(CNN) -- Sen. John McCain Monday faulted Sen. Barack Obama for downplaying the threat from Iran and again called the Democratic front-runner's judgment "reckless," the latest jabs in a foreign policy fight that could continue to the general election.
Sen. John McCain called Sen. Barack Obama's foreign policy toward Iran "reckless."
Obama's willingness to sit down with the Iranian president demonstrates Obama's lack of understanding of international relations, McCain said during a speech in Chicago, Illinois.
"Such a statement betrays the depth of Senator Obama's inexperience and reckless judgment," McCain said. "Those are very serious deficiencies for an American president to possess."
Obama quickly responded during a speech in Billings, Montana, asking why the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was afraid to talk to Iran and that it was the "Bush-McCain" war policy in Iraq, not diplomacy, that would make Iran stronger.
"Make no mistake, Iran is the single biggest beneficiary of a war in Iraq that should have never been authorized and should have never been waged," the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination said.
"Thanks to George Bush's policy, Iran is the greatest threat to the United States and Israel and the Middle East for a generation. John McCain wants to double down on that failed policy."
McCain said Obama did not have an appropriate grasp of the danger Iran poses to the U.S.
"Senator Obama claimed that the threat Iran poses to our security is 'tiny' compared to the threat once posed by the former Soviet Union," McCain said during a speech in Chicago.
"Obviously, Iran isn't a superpower and doesn't possess the military power the Soviet Union had, but that does not mean that the threat posed by Iran is insignificant.
"Should Iran acquire nuclear weapons, that danger would become very dire, indeed," McCain said.
McCain was reacting to a statement Obama made in Pendleton, Oregon, Sunday night while he was defending his view that he would step up diplomatic engagements with Iran -- potentially up to the presidential level -- if he became president. Video Watch McCain call Obama's judgment "reckless"
"Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, these countries are tiny compared to the Soviet Union," Obama said. "They don't pose a serious threat to us the way the Soviet Union posed a threat to us, and yet we were willing to talk to the Soviet Union at the time when they were saying we're going to wipe you off the planet.
"We should use that position of strength that we have to be bold enough to go ahead and listen. We might not compromise on any issue, but at least we should find out are there areas of potential common interest, and we can reduce some of the tensions that have caused us so many problems around the world," Obama said.
Obama said he was aware of the "grave" threat Iran poses to the United States, but that it was "common sense" that Iran is less of a threat today to the U.S. than the Soviet Union was during the Cold War.
Obama said just as Presidents John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan did during the Cold War, the U.S. should engage diplomatically with its enemies.
"Why shouldn't we have the same courage and confidence to talk to our enemies? That's what strong countries do. That's what strong presidents do," the senator from Illinois said.
"One of the things you have to ask yourself: What are George Bush and John McCain afraid of [in] demanding a country meets all of your conditions before you meet with them?" Obama said.
McCain's attacks on Obama are a continuation of a bitter fight over foreign policy that erupted between the two candidates last week.
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In a previous exchange, McCain blasted Obama for what he described as the Democrat's willingness to engage in unconditional talks with Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist group the U.S. has labeled as a terrorist organization.
Obama denied McCain's claim, saying he would only talk to Hamas if the group renounced its call for Israel's destruction.
So in McCain's universe, Iran is a tremendous threat, not as bad as the Soviet Union or China were, who we had talks with, but we can't afford to risk talks with them. . . .because they're such a tremendous threat. Sure, they don't have nukes, or the military might of the USSR. . .but they're a threat we can't afford to talk with and anyone who says otherwise is being naive!
"It's you Americans. There's something about nipples you hate. If this were Germany, we'd be romping around naked on the stage here."
More crap from a less amusing version of Grampa Simpson, and a sad reminder of what passes for political discourse in the US.
I imagine soon they'll be dusting off old lines and speeches, but replacing communism with fanatical Islam, USSR with Iran, and West Germany with Iraq.
"Oh no, oh yeah, tell me how can it be so fair
That we dying younger hiding from the police man over there
Just for breathing in the air they wanna leave me in the chair
Electric shocking body rocking beat streeting me to death"
- A.B. Original, Report to the Mist
"I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."
