Pakistani protesters burn a U.S. flag, condemn Obama's remarks

[Alamom]

Pakistani protesters burn a U.S. flag to condemn U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama's remarks, in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday. Pakistan criticized Obama for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes inside this Islamic nation to root out terrorists.

By Shakil Adil, AP


http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2007-08-03-pakistan-obama_N.htm

Pakistan: Obama remark 'irresponsible'

8/03/07

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan on Friday criticized U.S. presidential hopeful Barack Obama for saying that, if elected, he might order unilateral military strikes inside this Islamic nation to root out terrorists.
Top Pakistan officials said Obama's comment was irresponsible and likely made for political reasons related to the race for the Democratic nomination for next year's U.S. presidential election.


"It's a very irresponsible statement, that's all I can say," Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khusheed Kasuri told AP Television News. "As the election campaign in America is heating up we would not like American candidates to fight their elections and contest elections at our expense."

>

Obama triggered anger in Pakistan, a key ally of the United States in its war on terror, when he said in a speech Wednesday that as president he would order U.S. military action against terrorists in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan if intelligence warranted it.

>

On Friday, 1,000 tribesmen rallied in Miran Shah, the main town in North Waziristan tribal area, condemning recent military operations and chanting slogans against the United States for threatening to launch attacks in their areas.


We are able to defend ourselves. We will teach a lesson to America if it attacks us," local cleric Maulvi Mohammed Roman told the rally.

[The_Casual_Observer]

1. It's pretty simple, US attacks Pakistan & their government falls.

Then those nukes are up for grabs. UBL knows this, he knows he is safe from harm there.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

23. if it was that simple

than why haven't the radicals already usurped Musharraf?

[MADem]

2. I challenge any of those flag burning assholes to wander off

to the unincorporated tribal regions where he's said to be hiding, and see if they don't end up dead in a ditch and missing their heads.

Where Usama is, ain't Pakistan, even if he is inside the UN recognized borders of that land. It's the Wild, Wild, (North) West.

[dugggy]

28. So if Pakistan can't control wild wild Waziristan, why not let the US Military

do the job? Obama is 100% correct on this. My respect for him just
quadrupled.

[MADem]

29. The only way that's gonna happen is by remote control.

They need to get a Global Hawk up there, find him, and fire on him. And do better than hitting the camel and missing the principal.

You put troops in there, it's like the dark side of the moon. They'd get nowhere, but maybe dead. They'd end up in the ditch without their heads, too.

It's a tribal society, with circular layers of security. If you don't 'fit' then you get 'noted.' And if you can't explain yourself, you could well go missing.

[Totally Committed]

3. I am absolutely in no "camp" at the moment. I want to say this up front.

I also know that what Obama said yesterday was taken out of a larger context.

Those things having been said, I have to say that his remarks have ended up enflaming a situation where there was no current situation. It was th epolitical equivalent, imo, to Bush's "Axis of Evil" speech where he called out three countries just for the hell of it. Who the hell wants to negotiate or even TALK to someone who has already expressed a predisposition to bombing the shit out of them? Have we learned NOTHING from the idiot Bush? Has Obama learned nothing? What the hell was he thinking, making these remarks?

I want this country safer because there is inherent respect for us around the world. That isn't going to happen while we have the biggest, baddest, machomen running theit stupid mouths, and acting like warmongering groins every time they make a foreign policy speech.

Obama made a mistake with those remarks yesterday. Period. At least that's how I see it.

TC

[DURHAM D]

4. I agree.

He continues to have trouble with message management. My feeling is that Obama will be a great candidate in 2016. Right now he is a little too inexperienced and it is showing.

However, to be the candidate in 2016 he needs to stop doing those things that seem like knee-jerk reactions during a campaign battle. It diminishes him and I don't want that.

[ChiciB1]

19. I Have To Agree Also... We Have Soooooooooo Many Problems To

solve right here in the US of Ass and we can't even get along anymore. I'm happy that Obama has generated so much interest as an alternative candidate, but I'm really not one to start more trouble.

My heart breaks for all those people who are dying in Iraq and around the world... Men, Women AND especially innocent children! I have had so many problems heaped on my lately, but even so, all I have to do is just stop and think about them and mine are so very very small!

[quinnox]

5. Way to go Obama

Jesus, What other country does Obama want to attack?

I love the new kind of politics he is preaching, yea, sure, threaten allied countries that are already at risk of chaos.

Great diplomacy skills Obama! :wtf:

your "foreign policy experience" sure is showing!

[SaveElmer]

6. Senator Obama, a small taste of what can happen...

When you don't watch what you say...and how you say it...

I am a Hillary supporter and I am a bit disappointed that she decided to weigh in on this as well...

