Does McCain Agree With His Blogger Who Doesn’t ‘Care’ If Bush Policies Are Increasing Terrorist Recruitment?
Does McCain Agree With His Blogger Who Doesn’t ‘Care’ If Bush Policies Are Increasing Terrorist Recruitment?
In an interview with ABC News’s Jake Tapper yesterday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) argued that “we can crack down on threats against the United States” while staying “within the constraints of our Constitution.” He added that the Bush administration’s approach has “given a huge boost to terrorist recruitment in countries that say, ‘Look, this is how the United States treats Muslims.’”
Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) presidential campaign is now trying to attack Obama over a reference to the first World Trade Center attack in the interview, accusing him of embracing a “mindset” that “contributed to the tragedy of September 11th.” On the McCain campaign blog, Michael Goldfarb takes issue with Obama’s “gall” for suggesting that Bush policies have helped “terrorist recruitment“:
Obama wants to take us back to the bad old days of going after terrorists with prosecutors rather than predators. And he even has the gall to blame the Bush administration’s methods as having been a boon to terrorist recruitment. With all the international credibility the Clinton administration earned, and the international terrorists they incapacitated, one wonders how bin Laden even recruited 19 men to attack this country on September 11.
This is a curious line of argument coming from Goldfarb. Soon before he was “detailed” to the McCain campaign, Goldfarb declared on the Weekly Standard blog, “As to whether Bush is a recruiting tool for terrorists — who cares?”
What’s more, Bush’s policies have actually helped terrorist recruitment. Just today, staunch McCain ally Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) noted during a Senate Armed Services hearing that Abu Ghraib had inspired people to “join al Qaeda in Iraq.” Watch it:
An April 2006 National Intelligence Estimate found that “the Iraq War has become the ‘cause celebre’ for jihadists…and is shaping a new generation of terrorist leaders and operatives.” A McClatchy investigation published today “found that instead of confining terrorists, Guantanamo often produced more of them” by “inspiring a deep hatred of the United States” in “men with no allegiance to radical Islam.”
Marcy Wheeler and Spencer Ackerman are liveblogging the Senate Armed Services hearing.
Transcript:
LIEBERMAN: So this is an important matter, but obviously we’re a nation, as my colleagues have said or I need not belabor it, that is a nation of law. And therefore, to me, the standard that we have to hold up in our attempts to obtain information from detainees is: is it legal? And is it effective? In other words, does it produce information that is helpful or does it have other effects that might produce, as Dr. Ogrisseg said in response to Sen. Graham, information that’s not truthful. Or, in the larger context, as we’ve seen after Abu Ghraib, might it affect our standing generally and our effectiveness in the war on terrorism. I remember once being with Sen. McCain and Sen. Graham, meeting at Camp Bucca in Iraq, meeting — which is a large detention center — meeting a former member of al Qaeda in Iraq, who said that one of the reason he was motivated to join al Qaeda in Iraq was what he heard had happened at Abu Ghraib, so, this is important stuff.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
Goldfarb declared on the Weekly Standard blog, “As to whether Bush is a recruiting tool for terrorists — who cares?”
I think TP has taken this quote out of context. The full context should be:
Goldfarb declared on the Weekly Standard blog, “As to whether Bush is a recruiting tool for terrorists — who cares as long as it gets us elected?”
June 17th, 2008 at 1:43 pmIf you question ‘dear leader’ you are doomed to be swept away into the neverland of Gitmo or worse. These are all thugs and slugs. Pure partisan politics, which have no bearing on the proper direction of this country. The right side is clinging to thin air. They are losing their grip and their grasp of reality. Geez, even LIEberman agrees with the sane folks for a change.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:44 pmThey talk about how Obama’s lack of experience is a reason not to vote for him, how about McSame’s total lack of connection with anything remotely resembling reality when it comes to the Islamic world?
I’d much rather have someone who may not know as much, but is willing to learn instead of someone who’s worldview is so entrenched in the past that modern perils go unaddressed.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:51 pmSenator Obama is right “we can crack down on threats against the United States” while staying “within the constraints of our Constitution.” He knows once you cross that line you can never go back; and you become the very thing you are fighting against. Liberty and justice for all become meaningless.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:54 pmOne thing I notice about Republican blogs (JohnMcCain.com, The Weekly Standard, NRO, etc.) is that they have no means of leaving any public comment. Even Meghan McCain’s YouTube submissions have the comments disabled. I think this is very revealing—they don’t want any public discourse on the propaganda.
As far as I’m concerned, if it does not allow public comments, it isn’t a blog.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:54 pmIslamic terrorists did not do 911, the GWOT is a lie, thousands are DEAD for a lie.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:57 pmWOw, Goldfarb would endanger the troops to just get elected?
June 17th, 2008 at 1:57 pmGoldfarb:
“Obama wants to take us back to the bad old days of going after terrorists with prosecutors rather than predators.”
Gee if I recall correctly, the judicial system worked just fine after the first WTC attack. The perpetrators were captured, tried and sentenced. No rendition. No torture. No occupation. The perps of the second attack…not so much. “Bad” for who Mr. Goldfarb? The terrorists? The defense contractors? Halliburton? KBR? Blackwater? Just what makes the old tried and true system “bad” Mr. Goldfarb?
