Obama Fires Back at GOP Appeasement Charge: ‘Ask Osama Bin Laden’
EmailPresident Obama rarely comments on criticisms from the Republican presidential candidates, but today he offered a feisty, blunt response to charges that he is engaged in a foreign policy of “appeasement.”
“Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al-Qaeda leaders who’ve been taken off the field whether I engage in appeasement,” the president fired back at an impromptu news conference at the White House.
“Or whoever’s left out there,” he added. “Ask them about that.”
Republicans vying for the GOP nomination slammed the president’s foreign policy Wednesday, accusing him of turning a blind eye to radical groups in the Middle East and not being aggressive enough with Iran.
“I am very, very worried about our entire relationship with radical Islam because it’s based on a pack of lies,” Newt Gingrich said in a speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition. “It’s based on a pack of self-deception. It’s based on a State Department which has consistently engaged in appeasement.”
Former Sen. Rick Santorum said at the same event, “It doesn’t have an impact unless you do something, unless you have a policy that effectuates what you want to see happen. And this president, for every thug and hooligan, for every radical Islamist, he has had nothing but appeasement.”
Mitt Romney said in his remarks, “President Obama has adopted an appeasement strategy. Appeasement betrays a lack of faith in America, in American strength and in America’s future.”
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Touche! These moronic “candidates” on the Right will lie like rugs in order to pander to the cretins who support them. Reprehensible………..
Posted by: Searambler | December 8, 2011, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
My rule of thumb on critical foreign policy comments by politicians is are they in the loop to know what is really going on? If they are, then their criticism may have some merit. If they are not in the loop, not a member of the National Security Team, then it’s all just static. Since these three definitely do not fulfill these requirements, it just hot air.
Posted by: Catherine | December 8, 2011, 3:36 pm 3:36 pm
I’m pretty sure that if we got another GOP president we would be quickly into several new wars.
Posted by: Debbie | December 8, 2011, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
Sea, you really do not want to get into lies do you? “If I don’t get my trillion dollar stimulus unemployment might go over 8%”.Lie. “I will close gitmo”.Lie. “No lobbyist in DC”. Lie. “My administration will be transparent”.Lie. “I know nothing about Solyndra”. Either a lie or his administration runs amok. Fast and furious, same as Solyndra. Lie or his right hand does not know what his left hand is doing. “I will balance the budget my first term”Lie. And one you yourself would have to laugh at.”I will be fiscally responsible”. Hope you were not eating when you read that one!.These are just a few of them. If you need more just let me know. I have many more of them.
Posted by: specialty57 | December 8, 2011, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
What do you think is going to happen if we do not have a change in leadership, or at least in foreign policy, Debbie?
Posted by: Angie | December 8, 2011, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
I find Newt to be a DETESTABLE man. He is no good and will LIE about his opponent in a way that would put the devil to shame. Newt is a bad man and should NEVER be allowed to lead this nation. By the way, does everyone forget how he left DC in DISGRACE????? Yup, Republicans have ALL those family values they like to TALK about but NEVER live up to. They embarrass me and I’m not even Republican.
Posted by: demNme5 | December 8, 2011, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
“Ask Osama bin Laden” – Barry Hussein O’Bama
So now the Prez says bin Laden is alive?!?!?!
I thought NoBo said the guy was dead and we didn’t need to see the pictures, even though Barry works for us.
Posted by: Noz | December 8, 2011, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
The Pres has been very successful on these terrorists.
Posted by: Cheers | December 8, 2011, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
I expect Barry to come out with a bin laden dummy and do a ventriloquism act if his approval ratings get low enough.
Posted by: foggy | December 8, 2011, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
“So now the Prez says bin Laden is alive?!?!?!”
spoken like a true troll. so… i’ll feed him:
Yes. bin Ladin is alive. He’s vacationing on Fiji sipping tropical drinks with little umbrellas in them. Didn’t you know? Last I heard he was making contributions to the Koch brothers.
