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

[Mike169]

Bomb, Bomb, Bomb
Bomb, Bomb Iranistan.

Why not - bombs don't kill people - Jesus does.

[Plowboy]

There are many things that John doesn't seem to get. Some of my old friends have gotten that way, too. Nothing to be ashamed of, John, it comes with the territory. Some of us are just too damned old. Note that I liked Ike. He was a good president.­He warned us about the military-i­nndustrial complex when most didn't know what he was talking about. But he wasn't able to oppose its growth. And he also allowed an action that he later called shameful. He allowed the CIA to set up the overthrow of the democratically elected, progressive government of Mossadeq in Iran to install the dictator Shah and his secret terrorist police, the Savak. If he had been quick enough and strong enough to keep to his values, we might have there now a great bastion of democracy. Do you like what resulted better?

Be sure your sins will find you out! And the sins of the father will be visited upon the children and the children's children. Yea, unto the third and fourth generation. We don't want other nations to rule us against our will. Neither do they wish us to dictate to them. Do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Good policy. Ever think of it?
A presidency of his would add to the shame we should be feeling for the sins recent American administrations are guilty of. Along with all the bigotry practiced here at home. Stuff I grew up seeing in Mississippi.
But I was lucky! I wasn't Black. I could escape that stuff you want me to be proud of.
Our nation has been far from perfect. It isn't so perfect now that be should be seeking hegemony over the others. That is part of the message McCain doesn't get. The other part is that we will defend ourselves when required to do so, and in doping that we will nnot be held from needed actions by some small (would be) dictator who offers "us" some temporary corporate advantages.

[Plowboy]

This isn't baseball we care talking about. You can't hit them where they ain't. You have to hit them where they are. There were no Al Qaeda in Iraq when Bush launched the war Mr. McCain so dearly loves. Now there are. Call that progress?
But when there is a real threat to us, we need to act and no little dictator, no matter how corporate friendly he be, should stand in our way. Some I know have looked at the wrong end of a gun in this country held by others calling themselves patriotic Americans, and all because they dared talk about equality of rights and such nonsense. I hold to a different form of patriotism than those, and than the Bushists whom McCain bows down to. But John is old. I am too. We old folks need to leave things to younger ones, to those quick and steady enough to keep in mind what our nation is about, and to reason logically concerning what we need to be doing to attain the goals we have.
I can respect old John. I am glad that I was not captured and emprisoned as he was. But for the life of me, I cannot see that giving him any right to my support when he is so wrong.
Courage to speak truth, caution concerning irreversable actions: those are some of the things my very Intelligent Mother taught me to respect even more than age. Even I had the ability to grow old. And i think my Mother woulod have advised us further: no hothead for president.
But I ramble. Old folks do.

[coonce]

It is U.S. policy that if our enemy is in Pakistan and Pakistan will not act -- we will.

Obama's words almost to the T.

Coonsey's View
www.freewebs.com/coonsey/

P.S.

The whole gist of this comment coming from McCain is the FACT that we had JUST bombed inside Pakistan YESTERDAY MORNING - does he not READ what HIS congress and President is doing?

[snowcat]

Remember that "oldie but goody"tune by McCain??? It went something like this" Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran" It's on youtube!!!

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=o-zoPgv_nYg

[dlswriter]

McBush is folowing exactly the 2000 Rove smear campaign. Next, he'll accuse Obama of fathering a black child.

[PaulRaymond]

Oh yeah, I get it. Obama is the crazy bastard hell-bent on more war. Yeah, yeah. That's what he wants. Psst...Joh­nnie, get a clue, and then get lost.

[Dandy12]

Don't worry, McCain would surely bomb someone new. His campaign is full of fear and negativity. If you love Bush, you'll like McCain. He'll finance all this war with selling T-Bills to the Chinese and creating further indebtedness for ourselves and our posterity. Watching him is about as exciting as watching a geriatric hamster on a spinning wheel. He considers our (Bush's) efforts as "progress". Very sad indeed...

The mountainous region of Pakistan is a tribal nether-region and is beyond any control of any other than tribal government. Should there be a good Al-Queda target there, why not bomb or use a cruise missle? Musharaff (or whoever is in power) will still fill his/her pockets with our money. They are are stealing from us (and we let them) over there (in the Mid-East) anyway.

[coonce]

Obama's comments follow the U.S. Policy -- ask Senator Biden who helped write the bill.

[broadsword]

Right. Um, isn't McCain a) old and b) crazy?

[HowietheScreamer]

Yes, but he's the best the Repubics have... ain't sayin much... but there it is.

[JoeBlough]

McCain is a jerk. The Bush org. in the 2000 camapign said McCain was insane. Did he suddenly get better? Or did the bar get lowered after 7 years of Bush?

[KidMeNot]

My friends...

[bobdob]

I anyone's being naive, it's McCain. He seems to be suggesting that if he is president and he knows the exact whereabouts within Pakistan of Osama Bin Laden, he wouldn't act unless the Pakistani government said it was OK. And THAT is how he's going to keep us safe from terrorism?

I don't get his nonsense about not broadcasting what you're going to do. What could possibly be the problem if the president says, "I intend to hunt down Osama Bin Laden and take him out no matter where he's hiding"? Maybe McCain thinks we shouldn't warn him?

[OwenScottIII]

Did I miss something here? Didn't we just bomb Pakistan to kill an al-Qaeda leader without Pakistan's permission? Does that mean McCain thinks we shouldn't have done it? Now I'm all confused..­..

Owen Scott, Baton Rouge, LA

[HowietheScreamer]

Especially since the Paki government is totally infiltrated with Taliban and Al Qaida supporters.

In a way you can say McStain is SUPPORTING safe havens for Al Qaida.

[cambio]

Let me guess, closely followed by "Clinton says Obama wants to bomb Pakistan", since they are trading talking points for their double team of Obama, I wouldn't be surprised.

[helonias]

And John McCain will trow his empty Geritol bottles at him or at least in that direction

[Fentwin]

GERITOL'

Also known as "Fossil Fuel". :)

[Citizenofreality]

Obama never advocated bombing Pakistan but here's something John McCain DID say: "bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran." It is interesting to note that one of the candidates for the office of POTUS thinks that something as serious as this is a joke.

[Zhonni]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha! He did say that did he not?

We are going to eat his lunch or maybe eat him for lunch!

[helonias]

F*ck you John McCain.

Tell us what you are going to do.

[ecotopian]

Didn't he sing a little ditty about bombin' Iran?

[fearwig]

John McCain paints Barack Obama as an insane warmonger. Can the world get any stranger?

Next, Barack will have to accuse McCain of being "too black for the White House", or something equally nonsensical.

[democritus]

this is obama's opportunity to point out that the R's are weak and stupid on terror since they didn't try to get Osama but left it to the Af and Pakistani mercenaries. Instead they invaded Iraq for the oil. Also, Clinton (Bill) failed to take out Osama when he had many opportunities. If Obama takes hold of this issue he will win. If he fails on this point, I predict the Repos will successfully paint him as a clueless pleaser without a plan to defend the US from an enemy which has only grown stronger under Bush.