Obama Discusses bin Laden Capture
WASHINGTON – After hosting his first meeting with his Senior Working Group on National Security today, Barack Obama told reporters that captured terrorists should be dealt with according to international law.
In a response to a question on how he would handle the capture of Osama bin Laden, Obama said, "One of the hallmarks, one of the high water points, I think, of US foreign policy, was the Nuremburg Trials because the world had not seen before victors behave in ways that advanced a set of universal principles. And that set a tone for post-war reconstruction and creation of an international order that I think was extraordinarily important."
Although Obama would not speculate on how he would bring bin Laden to justice, he said it is important not to make him into a martyr.
"I think what would be important would be for us to do it in a way that allows the entire world to understand the murderous acts that he's engaged in and not to make him into a martyr and to sure that the United States government is abiding by the basic conventions that would strengthen our hand in the broader battle against terrorism," he said.
In recent days, John McCain's senior advisors have portrayed Obama's policy on dealing with captured terrorists as "naïve" and "delusional." McCain foreign policy advisor, Randy Scheunemann described Obama as "the perfect manifestation of the Sept. 10 mindset."
Although Obama did not respond to these comments specifically, he told reporters that the McCain campaign is using fear to win elections.
"I think it's my impression that John McCain has adopted not only George Bush's policies but George Bush's playbook," he said.