Kristol: Proper Response To Iran’s Kidnapping Of British Soldiers Would Have Been Military Strikes

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/08/kristol-williams-iran-crisis/

Kristol: Proper Response To Iran’s Kidnapping Of British Soldiers Would Have Been Military Strikes

Fox News pundit Bill Kristol has been an unceasing proponent of war with Iran. In the past year, Kristol has repeatedly beat the war drums, stating for example that Bush “could easily build support” for an Iran attack “at the beginning of 2008.” He has also said: “I think we could be in a military confrontation with Iran much sooner than people expect.”

This morning, Kristol again promoted the concept of war with Iran. He said Iran’s kidnapping of the 15 British soldiers has brought the world closer to another war. “We came closer to war with Iran this week,” Kristol said, complaining that the U.S. was “very passive.”

Juan Williams then questioned, “Well, what was the alternative? To go in and strike them while the hostages were there?” Kristol said “yes.”

Watch it at link:

The Guardian reported this weekend that, “The US offered to take military action on behalf of the 15 British sailors and marines held by Iran, including buzzing Iranian Revolutionary Guard positions with warplanes.” The article added, “The British declined the offer and said the US could calm the situation by staying out of it.”

The British approach proved successful in resolving the crisis and led to the peaceful release of their soldiers. Hard right ideologues fail to understand that not every crisis requires a military solution.

Transcript:

KRISTOL: It’s a real humiliation for the British and, of course, the Europeans didn’t stand by them either. And it sent the signal to the worst forces in Iran. To me there are splits in the Iranian government. It has strengthened the worst forces in Iran by making them think they can push the West around. We came closer to war with Iran this week. The only way to avoid war is to have the Iranians believe the west is tough enough to threaten them with war and tighten the economic pressure. After the Germans refused to help the British, after the British refused to do anything, after we’ve been very passive, we’re closer to war with Iran — if either war or an Iran with nuclear weapons.

WILLIAMS: Well, what was the alternative? To go in and strike them while the hostages were there?

KRISTOL: yes.

WILLIAMS: I think that’s an overreaction. I think that would have prompted war. I don’t think we want war.

[katmondoo]

1. What ***holes we have here

[plusfiftyfive]

2. We all know

We should never give that man an opportunity to speak on camera with a microphone in front of his face.
He's one of the big media reasons we are in such a mess in Iraq.

[Cosmocat]

26. Fox News, too ...

Watched a bit of the Power Trio or whatever they call Barnes, Krauthammer and the other freaks at the end of the Brit Hume show ... These weasely freaks went ON and ON and ON about how the British soldiers should have been ashamed of themselves for just turning themselves over, then saying whatever they said ...

Like these pasty, squirly little freaks wouldn't have pissed their pants throughout the whole situation ...

That ANY of these scumbags gets air time should be something that keeps all of us VERY focused on keeping them momentum going in our direction ... This country will NEVER be safe from these guys ... NEVER ...

[Moochy]

3. Bomb the Hostages into Freedom!!!

That's the ticket!

[skipos]

4. Can someone forward this link to Kristol please?

http://www.goarmy.com/contact/find_a_recruiter.jsp?hmref=cs

[ribrepin]

24. Go Skipos--I like the way you think

:thumbsup:

[SoFlaJet]

5. he never met a war opportunity

he didn't like-oh yea unless it was a democrat's idea...

[TwilightGardener]

6. Whaaat? One of the architects of PNAC wants war with Iran (the "big prize"

of PNAC's ME takeover)? What an evil arsehole.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[villager]

12. uh, is the "zionist" the encoded part of that comment?

n/t

[Jacobin]

14. Some people are concerned that

Israel's more radical political groups are in favor of expanding Israel's territory using force and that this could create blowback on the U.S. and create turmoil in the region, apart from the fact that conquering territory nowdays is frowned upon. I know I share that view. And while it is unmistakable that this is a minority view in Israel, the neo-con view in the U.S. is clearly a minority view, and yet they've hijacked our country's foreign policy.

Making fun of people who have legitimate concerns over another country's foreign policy does not lend credence.

[villager]

21. I was not "making fun," merely calling out the use of the word "zionist,"

since that implies all supporters of an Israeli right to exist are all PNAC-y rightwingers. It paints with too broad a brush. Like claiming "all Americans" support Bush's lunacy.

[CJCRANE]

8. "...buzzing

Iranian Revolutionary Guard positions with warplanes".

Then the Iranians might have shoot down of the planes and BINGO! the neocons have a casus belli.

They really are just spoiling for a fight by any means necessary.

[pscot]

9. The proper response to Bill Kristol

would be a wedgie.

[Vinnie From Indy]

10. Someone had to tell the bloodthirsty moron

that the hostages were British and that the British wanted to deal with this incident initially as a diplomatic endeavor. I hope all Americans realize that Kristol wants your sons and daughters to sacrifice their lives for all of his desired wars. In fact, Kristol not only wants your children, he insists that you shell out your hard earned dollars for the whole enchilada as he and his ilk are pushing for more tax cuts that benefit their class.

Did Kristol ever serve in the Armed Forces?

[etherealtruth]

11. Military strikes ...

... are Mr. kristol's answer to almost every situation:puke:

[Jacobin]

13. Cowboy Kristol: "TheOnlyGoodArabIsADeadArab"

the man should be shunned and instead is paraded around on the talking head shows like he actually knows his ass from a hole in the ground.

[MaineYooper]

15. MaineYooper: Proper response to Kristol's blather is oblivion.

He's been consistently and thoroughly wrong about pretty much everything.

If only the MSM could see this and stop giving him a platform to speak from. The most disgusting and discouraging aspect of all is that he's probably being paid for these appearances.

[Cha]

16. kristol needs to get his ass

to Iraq..he thought a military strike on Iraq was the only way to go, too. The Blood of our Soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are dripping from his fauxnoisefangs. kristol is nothing but a cancerous mole on America.

Ship all the chickenshithawks to Iraq and let them broadcast their warmongering hate from Baghdad.

[zulchzulu]

17. PNAC Boy misses that video war coverage like the Good Old Days

Kristol wacks off to images like this, especially if it involves killing innocent collateral damage.

[sutz12]

18. When your only tool is a hammer....

All of your problem start to look like nails. :shrug:

They don't think negotiating or even talking does any good, Therefore they only acknowledge military action as a proper response to anything.

[bigdarryl]

19. Than send what ever kids you have over there first Billy boy

same jackass who called for troops going into Iraq

[frogcycle]

20. this guy is the head of PNAC

and the biggest warmonger of them all

he should be in jail
he is the moral equivalent of Timothy McVeigh

[Skittles]

22. please remind me in which branch of the military that warmongering f*** served

yeah, I thought so

[yellowcanine]

23. Spoken like a true chicken hawk armchair general. Did anyone ask him what sacrifice he is willing

to make for the Bush wars?

[calimary]

25. Well, then, kristol, suit up and go make bang-bang-you're-dead.

You want a military strike so badly, get off your ass, suit up and go over there and knock yourself out. Do us all a favor.