[BeyondGeography]

7. Spare us the sanctimony; Hillary has exactly the same policy on acting unilaterally if necessary

[SaveElmer]

8. Do you actually read the posts you respond too..

Apparently not as you can see I did criticize Hillary for weighing in...

And it is not the policy, it is the act of preannoucning a potential plan to conduct military action in Pakistan, a country with the lid on extremists, barely on, in a political speech...Obama messed up, and Hillary should not have commented on it...

[BeyondGeography]

10. Obama can not and will not avoid taking positions on important issues

and this was going to come up in the campaign sooner or later. The proper thing to do if you want to win is to define yourself on key issues before a questioner at a debate (or one of your opponents) does it for you. Plus, he was only embracing sound policy that many people in this country, including your candidate, agree with.

"Watch what you say and how you say it," channelling Ari Fleischer for inspiration?

[SaveElmer]

11. I'd love to play you in poker...

You'd probably announce up front under what conditions you will raise and when you will fold...

[BeyondGeography]

13. "Watch what you say and how you say it"

The Elmer school of campaigning for President...laughable.

[SaveElmer]

14. What is laughable...

Is Obama supporters thinking it is actually a good thing to destabilize already shaky allies...

[BeyondGeography]

15. Let's coddle the people who would kill us...that's a winner, too, Elmer

Some kids do a Friday flag-burn and you get all squishy. Hillary wouldn't approve.

[mopinko]

9. were the protest signs in english?

smells like a black bag protest to me. maybe i am just getting too cynical.

[Lucinda]

25. not the one in the pic in the op...

[elizm]

12. And your position is.....

Just to continue to let OBL regroup in Pakistan, bring more attacks to the USA, and allow Pakistan to continue to give him a refuge in which to do it? Just askin'....

[Alamom]

17. My position is, a politician stating publicly their plans to go into another country

to search for criminals with or without the permission of the leaders two years before said politician can do "squat" about anything is irresponsible.

........every American knows these people are vindictive and without conscience and will retaliate at the drop of a hat and certainly with inflamatory remarks and threats. Two years is a long time for them to show said politician just what he's up against.

.......all military personel and civilians in the region know very well the wrath of the criminals when threatened and they may not make it two years.


.......you do not give away your battle plans 2 years before you plan to carry them out.


......you don't give the other side ammunition, they will shoot you with it.


I could write all day about the problems these remarks can and have caused but if you don't see them already, I'm wasting my time.



edsp

[elizm]

21. So you are not against the policy?

Just against him announcing it 2 years ahead? Just trying to get some clarifications here.

[Skip Intro]

16. Nuance is important in diplomacy.

As I said in another thread. You don't tell a potential enemy, or a current enemy, that you would not, probably, use some portion of your defense. Of course, you don't drop nukes, but you don't tell the enemy that you will come after them in a year and a half when you're president, and you don't tell them what you will and will not do. And to do so through day-after clarification?

There is a big difference here. The world, enemies and allies alike, is listening.


We're just coming off a cross your fingers "how bad can it be" presidency. Its just not the right time for another. Getting your point across, correctly, the first time, could prove a valuable asset in the next eight years. A lot is at stake.

[ChiciB1]

18. Whoops... Not Good.... n/t

[sandnsea]

20. Well Trancedo said he'd blow up their mosques

So I kind of doubt what Obama said is all that earth-shattering in comparison.

[stillcool]

22. Now why would they be upset...

with the U.S.? Look all we've done for their neighbors in the region. Talk about ingrates.

[killbotfactory]

24. Those guys loved us so much before Obama opened his mouth

:sarcasm:

[PurityOfEssence]

26. Yes, they're dangerous and hostile, so let's rile them up by being sloppy

Obama should exercise even more than the usual caution and subtlety when dealing with skittish and dangerous countries like this.

The fact that they didn't like us in the first place doesn't make what he did less consequential, it makes it FAR MORE. Funny. Ha ha.

When you're on thin ice, you're supposed to tread lightly.

[LadyAziz]

27. So what

like they didn't already ridicule themselves during the Red Mosque incident. Pakistan is NOT OUR FRIEND, they never were and they never will be. If Obama's comments are so irresponsible what is Hillary vote for the War in Iraq?

[laugle]

30. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend!" unfortunately,

that's the way it is.

Of course Bush's policy is to talk only with our so-called friends and that's part of why we are in the mess we are in today!

[Morereason]

31. You work for Hillary's campaign right? Two posts with different titles both hit pieces

It is difficult enough to see the media again pulling a Dean like amplification to push someone out of the race. Some of us are tired of this stuff. And to see it on DU stinks. The OP is not about "News", it is about participating in what we abhor if it supports one's own welfare.