Posted on 08/02/2007 4:23:20 PM PDT by zendari
WASHINGTON - Presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday he would not use nuclear weapons "in any circumstance" to fight terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, drawing criticism from Hillary Rodham Clinton and other Democratic rivals.
Asked about Obama's speech and his comments about nuclear weapons, Clinton chided her fellow senator about addressing hypotheticals.
"Presidents should be very careful at all times in discussing the use or non-use of nuclear weapons. ... I don't believe that any president should make any blanket statements with respect to the use or non-use of nuclear weapons," Clinton said.
"It's a well-intended notion he has, but it's a very naive way of figuring out how you're going to conduct foreign policy," the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Comittee said on National Public Radio's "The Diane Rehm Show."
Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee along with Obama, also took his rival to task.
"Over the past several days, Senator Obama's assertions about foreign and military affairs have been, frankly, confusing and confused. He has made threats he should not make and made unwise categorical statements about military options," Dodd said in a statement.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Nukes are NEVER off the table.
Idiot.
Just showing his ineptitude.
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Agreed, not the most brilliant move.
Obama is toast. Unless silky pny gets a horse shot of testosterone, it’s over for him too.
I can’t believe anyone would withhold the option to turn Iran into a glass factory.
You have that right. It’s a smooth way for him to take the veep position without pissing off the black vote. Clinton will claim that he needs more seasoning but wants him as her vp so together they can make history. This thing is so staged and phony.
That said, Obama is a loon. He's the same kind of idiot that would hang a "No Firearms Zone" on his front door.
I guess O’Bama’s job is to make Yo’ Mama look presidential.
The Clinton campaign is a chess game in motion.
The comment allowed her to strut her stuff as a “hawk” and a wise and skillful diplomat, without actually revealing a position.
I suspect we will see lots more of this type of counter-move style campaigning. It’s empty, non-committal stuff, and the press eats up the “conflict and contrast” news peg.
“He will not even survive the primaries much less the presidential race.”
But, there’s always the Veep position.
How in the heck did we let Pakistan develop nuclear weapons.
oh yeah, I remember now...
CNN, 1998: Pakistan conducts first nuclear test
Once he's on the ticket with her, they'll make like they're "grooming" him to be Presidential.
Personally, I prefer the original M.A.D concept.
Obama said "...he would not use nuclear weapons in any circumstance to fight terrorism..."
That is just stupid. It has been long standing policy to fight WMD with WMD - ie. respond in kind, MAD, etc. Saying you won't is inviting devastating attack with little potential consequence for the attacker. The US won't use chemical or biologics, so our retaliation to a WMD strike has to be nuclear. Saying you won't under any circumstances is criminally idiotic.
But then Clinton gets stupid too, and comes up with: "Presidents should be very careful at all times in discussing the use or non-use of nuclear weapons. ... I don't believe that any president should make any blanket statements with respect to the use or non-use of nuclear weapons,"
Well, don't you sound presidential...not! Another long standing policy of the US is the "No first use" principle in regards to nuclear weapons. Basically a pledge to the then USSR that we would not strike first. Very much a blanket statement.
These 'rats... Do they have any education or appreciation for history, strategy (other than campaign/smear), or just plain common sense?
Obama! Sounds like a pancake batter.
"Presidents should be very careful at all times in discussing the use or non-use of nuclear weapons. ... I don't believe that any president should make any blanket statements with respect to the use or non-use of nuclear weapons," Clinton said... Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, a member of the Foreign Relations Committee along with Obama, also took his rival to task. "Over the past several days, Senator Obama's assertions about foreign and military affairs have been, frankly, confusing and confused. He has made threats he should not make and made unwise categorical statements about military options," Dodd said in a statement.I really miss the Seven Dwarves.
Plain and simple, nukes are the ultimate deterrent weapon.
“Take them off the table” ??? What a fricken’ idiot. Then what...deter with compassion ?
ROFL!
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