June 17th, 2008 at 2:02 pmAnd why are the GOP listening to those bloggers? Boehner doesnt want that!!
Whats next is Goldfarb gonna travel to Iraq and sign up with the insurgents so they can get elected?
June 17th, 2008 at 2:03 pmSo desperate, so early.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:05 pmIt’s just part of the Bush/GOP self fulfilling prophecy they’ve played all along:
We need Bush, the GOP, increased defense spending, (fill in the blank), to “fight” the “evildoers” and protect our fear driven citizenry.
Hence, we must create as many of those “evildoers” as we can - real or imagined.
And around and around we go.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:08 pm.
Is Joe LIARman saying the policies and tactics he’s supported have kept us safer… YET?
.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:09 pmTerror is not an enemy, it is the tactic used by those so desperate that feel they have no other avenue to defend their beliefs. You don’t reduce terrorism by creating more desperate people and encouraging hatred.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:10 pm.
So, does Joe LIARman support the use of TORTURE?
.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:12 pmAnd he even has the gall to blame the Bush administration’s methods as having been a boon to terrorist recruitment.
Reality simply doesn’t register in the black and white world of the authoritarian. If plan A turns out to make the problem worse and someone then suggests plan B, invariably the authoritarian will attack plan B (and the person suggesting it) and call for redoubling the efforts of plan A.
It would be comical if it weren’t so destructive.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 17th, 2008 at 2:12 pm“And he even has the gall to blame the Bush administration’s methods as having been a boon to terrorist recruitment. ”
For as long as I can remember the GOP has pushed the “we are strong on defense / Dems are weak” mantra that when facts prove them wrong, they are flabbergasted and so taken aback that it allmost seems that they ACTUALLY believe their own crap. The GOP has become one big fat strawman and this year the Dems have a big book of matches. Smoke? I don’t care if they burn!
June 17th, 2008 at 2:19 pmWhy do so many people think that war for oil profits and bribes is okay? Why were we attacked by a supposed ally, and we go and attack 2 other countries where the people were our allies to get even?
June 17th, 2008 at 2:20 pmany one with an edyoocashun should realize that the figures don’t add up.
McCain: I assure you, my friends, that I do care about the policies of the U.S. and whether or not they result in greater or lesser recruitment. I especially care, my friends, about the recruitment of voters for my candidacy. I’m a veteran and I should be supported, my friends.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:28 pmWell one of Bush’s policies (reasons) that he went to war in Iraq was he wanted them to have a democracy and elections. With their divided society you have to consider both sides or Sunni minority is left out. They need a constitution perhaps similiar to ours to handle disputes and grievances that seems a far better solution than going to war or invading a country.
Forcing a democracy never works, like forcing anything on an individual their first instinct is to fight back. No one wants to be forced that is what diplomacy is for. But, Bush has Condi in that position. Well that is a joke around the world.
I agree that Bush’s policies have increased Terrorists Recruitment. Because he didn’t work the problem and the world had front row seats to how badly he handled Iraq at every turn. Killing off 5 to 6 percent of their population and displacing millions. Causing many to hate and get angry at his complete arrogance of a country’s minorities and problematic civil wars. Elections & Wars do not address these problems…
June 17th, 2008 at 2:42 pmWhat is really scary about all this?
Kamp McSame is doing everything they can to lose this race and yet there are still a large number of morons out there who say they like his policies.
I am saddened.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:51 pmAn easy way to recognize AssKlown statements and beliefs: Just look to see if it is coming from the NeoCon mouthpiece, the Chickenhawk Weakly (sub)Standard. They and their ‘illustrious’ Publishers Kristol and Barnes haven’t gotten a single thing right in their entire worthless existence.
June 17th, 2008 at 2:54 pmTo be fair; The actual incidents at Abu Ghraib had very little to do with Bush’s policy.
The attempted cover up later however….. that’s a different story
June 17th, 2008 at 2:58 pmswordsbane Says:
To be fair; The actual incidents at Abu Ghraib had very little to do with Bush’s policy.
The attempted cover up later however….. that’s a different story
I hear what you are saying, but the overall tone of BushCo provided the petri dish environment of torture and humiliation for it to happen in the first place.
June 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pmThe Repukian Scum Bags actually WANT an attack on the US so they can claim that we need to become a police state.
June 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pm*yawn* McCain thinks Americans are idiots.
June 17th, 2008 at 3:24 pmIt sure is gratifying to see Lieberman, the great McCain supporter and military puppet admit it. Bush-Cheney policy is utterly foolhardy, executed by malfeasance, and engendering that natural result. For more on the insanity of this war, about the military’s malfeasance and Condi Rice’s bloody maladministration, see my blog, The Wrath of McGrath, at http://www.wrathofmcgrath.com.
June 17th, 2008 at 3:43 pmBuckie Boy Says:
The Repukian Scum Bags actually WANT an attack on the US so they can claim that we need to become a police state.
I can’t help wondering just how far they’ll go to assure one.
June 17th, 2008 at 3:56 pm