the National Security Council of former President Bill Clinton, husband of Obama's chief rival, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

ANTHONY LAKE

Lake, a top foreign policy adviser for Obama, was one of Bill Clinton's senior advisers during his 1992 campaign and later became Clinton's national security adviser.

DENIS MCDONOUGH

Obama foreign policy adviser McDonough previously served as an aide to former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

DANIEL KURTZER

Kurtzer served under President George W. Bush as ambassador to Israel from 2001 to 2005 and was ambassador to Egypt under Bill Clinton. Kurtzer has written a book assessing the peace efforts of the most recent three U.S. presidents. Kurtzer, who teaches at Princeton, is the newest addition to Obama's team of Middle East advisers, having joined only a few weeks ago.

SUSAN RICE

Rice, a former assistant secretary of state for Bill Clinton, is Obama's top foreign policy coordinator.

ROBERT WEXLER

Known as a staunch supporter of Israel in the U.S. Congress, Wexler, a Florida congressman, is a strong ally of Obama and has been active in outreach for the Obama campaign with Jewish voters. Campaign aides say he and Obama consult frequently on Middle East issues.

ERIC LYNN

Lynn, a former foreign policy adviser to Rep. Peter Deutsch of Florida, is a main liaison for the campaign to the Jewish community.  Continued...

 

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