Nunn: Pakistan Is Our Most Dangerous Conflict

Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival last week, former Sen. Sam Nunn warned that while the world is focusing on Iraq and Afghanistan, Pakistan was the "most dangerous and most difficult" security situation facing the United States. During the same panel, former Secretary of State Colin Powell said that the next President -- whether McCain or Obama -- would have to continue drawing down forces because "the U.S. cannot sustain this level of deployment indefinitely."

Nunn and Powell also touched on other topics, including the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which both men helped craft. While Nunn said he was proud of the gays and lesbians who have served, he declined to endorse a repeal of the policy. Powell agreed.

Watch the full exchange between the two men below:

Comments

[wayoutleft]

this is a debate about which country to invade. if you are a conservative- it's iraq. if you're a liberal it's pakistan. if you believe in diplomacy, peace and cultural exchange- you're a wimpy, pacifist, fringe, troll, lumped together with eisenhower, dag hammerskjold, george kennan, dean rusk and similar left-wing radical trash way out of the mainstream. of course i understand that they weren't facing a major threat like pakistan. all they had to worry about is soviet russia. i agree that the soviet army control of half the globe and 7000 nuclear warheads was small beans compared to the mighty pakistani threat we're bravely facing today.

[TXfemmom]

Say what you like, Pakistan is the clear and present danger that Iraq was not, and Iran is not at this time. Most experts say that Iran is several years from being close to a nuclear weapon.

Pakistan helped the Taliban and Al Qaeda and sold their nuclear stuff like candy, including those nuclear bomb warhead designs. They are currently letting the Taliban and Al Qaeda run their Western provinces unimpeeded, and they have Muslim extremists within their military.

Pakistan should have been the target instead of Iraq, and their nuclear bombs and facilities should have been neutralized with non-nuclear attacks, which could have been done. Even Iran would have understood that. Now, we are weak and thinking Iran, Iran, Iran, when it should be get the heck out of Iraq, let the Saudis and Iranians fight over that, and let's let our troops rest, send in enough to Afghanistan to finish the job and neutralize Pakistan's nuclear program, with tactical bombing, not nuclear weapons.

[nk007]

It is true that Collin Powell enabled the invasion of Iraq. From what I hear that is one of his greatest regret. I wish he could say so openly. But is he wrong in suggesting that Iraq is draining the military? San Nunn, Colin Powell should share the blame on the discriminatory policy of gays in the military. However the ultimate blame rests with Bill Clinton. Yet I never heard all the clinton lovers, that are now crucifying Obama over FISA, accuse Clinton of "betrayal, and flip-flop." While I fundamentally disagreed with Clinton on this issue, I still believe that the country in general, and gay people in particular, were better off with Clinton as president instead of George H.W. Bush. So with all due respect to Obama bashers that supported Clinton, are you willing to examine Clinton's record on compromising with Republican on such issues as Gays in the military, gay marriage, welfare, and a whole host of others. Also Check out Bill Clinton's proposed bill to fight terrorism following the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma!

[pie8ter]

Powell is still lying that intelligent community gave him, the Bush administration and the world bad report on Iraq. Then why Germany, France, Russia and other countries didn't join the illegal invasion if they also have the same intelligent you also received. If Powell wants to salvage his dignity, he is going to have to come clean and tell the truth that Bush lied about Iraq. Scott McClellan told what he knew to be lies and came clean. I am sure he will get some considerations by Peter when he is at the pearly gate. George "the war criminal" Bush butchered more than 4000 American lives and tens of thousands of innocent Iraqi men/women/children for his ego and neocon ideology. He will never get close to the Pearly Gate no matter what he does. He will go the way Hitler went.

[ProfessorVP]

I digress a little, folks, but when Bill Clinton ran for president in 1992, he promised to end the gay ban in the military by executive order, the way Harry Truman ended racial segregation in the military. Clinton didn't promise to discuss the matter with Sam Nunn and Colin Powell, and let them decide.
So, there's enough blame to go around.

[falco]

Good. Maybe the truth about Pakistan and its involvement with 911 will surface.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO111A.html

[Manni]

There are too many righties and lefties who believe the Paks are their true friends!

[mcjacksonnelson]

didn't biden say this about 8 months ago?

[InfinteShibumi]

Biden said a lot of things. He also voted for the war. To his credit, he regrets the vote. Also, very much to his credit the idea that Iraq might be best served by regionalizing the country into three: Sunni, Shia and Kurd. No better idea has surfaced since.

