McCain, Obama Battle Over Pakistan

"Sen. John McCain of Arizona, close to clinching the GOP nomination, called Sen. Barack Obama 'naive' today and...blasted him for advocating a bombing of Al Qaeda hide-outs in Pakistan," the Los Angeles Times reports.

"The best idea is not to broadcast what you're going to do, that's naive," said McCain, who also questioned the very notion of "bombing Pakistan without their permission." ...

In a conference call with reporters to respond, Obama foreign policy advisor Susan Rice said that McCain was "misrepresenting and distorting Barack Obama's positions" and argued that the Democrat "never suggested bombing an ally."

"McCain promises more war in Iraq," she said. "Obama will end the war in Iraq and focus on terrorists in Afghanistan."

TNR: McCain Is Lying: Jonathan Chait writes for The New Republic:

Last night John McCain accused Barack Obama of, among other things, having "once suggested bombing our ally, Pakistan." This is a lie. ... There is nothing in Obama's speech, or any other Obama speech, about "bombing" Pakistan. Both implicitly and explicitly, he called for small, Special Operations-type incursions. ...

Meanwhile, you know who is coming closer to "bombing an ally"? The Bush administration, whose determined prosecution of the war on terror McCain continues to tout. The Washington Post reported -- as it happens, the same day McCain made his smear -- that the CIA launched Hellfire missiles at an al Qaeda operative in Pakistan. As the Post noted, "Having requested the Pakistani government's official permission for such strikes on previous occasions, only to be put off or turned down, this time the U.S. spy agency did not seek approval."

So, to review: Obama did not call for bombing Pakistan, ever. Meanwhile the Bush administration is undertaking air attacks against targets in Pakistan. Is this wildly irresponsible? I suppose you could make that case. But McCain isn't interested in an argument about the merits of striking al Qaeda against the costs of undermining Pervez Musharraf. He's just interested in lying about what Obama said in order to portray him as a foreign policy novice.

Matthew Yglesias has much more from the Obama campaign call with Susan Rice:

[O]n experience there's a three-pronged attack. First, Obama does have experience, with Rice citing the fact that he authored "crucial legislation to secure the United States from the threat of loose nuclear materials" and serves on committees and subcommittees dealing with foreign relations, veterans affairs, and homeland security. Second, this means that Obama has actually "acquired more traditional washington foreign policy experience" than most presidents including Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter (Carter in fact served on a nuclear sub and I'm told this gave him a better understanding of nuclear issues than presidents before or after).

Third, there's more to life than being a prisoner of DC conventional wisdom -- "McCain, like Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney may have years of Washington experience" but they've all made "flawed judgments and as a consequence we're less safe." In a crucial point, Rice observed (emphasis added) that a McCain administration would be "very much a continuation and intensification of the failed Bush policy, remaining in Iraq indefinitely not investing adequately in Afghanistan."

Time's Joe Klein asks, "McCain -- Soft on Al Qaeda?"

Comments

[Neaguy]

Speaking as a left wing Democrat, McCain is correct.
And his criticism is right on the money.

Obama is not change! Not with Zbigniew Brzezinski as his top foreign policy advisor.

Wake up, sheeple.

[SEQUOIABISON]

Left Wing Democrat?
If your a left wing democrat then I have to find a new definition of what I am, because I would never come to the same ridiculous conclusions you have.
McCain is correct??

[degjack]

And McCain wants to bomb Iraq.

Even steven.

[degjack]

'Scuse me...that would be "Iran".
Probably Iraq too.
Probaby even Pakistan.

McCrazy loves to mcbomb.

[thirteen13]

McCain is a napalm addict.

[ssg13565]

What is it about Barack Obama that makes his

opponents go off their rockers?

Now that Clinton has utterly failed in her

attempt to paint Obama as nothing but empty

words, it is nice to see McCain try to follow

her lead (off a cliff).

[cmbaldwin]

I just want to hear McLame explain this story about him having an affair with some lobbyist, while taking gifts and rides on corporate jets from her!

[Lisette]

cmbaldwin
I know, everyone says he is honorable but he isn't at all honorable. He certainly has no integrity either. He will abandon any of his principles at the drop of a hat. He is just taking up space.

[thirteen13]

McCain is probly measuring her up for under the office desk when he becomes President.

In his wet dreams.

[anewdaypostdotcom]

Given the fact that serious journalist and pundits and even candidates can’t keep the words Osama and Obama separate, and in light of the heat Sen. Obama took over his statement that he would go after bin Laden inside of Pakistan, I say ‘if you want to catch Osama you’ve gotta vote Obama’. Well, that’s what my bumper sticker says. Want one? Just email me at [e-mail].

[scootwes]

From CNN: "Abu Laith al-Libi, a wanted al Qaeda terrorist, was killed in Pakistan by a CIA airstrike, three U.S. officials told CNN Thursday."
So, Mr McCain, your good buddy Bush already did, about 3 weeks ago, what you are condemning Obama for saying he would do as well.
Do you see the incredible hypocrisy in that? Maybe senility is setting in. Or maybe tomorrow you are going to condemn Bush for that secret airstrike in Pakistan? If so, I revoke my hypocrisy charge!

[anastasiabeaverhousen]

I am so fucking tired of one-sided reporting. george asshole w bush SAID THE EXACT SAME THING to wolf blitzer in 2006.

Insane Mccain needs to do his homework before he opens his aged mouth.

[Lisette]

anastasiab­eaverhouse­n
[Beautiful first name.]

McCain did his homework, but he forgot it. lol

[iPolitics]

"John McCain"s relationship with a female lobbyist underscores a paradox: Even as he embraces high ethical standards, his confidence in his own integrity sometimes seems to blind him to potential conflicts of interest."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/us/politics/21mccain.html?hp

[bogtrotters]

William Jennings Bryan was nominated by the Democrats and the Populists. McCain's on his way to being the nominee of both the Republicans and the soon-to-be-formed American Fuckwad Party.

