McCain Camp Blasts Obama's Foreign Policy

By: John Bentley
Topics: John McCain

From CBS News' John Bentley and Allison O'Keefe:

SAN ANTONIO, TEX. – In a scathing rebuttal to remarks Barack Obama made about granting prisoners at Guantanamo Bay habeas corpus rights, John McCain's top foreign policy advisers called Obama's ideas a "policy of delusion" that are a "perfect manifestation of a September 10th mindset."

"Barack Obama's belief that we should treat terrorists as nothing more than common criminals demonstrates a stunning and alarming misunderstanding of the threat we face from radical Islamic extremism," said McCain's Director of Foreign Policy, Randy Scheunemann.

Obama said yesterday he supported criminal trials, as opposed to military tribunals, for captured terrorists. "In previous terrorist attacks -- for example, the first attack against the World Trade Center, we were able to arrest those responsible, put them on trial," Obama said. "They are currently in U.S. prisons, incapacitated. And the fact that the administration has not tried to do that has created a situation where not only have we never actually put many of these folks on trial, but we have destroyed our credibility when it comes to rule of law all around the world, and given a huge boost to terrorist recruitment in countries that say, 'Look, this is how the United States treats Muslims.'"

But former CIA director and McCain adviser James Woolsey called the trials of the terrorists responsible for the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center "a miserable failure" because the criminal trials withheld pertinent information from the government. "What Sen. Obama said that this is the right approach - the way we went about it in the '93 bombing was the correct approach - shows a very deep first ignorance of the fact and very, very dangerous policy," added former Navy secretary John Lehman, another McCain adviser.

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by kansas1946 June 19, 2008 1:43 AM EDT: stop WASTEFUL government spending and NOT appoint leftest judges who will RUIN this country. That''''s what''''s important to me. And it is freightful thinking that Obama with NO experience could be president just because of his color and that he will "change" American. I love America. I don''''t want to "change" America.

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I am sure you would rather have "rightist" judges "running the country." I have noticed, and this is true on both sides, that the only time a judge is called an "activist" is when he/she disagrees with someones opinion. No one ever considers the fact that they may be on the wrong side of the consitution. I disagree with judges many times, but I don''t think they are "activist." They just have a different take on a situation than me. If you want less spending, I wouldn''t look to Republicans. Biggest spenders in history.; Reply to this comment


by ghostdog8 June 18, 2008 6:58 PM EDT: Respect? Are you kidding? The Obumites don''t know the meaning of that word.; Reply to this comment


by ghostdog8 June 18, 2008 6:54 PM EDT: jack3213

You are absolutely correct. Borak Hussein Obama is an empty suit who came from nowhere like some American Idol contestant. We don''t need a used car salesman as CIC. We need somone with experince and integrity and cajones to lead our nation. John McCain is that man.; Reply to this comment


by jack3213 June 18, 2008 4:24 PM EDT: Has anyone talked about Obama''s voting record "or lack of"? Does anyone ever talk about what changes and how he is going to make? No, all anyone cares about is his color. That has nothing to do with leading this great nation. Black, White, Red, Orange who cares, What I care about is lowering gas prices, cutting taxes, keeping us safe, stop WASTEFUL government spending and NOT appoint leftest judges who will RUIN this country. That''s what''s important to me. And it is freightful thinking that Obama with NO experience could be president just because of his color and that he will "change" American. I love America. I don''t want to "change" America.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 18, 2008 3:13 PM EDT: Most Republicans are abnormally obsessed with Guns, War, Killing, and Destruction.
John McCain is a War Monger, and the course the United States has been set on under Republican George Bush is central to a permanent War Economy. Young People have been forced into joining the military (all volunteer) because of the lack of prosperity burdening the working class under the Conservative Agenda. The World Community has looked at the detrimental actions of President Bush and has developed a negative view on the US.

Americans have a chance to change the course the US has taken by not voting for another War Mongering Administration.; Reply to this comment


by jack3213 June 18, 2008 12:06 PM EDT: It is the Democrat ( Obama) who is the coward and it is condescending to assume he knows what the *F* he is talking about ( on any issue) When it comes to being honorable and brave MCCAIN has him with flying colors. That is what the USA needs for a leader, not some naive ''preecher'' from the ''hood'' who claims to know something, when, in fact, he knows ZERO, only what WRIGHT taught him. LMAO; Reply to this comment


by kmccliment June 18, 2008 6:13 AM EDT: John McCain%u2019s claim to fame is surrendering to enemy combatant?

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Posted by Mattcat25

Why dont you read the full account of his time after punching out of his jet. Have some respect.; Reply to this comment


by watcher269-2009 June 18, 2008 5:15 AM EDT: Just Remember

Bin Laden is free because of the GOP!; Reply to this comment


by javalation June 18, 2008 2:14 AM EDT: McCain didn''t just get shot down and became a POW, he sang like a canary. There''s even the rumor that he made films admitting to anything the N Vietnamese asked him to say. Then he came home to his faithful wife, ran around on her until he found the rich girl who funded his political career. He married wife #2 a month after dumping wife #1. A real class act, huh?; Reply to this comment


by rowdywicca June 17, 2008 9:18 PM EDT: Obama doesn''t have the sense God gave a pea brain!

Yes, I agree the prisoners a Gitmo should''ve should''ve been tried and dispatched immediately, either to prison, hung, or sent home if they couldn''t prove up their case.

But Obama blowing smoke about Gito...pshaw! He seems to forget that these Muslims (remember, he loves Muslims) blew 3,000 people out of one of our buildings!

Now are you going to trust this Muslim, Muslim loving idiot with the security of this nation??? I mean, geeezuuuuuus keeeeeeerist! What are people thinking!; Reply to this comment