McCain just badly misstated the history of Pakistan. For someone claiming extensive foreign policy knowledge, this is simply not acceptable. McCain said Pakistan was a failed state before President Musharraf came to power. That is not true.
Musharraf took power in a military coup in 1999 when he diposed Nawaz Sharif - who recently participated in the latest election. The coup followed the 1999 war in Kashmir with India and was due to a power struggle with Sharif, not due to Pakistan being a "failed state." The United States did not welcome the Musharraf coup. Instead the government of the United States imposed sanctions against this action.
Remember Pakistan had nuclear weapons in 1999. Did McCain believe that there was a failed state that possessed nuclear weapons? If he did he showed no concern at the time. The fact is McCain made a huge gaffe and demonstrated he has little understanding if the region.
See Also:
The McCain-Kissinger Flip Flop
McCain's Reckless Response to Russia -- So Says Everybody
The problems in the last year in Pakistan have been due to Musharraf's connection with Bush's failed Afghan/Pakistan policies. Unfortunately Sen. Obama plans not only to follow but to expand on those policies. I suggest you research the reaction to Obama's statement about unilaterally crossing into Pakistan. They are not good and I suggest Sen. Obama tone down his rhetoric because Pakistan might be the deciding factor in this election.
"Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), speaking on CBS, said that releasing the F-16s -- which he supports -- was unlikely to affect Pakistan's decision" to test the nuclear bomb.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/southasia/stories/urge051898.htm
So, once again, was Senator McCain willing to supply nuclear-bomb capable F-16's to a nuclear-armed rogue "failed state"????? McCain asserts that Pakistan was a 'failed state" before 1999...implying that the coup resolved the problems (as a rebuttal to Obama's clear "direct pursuit" and "limited operation" statement).
And if he really thought that the Sharif/Bhutto-Zadari Parties were the ones which led to the "failed State" then it seems that he lacks awareness to what has happened in Pakistan over the last year!
It's clear that his statement was an utterly bogus attempt to respond to Obama by dissembling his own record and support of Pakistans military under any and all circumstances.
Now with a weak civilian government with the same corrupt people holding office I can assure you that within a year the army will be back.
#2. no one, anywhere, is talking about the US Neo-Con's 20 year JIHAD AGAINST Nuclear NON-PROLIFERATION, which US stupid arrogance
(a premeditated preference for CONFLICT over conflict resolution; i.e the "Bush Doctrine" of PRE-EMPTIVE WAR)
has FUELED the astounding resurgence in Nuclear weapons production since the oh-so optimistic (and now ancient) days when Reagan DECOMMISSIONED entire classes of US nuclear weapons at the end of the Cold War leading to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Or in plain English, Nancy Pelosi and the (AIPAC/Neo-Con) complicit DC Democrats are FAR MORE WARMONGERING than.. Republican President Ronald Reagan was!
And now - runaway NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION and inability to peacefully supervise Iran's nuclear program (and NO ONE supervises Israel's nuclear program) - we are paying the price.
BTW in 1998 Senator McCain supported the sale of nuclear-capable F-16's to Pakistan, in spite of the fact that they were preparing to test a nuclear weapon.
"Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), speaking on CBS, said that releasing the F-16s -- which he supports -- was unlikely to affect Pakistan's decision" to test the nuclear bomb.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/longterm/southasia/stories/urge051898.htm
So was Senator McCain willing to supply F-16's to a nuclear-armed rogue "failed state"?????
We have been a great civiliation in this country, filled with morality, reasoned judgement, ingenuity and even great art. Over the years since the issuing in of Reagan, the Republicans trickle down economics and everything can be solved with military might, our leaders including John McCain have lost their souls, hearts and minds to a belief that we can ignore our people and the needs of the country, fill the pockets of the rich and influental with gold and richs, rape and pillage the worlds resources again for the rich and powerful, quash illgitimate decent, lie and deceave our people and that somehow we as a culture will survive.
I have grave concerns for the direction of this country, John and the Republicans just don't care enough to even recognise the path they have put us all on.
I would also like to know how Mr. McCain saw the letters KGB in Mr. Putin's eyes when he could not even look into Mr. Obama's eyes?
LOL! Well said.
That being said, I was impressed by both candidates last eveing. John McCain, while I differ with him on nearly every issue, did not sound as crazy (albeit crazed) as I thought he was going to sound. He was not perfect, but he really surprised me with his energy and focus after the prior weeks events (some of John McCain's own making).
But I was really impressed with Barak Obama being extremely well versed on the foreign policy matters. He too may have made mistakes and/or I might disagree, but he at least is confident in his thought process and values focus. He was much more Presidential as exemplified by his agreeing with McCain - it showed respect while McCain seemed to be looking for a fight.
McCain also claimed that "the enemy" is al Queda . He also said that by pulling troops from Iraq (where al Queda didn't exist before the invasion and poses no problem at present), we will "Embolden the Enemy" and thereby "Lose the War in Iraq" which will in turn, "Embolden the Enemy" in Afghanistan too and make us lose there also.
Talk about twisted logic! How do you "Lose the War" by sending troops to fight your enemies? (Pulling them from where they're NOT needed to send them to where they ARE needed).
Someone should tell John McCain that the number of American soldiers available to fight wars is FINITE, and there AREN'T ENOUGH for both maintaining the USA's unnecessary occupation of Iraq (where al Queda ISN'T) and fighting al Queda in Afghanistan, where American soldiers ARE being attacked by al Queda.
Someone should also tell McCain that spending ten billion in Iraq in exchange for NOTHING we ever needed (unless you're an oilman like Bush) is bad for the economy.
So who doesn't understand?
Read About It
http://newsone.com/elections/article/mccain-called-bin-laden-a-freedom-fighters