McCain Charged With Hypocrisy Over Hamas Comments
Former Clinton State Department official James Rubin says John McCain is a hypocrite.
Rubin interviewed McCain two years ago for Sky News, a British network. At that interview, Rubin writes in today's Washington Post, he asked this of the presumptive GOP nominee: "Do you think that American diplomats should be operating the way they have in the past, working with the Palestinian government if Hamas is now in charge?"
Here, per Rubin's column, is McCain's answer: "They're the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another, and I understand why this administration and previous administrations had such antipathy towards Hamas because of their dedication to violence and the things that they not only espouse but practice, so . . . but it's a new reality in the Middle East. I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and decent future, that they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that."
McCain now criticizes Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama for his professed willingness to negotiate with so-called "rogue" leaders like Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, suggesting it reflects a "naivet? and inexperience and lack of judgment." In response to Rubin's column noting McCain's apparent willingness to negotiate with the militant Palestinian group, the McCain campaign released this statement, from spokesman Tucker Bounds:
"There should be no confusion, John McCain has always believed that serious engagement would require mandatory conditions and Hamas must change itself fundamentally – renounce violence, abandon its goal of eradicating Israel and accept a two state solution. John McCain's position is clear and has always been clear, the President of the United States should not unconditionally meet with leaders of Iran, Hamas or Hezbollah. Barack Obama has made his position equally clear, and has pledged to meet unconditionally with Iran's leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the leaders of other rogue regimes, which shows incredibly dangerous and weak judgment."
The Rubin column comes on the heals of President Bush's comment, before the Israel Knesset, that "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along." The president compared people who want to sit down with rogue leaders to those who wanted to engage in talks with Nazis in 1939, citing "the false comfort of appeasement." Though he did not mention Obama or other Democrats by name, the Democratic frontrunner and other Democrats responded to the comments with outrage.
In an interview with CNN quoted by the Associated Press, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden, a former Democratic presidential candidate, suggested that the Bush administration is itself engaged in hypocrisy on the issue, having negotiated with leaders in North Korea and Libya.
"This is pure hypocrisy, but the worst part about it is, think how it falls on the ears in capitals of Europe and the rest of the world and Toyko when the president of the United States says under no condition will we talk to anybody like that, and John McCain, the nominee for the Republican Party, who may very well be president of the United States, is saying the same thing," Biden said.
© 2008 CBS Interactive Inc.. All Rights Reserved. Rubin interviewed McCain two years ago for Sky News, a British network. At that interview, Rubin writes in today's Washington Post, he asked this of the presumptive GOP nominee: "Do you think that American diplomats should be operating the way they have in the past, working with the Palestinian government if Hamas is now in charge?"
Here, per Rubin's column, is McCain's answer: "They're the government; sooner or later we are going to have to deal with them, one way or another, and I understand why this administration and previous administrations had such antipathy towards Hamas because of their dedication to violence and the things that they not only espouse but practice, so . . . but it's a new reality in the Middle East. I think the lesson is people want security and a decent life and decent future, that they want democracy. Fatah was not giving them that."
McCain now criticizes Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama for his professed willingness to negotiate with so-called "rogue" leaders like Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, suggesting it reflects a "naivet? and inexperience and lack of judgment." In response to Rubin's column noting McCain's apparent willingness to negotiate with the militant Palestinian group, the McCain campaign released this statement, from spokesman Tucker Bounds:
"There should be no confusion, John McCain has always believed that serious engagement would require mandatory conditions and Hamas must change itself fundamentally – renounce violence, abandon its goal of eradicating Israel and accept a two state solution. John McCain's position is clear and has always been clear, the President of the United States should not unconditionally meet with leaders of Iran, Hamas or Hezbollah. Barack Obama has made his position equally clear, and has pledged to meet unconditionally with Iran's leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the leaders of other rogue regimes, which shows incredibly dangerous and weak judgment."
The Rubin column comes on the heals of President Bush's comment, before the Israel Knesset, that "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along." The president compared people who want to sit down with rogue leaders to those who wanted to engage in talks with Nazis in 1939, citing "the false comfort of appeasement." Though he did not mention Obama or other Democrats by name, the Democratic frontrunner and other Democrats responded to the comments with outrage.
In an interview with CNN quoted by the Associated Press, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden, a former Democratic presidential candidate, suggested that the Bush administration is itself engaged in hypocrisy on the issue, having negotiated with leaders in North Korea and Libya.
"This is pure hypocrisy, but the worst part about it is, think how it falls on the ears in capitals of Europe and the rest of the world and Toyko when the president of the United States says under no condition will we talk to anybody like that, and John McCain, the nominee for the Republican Party, who may very well be president of the United States, is saying the same thing," Biden said.
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McCain standas for everything and nothing at the same time.
We need a President who has the guts and character to stick to their principles.