[Rog49Thomas]

Biden's plan for Iraq may look good because of the intellectual poverty of his competitors.

But then when compared to Paris and Britney, Bill O'Reilly might appear to some to be a "blooming genius".

But that doesn't make it so.

Iraq was doing quite fine as a nation until we came in a broke it.

Sadly, blaming the victim is often the defense of those who don't want to admit their responsibility.

[demfriend]

Neither of these guys has a strong enough record for me to care. Once upon a time Powell was a man who I thought I could trust but he lied again and again to sell the war based on the same. Nunn wrote the "don't ask" bill and I can tell you there are many homosexuals I would rather take to a battle than some of these pansies who are calling themselves important people. The "Don't ask" bill is another sad point in this country that in war time will turn to those who have jail time and can barely read than to those who would proudly serve us as soldiers. No use for these guys at all...

[WMcP]

I couldn't agree more. Doesn't the man who brought us Iraq by laying his prestige on the line at the UN understand that all our European NATO allies have had no issue with the sexual orientation of their military men and women for some years? More hearings! Of course. Just what we need. More hearings, more studies, more drivel from the mouths of generals who ought to have the grace to keep quiet. Watching these videos is like a visit to Jurassic Park.

[esquire07]

Sam Nunn : Inbred Southern trash Homophobic bigot and supporter of "Don't Ask Don't Tell." Perhapsthe bigot Sam Nunn is eyeing the VP job... haven't heard from his trash talking mouth in a long time.

Collin Powell: Betryaed his Nation and lied before the world about Iraqi WMD. Thanks for such an enlightened analysis you War Criminal... does not take a Rocket Scientist to figure out the US cannot sustain the illegal occupation of Iraq. Powell lied, US troops die.

Who really cares what these peieces of trash have to say ?

[scottarino]

"Inbred Southern trash Homophobic bigot " "bigot Sam Nunn "..................pot/kettle/black syndrome ladies and gentlemen, thanks for the example esquire07. What's in store for us next? Racial diatribes? or just good old fashioned idiocy? Perhaps later you can delve more deeply into the "know-it-all" complex.

[susane07]

Duh.

[mergina]

Anyone who can count could figure that one out.

[trollsbwild]

Well, duh! Pakistan has nukes and a cleric committee that has control of them. BTW, OBL is there, too, with the blessing of the government. Not a very comforting thought, is it?

[rabprevent]

I WOULD NOT ADVOCATE PUTTING COLIN ONTHE TICKET BECAUSE THIS COUNTRY CAN BARELY HANDLE ONE BLACK MAN RUNNING FOR OFFICE ( the old heads at least) LET ALONE TWO. HOWEVER FROM A STRATEGIC POINT, WHAT WOULD THE REPUBS SAY ABOUT COLIN TO DISCREDIT HIM? HE SERVED UNDER THEM AND THEY LOVED HIM UNTIL HE LEFT THEM AFTER HE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE NOTHING BUT LIARS. UNLESS THEY ARE WILLING TO ADMIT THAT THEY LIE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTRY, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TOO MUCH NEGATIVE TO RUN WITH WITHOUT SHOWING THEIR OWN TRUE COLORS

HE CAN MAKE BETTER ARGUMENTS THAN MCCAIN ABOUT ACTUALLY RUNNING A MILITARY AND IS CONSIDERED A CONSERVATIVE.

[functor]

why you are shouting??

[HopeandChange]

Lefties love Powell even though it was his man, Armitage, that "leaked" Valarie Plame's name.

[edwarvir]

General Colin Powell told us 8 years ago he would not could not run for
the vice presidency because his wife did not want him too. He has never changed
that position so ole Johnny War Note can go sing somewhere else. GOOD!!!

I hope he supports Senator O!!!!!!!!!

[BhunduBoy]

Remember Powell? That murderous liar of WMDs?

[InfinteShibumi]

Except that he didn't know that he was lying...BTW, does that even qualify as an actual "lie" if you don't know that you're doing it?

[wadenelson1]

Everything I've seen on 60 Minutes and read since suggests he DID know he was lying.
Want me to back it up with URLS or want to go do your own research?

[HopeandChange]

The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein"s nuclear program " a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium " reached this Canadian port Saturday, completing a secret U.S. operation that included an airlift from Baghdad and a voyage across two oceans.

The removal of about 550 tons of "yellowcake" " the seed material for high-grade nuclear enrichment " was a significant step toward closing the books on Hussein"s nuclear legacy.