From The Washington Post: Obama Says He Would Take Fight To Pakistan.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama issued a pointed warning yesterday to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, saying that as president he would be prepared to order U.S. troops into that country unilaterally if it failed to act on its own against Islamic extremists.In his most comprehensive statement on terrorism, the senator from Illinois said that the Iraq war has left the United States less safe than it was before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and that if elected he would seek to withdraw U.S. troops and shift the country's military focus to threats in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The muscular speech appeared aimed at inoculating him from criticism that he lacks the toughness to lead the country in a post-9/11 world, while attempting to show that an Obama presidency would herald an important shift in the United States' approach to the world, particularly the Middle East and nearby Asian nations.
The speech came a week after Clinton described Obama as "irresponsible and frankly naive" for saying during a Democratic debate that he would be prepared to meet during his first year as president with leaders of rogue nations without preconditions. That set off a days-long argument between the two over diplomacy and the use of the presidency.
Of his proposed Iraq pull out, Obama said, "[M]y plan would maintain sufficient forces in the region to target al Qaeda within Iraq." But he fails to acknowledge Iran's war against us in Iraq and its central role in spreading Islamic totalitarianism and terrorism.
What does he think is the primary cause of Islamic terrorism? Poverty. "I will make poverty reduction a key part of helping other nations reduce anarchy," Obama said. Has he forgotten or is he evading the fact that the 9/11 terrorists were middle class and that the recent failed UK attacks were carried out by well-educated medical professionals?
IBD Editorials has more: Obama Gets Tough.
Posted by Forkum at August 2, 2007 03:37 PM
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