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Posted by realpatriot1 at 08:16 PM : May 18, 2008
Bush will be GONE! If McCain wins, he''s president and only has to listen to HIS advisors. And even should Obama win, the lobbyists will still be in Washington, cuz how else is Obama going to pay back all those lobbyists working on is campaign?
What''s he going to do? Tell 47 lobbyists on his campain team they can no longer lobby?
Posted by S_Temper at 02:51 AM : May 18, 2008
Wow - maybe Petraeus can give Obama some tips on art of appeasing.
Have a question though - What do you think those Iraqi Sunnis would do if Petraeus didn''t give them the old Greenback?
And if the Petraeus appeasement is working when will the Iraqi Sunnis be merged with the Iraqi Security Forces ?
The real question is, do we want a man in the White House who will regularly lend his ear to George Bush and all the Corporate lobbyists in Washington.
If Barack Obama didn%u2019t know about Abunimah%u2019s writings (and Abunimah says he did), the same as his claims of being unaware of Reverend Wright%u2019s remarks after 20 years, then Obama is not competent to be our President. Abunimah likes to lie and claim Al Awda has nothing to do with the ISM or Electronic Intifada, though plenty of evidence exists on the website the homepage at www.StoptheISM.com showing the contrary.
But Obama%u2019s association with the ISM through his church and lobbying in Chicago goes even deeper than just his past links to Al Awda and Ali Abunimah. His pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, are both equally involved with the ISM.
Thank God for the wisdom of our forefathers.
What President and his Family have an over 20 year Relationship...
Who gathered up and Flew the Bin Laden Family Members,Home Safely, 1st Class, with FBI Approval, when they could''ve Held them Indifinitely, until Osama Bin Laden''s Surrender !
Answer: The Bush Family..
Thats Who and they STILL DO !!!
The (911 Plane Attacks) Involved (Saudi Arabians) & Dubai the (United Arab Emirates) and President Bush & Cheney & this Government & Corporate America Cozies up to BOTH these NATIONS....
Enjoy Seeing Roger Federer Participate in the Dubai Pro Tennis Championship & Tiger Woods and other Golf Pro`s Participate in the Dubai Classic, the (UAE & Corporate America, call it ''Dessert Classic'' !
President Bush Pushed through and was Assisted by Bill Clinton, the (Dubai Ports Deal) and Threatened to VETO any actions by Congress or the Senate to Hinder the Deal from going forward.
The (UAE) now Own our Major US Ports, in New York, New Jersey, Miami and other locals as well.
The Bush-Cheney Administration & Fmr. President Clinton has Already ''Buddied Up'' and made MIllions with these 2 Arab Nations and thats why Obama will WIN such a Debate.
A!! Hole !!
What President and his Family have an over 20 year Relationship...
Ans: The Bush Family..thats Who and they STILL DO !!!
Who gathered up and Flew the Bin Laden Family Members, 1st class, with FBI Approval, when they could''ve Held them, until Bin Laden''s Surrender Home Safely, without
The (911 Plane Attacks) Involved (Saudi Arabians) & Dubai the (United Arab Emirates) and President Bush & Cheney & this Government & Corporate America Cozies up to BOTH these NATIONS....
Enjoy Seeing Roger Federer Participate in the Dubai Pro Tennis Championship & Tiger Woods and other Golf Pro`s Participate in the Dubai Classic, the (UAE & Corporate America, call it ''''Dessert Classic'''' !!!
President Bush Pushed through and was Assisted by Bill Clinton, the (Dubai Ports Deal) and Threatened to VETO any actions by Congress or the Senate to Hinder the Deal from going forward.
The (UAE) now Own our Major US Ports, in New York, New Jersey, Miami and other locals as well.
The Bush-Cheney Administration & Fmr. President Clinton has Already ''''Buddied Up'''' and made MIllions with these 2 Arab Nations and thats why Obama will WIN such a Debate.
A!! Hole !!
The U.S. military currently pays about $300 a month to each of the 90,000 Sons of Iraq security personnel, but officials say they hope the Iraqi government will take over the contracts by the end of the year. The original plan was for the overwhelmingly Sunni Sons of Iraq to be incorporated into the Iraqi Security Forces, but the Shiite-majority government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has resisted hiring them.
More recently, the U.S. command has said that only about 20,000 should be added to the security forces %u2014 nearly all of them in Sunni-dominated Anbar province.
Sen McCain supports the Surge in Iraq, including the payment to the Sons of Iraq(Sunni Terrorists who killed US Soldiers)sort oy paying the terrorists not to fight against the US.
Sen McCain is lying, hypocritacal Appeaser. for supporting the monthly payments of over $30 million to terrorists.
Don%u2019t talk to terrorists, just pay them! Is McCain and Bush%u2019s foreign policy claim to fame!
Next issue for debate! Economics anyone!
Dems08