McCain criticizes Obama for wanting Iran talks

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

CHICAGO, May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate John McCain accused Democratic front-runner Barack Obama on Monday of underestimating the threat posed by Iran and ridiculed his pledge to meet Iran's leader if elected.

McCain, in a theme likely to play out in the campaign for the November election, sought to portray Obama as too inexperienced to be trusted as commander in chief.

...

But as he began his speech, he departed from his prepared remarks to criticize Obama, saying the Illinois senator who is on the cusp of winning the Democratic presidential nomination had said the threat posed to U.S. national security by Iran was small compared to that of the Cold War-era Soviet Union.

McCain said Iran obviously is not a superpower and does not possess the military power the former Soviet Union had, "but that does not mean that the threat posed by Iran is insignificant."

He accused Iran of seeking nuclear weapons -- Tehran denies this -- and said it is providing some of the deadliest explosive devices used in Iraq to kill U.S. troops, is sowing discord in the Middle East and would like to destroy Israel.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19543985.htm

[TwilightGardener]

1. Yep, Gramps--obviously the answer is to IGNORE them completely, when not

threatening to OBLITERATE them. Then, of course, when they finally DO develop nuclear weapons (which we might have had a chance to avert if we had opened carrot/stick discussions), we'll act the way we have to do with North Korea (kid gloves), or we'll...obliterate them. Good plan, Fuckface.

[truthisfreedom]

2. McSame pauses to put words in Obama's mouth.

Typical bullshit.

[gateley]

3. He just needs to be shown George Oilwellian's YouTube video --

that should shut him up.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Quantess]

5. Watch this!

Chris Matthews rips an idiot RW talk show host a new one, for not knowing what he's talking about. It's amazing.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

4. Would he say the same about St. Ronnie and the Evil Empire?

[bluestateguy]

6. He needs to reject and denounce Mike Hucklebee's remarks

This issue is not over.

[Maine-i-acs]

7. This just in: McCain can't find his car keys.

Fortunately he can still amass enough phony bluster and pre-manufactured outrage to get his pasty mug on a TV screen near you.

[Deny and Shred]

17. Agreed. You reminded me of Dennis Millers best joke ever.

About 20 years ago (wow, I feel old) he said "Reagan is 77 and has access to the button. My grandfather is 77 and my family won't let him near the remote control."

[ToughLuck]

8. McCain scrambling to appear intelligent. I can't help wonder what conversations

are like within his campaign.Lieberman coaching him on the Zionist point of view maybe.

[denverbill]

9. Hey John. We should re-invade Vietnam then too, shouldn't we?

After all, Vietnam posed an imminent threat to us back in 1960, because if it fell to the commies, then Thailand, Indonesia and the whole Pacific Rim would topple like dominoes and the whole area would be commie. Well, John, the commies won, so shouldn't your highest priority be invading them and preventing the other dominoes from falling? Or are you too busy shaking hands and partying with top Vietnamese officials when you are there signing trade deals with them?

Tell you what idiot. How about this time we skip the 15 years and 50,000 dead Americans, and just jump right ahead to shaking hands and partying with them while you do trade deals?

What would have been different about relations between Vietnam and the US had we won the war? If it's OK to lose a war to someone, then 20 years later, be shaking hands and doing business with them, why the hell go to war in the first place?

[Winterblues]

16. If the USA had not talked with North Vietnam McCain would still be sitting in some cage.

What a maroon....

[BigDaddy44]

10. This is actually good

Let McCain draw the clear distinction and then let the voters decide. McCain says no talking, just finger pointing and bullying. Obama says lets at least hear what they have to say. I say lay it out like that and let the people choose with their votes. Sounds like a no brainer to me.

[MAGICBULLET]

19. in a way it's actually bad

because now he's pandering to the Cubans, and souping them up purposely on their independence day. Pure bullshit. I hope Barack squashes this quickly and is able to counter this garbage. If he's simply willing to talk to Raul Castro they will bash him.

<http://www.denverpost.com/ci_9321906?source=rss >

~
McCain said Tuesday in Miami. "So it's dangerous; it's dangerous to American national security if you sit down and give respect and prestige to leaders of countries that are bent on your destruction or the destruction of other countries. I won't do it, my friends." A woman in the audience applauded McCain's position: "For that, believe me, Florida will be yours," Ninoska Perez Castellon told McCain. She is a radio commentator for the anti-Castro station Radio Mambi.
~

[Doctor_J]

11. Yawn. Obama will fire back within 24 hrs, and McDrool will fall

father behind than he already is. The Fear Era is over.

[vivalarevolucion77]

12. Hillary and Edwards demanded certain conditions before talking to these leaders

I think in this particular case they were right and Obama was wrong.

See how each Democrat answered the question of meeting with these kinds of leaders:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=x1dSPrb5w_k

[Dogtown]

15. I disagree

We've pushed enough; time to extend the palm frond. If it's rejected, we're no worse off and at least look civilized.

If it initiates a dialogue, we'd all be better off.

[flakey_foont]

13. maybe we should deal with Iran

just like Reagan did - behind the backs of Congress, lying to the American people, breaking the law....would that make you happy, McCain, ya old fart?
I would love to see that meme being pushed - Reagan 'appeased' the Iranians

[bdamomma]

14. mc insane just continuing the bush pnac plan.

he can go to hell to, all he can talk about is Iran and not talking, what kind of BS is that? not to talk to your enemies what total BS, and Ahmadinejad does not have all the power as some believe the clerics/mullahs have more power than him.

[LynnTheDem]

18. Yes, because it takes brains and dedication to peace to meet with & talk to other nations' leaders.

It's ever so much easier to just send other peoples' kids to kill other nations' kids, ain't it, mccain.

[fshrink]

20. Maybe someone will dare to tell us

the truth. Which is that everybody does talk to everybody else all the time. The US talked to the Taliban (and miserably failed to understand what they were being told). Israel talks to Hamas and Hezbollah. And to Iran, with whom it was recently allied against Saddam. And so on and so forth. But we are the children. There are things we're not supposed to know because we're just supposed to clap our hands, cheers and boo when the corresponding sign goes off.

[superconnected]

21. What a failure of a politician Mccain is, He is no statesman.

He hasn't learned a friggen thing by his position in gov.

And, what a monster. It will be bad if he is elected since he doesn't have the brains or the basic skills that come with being a politician to help him run america.

It is very apparent he only ever got elected on his war prisoner past and he never rose above it to become any sense of even a mediocre politician. What he has just said is, he's a thug, only a thug, and will only ever be a thug.

And again, what a failure of even the lowest politician he is.

[indypaul]

22. Someone once said

We should never negotiate out of fear.
But, we should never fear to negotiate.

[jmowreader]

23. Why talk when you can just attack? asks McSame

[condejodido]

24. Acknowledge U.S. history of aggression toward Iran

I would like to see a recognition and acknowledgment of what our government has done to Iran's people since the CIA'S overthrow of its democratically elected government in 1954, it's installation and maintenance of the Shah which lasted more than 25 years, its support of Saddam Hussein's long brutal war against Iran, and Bushco's quasi clandestine sabotage and constant aggression. Maybe we can bring our selves to sincerely apologize to the Persian/Iranian people.

We broke off a diplomatic relationship and despite Iran's requests to reestablish formal ties and its offer to help us get Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, Bushco has continued its aggression.