McCain criticizes Obama, proposes Iranian sanctions at AIPAC
EmailABC News’s Bret Hovell reports: Offering his strong support for the state of Israel, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., criticized rival Barack Obama and offered a tough line on dealing with Iranian threats in the Middle East in a speech to AIPAC, the largest U.S. Israel lobby.
Watch the VIDEO HERE.
He offered what has become a standard attack on Sen. Obama, D-Il., for what McCain calls a willingness to sit down with Iranian leaders unconditionally, a proposal from which Obama has backed away.
“We hear talk of a meeting with the Iranian leadership offered up as if it were some sudden inspiration, a bold new idea that somehow nobody has ever thought of before,” McCain said, seeming to mock Obama’s plan. “Yet it’s hard to see what such a summit with President [Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad would actually gain.”
McCain said that instead of sitting down to talk with Iran, “we must create the real-world pressures that will peacefully but decisively change the path they are on.”
To that end, the presumptive Republican nominee proposed ramping up sanctions against the regime in Tehran, including financial sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran, which McCain said aids in Iranian terrorism proliferation. He also proposed sanctions on Iran’s ability to import refined petroleum.
He also criticized Obama for voting against a Congressional resolution to declare Iran’s Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.
The Obama campaign responded in a written statement e-mailed to reporters, calling McCain “stubborn,” and his foreign policy plans “dangerous.”
“Instead of recognizing reality, John McCain continues to run on a platform of doubling down on George Bush’s failed policies, while carrying on his divisive brand of politics,” said Hari Sevugan, an Obama spokesman.
McCain referred to Obama several times during his speech, but only twice by name. He did not mention Sen. Hillary Clinton.
The Arizona Republican also expressed skepticism about the Israeli-Palestinian peace process with Hamas in control in Gaza.
“A peace process that places faith in terrorists can never end in peace,” McCain said. “And we do no favors to the Palestinian people by conferring approval upon the terrorist syndicate that has seized power in Gaza.”
Santorum: Money Will Not Defeat Obama, Ideas Will 
Rick Santorum's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
Senator McCain, there is a very determined, patient, peaceful man who has been fasting outside your Phoenix office for a week now in 100+ heat, waiting for a word with you. But then you know that, don’t you? Why not take a break from AIPAC and see what he wants?
Posted by: Sivan | June 2, 2008, 12:34 pm 12:34 pm
I just put a bunch of posts on the previous thread, sigh. I’m an idiot. But now back to the presidential race and foreign affairs/national security.
Does McCain know anything about Iraq? I’m starting to wonder. You’d think he would pick up something in his shopping junkets to artificially secure Baghdad markets.
But then McCain opens his mouth, and all we hear are these ridiculous Bush-like simplicities. I’m starting to wonder.
Posted by: Paul | June 2, 2008, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
Yea McCain we should just threaten Iran to OBLITERATE from the face of the earth if they don’t comply,that should solve the problem.
Posted by: merle7 | June 2, 2008, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
bom bom bomb bom bomb iran
hahaha just a little joke…
nice joke, in return well get bomb bomb bombed
just what we need another president whos idea of foreign policy is to just blow stuff up.
Spread democracy through violence!!!!
Posted by: bhrandon | June 2, 2008, 12:48 pm 12:48 pm
Obama does not have a clue. He want to appear Presidential in the debates, and boast that he will meet such leaders unconditionally. Then when someone like Hillary suggests laying some groundwork first, he institutes one of his favored tactics–Backpedal! He has backpedalled so often in this campaign that we already know how little knowledge and how little experience he actually possesses. McCain has the experience and trust to do the job. Obama does not.
Posted by: georgia | June 2, 2008, 1:21 pm 1:21 pm
Now that you dont have the way to ventilate your anger toward vietcong who mesh you up terribly, dont try to find the iranian scapegoat to relief your madness.
Posted by: mampang | June 2, 2008, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm
May 15th, on Nova-M radio, Robert Wexler (D-FL) said “GENERALS STARTED FINALLY LISTENING TO OBAMA’S SUGGESTIONS”
when he argued that Musharraf could not openly give permission for targeted strikes for fear of being assassinated
Here is what he was talking about –
1. August 2007 debate: Obama makes vocal case for striking terrorists inside Pakistan
“Let me make this clear: There are terrorists holed up in those mountains, that murdered 3,000 Americans,” said Obama during the counterterrorism address. “If we have actionable intelligence about high-valued terrorist targets and if President Musharraf will not act, we will.”
