British Minister Says Clinton's 'Obliterate' Iran Tone Imprudent

[Purveyor]

Source: Agence France-Presse

LONDON (AFP) — A British foreign minister said Wednesday that US Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton's threat to "totally obliterate" Iran if it attacked Israel with nuclear weapons was imprudent.

Lord Mark Malloch-Brown, a former United Nations deputy secretary-general and the foreign office minister responsible for Asia, questioned the comments by the New York senator, made in an interview broadcast Tuesday.

"While it is reasonable to warn Iran of the consequence of it continuing to develop nuclear weapons and what those real consequences bring to its security, it is not probably prudent... in today's world to threaten to obliterate any other country and in many cases civilians resident in such a country," he said.

The British government wanted a Middle East -- including Israel -- free of nuclear weapons, he said, responding to a question in the House of Lords, Britain's unelected upper chamber of parliament.

In response to a question on what she would do if the Islamic republic were to attack US ally Israel, Clinton told ABC News: "I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran.

"In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them."



Read more: http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jEp2ukq1nzsx5QXn7Khdn7AqDPmg

[cliss]

1. I hope this "Obliterates" HRC's campaign.

Even in tiny Sweden, all the online newspapers had in huge, BOLD letters,

"CLINTON: I'LL OBLITERATE IRAN"

Notice the difference in tone. Newspapers ran the headline "I'll obliterate..."
Whereas I think she actually said, "We'll have the capacity to obliterate" Big difference.

But that's what happens when Big Mouths open up and Talk.

[BobTheSubgenius]

2. Oh, ya THINK????

M'lord has a remarkable grasp of either the British habit of understatement, or the glaringly obvious.

Could be both, I suppose. They aren't mutually exclusive.

[Hardrada]

3. I think you have to go back to Adolf Hitler to find similar

expressions of the contingency of obliterating an entire people. Maybe it is "Hitlery" Clinton after all!!

[TheWraith]

4. "Imprudent" -- the classic British word for "Are you f-cking mad?" nt

[LVjinx]

5. He must have missed the "If Iran attacks Israel with nuclear weapons" part

This was a hypothetical. And, I dare say, if Iran did destroy Israel with nuclear weapons we WOULD obliterate their government, regardless of if McCain, Clinton, or even Obama is the one in the White House at the time. Well, then again there are probably some people who would cheer if Israel was destroyed, but I think most people see the evil in one nation destroying another with nuclear weapons. We are the only country in the world to have done this, and we've never been called on it. Nowadays, we know it as terrorism.

[Leftist Agitator]

7. You do know that Iran doesn't have nuclear weapons, right?

And that the last National Intelligence Estimate concluded that Iran hasn't had a program to develop nuclear weapons since 2003, right?

Besides, even if Iran did have nuclear arms, they would NEVER attack Israel. The Israelis have 200+ advanced thermonuclear weapons, and ballistic missile technology to deploy them anywhere in the Middle East, as well as a few nuclear-armed submarines that ensure a second strike capability.

Anyway, either Hillary knows this, and is simply trying to play the "Look at my war-cock! It's bigger than Obama's!" or the stupid asshole doesn't know the first thing about contemporary geopolitics or military strategy.

My two cents says that it's a little from column A, and a little from column B.

[marshall]

8. We all missed it, because Hillary didn't qualify her answer with anything about nuclear attacks

She said:
"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attack Iran (if it attacks Israel)," Clinton said in an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America."

"In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them," she said.

"That's a terrible thing to say but those people who run Iran need to understand that because that perhaps will deter them from doing something that would be reckless, foolish and tragic," Clinton said.


That's according to Reuters.

[ohio2007]

18. Catch it on YouTube ( starting at the 2:25 mark)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abJ2jbXasNg

out of context sound bytes available at the link ;)

[marshall]

20. I'm aware of the questioner's phrasing

But Hillary should (or could) have qualified her answer. She did not because she wanted to sound as menacing as possible.

[jeff30997]

6. But,but,but...

Sally Field told that if mothers were in charge there would be no God damn war! Is Chelsea adopted? Or a robot maybe? BTW I love her Monica Lewinsky impersonation:

[DogPoundPup]

9. OMG!

[Leftist Agitator]

10. I've seen a "lolcat" or two in my day... But I like yours the best!

:)

[Kaleva]

14. crude but funny

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

11. a little help over here, please? we need a bump

sorry to interrupt, but its for a good cause, aiming for 1,000 recs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5642736&mesg_id=5642736

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

12. the whole world needs to be on red alert until this primary is settled

sheesh, what crazy batshit stuff will she do next?

[Kaleva]

13. It was a foolish comment made by Hillary

While I believe any US President (be it Hillary, Obama, or McCain) would launch a massive attack on Iran if it were to attack Israel with nukes, I also think that such a warning need not have been said at this time.

[ohio2007]

19. maybe she should have said "I will wipe Iran off the face of the map "?

Thats the Persian rhetoric way of saying it ;)

The mullahs have to accept the sword of Damocles if they accidentally invent a few nukes while processing reactor material

[Eurobabe]

15. No shit Sherlock Holmes.

:eyes:

[catgirl]

16. Which vote is she looking for here?

The jewish vote, the republican vote, or the RW newspapers endorsements?

[ohio2007]

17. the gun toting middle class of PA that Obama dissed?

His comment may have cost him a few votes in the primary