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

[sassafra]

gee john you do??
oh i can't wait 'till you tell us how. you see none of us overhere on the other side of the aisle would know wehat to do with a trillion ollar budget to track down and either kill or arrest an old terrorist nutbar in a cave.

[CaptainVideo]

If he knows how to do it, why hasn't he told Bush?

To hold back information about how to catch him for political advantage is unpatriotic.

[instagladiator]

It's the other way around. "They" told Mc Twit to say this to build up his (coff coff) image.

[PALinda]

So, McCain knows how to catch Bin Laden. Congress, GW, the UN, no one wanted to hear it.

So know he's counting on the electorate to listen. EVERYONE should be insulted by this.

Lookin' more and more like a sacrifical lamb. Go gently, McCain.

[zendem1]

If grampa wants to find Bin laden he'll need a flashlight and a couple of shovels.

[JudeC]

If he knows how to do it, why for God's sake hasn't he done it already??

[nick1936]

VERY GOOD POINT JUST like Nixon had a secret plan to en the Nam war then more of our troops were killed while it continued to go on and on

[avidobserver]

make that "old man".

[PengieP]

It's because OBL is hiding on the Iraq/Pakistan border.

[doctorwang]

good one.

[XME]

Of course he won't "telegraph" specifics, because he has NONE. All he ever talks about is "winning" the war in Iraq (apparently he sees it as his second shot at winning Vietnam) but NOT ONCE has he said how he would do that. Even more importantly, NOT ONCE has he been able to even clarify what "winning in Iraq" is, which is a scary prospect, considering he will "never surrender". When he said 100 years, he meant it, and clearly it's all he really cares about (retribution).

[TurgidCaterwauling]

War, war, war. That's all I hear out of McCain's mouth. I have had enough of self-proclaimed war presidents and pronouncements that he is the only one who can keep us safe. No one can do that if an enemy is determined. All that happened after 9/11 was the realization that we had gaps in our security. The fix was to patch the holes. It didn't take Bush to do that. Any administration would have responed appropriately. However, someone else might not have taken his eye off the ball. McCain promises to continue a reign of fear-mongering while everything else is flushed away.

[FeelinGroovy]

Yes, and the holes have still not been patched. Having people remove their shoes and stealing their 4 oz jar of mustard is not the answer.

You know, they don't do that (make people remove their shoes) in Europe, only in the U.S. Go figure.

[lm945]

Actually, they do make you take off your shoes in Europe.

[TXOBAMAGIRL73]

Unless he is planned to crash a plane into the side of a Pakistanie Mountain he doesn't know jack slick. Take this as just the rambling of another old man talking about how it use to be in the olden days...When you could crash planes all willy nilly and get captured, then be called a hero even though you were a piss poor soldier to begin with. Probably never really want to be a soldier,but daddy made you be, because he was and his father was. Maverick my behind this man was a puppet and still is a puppet. A true maverick doesn't surround himself with people think that people struggling to make ends meet are whinners or that terrorist attacks on fellow citizens are good campaign boosters. Nor do they question another fellow citizens patriotism, just because they are having a bad week. People need to truely question what type of person do you want leading your country.

[biffer]

If he truly puts his country in front of himself wouldn't he have clued someone in on this sometime over the past 7 years? Or was he holding on to this great secret until it would benefit him the most?

[naschkatze]

My thought too. "I know how to catch Bin Laden, but I ain't tellin' until you elect me president. Otherwise, no go."

[Liberal2]

Do not mock John McCain. He has discovered bin Laden is hiding in Czechoslovakia.

[Verified]

"I know wars, I know how to win wars" Hmmm.....wars like....Viet Nam?

Will someone please explain to me why this man has a foreign policy reputation?

[ErnestineBass]

Ummm...because reality is foreign to him?

[RobertaInCT]

lol

[XME]

Because the MSM sucks...it's a myth they should have debunked by now!

[Jared137]

The CIA has bin laden on ice. They'll thaw him out when it is time to make his final showing.

[JRichter]

This statement needs explaining and follow up. McCain needs to share this secret with the American people without delay or be put on trial for treason. I would think he would give Bush a head's up. Is this like rather winning the election than capturing the real American foe.

[partyofone]

McCain needs to share his secret with the CIA and the Pentegon. If he knows how to catch bin laden why hasn't he told the Bush administration so they will do it? Why has he sat on this information and allowed bin Laden to continue to plot more terrorism?

John McCain is revealing himself to be on of the biggest hypcocrites in Amercian history. All week long he has been criticizing Obama's travels. A TalkingPointsMemo reader pointed out this little item.

from TIME, March 21st, 2008 ...
Flanked by fellow Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham, McCain noted they'd undertaken their week long fact-finding tour of Iraq, Jordan, Israel, England and France as members of Congress's Armed Services committee -- not as some sort of campaign foreign road show. Perhaps, but discussing international affairs with foreign leaders and enhancing McCain's presidential hopes aren't mutually exclusive. Still, McCain acted the apt pupil. "I wish every senator, every senator would make this same trip," McCain said, noting several of the first-hand educational experiences he'd gotten. "They'd be better informed."

[DaOne]

McStiggle couldn't catch a cold!

[Naithom]

He knows how to win wars? What wars has he won? And if he has known how to catch bin Laden, why has he waited so long to put this plan in place? I mean, no one on either side would say a word against him if he brought this murderer to justice. It would nearly insure him the presidency. So, what's he waiting for?

[RobertaInCT]

No it's the other way around, he has to be elected first.......

[Mykal]

O sama Bin La den is easy to catch if you know where to dig.

Before she was murdered, Ben azir B hutto said O mar She ikh killed O sama Bin La den. She stated this on Sir David Frost’s program “Frost over the World” on 02 Nov 07.

Here is the pertinent clip from the interview: http://youtube.com/watch?v=l01VgDPjAlE

Bin La den is nothing more than psy ops brought out from under the bed in the middle of the night to scare little children and voters with childish minds.

BTW, I’m expecting a “Bin La den’s Greatest Hits Vol 1” to be made available before the ’08 elections. It would make a great Christmas present.

[ErnestineBass]

We'll no doubt be hearing from Faux Bama the week before the election.

[ErnestineBass]

DRAT! That should have read "FauxSAMA"...8-o