- George Carlin
If you'll excuse me, I'm going to hand out Darwin Awards for the 2008 Presidential candidates, with the obvious exception of Obama, in preparation for the inevitable day those idiots lead the US into a nuclear war.
Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.
They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
Sidewinder wrote:If you'll excuse me, I'm going to hand out Darwin Awards for the 2008 Presidential candidates, with the obvious exception of Obama, in preparation for the inevitable day those idiots lead the US into a nuclear war.
Something tells me that if Iran does get the bomb, talking to them will suddenly cease to be cowardly appeasement.
"Oh no, oh yeah, tell me how can it be so fair
That we dying younger hiding from the police man over there
Just for breathing in the air they wanna leave me in the chair
Electric shocking body rocking beat streeting me to death"
- A.B. Original, Report to the Mist
"I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."
- George Carlin
Sidewinder wrote:If you'll excuse me, I'm going to hand out Darwin Awards for the 2008 Presidential candidates, with the obvious exception of Obama, in preparation for the inevitable day those idiots lead the US into a nuclear war.
Something tells me that if Iran does get the bomb, talking to them will suddenly cease to be cowardly appeasement.
It wasn't when we did exactly that with the Norks.
The Gentleman from Texas abstains. Discourteously.
PRFYNAFBTFC-Vice Admiral: MFS Masturbating Walrus :: Omine subtilite Odobenus rosmarus masturbari Soy un perdedor.
"WHO POOPED IN A NORMAL ROOM?!"-Commander William T. Riker
Since when the hell will Iran -- nuclear or non-nuclear -- pose a dire threat to the United States? For all the US is maligned as top dog, it is just that: top dog. To my knowledge, there is nothing in the world right now that is capable of posing an existential threat to the US, save a 5 km asteroid.
You know, a little word-substitution might be in order here to get at what McCain actually means when he talks about threats to the US. Instead of the implied existential threat, replace "United States" or "United States' security" with "United States' interests". It's true that a nuclear Iran might pose a serious threat to US interests in the middle east, but that's hardly a threat to our security or, God forbid, our existence.
A Government founded upon justice, and recognizing the equal rights of all men; claiming higher authority for existence, or sanction for its laws, that nature, reason, and the regularly ascertained will of the people; steadily refusing to put its sword and purse in the service of any religious creed or family is a standing offense to most of the Governments of the world, and to some narrow and bigoted people among ourselves.
Surlethe wrote:Since when the hell will Iran -- nuclear or non-nuclear -- pose a dire threat to the United States? For all the US is maligned as top dog, it is just that: top dog. To my knowledge, there is nothing in the world right now that is capable of posing an existential threat to the US, save a 5 km asteroid.
Haven't you heard? Iran is actually just a front for SPECTRE.
When ballots have fairly and constitutionally decided, there can be no successful appeal back to bullets.
—Abraham Lincoln
People pray so that God won't crush them like bugs.
—Dr. Gregory House
Oil an emergency?! It's about time, Brigadier, that the leaders of this planet of yours realised that to remain dependent upon a mineral slime simply doesn't make sense.
—The Doctor "Terror Of The Zygons" (1975)
Surlethe wrote:Since when the hell will Iran -- nuclear or non-nuclear -- pose a dire threat to the United States? For all the US is maligned as top dog, it is just that: top dog. To my knowledge, there is nothing in the world right now that is capable of posing an existential threat to the US, save a 5 km asteroid.
You know, a little word-substitution might be in order here to get at what McCain actually means when he talks about threats to the US. Instead of the implied existential threat, replace "United States" or "United States' security" with "United States' interests". It's true that a nuclear Iran might pose a serious threat to US interests in the middle east, but that's hardly a threat to our security or, God forbid, our existence.
I think it's also worth pointing out that one of the United States "interests" in the Middle East is the security and prosperity of Israel, as if American foreign policy should be subordinated to Israel's desires. Israel is the tail that wags the American dog.
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
Surlethe wrote:Since when the hell will Iran -- nuclear or non-nuclear -- pose a dire threat to the United States?
Right-wingers are concerned Iran may attack Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, threatening American oil supplies (see Executive Orders).
