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Fred Thompson on Benazir Bhutto assassination (Fox Interview)
Fred08 ^ | December 27, 2007

Posted on 12/27/2007 11:14:53 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

HARRIS FAULKNER : Senator, your reaction, first, to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

FRED THOMPSON : It is a tragedy, of course. It reminds us that things can happen in faraway places of the world that can affect the United States. I think this should be of great concern to us. It is almost a perfect storm in a very bad sense because two forces are operating against each other that are both desirable. One is democracy: they were making progress in that regard in that country. Former prime minister Bhutto was an important part of that process. But the other is stability. Pakistan is a nuclear country, and we cannot afford to let nukes fall into the hands of dangerous Muslim radicals. We are hoping those two things can be balanced out. We can see the continued progress toward a democratic society but also maintain stability in the country, which seems to be very much in doubt right now.

FAULKNER: I know you are running for the White House, so I don't want to put you in a position to second guess the president. But I'm interested in your opinion. President Bush is due to talk with Pervez Musharraf shortly. What do you anticipate that conversation should be like?

THOMPSON: Those two things that I mention probably would be high on the agenda. What could be done to not impose martial law, to not crack down, but be mindful of the fact that there are radical elements in that country, and perhaps even within the government, that would like to see instability and chaos and see those weapons fall into the wrong hands. This is part of a bigger problem. We need to understand that this is not a criminal investigation any more - so we find the bad guys and bring them to justice - it's a war.

This proves again the mindset of the radical elements that we are dealing with. We are seeing this all across Northern Africa and various places. We're seeing it across the Middle East and in parts of Asia including Indonesia and other places. We have to come to terms with that and do the things necessary to prevail. One of the things we need to be talking about is what Musharraf can do, additionally, to crack down on the Taliban. I think they have been insufficient in that respect.

FAULKNER : Taliban also supporters of al Qaeda in that country. Pakistan has been an important ally in the war on terror, so have do you walk that line?

THOMPSON: You just walk it. No one said it has been easy and simple. Pakistan has never been easy or simple. I had a chance a few years ago to talk to Musharraf before things got quite as complex as they are now. But it has always been an important part of the world. They're next door to India. They've had a crisis after crisis with regard to them. They're next door to Afghanistan, and they're important to us. They've been helpful to us. But we' re going to have to walk that line between democracy on the one hand and stability on the other. But I think it's possible.


TOPICS: Tennessee; Campaign News; Issues
KEYWORDS: 2008; afghanistan; asia; assassination; benazirbhutto; bhutto; election; electionpresident; elections; foreignaffairs; foreignpolicy; fred; fredthompson; gop; gwot; india; middleeast; nationaldefense; pakistan; perezmusharraf; republicans; straightshooter; talkradio; television; thompson; wot
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To: Marine_Uncle

Bout time for my nightly prayers for Duncan and Fred.


81 posted on 12/27/2007 8:24:30 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach (No Burkas for my Grandaughters!)
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach
"Bout time for my nightly prayers for Duncan and Fred."
I'll second that friend.
82 posted on 12/27/2007 8:31:46 PM PST by Marine_Uncle (Duncan Hunter for POTUS)
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To: BOBTHENAILER

Wull... I bees fine wit dat! Git er done!!! Kin I hep???


83 posted on 12/27/2007 9:05:43 PM PST by SierraWasp (Too much religion mixed with politics just leads the participants into too much hate & discontent!!!)
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To: LucyJo

A former CIA officer recalls what happened when Thompson and seven other members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Committee visited Pakistan in late 2002.

“The other senators, including John Edwards, attended the classified intelligence briefing,” the former officer says. “Thompson blew it off and spent a lot of time drinking and eating.”


84 posted on 12/27/2007 9:07:50 PM PST by Saundra Duffy (Romney Rocks!!!)
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To: SierraWasp
Git er done!!! Kin I hep???

Hep yoseff hoss...jes pull on ol' trigger.....

Wall...don' wanna be sujjestin' no beastiality now!!!!!

85 posted on 12/27/2007 9:18:02 PM PST by BOBTHENAILER (One by one, in small groups or in whole armies, we don't care how we do it, but we're gonna getcha)
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To: BOBTHENAILER

Like I sayed before... ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!! Ha Ha ha!!!


