Factcheck.org wrote an intersting article today about yesterday’s Democratic AFL-CIO debate in which it discusses Senator Barack Obama’s backtracking of his statement that he would consider invading Pakisan.
“Sen. Obama rewrote history when he defended his controversial remarks about invading Pakistan if necessary to eliminate al Qaeda.
Obama: I did not say that we would immediately go in unilaterally. What I said was that we have to work with [Pakistan’s President Pervez] Musharraf.
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| Scott Olson/Getty Images |
That’s not exactly what he said. Obama is referring to an Aug. 1 policy address, in which he made no direct mention of working with Musharraf. Instead, he said he would “take out” al Qaeda if Musharraf failed to act.
Obama (Aug. 1): I understand that President Musharraf has his own challenges. But let me make this clear. There are terrorists holed up in those mountains who murdered 3,000 Americans. They are plotting to strike again. It was a terrible mistake to fail to act when we had a chance to take out an al Qaeda leadership meeting in 2005. If we have actionable intelligence about high-value terrorist targets and President Musharraf won’t act, we will.
That’s the only time Obama mentions Musharraf at all in the speech, as posted on his own campaign Web site.”
August 8, 2007 at 11:19 pm
wow you are really stupid, you did not read the speech and you actually call your website reality check LMAO
In the speech he mentioned that the US has to work with Pakistan and he even advocated increasing aid to Pakistan.
And you are actually calling him out for not saying Musharafs name? Why would he have to mention his name specifically when he is talking about the whole country?
You are really stupid and you do not even check your own facts
Obama said he would make a military strike as a last resort if there is a good reason too, if you disagree with that fine but stop distorting what he said
August 9, 2007 at 12:20 am
Factcheck sadly has to check their facts.
Msnbc made the same mistake and issued this update:
***UPDATE*** The Obama campaign, and others, have pointed out that Obama said in that speech he would work with Pakistan — before and after those words above. However, in the sentence and context of having “actionable intelligence about Al-Qaeda,” Obama did not say he would consult with Musharraf if Musharraf failed to act. Nonetheless, Obama did say the following his speech… “As President, I would make the hundreds of millions of dollars in U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional, and I would make our conditions clear: Pakistan must make substantial progress in closing down the training camps, evicting foreign fighters, and preventing the Taliban from using Pakistan as a staging area for attacks in Afghanistan.”
Also: “And Pakistan needs more than F-16s to combat extremism. As the Pakistani government increases investment in secular education to counter radical madrasas, my Administration will increase America’s commitment. We must help Pakistan invest in the provinces along the Afghan border, so that the extremists’ program of hate is met with one of hope.”
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/08/08/309402.aspx
September 3, 2007 at 4:54 pm
I don’t see the contradiction at all. He said he wouldn’t immediately unilaterally strike Pakistan, he would work with Musharraf as much as possible, but if he doesn’t get his permission to attack AQ members in time he’ll do it anyways. Call me a neo-con, but when it comes to taking out the murderers of 9/11 (which do not include any Iraqis, by the way) to hell with the international community.
February 20, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Please attack Pakistan and have it. Americans never respect others’ independence. You have the license to kill millions because only 3000 americans were killed by some bastards whom no one owns (still, however many claim that 9/11 was a staged drama). I am not worried about what Obama said and re-said, the disturbing fact is that its not Pakistan but USA which created and supported Taliban against USSR and disposed them off as terrorists after fulfilling American interests. Pakistan was a forward staging area and close ally (no of times) only to be abandoned and subjected to sanctions and amendments. Please try to understand that there are 160 million Pakistanis who have problems, most of which are a direct result of being an ally of USA. Only Paksitanis can understand and not the Clintons and Obamas. And last but not the least, Paksitan is neither Afghanistan nor Iraq. If USA knows how to pursue their interests, Pakistanis must also be expected to resilient in defending their motherland and striking back with full force.
August 11, 2008 at 4:46 pm
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