You know, a little word-substitution might be in order here to get at what McCain actually means when he talks about threats to the US. Instead of the implied existential threat, replace "United States" or "United States' security" with "United States' interests". It's true that a nuclear Iran might pose a serious threat to US interests in the middle east, but that's hardly a threat to our security or, God forbid, our existence.
To government leaders, "interests" and "security" may seem one and the same, e.g., US interests in Persian Gulf oil fields are vital to US security (all those tanks, black helicopters, fighter-bombers, and Aegis cruisers need fuel, after all). Whether or not this is correct... Well, I'll leave that to more knowledgeable people.
Those gun nuts do not understand the meaning of "overkill," and will simply use weapon after weapon of mass destruction (WMD) until the monster is dead, or until they run out of weapons.
They have more WMD than there are monsters for us to fight. (More insanity here.)
It's so beautiful. The Right Wing Extremists have found their new USSR. Now they can finally not sleep at night, spending the time checking the closet for commies. Woe, those horrible years when no monolithic enemy waited, braying at the gates! How could they keep up their screed without it?
Manic Progressive: A liberal who violently swings from anger at politicos to despondency over them.
Out Of Context theatre: Ron Paul has repeatedly said he's not a racist. - Destructinator XIII on why Ron Paul isn't racist.
SirNitram wrote:It's so beautiful. The Right Wing Extremists have found their new USSR. Now they can finally not sleep at night, spending the time checking the closet for commies. Woe, those horrible years when no monolithic enemy waited, braying at the gates! How could they keep up their screed without it?
It's kind of a step down, isn't it? Compared to the Great Bear of the East, this is the Chuhuahua.
Darth Wong on Strollers vs. Assholes: "There were days when I wished that my stroller had weapons on it." wilfulton on Bible genetics: "If two screaming lunatics copulate in front of another screaming lunatic, the result will be yet another screaming lunatic. " SirNitram: "The nation of France is a theory, not a fact. It should therefore be approached with an open mind, and critically debated and considered."
Cornivore! | BAN-WATCH CANE: XVII | WWJDFAKB? - What Would Jesus Do... For a Klondike Bar? | Evil Bayesian Conspiracy
SirNitram wrote:It's so beautiful. The Right Wing Extremists have found their new USSR. Now they can finally not sleep at night, spending the time checking the closet for commies. Woe, those horrible years when no monolithic enemy waited, braying at the gates! How could they keep up their screed without it?
It's kind of a step down, isn't it? Compared to the Great Bear of the East, this is the Chuhuahua.
Shhhh. Don't ruin their moment. They can hallucinate the threat up in scale until it collapses.
Manic Progressive: A liberal who violently swings from anger at politicos to despondency over them.
Out Of Context theatre: Ron Paul has repeatedly said he's not a racist. - Destructinator XIII on why Ron Paul isn't racist.
SirNitram wrote:It's so beautiful. The Right Wing Extremists have found their new USSR. Now they can finally not sleep at night, spending the time checking the closet for commies. Woe, those horrible years when no monolithic enemy waited, braying at the gates! How could they keep up their screed without it?
It's kind of a step down, isn't it? Compared to the Great Bear of the East, this is the Chuhuahua.
Shhhh. Don't ruin their moment. They can hallucinate the threat up in scale until it collapses.
Why not scale it up to Germany? It's trying to establish a regional hegemony; It's absorbing chunks of a neighbouring, weak country (Iraq); They're establishing a puppet state (Lebanon under Hezbollah if Seniora's government falls, which is increasingly likely); And they're working on gaining a strategic advantage over their neighbours (Nukes).
Well, trying to fill up a power void by the US (OR kicking it out via "soft" power, and then establishing regional dominance) is more of an USSR thing. There, that should be the sort of arguments you'll see. (Even if it is all true).
The US only needs to worry about Iran if: A) They want to grab chunks of the ME for oil. (And we'd never see that happen, i'm sure ), and/or B) They don't want to see a middle east dominated by Iran.
Since, after all, [Oil aside], the ME is a flourishing area full of technology, food, natural resources and advanced nations who have much in common with the US. .
Photography Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
Compared to the Great Bear of the East, this is the Chuhuahua.