86 posted on 12/27/2007 9:36:11 PM PST by SierraWasp (Too much religion mixed with politics just leads the participants into too much hate & discontent!!!)
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To: jellybean; Politicalmom; girlangler; KoRn; Shortstop7; Lunatic Fringe; Darnright; babygene; ...
PING!!

terrorists

Fredipedia: The Definitive Fred Thompson Reference

WARNING: If you wish to join, be aware that this ping list is EXTREMELY active.

87 posted on 12/27/2007 10:19:14 PM PST by Politicalmom (Huckabee’s foreign policy experience consists of eating at the International House of Pancakes.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
blue dog

Thompson '08!
88 posted on 12/27/2007 10:24:47 PM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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To: LucyJo

Fred continues to look good for us and our country.


89 posted on 12/28/2007 6:55:55 AM PST by Grampa Dave ("Ron Paul and his flaming antiwar spam monkeys can Kiss my Ass!!"- Jim Robinson, Sept, 30, 2007)
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To: LucyJo

90 posted on 12/28/2007 7:12:09 AM PST by Grampa Dave ("Ron Paul and his flaming antiwar spam monkeys can Kiss my Ass!!"- Jim Robinson, Sept, 30, 2007)
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To: Prophet in the wilderness

“What is he apologizing for ? or about?”

ORLANDO, FLA. — With about 150 supporters crowded around a podium set up on the tarmac of Orlando Executive airport (and about 20 Ron Paul supporters waving signs outside) Mike Huckabee strode out to the strains of “Right Now” by Van Halen and immediately addressed the Bhutto situation, expressing “our sincere concern and apologies for what has happened in Pakistan.”

Probably about GW’s bunker mentality as we fight WWIV to preserve our country and civilization.


91 posted on 12/28/2007 7:26:31 AM PST by Grampa Dave ("Ron Paul and his flaming antiwar spam monkeys can Kiss my Ass!!"- Jim Robinson, Sept, 30, 2007)
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To: Saundra Duffy
"...former CIA..."

Valerie Plame??? ; )

92 posted on 12/28/2007 9:30:16 AM PST by LucyJo
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I really, really hope Thompson makes it to Washington. We desperately need a leader who truly understands all the nuances of these events and how they affect our country as well... Something no other Republican candidate seems to have much of a handle on, IMHO.


93 posted on 12/28/2007 7:15:50 PM PST by LibertyRocks
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To: dfwgator

Just because someone is a member of MENSA doesn’t mean they are necessarily intelligent. There are plenty of “geniuses” in this world who don’t have a clue... There is a big difference between APTITUDE and actual achievement.


94 posted on 12/28/2007 7:23:11 PM PST by LibertyRocks
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To: Tlaloc

Because some of the groups against the current Pakistani government view them as totally corrupt. With the anti-American attitude coursing through the veins of the terrorist and radical groups within the country, for Musharraf to let us come in and bomb their country would spell the end of his administration, and the installation of a very hard-line extremist Muslim government in the aftermath... The assasination of Benazir Bhutto and many of her followers pointing to Musharraf as the one to blame, and not Al Qaeda (i.e. Radical Muslims), should make this more obvious now. This is a VERY tight line to walk right now, and as much as I don’t like how things are going I would say everyone involved is doing a pretty darn good job of keeping a “lid” on things, even as it keeps threatening to boil over. US involvement in a show of force within Pakistan itself could mean very bad things in regards to the War on Terror and any alliances — no matter how tedious they may be — between the U.S. and countries who are NOT openly against us.


95 posted on 12/28/2007 7:30:21 PM PST by LibertyRocks
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To: Saundra Duffy

Do you have a name or a link to go with that quote??? Or, is this just an attempt to paint Thompson as “lazy”? Do you know who was holding the meeting/briefing? Are you sure that Thompson had no other way to get the information, or that he was not perhaps informed beforehand or afterwards? AND, if this CIA Agent knows so much about the briefing, AND what Thompson was apparently doing instead of attending I would question how the CIA agent got that info. in the first place? Was he in two places at once, or was it HEARSAY information that he is now passing on as FACT, and as someone who obviously has some sort of grudge or bone to pick with Thompson? Why are you trusting the words of a former CIA agent anyway — it’s not like they don’t EVER lie — that’s their JOB to lie!


96 posted on 12/28/2007 7:37:13 PM PST by LibertyRocks
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