A Lot To Answer For
Excerpts from Obama’s response to Bush’s speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence.
“Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for. They’ve got to explain why we are now entering our sixth year of war in Iraq.
“We were supposed to be going over there for weapons of mass destruction that we never found. We were told that it was going to last a few months and cost a few billion dollars. We have now spent over $600 billion, thousands of lives lost, and we have not been made more safe.
“They are going to have to explain the fact that Osama bin Laden is still at large and is sending out videotapes with impunity. They need to answer for the fact that al Qaeda’s leadership is stronger than ever because we took our eye off the ball in Afghanistan. They’ve got to answer for the fact that Iran is the greatest strategic beneficiary of our invasion in Iran. Bush’s policies made Iran stronger. They are going to have to explain why Hamas now controls Gaza. Hamas was strengthened because the United States insisted that we should have Democratic elections in the Palestinian Authority.
“That’s the Bush/McCain record on protecting this country. Those are the failed policies that John McCain wants to double down on, because he still hasn’t spelled out one substantial way in which he would be different from George Bush when it comes to foreign policy.
“I’m a strong believer in civility and I’m a strong believer in a bipartisan foreign policy. But that cause is not served with dishonest, divisive attacks of the sort that we’ve seen out of George Bush and John McCain over the last couple of days.
“John McCain has repeated this notion that I’m prepared to negotiate with terrorists. I have been adamant about not negotiating with Hamas, a terrorist organization that has vowed to destroy Israel and won't recognize them.
“They are trying to fool you and trying to scare you. And they are not telling the truth. And the reason is because they can’t win a foreign policy debate on the merits. It’s not going to work this time and it’s not going to work this year. Our Iran policy is a complete failure right now. And that’s the policy that John McCain is running on. He has nothing to offer except the naive and irresponsible belief that tough talk from Washington will somehow cause Iran to give up its nuclear program and support for terrorism.
“I’m running for president to change course, not to continue George Bush’s course. I believe we need to use all elements of American power to pressure Iran, including tough, principled and direct diplomacy. That’s what John F. Kennedy did. That’s what Ronald Reagan did when dealing with the Soviets. And that’s what the president’s own secretary of defense wants to do.
“I understand George Bush’s secretary of defense suggests we talk directly to Iran. So I don’t know if George Bush is calling his own secretary of defense an appeaser. I don’t know who he is talking about. It’s time to present Iran with a clear choice. If it abandons its nuclear program, support for terror, and threats to Israel, then Iran can rejoin the community of nations. If not, Iran will face deeper isolation and steeper sanctions. But in the Bush/McCain world view, everyone who disagrees with their failed Iran policy is an appeaser.
“And back during his No Surrender tour, John McCain said anyone who wants to end the war in Iraq wanted to surrender. He even said later on, that he would be willing to keep troops in Iraq for 100 years, although I think he noticed that it wasn’t polling well because yesterday he said suddenly that our troops are going to be home by 2013, although he didn’t explain how he was going to do it.
“He offered the promise that America will win a victory with no understanding that Iraq is fighting a civil war. Just like George Bush’s plan isn’t about winning, it’s about staying. And that’s why there will be a clear choice in November, fighting a war without end or ending this war and bringing our troops home, because we don’t need John McCain’s predictions about when the war will end.
“We need to plan to end it and that’s what I provided during this campaign. The American people have had enough of the division and the bluster. Both Bush and McCain represent the failed foreign policy and fear mongering of the past. I believe the American people are ready to reject this approach and choose the future. I think you are ready for change that unites this country and ends this war and restores our security and standing in the world and that is serious about a bipartisan foreign policy. You can’t suggest that you want to be bipartisan and then run the kinds of campaign tactics we’ve been seeing over the last couple of days. You’ve got to start while you are campaigning. That’s why we need to bring about some change in the White House.”
“Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for. They’ve got to explain why we are now entering our sixth year of war in Iraq.
“We were supposed to be going over there for weapons of mass destruction that we never found. We were told that it was going to last a few months and cost a few billion dollars. We have now spent over $600 billion, thousands of lives lost, and we have not been made more safe.
“They are going to have to explain the fact that Osama bin Laden is still at large and is sending out videotapes with impunity. They need to answer for the fact that al Qaeda’s leadership is stronger than ever because we took our eye off the ball in Afghanistan. They’ve got to answer for the fact that Iran is the greatest strategic beneficiary of our invasion in Iran. Bush’s policies made Iran stronger. They are going to have to explain why Hamas now controls Gaza. Hamas was strengthened because the United States insisted that we should have Democratic elections in the Palestinian Authority.
“That’s the Bush/McCain record on protecting this country. Those are the failed policies that John McCain wants to double down on, because he still hasn’t spelled out one substantial way in which he would be different from George Bush when it comes to foreign policy.
“I’m a strong believer in civility and I’m a strong believer in a bipartisan foreign policy. But that cause is not served with dishonest, divisive attacks of the sort that we’ve seen out of George Bush and John McCain over the last couple of days.
“John McCain has repeated this notion that I’m prepared to negotiate with terrorists. I have been adamant about not negotiating with Hamas, a terrorist organization that has vowed to destroy Israel and won't recognize them.
“They are trying to fool you and trying to scare you. And they are not telling the truth. And the reason is because they can’t win a foreign policy debate on the merits. It’s not going to work this time and it’s not going to work this year. Our Iran policy is a complete failure right now. And that’s the policy that John McCain is running on. He has nothing to offer except the naive and irresponsible belief that tough talk from Washington will somehow cause Iran to give up its nuclear program and support for terrorism.
“I’m running for president to change course, not to continue George Bush’s course. I believe we need to use all elements of American power to pressure Iran, including tough, principled and direct diplomacy. That’s what John F. Kennedy did. That’s what Ronald Reagan did when dealing with the Soviets. And that’s what the president’s own secretary of defense wants to do.
“I understand George Bush’s secretary of defense suggests we talk directly to Iran. So I don’t know if George Bush is calling his own secretary of defense an appeaser. I don’t know who he is talking about. It’s time to present Iran with a clear choice. If it abandons its nuclear program, support for terror, and threats to Israel, then Iran can rejoin the community of nations. If not, Iran will face deeper isolation and steeper sanctions. But in the Bush/McCain world view, everyone who disagrees with their failed Iran policy is an appeaser.
“And back during his No Surrender tour, John McCain said anyone who wants to end the war in Iraq wanted to surrender. He even said later on, that he would be willing to keep troops in Iraq for 100 years, although I think he noticed that it wasn’t polling well because yesterday he said suddenly that our troops are going to be home by 2013, although he didn’t explain how he was going to do it.
“He offered the promise that America will win a victory with no understanding that Iraq is fighting a civil war. Just like George Bush’s plan isn’t about winning, it’s about staying. And that’s why there will be a clear choice in November, fighting a war without end or ending this war and bringing our troops home, because we don’t need John McCain’s predictions about when the war will end.
“We need to plan to end it and that’s what I provided during this campaign. The American people have had enough of the division and the bluster. Both Bush and McCain represent the failed foreign policy and fear mongering of the past. I believe the American people are ready to reject this approach and choose the future. I think you are ready for change that unites this country and ends this war and restores our security and standing in the world and that is serious about a bipartisan foreign policy. You can’t suggest that you want to be bipartisan and then run the kinds of campaign tactics we’ve been seeing over the last couple of days. You’ve got to start while you are campaigning. That’s why we need to bring about some change in the White House.”
posted by Jim O'Leary | 12:00 AM
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