McCain's War Hero credentials are going to wear out real quickly between now and this fall.

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: To The People of America

Senator John McCain February 20, 2008

The lesson of the Pequot War had been well- learned. Only by preparation and concerted action on the part of the colonists could they achieve security.

So the United Colonies came into being. A formal agreement was entered into by Massachuse­tts,Plymou­th,Connect­icut, and New Haven, by which each of the signatories was bound to furnish aid in the case of War waged against any one or more of their number.

The Purposes of the League are set forth in an introduction to the articles dated June 1643:

"Whereas we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aim, namely, to advance the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel in purity with peace; and, whereas, by our settling, by the wise providence of God, we are further dispersed upon the seacoasts and rivers than was at first intended, so that we cannot, according to our desire, with convenience communicate in one government and jurisdiction; and whereas we live encompassed with people of several nations and strange languages, which hereafter may prove injurious to us or our posterity, and natives have committed sundry insolences and outrages upon several plantations of the English; we,therefore, do conceive it our bounded duty, without delay to enter in a present consociation among ourselves for mutual help and strength in all future concernment, that as in nation and religion so in other respects, we be and continue one." By Clifford Smyth,'31 The Fight for Religious Freedom in America.

Eva Hart Christian In Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109 Rec job Sec of Defense 64

[evahartselftlanguages]

TO: To The People of America Continued
February 20, 2008

The book titled in above post Feb 20, 2008 The Fight for Religious Freedom is also called Roger Williams with author Clifford Smyth,'31 also author of The Gilded Man.

Eva Hart Christian In Army 62-70 670 Eddy St. Sfc 94109

[dotmafia]

"Bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran..." ~ John McCain

What an old senile fool McCain is.

It's disgusting but not a surprise that his campaign would distort and twist Obama's words around. Obama did not say he would bomb Pakistan, he said he would go after top Al Qaeda leaders without Pakistan's permission, if they had accurate intelligence and if Pakistan refused -- something which this current Bush "administration" has been doing all along (and just recently).

The world would be in greater danger if this war-mongering old fool becomes president.

VOTE OBAMA 2008!
_

[savertime]

McCain will blow a few gaskets between now and November. This is an angry, lunatic who is obsessed with bombing and war, war, war!!!

[plages]

Hey "old" man, your lying and twisting the truth again! Stop calling c rove on how to screw US! Senator Obama stated that if the United States had actionable intel on OBL, or other high-value targets inside Pakistan, and Musharraf was not willing to do something to act, then we would, or words to that effect, as we just did, under the CIA's direction, while under mister bush! By the way, its our "Constitution!" Sen. Obama, don't be to hard on the "old" guy, as he just might blow a major fuze!! Oh that's right mister mccain, you were in the navy, so that's why your swift boating Senator Obama. "Old" man, get your god damn story at least somewhat correct!!

[Emuh]

Here is what Senator Obama said: "There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf will not act, we will."

This utterance is deeply problematic. This kind of military action against Pakistan, the country with the second largest Islamic populations in the world, could result in many people, including innocent people, being harmed. It also could inflame many Muslims who are already angry at the US for the invasion of Iraq. This could result in greater violence in the world. And, as we see with the assassination of Benizir Bhutto, Pakistan is a society with internal turmoil. A US attack on Pakistan would make it harder to nurture the democratic impulses in Pakistan.

Although Obama didn't say he wanted to "bomb Pakistan," the utterance still is deeply problematic. Maybe he didn't want the US to drop bombs on Pakistan, but he at least wanted the US to take military action against people that are physically in Pakistan and take this action against the will of the Pakistan government. If the US were to take the action against Pakistan that Obama suggests, it most likely would result in greater hostility toward the US and could result in more violence.

And one could reasonably interrupt Obama as saying that there would be bombs dropped in Pakistan by the US. That is the what people usually mean when they talk about taking action against terrorists that are hiding in mountains, especially when the country taking the military action is taking the action against the will of the country in which the action is being taken. This military action likely would result in some people being harmed. And it may result in innocent people being harmed, as these so-called "surgical strikes" often result in innocent people being harmed. For example, when the US bombed Libya, Gaddafi's 15-month old adopted daughter Hanna was killed.

[MarkieBee]

Then I fully expect McCain to denounce the Bush administration's attack on the Al Qeada operative in Pakistan last week. Think he will? Was he even aware of the attack? Can someone in the media please ask him that BASIC F-in question?

[horacekent]

To the Great People of Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island & Vermont,

Please do us all a favor & finally close the door on the Clintons.

You're the Closers. Lets do this thing!

~HK

[Honza]

Mccain's brain has more than a touch of the Reagan's disease, hope he makes the pick of the Repugs presidential bid, by the end of this year his wife will have him committed, BOMB BOMB BOMB IRAN,sing it again John.

[lobear00]

Obama, do not get caught up in answering to the likes of John McCain, this guy is still living in the Reagan Era, and he is stuck there for the rest of his life.

Obama, you don't have to prove a thing,be yourself, Read the United States Constitution and abide by it, Defend it, and protect it. as you took the Oath to do. Stop Bush's little war and pull all troops out of Iraq's Country and put them back on United States Soil.

Then clean up the Justice Department, and go after and prosecute and convict all heads in the corrupt Bush administration. Then Rehire all the Fired US Attorneys assign them to start investigations into all the Corruption that took place in all three branches of Our Government.

[LeftLeanWing]

Since Obama is a Constitutional scholar and a former professor of Constitutional Law, he probably has it all memorized by now.