Stephanopoulos Embarrassingly Backtracks from Charge Iraq Precluded Korea Nuke Fix ( Clintonista )

News Busters ^ | July 10, 2006 | Brent Baker

[george76]

On Sunday's This Week, during the roundtable discussion, host George Stephanopoulos embarrassed himself and had to backtrack after he raised Clinton Defense Secretary William Perry's recommendation -- that President Bush bomb the nuclear missiles on the launchpad in North Korea -- but then went a step further and combined Perry's proposal with blaming the Iraq war for preventing that type of action in 2003, only to be thoroughly refuted by George Will.

“I don't even believe what I said,” Stephanopoulos sheepishly conceded, “So I take it back, you're right.”

Stephanopoulos had proposed: “What if in 2003, instead of invading Iraq, President Bush takes out the reprocessing facilities in North Korea, which according to Secretary Perry, President Clinton was willing to do back in 1993 before they started the negotiations?

We would be in a far different place."

How ground troops in Iraq precluded one of many Navy ships not committed to Iraq from firing off a few missiles at a target, Stephanopoulos did not explain.

But Will pointed out how “the capital of South Korea is 30 miles away from the 38th parallel, North Korea, and we don't know what kind of spasm might result from this irrational regime. North Korea could destroy that capital without a soldier leaving the North Korea and using entirely conventional weapons."

To which, Stephanopoulos offered his retraction and quickly segued to the Lieberman Senate race.

[george76]

Quote :

---

Stephanopoulos corrects himself, but not Clinton.

"...which according to [former Defense] Secretary [William] Perry, President Clinton was willing to do back in 1993 before they started the negotiations."

[george76]

"Negotiations started in 1993, that means that Clinton only had 8 years ..."

[pollyannaish]

Definitely interesting.

It sure seems like the Dems are on the defensive these days. With Maddie Albright pretending like her part in this was so brilliant.

[george76]

The DUmmies are on the defensive.

Out of Iraq this year, or is it out next year ?

Is it Diplomacy or the Military in Korean and Iran ?

Is it tax cuts for increasing tax revenue...or ?

[pollyannaish]

Perhaps it should be called DUfense. ; )

[george76]

The DUmmies are against everything, unless Soros gives his permission...

[george76]

 

[pollyannaish]

With all due respect ex-Texan, my issue HERE is not with your message, it is with the thread hijacking. I clicked on your link, only to discover it had nothing to do with Stephanopolous or even the Korean situation.

I believe it is against FR policy.

The merits of your position on Free Trade/Borders/NAFTA and the like can be discussed ad infinitum...you just need to keep it to the appropriate threads.

[george76]

[george76]

I forgot to mention...

hat tip to : Bon mots

[ex-Texan]

I think its amazing that this particular thread has had so many views and comments. Georgie is old news, pollyanna. I saw his stupid mistake myself. I saw it live. It was no big deal at the time and it certainly is not news worthy now. Georgie is a died in the wool Clintonista. Anything he says or does is pure garbage. My problem is that there are thousands of people on FR that get excited over nothing. Like Georgie's latest screw up or Ann Coulter's battle over blogger comments or her latest hair style (complete with the required photos). But when something really important is happening, everybody is distracted. "Look, over there! Look, Look ! Georgie screwed up. LOL, LOL ! . . . Or, look at these great photos of hot babe Ann." Or reading irrelevant non-news, garbage posts. Just like this one.

The quality of threads has degenerated to infantile levels.

[xkaydet65]

The point that must be made is that everyone believes N Korea has the bomb. That makes S Korea, The US forces in S Korea, and Japan vulnerable to serious consequences. It was precisely to prevent this situation in Iraq that motivated us to invade before a similar situation to N Korea developed. It is what motivates our concern about Iran. But as to N Korea, that train has left the station and other means must be found.

On Drudge the Japanese are sending up a trial balloon that they will pre emptively attack. That strikes me as very dangerous rhetoric. A regime as crazy and as well armed as Kim jong Il's is capable of throwing one terribly destructive tantrum.

[MHGinTN]

Hate twists the mind. The clintonistas hate Bush so much that they are irrational and don't even realize they're being seditious and aiding and abetting the enemy with whom we are at war. That's why they cannot be allowed back into control of this nation for a very long time, at least eight presidential voting cycles or until the current twisted sycophancy is dead and gone.

[PhillyRepublican]

Clinton was ready to take out N. Korea's reprossesing facilities? Ha! What a bunch of BS! If Clinton was so concerned about them then why did he let them have those two reactors and plutonium later!!
Stephanopoulis is a joke! God how I miss David Brinkley!

[FormerACLUmember]

George Stephanopoulos is a bigoted professional democrat shill, a total embarassment with every show.

[Brian Allen]

<< George Stephanopoulos is a bigoted professional democrat shill, a total embarassment with every show. >>

I'll continue to take your word for it.

Haven't watched even a remote-control millisecond of it since that loathsome David Brock-like creature got the gig.

And even when Brinkley had it I watched only for the ten or so seconds Mr Will ever got in without being interrupted by one or another of the show's parade of morons.

[sine_nomine]

Thank you for the photo-reminders.

[kenavi]

I recall multiple Dems criticizing Bush I for "not finishing the job" in Iraq.

And then they passed a resolution calling for "Regime Change" in Iraq.

"I said I was for it but never intended to do it."

[ChildOfThe60s]

I have sales competitors like that. They come in after the sale is made and say "gee, I could/would have sold it to you for 40% less."

You can always outdo the other after the fact when you don't have to actually put it out on the table.

This list of stuff Clinton "was willing to, or wanted to do" is getting mighty long. The Hildabeast is pretty good at it herself. Marine Corps and all that.......