The Candidates on U.S.-Pakistan Policy
Rudolph Giuliani
After Bhutto's assassination, Giuliani said the United States should "redouble" its efforts along the Afghan-Pakistani border "to make sure there's not a slip back to terrorists," (AP) though he did not indicate specifically what that would mean in terms of U.S. troop presence. He said the United States might need to assign increased security resources to the region, and should consider air strikes on al-Qaeda targets in Pakistan (USA Today).
Mike Huckabee
Huckabee's response to the Pakistani crisis in late December 2007 raised concern in the media about his foreign policy experience. He made erroneous comments about the country's state of emergency and the number of Pakistani illegal immigrants in the United States (TIME).
In general, Huckabee has said the U.S. "failure to engage al-Qaeda in Pakistan seems to be leading inexorably to their attacking us again." In a September 2007 speech, Huckabee criticized the Bush administration's policy toward Pakistan as having "allowed al-Qaeda to metastasize and get into the blood stream of the Islamic world, with its 'franchises' of local terror groups who give their allegiance to headquarters in Pakistan and get assistance in return." He compared the U.S. focus on Iraq "at the expense of Pakistan or Iran" to "dealing with a neighbor's house that is on fire, while ignoring the house on the other side that is filled with carbon monoxide." Huckabee says the United States should counter extremist influence by helping "meet the needs of Pakistan's poor."
In his Foreign Affairs article, Huckabee called for a policy of "tough love" toward Pakistan, and said as president he will pursue al-Qaeda in Pakistan.
Duncan Hunter
Rep. Hunter (D-CA) appears to view the relationship between the United States and Pakistan as effective in assisting U.S. goals in the war on terror. In 2007, Hunter criticized Obama's pledge to attack al Qaeda targets in Pakistan. "When you have an ally that is supporting you, and we are working together in cooperation with the Pakistani military in that critical border area, you don't announce that you're going to invade the country," he told the Philadelphia Jewish Voice.
In November 2007, Hunter commented on Musharraf's temporary implementation of a state of emergency in Pakistan. He said the United States should " not rush to abandon Musharraf, but work with him to get Pakistan back on the path toward democracy, including the release of political dissidents and the reinstatement of the Supreme Court." He also said the United States might consider "lending our own security capabilities to ensure the strongest possible protection of Pakistan's nuclear stockpile."
John McCain
Sen. McCain (R-AZ) has advocated continued U.S. cooperation with Musharraf to "dismantle the cells and camps that the Taliban and al-Qaeda maintain in his country." In a November 2007 Foreign Affairs essay, he warned that the "Talibanization of Pakistani society is advancing," and said the United States should make "a long-term commitment to the country." This would include bolstering Pakistan's security capabilities to enhance "Pakistan's ability to act against insurgent safe havens." He also said the United States should "bring children into schools and out of extremist madrassas," though he did not specify how the United States should approach that task.
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Member Comments
Posted By: JohnGaltlaketahoe @ 03/28/2008 1:01:42 PM
Comment: The neocon controlled Bush Administration staged the 9/11 attacks in order to justify the imperial conquest of American military power into the oil soaked Middle East.
Only the oil remains. No weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq. No mobile biological weapons labs were found in Iraq. Iraq did not seek to acquire yellowcake uranium. The aluminum tubes were not suitable for nuclear use. The lead hijacker in the events of 9/11 did not meet with Iraqi intelligence. Iraq did not provide chemical weapons training to Al-Qaeda. There was no relationship between Iraq and Al-Qaeda. Hussein nor Iraq was involved in the events of September 11, 2001. Only the oil remains. The anti-trust violations of this State Department and Executive Branch are massive.
This war on terror has nothing to do with Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda was created and sponsored by the CIA during the 1970's Afghanistan war all the way up to the 1990 and the begining of the first Gulf War. Al-Qaeda involvement in the events of 9/11 has a sponsor.
Dick Cheney's private and secretly held meetings described as his ENERGY TASK FORCE are swimming in anti-trust violations regarding the soaring price of oil which is not related to market conditions,,,, rather...related to the mechanisms of the US STATE DEPARTMENT AND THIS EXECUTIVE BRANCH waging illegal international aggression for the confiscation and hostile takeover of IRAQI NATURAL RESOURCES.
Posted By: JohnGaltlaketahoe @ 03/26/2008 9:13:37 PM
Comment: No weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq. No mobile biological weapons labs were found. Iraq did not seek to acquire yellowcake uranium. The aluminum tubes were not sultable for nuclear weapons. The lead hi-jacker in the events of 9/11 did not meet with Iraqi intelligence. Iraq did not provide chemical weapons training to Al-Qaeda. There was no relationship between Iraq and Al Qaeda. Hussein nor Iraq was involved in the events of 9/11.
One million Iraqi citizens have died. 2 million have been displaced. Four thousand US soldiers have died. 100,000 have been wounded physically and mentally.
Only the oil remains. The conflicts of interest inherent in this Bush Administration are currently confiscating the natural resources of Iraq.
Should this entire Executive Branch he hung? Should there simply be another election and a new President to continue this nightmare? Only the American electorate can decide what treason and insurrection against the American electorate means.
But make no mistake....this Bush Administration used lies and innuendo to place the US military into Iraq.