John McCain: I Know How To Catch Bin Laden

With reporting by Rachel Weiner

Last week, John McCain proclaimed that he knew how to win wars. Today, he's taking it a step further, telling voters that he not only knows how to capture and bring to justice Osama bin Laden, but is going to do it.

Appearing on the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, the Arizona Republican was reminded that he had vowed to bring Osama bin Laden to justice and was asked how he would differ in that task from President Bush.

Initially saying that he would not "telegraph" the specifics, McCain declared, "Look, I know the area, I've been there, I know wars, I know how to win wars, and I know how to improve our capabilities so that we will capture Osama bin Laden -- or put it this way, bring him to justice... We will do it, I know how to do it."

Proclaiming that he will capture the elusive terrorist leader -- and knows how to do it -- is a fairly bold assertion and leads to the question: what information is McCain holding back from the Bush administration?

But the Senator has made broad foreign policy promises before. This past week he told a crowd in Albuquerque, New Mexico: "I know how to win wars. I know how to win wars... And if I'm elected President, I will turn around the war in Afghanistan, just as we have turned around the war in Iraq, with a comprehensive strategy for victory, I know how to do that."

In today's CNN interview, McCain suggested that a Nuremberg Trial-style hearing for bin Laden would be appropriate upon his capture.

"We have various options. The Nuremberg Trials are certainly an example of the kind of tribunal that we could move forward with. I don't think we'd have any difficulty in devising an international -- internationally supported mechanism that would mete out justice. There's no problem there."

Early in the campaign, it should be noted, McCain went hard after Barack Obama for saying that Bin Laden should not be a "martyr." Obama also suggested Nuremburg as a model -- to which McCain replied that Obama didn't understand the reference.

Comments

[robiform]

01:20 PM on 07/27/2008

Reading comments on this thread has been an enlightening experience for me! Has anyone else noticed that the trolls haven't commented here yet?? I guess the talking points machine took the weekend off!!

[NatteringNabob]

10:48 AM on 07/27/2008

Nothing the Repubes have said and done since 9/11 convinces me they have any intent or desire to capture OBL and his merry band and bring them to justice.

Why? You'll have to ask them. But OBL does make a dandy boogyman. And a good boogyman does come in handy while fear-mongering.

[tipiglen6]

11:10 AM on 07/27/2008

It's the same with the Israeli Regime and Peace. It would be the end of a useful excuse for violence.

http://www.nuerble.com/bl/str9.htm
and
http://www.nuerble.com/bl/str25.htm

[ROBOT8]

10:36 AM on 07/27/2008

THERE WERE NO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, THERE ARE NO TALIBAN IN IRAQ, THERE IS OIL IN IRAQ, IN IRAN, IN AFGANISTAN AND IN TURKEY, THERE IS NO MORE MONEY LEFT IN THE TREASURY. WE ARE ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE. RUSSIA IS EXPANDING, WEALTHY AND POWERFUL. CHINA IS EXPANDING,WEALTHY AND POWERFUL. INDIA IS EXPANDING ,WEALTHY AND POWERFUL.........................AMERICA IS CONTRACTING, POOR AND IMPOTENT

[hjo4]

10:24 AM on 07/27/2008

John McCain has allowed American soldiers die and cost us TRILLIONS of dollars in order to win this election. He's withholding information that we'd waterboard terrorist for not telling us, yet he's the Republican nominee for President. Go figure.

[scooperss]

10:23 AM on 07/27/2008

All that cheese gave him an idea for a really, really big rat trap.

[Daly]

10:05 AM on 07/27/2008

this is like when you take ole uncle Archie to the Dr, he back seat drive tell you he was driving before you were born, once you get to the Dr. Uncle Archie is quite and cooperative but on the way home Archie says, I ain't listen to that quack, he was a foreigner and besides I have shoes older than him.

Back home as you help Uncle Archie into the house, he says , be taking care of myself for these many years, I know how to do it; I know how to drive better than you, and I know more than that Dr.

Pride falleth

[guyfrombrooklyn]

09:53 AM on 07/27/2008

- I can fix the economy
- I can solve energy problems
- I can win the war
- I can find Public Enemy #1
- I can unify the Allies

Jeez. What's next?

- I can solve all hunger?
- I can eradicate poverty?
- Cure all disease?

At least we know he CAN'T end all wars...he has specifically said to MY FRIENDS that he's sorry there will be more wars.

That kinda takes world PEACE and global UNITY (even if improbable) right off the table with McCain, Huh?

[andvoodoo2]

05:25 PM on 07/27/2008

What was precluding him from doing all of this as a Senator?

[OneArizonan]

09:48 AM on 07/27/2008

Friends, I will personally heal every wounded American hero... I know how to cure cancer... and I will find that Holy Grail... what else d'ya need? Remember, I've only got eight years, and I've got wars to win and a budget to balance in my first term.

Secret plan to capture Bin Laden: tell Cindy to bring me his head on a platter. Suggest dancing for the mujahedin. Probably should bring beer, too.

Should make list of wars I've won-- people are beginning to get curious.

[loax]

09:39 AM on 07/27/2008

If you know how to catch Bin Laden, why have you not the Government how and when to get him? How long have you been hanging on to this little piece of info? You, McCain, would rather let a terroist roam Afghanistan, plot more attacks, and recruit more midguided peopl, rather than upholding your duty as an American soldier and Senator to capture this guy. What do you want to do, give him another 5 months, let him do more potential to the world until after you "might" steal this election to make you look like the great american hero? What a fraud you are Senator, and if what you claim is true, you sir, are a traitor!!!!!

[hjo4]

09:30 AM on 07/27/2008

Good, since he'll be on CNN with Blitzer maybe Wolf can get this secret out of him, if Wolf has the balls to hold McSame to the fire with this statement. Since he knows how to catch bin laden and hasn't told us yet, that puts his honesty and patriotism into question, does it not. He could've saved the lives of some of the fallen troops. Isn't this treason?.He proved he's not Presidential material, once again.

[CologneCitizen]

09:33 AM on 07/27/2008

Bin Laden is probably hiding in McBain's hamster cheeks.

[Angelika]

08:42 AM on 07/27/2008

He sounds more like a freshman trying to convince a girl he can find the G-spot.

[billy11]

08:26 AM on 07/27/2008

Knows how to catch Bin Laden? Knows how to win wars? Why has he waited 7 years to tell us this. If he really knows these things, shouldn't he have shared this with people that could use this information to stop this war, bring our troops home, and stop Bin Laden? What possible reason could justify not bringing this information to the administrations attention years ago? Or, maybe this is just bluster like his twin brother. i.e, "Mission Accomplished", "Bring em on!"

[oncethere]

10:43 AM on 07/27/2008

Good point. It's empty arrogance, is all it is, in addition to being evidence of a creeping grandiosity.

[CocteausTwin]

08:04 AM on 07/27/2008

About the only thing this guy could catch is a cold.

[susquehannastudio]

07:54 AM on 07/27/2008

Has anyone mentioned "put salt on his tail?"