Major Gaffe: McCain Said Pakistan Was a Failed State

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

Read more reactions to the first presidential debate from HuffPost bloggers, including Nora Ephron, Bob Shrum, Madeleine Albright, Paul Reiser, Arianna Huffington, Sean Penn, Sheryl Crow, and more.

Comments

[DoTheMath]

Not only was Pakistan NOT a failed state in 1999 when Musharraf seized power, it WAS considered a failed state by some in 2006 WHILE Musharraf was in power and Bush was propping him up. Besides that, McCain's reference to the conditions under which Musharraf seized power, even if his facts had been correct, would not have been a logical response to Obama's statement. Obama was arguing that Bush's relationship with Musharraf was not effective - that it didn't help us to capture Bin Laden or flush any other terrorists out of their safe haven in Pakistan. That argument would still be true even if Musharraf had ridden into Pakistan on an angel's wing.

[mhutch47]

I'm sorry, but I haven't seen any posts re: what I believe to be a glaring missed opportunity for Obama during the Pakistan section of the debate. If it comes up again, Obama should be ready with, "I'm sorry John, but you notably said you would 'follow bin Laden to the gates of hell,' but somehow Pakistan is off limits when it comes to taking out the man who perpetrated the attacks on 9/11."

[Whinger]

Everybody knows who the failure is, and it sure aint Pakistan!

[said]

When exactly was Musharraf "exiled" due to a prior attempted coup? Musharraf was the army Chief on an official trip to Sri Lanka returing to Pakistan with his official Pakistani govenment delegation. He was not in exile. You obviously feel no fact checks are required by you. Stating false material does not automatically make it a fact.

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.

[Cinnamonape]

Sorry, Musharraf was returning because the coup was already in motion. Remember that Sharif had already exiled Musharraf for attempting a previous coup. And I never said that the sanctions began "after the coup"...they were certainly done after the nukes were tested. McCain opposed those sanctions...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. There began an effort to have Pakistan "pull back" because of the ensuing tests by introducing sanctions.

"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.

[said]

Strange that you say that considering 99 percent of Pakisan's citizens felt it was a failed state. There was jubllation in the streets when Musharraf took over (I can attest to that as I was in Pakistan at the time).The coup did not take place because of an Indian-Pakistani war in 1999 (there wasn't one....it was a border skirmish) The coup took place because Nawaz Sharif was not allowing the plane carrying Musharraf and 200 other passengers back from Sri Lanka to land at any airport in Pakistan with only 15 minutes of fuel left. Nawaz Sharif was willing to murder 200 people just to avoid Musharraf from coming back to Pakistan. In fact if you had done any research you would be aware that that was what Sharif was arrested for. Prior to the coup Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves were less than $200 million while the Swiss bank accounts of Sharif and Bhutto/Zardari were in the billions. Despite the sanctions by the US which incidentally began not after the coup but after Pakistan tested their first nuclear device, Musharraf managed to get the economy back on track. Foreign investment was flowing into the country and the stock market was flourishing. Musharraf's popularity and downward spiral started when he signed on with the US as an ally after 9/11.

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.

[lwfky]

I think the more extraordinary admission from McCain was that Americans have tortured people during this administration. And McCain, after battling against this for most of his career, than allowed passage of laws that continued to allow certain agencies to torture.

[CitizenInformed]

This is the first time McCain has gaffed on that region. Remember his confusing Shia with Sunnis? And he's supposed to be the one in the know? Not!

[asmabintmarwan]

Pakistan is for all practical purposes a failed state. It was and still is. The real danger is when it becomes a collapsed state. According to a popular but rather humorless Pakistani joke, "all countries have armies, but here, an army has a country." Even when civilian governments have nominally been in charge, the army, elements of which have been infected with a jihadi mindset, has been and is an entity that makes its won decisions and answers to no one. In addition to holding political power, the Pakistani army controls vast commercial and industrial interests and owns massive rural and urban properties. If a nuclear device was to go off in any city in either Europe or the US, it will come with a made in Pakistan/Iran tag.

[veracity]

Possibly/probably true... BUT! the Fact that Sunni Pakistan would in any way find itself aligned with Shiite Iran is just evidence of the remarkable failure of US diplomacy during the Bush-Cheney administration.

#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.

[SaltySaltillo]

WAIT - We are all misunderstanding. Rep. Wilson of New Mexico is now explaining that what McCain MEANT was that there are tribal regions on the Afghan border that are not fully under federal Islamabad control, effectively autonomous, unruled, "Wild West" regions inside the sovereign's borders, and for that reason, Pakistan is a "Failed State." Get that? (Of course, no one is asking if by that logic Pakistan REMAINS to this day a "failed state")

[Cinnamonape]

And of course, Heather Wilson ignores the fact that McCain was attacking Obama for saying just what she asserted McCain "meant"...i.e. that those areas are not controlled by the central government, largely as a result of Musharraf needing the support of the Islamists and feudal tribal leadership to hold his military government intact.

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"?????

[jackinhack]

Absolutely right on. Daily as I listen to the Republicans, McCain andBush, I am reminded to re-read the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire.

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.

[IcedTee63]

Yeah just re-write history to suit your needs there John.

[ArcticOne]

Hmmmm.. Musharraf overthrew a democratically elected government. If that is the criteria for a failed state then so be it! Musharraf seized power because of widespread institutionalized corruption that was prevalent form the Prime Minister down. So by this criteria of a failed state, so is USA!

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?

[Ponzipuppet]

"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.

[ProudLiberalDemocrat]

McCain accused Obama of being naive, but the K.G.B./Putin from McCain line had me a bit un-nerved.

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.

[dhinds]

A McCain adviser stated on CNN that they spent a lot of time preparing the John to state that "Senator Obama doesn't understand". As a result, that became McCain's response to every question asked, regardless of the question or Obama's response to the question posed. While Obama focused on the issues, McCain insisted that "Obama doesn't understand. That is a debate? The same canned, inaccurate response to every question? A parrot can do that.

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?

[BarackMarley]

What about his gaffe when he called Bin Laden's mujahideen freedom fighters? The freedom fighters who drove the russians out of Afghanistan were ;ed by bin Laden

Read About It
http://newsone.com/elections/article/mccain-called-bin-laden-a-freedom-fighters