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3458915
2. McCain, Hillary, Dodd, Biden all criticize him saying we should not be working against Musharraf our only advocate in the region
3. December 2007: Bhutto assassinated by terrorists
4. The Washington Post reported that in late January, a CIA aircraft fired on several buildings in the Pakistani town of Mir Ali, killing a senior al-Qaida commander and several others. The paper, quoting anonymous U.S. officials, said that the action was done without seeking approval from the Pakistani government.
5. Mid February ’08, Musharraf voted out of power; US has spent $11B trying to prop. up Musharraf
6. Late February, Senator Dodd endorsed Obama
Obama’s 2002 NO-HOLDS-BARRED Iraq speech took real courage. It risked his run-for-the-Senate WHILE the wise-men/women of Congress took comfort in voting as group to support the Iraq war resolution.
http://www.digg.com/politics/Full_text_of_Barack_Obama_s_2002_Speech_Against_the_Iraq_War
Posted by: Young Atheart | June 2, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
WHY CANT MCCAIN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING BUT WAR LIKE THE ECONOMY HEALTHCARE EDUCATION JOBS ETC OH I KNOW MAYBE ITS BECAUSE HES CLULESS ABOUT THOSE ISSUSES AND THE ONLY THING HE KNOWS IS ABOUT WAR REMEMBER I WILL NEVER SURRENDER IN IRAQ MY FRIENDS NEVER WELL HOPEFULLY SOON HE WILL START TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER ISSUSES SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT AN IDIOT MCBUSH HE REALLY IS
Posted by: angie | June 2, 2008, 2:03 pm 2:03 pm
Just a matter of time before McCain declares to invade Iran if elected president
Posted by: ambro23 | June 2, 2008, 2:23 pm 2:23 pm
Vote for John: Let’s send MORE of our kids and those “brown people” into the meat grinder… how’s another 100 years sound to you?
Posted by: pity | June 2, 2008, 2:46 pm 2:46 pm
Iran should put sanctions on us for putting sanctions on Iraq which resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children throughout the 90′s. These sanctions only hurt the weak. What a joke.
Posted by: Wade | June 2, 2008, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
Oh brother not more sanctions. As our nations continues its downward slide, maybe countries that will rise to prominance in the future will put sanctions on us when they don’t agree with our fundamental philosophies.
Posted by: Huh | June 2, 2008, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
McCain, please do not EVER think Obama is naive about anything in politics-He and Michelle are masters of the game-the sooner the Republicans realize this and realize they go for the jugular and are anything but patriots, the sooner you can claim victory over them. Know your enemies!!! Read Michelle’s college thesis and Barrack’s books. Michelle’s thesis sound like a page (or pages) out of Jeremiah’s sermons.
Posted by: virginia | June 2, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
I worry for this country, when so many of you endanger our country’s future with your misinformed votes for a man you know little about! Educate yourself about Obama and then educate yourself about communism and marxism! America is the best thing that ever happened to this world. Why cant you people understand how bad he will be for this country. Read for yourself:
Barack Obama, “As president, I will end misguided defense policies and stand with Caucus for Priorities in fighting special interests in Washington.
First, I’ll stop spending $9 billion a month in Iraq. I’m the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning — and as president, I will end it.
Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending. I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems. I will not weaponize space. I will slow our development of future combat systems, and I will institute an independent defense priorities board to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.
Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons.
To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material, and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals.
You know where I stand.”
Posted by: marty | June 2, 2008, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
We were attacked under Bush. He is a moron he is so weak and attacks people who have nothing to do with attacking us and let’s the people who do want to kill us go scot free.
Bin Laden is still at large, meanwhile iran, hezbollah and hamas are stronger than ever. How on earth some want more of mcsame is beyond me.
Posted by: John | June 3, 2008, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
One of Obama’s platforms is that he’ll negotiate with the Russians to take IBCM’s off hair trigger alert. I think that’s great but I hate to break this to Obama , we negotiated with Russia to take ICBM’s of hair trigger alert over 20 years ago. The INF treaty was signed by Reagan and Gorbachev in December 1987
Hasn’t he read anything on the subject since Carter was in office?
Posted by: Shawn S | July 26, 2008, 2:25 am 2:25 am