Sarah Palin, Right Again (Osama and Pakistan, from 2008)

Benzinga ^ | May 4, 2011 | Rob Long

[2ndDivisionVet]

Back in 2007, presidential candidate Barack Obama suggested that he'd violate the sovereignty of Pakistan in order to fight terrorism.

His opponent, John McCain, scoffed. From the 2008 Time Capsule:

During Friday's debate, Obama criticized the Bush administration for sending billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan without ridding the border region of terrorists. "If the United States has al Qaeda, bin Laden, top-level lieutenants in our sights, and Pakistan is unable or unwilling to act, then we should take them out," Obama added.

McCain fired back hard, arguing that newly elected Pakistani president Asif Ali Zardari has had his "hands full" and suggesting that Obama's tough talk was naive. "You don't say that out loud," McCain said. "If you have to do things, you have to do things, and you work with the Pakistani government."

And then a kerfuffle erupted. It was that rogue Sarah Palin. She disagreed with her running mate. Again, from the time capsule:

Palin's apparent disagreement with McCain's position on Pakistan came as the Alaska governor was picking up a couple of cheesesteaks at Tony Luke's in South Philadelphia. She was approached by a man wearing a Temple University t-shirt, who later identified himself as Michael Rovito.

"How about the Pakistan situation?" Rovito asked. "What's your thoughts about that." "In Pakistan?" Palin responded. "What's going on over there, like Waziristian?" "It's working with Zardari to make sure that we're all working together to stop the guys from coming in over the border," Palin said. "And we'll go from there." "Waziristan is blowing up," Rovito replied. "Yeah, it is," Palin said. "And the economy there is blowing up, too." "So we do cross-border, like from Afghanistan to Pakistan, you think?" Rovito asked. "If that's what we have to do stop the terrorists from coming any further in, absolutely, we should," Palin said.

I especially love the cheesesteak detail. She's right, she's clear, she's decisive, and she's carrying a couple of cheesesteaks.

I know I've been tough on her, but you have to give her credit: she was right and McCain was wrong.

[2ndDivisionVet]

But, but, how could she know the name of a leader in a far-off backwater and the ramifications of the policies there if she's an uneducated chillbilly idiot?

[Polybius]

Back in 2007, presidential candidate Barack Obama suggested that he'd violate the sovereignty of Pakistan in order to fight terrorism. His opponent, John McCain, scoffed.

McCain did not "scoff".

Think back to your days with the 2nd MarDiv.

Remember the OPSEC lectures? Remember, "Loose lips sink ships"?

What McCain ACTUALLY said in 2007 was that you DO NOT TELEGRAPH YOUR PUNCHES.

"I certainly wouldn't telegraph my punches," McCain told CNN after a campaign stop here. " I will always do what's necessary to preserve America's national security, but to say something like that is totally unnecessary and probably has a not beneficial effect on our Pakistani allies who are fighting against al Qaeda and with us in Pakistan."

Whether you like McCain or hate his guts, the bottom line is that McCain is a combat veteran and, unlike Barack Obama and Sarah Palin, John McCain does not have to ask what "OPSEC" means.

[ansel12]

Here it is on the Ed Shultz site in 2008.

http://edschultz.invisionzone.com/index.php?showtopic=43845

[2ndDivisionVet]

I was with the 2nd United States Infantry Division, which, by-the-way, was commanded by several Marine generals during World War I, the only Army division that can say that.

[Mr. K]

Obama can save himself a lot of time in his next decision point by just going back to what he said 20 years ago

[Polybius]

Think back to your days with the 2nd MarDiv.

I was with the 2nd United States Infantry Division, which, by-the-way, was commanded by several Marine generals during World War I, the only Army division that can say that.

Sorry about that.

My RDMF(Rapidly Deployable Medical Facility) would have deployed with the 2nd Marine Division if the balloon had gone up and we did our field training at Camp LeJeune.

O.K. .... That's enough inter-service comradery ..... Back to strongly disagreeing about whether or not Sarah Palin would guarantee Obama reelection. ;-)

[2ndDivisionVet]

According to the jourbalists, he’s already as good as re-elected, what with Osama dead, the economy in robust recovery, Unicorns deficating skittles, a billion dollars in his war chest and no real GOP candidates who have a chance.

[SarahPalinForPresident2012]

Gov Palin is always right

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks 2ndDivisionVet.

Back in 2007... Obama criticized the Bush administration for sending billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan without ridding the border region of terrorists. "If the United States has al Qaeda, bin Laden, top-level lieutenants in our sights, and Pakistan is unable or unwilling to act, then we should take them out," Obama added.

And it took him nearly four years to make good on that piece of posturing.