Posted by: Thor Fergison | December 8, 2011, 5:28 pm 5:28 pm
What alternative did the President have with regard to Osama Bin Laden or the Somali pirates? If it was learned that the President had the opportunity to get rid of the bad guys but did nothing it would have been a greater disaster. The military made it a no-brainer!!!
Posted by: Common _ Sense | December 8, 2011, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
POSTED BY: COMMON _ SENSE | DECEMBER 8, 2011, 5:36 PM 5:36 PM
“Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al-Qaeda leaders who’ve been taken off the field” . . . go ahead and try to downplay it.
It is exactly what the President promised during the election campaign (to target al Qaeda leaders), and he has delivered.
Posted by: Chad | December 8, 2011, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
Specialty 57, every one of those things that Obama promised to do, he couldn’t without the support of Congress. And Republicans blocked him not only on funding some of those issues but passing meaningful legislation that would have helped the unemployment picture.
Just one example of that is Repubs blocked a bill that would have increased the amount of American made goods our government and Defense Department purchased. How un- American can Republicans get, to block a bill like that!
Posted by: Librarian53 | December 8, 2011, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm
Wow, the Repubs are back to banging war drums for Iran. I can’t believe that they think that will play well with our country who is war weary.
Posted by: Lydia | December 8, 2011, 6:02 pm 6:02 pm
President Obama HAS delivered on many of his promises. The ones he’s had problems with are of course anything to do with NEEDING the creeps in Congress to sign off on. THEY are the main reason that we’re still having trouble and why our economy is still stalling. INTELLIGENT American people know where the problem lies and will vote accordingly in 2012. OBAMA 2012!!!! Maybe all of you righties should make a call to Trump or Palin the two sideshow idiots that can’t seem to keep out of politics where they have no CLUE and see what ideas they have!!! Perhaps more stupid ones like the crap coming from Newt wanting to make kids scrub toilets.
Posted by: demNme5 | December 8, 2011, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm
If we are to buy that “Repubs have blocked…all of the above” how do you explain the first two years when the Dems controlled the White House, the House of Representatives and the Senate. Barry and his friends had total control of all the levers of government then, so tell me why in those two years he didn’t make all those now broken promises become kept promises then?
Posted by: JamesCy | December 8, 2011, 7:36 pm 7:36 pm
“Ask Osama bin Laden and the 22 out of 30 top al-Qaeda leaders who’ve been taken off the field” . . . go ahead and try to downplay it.
It is exactly what the President promised during the election campaign (to target al Qaeda leaders), and he has delivered.
Posted by: Chad | December 8, 2011, 5:47 pm 5:47 pm
Yep, meanwhile the Republicans have offered a very confusing array of foreign policy flip flops and floundering. Newt has contradicted himself on everything from Libya to Iraq and though he thinks he’s smart, anyone who pays attention knows he’s a slippery snake who would sell us out if somehow it would benefit his ego.
The Republicans no longer can claim any sensible understanding of national security.
Posted by: Kimberly | December 8, 2011, 9:07 pm 9:07 pm
demNme5 wrote: “The ones he’s had problems with are of course anything to do with NEEDING the creeps in Congress to sign off on.”
.
Maybe you’re not aware of the concept called co-equal branches of government….. or are you just like oBama and think that he should be grand-poobah-dictator of the world.
Posted by: Michelle Shu Jas | December 8, 2011, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
JamesCY, it’s called a filibuster. Republicans used it like there was no tomorrow. That’s how the minority can control the majority. Keep it real brother James.
Posted by: Dwayne | December 9, 2011, 12:57 am 12:57 am
Wait a minute. DIdn’t Santorum say that Obama should have kept Obama take down a secret? Now he says Obama is appeasing the radical Islamists. Heheheheheehehhe. Just another example of a man without a clue. As for the BinLaden is alive idea – Yeah, he’s sipping Mojitos in Mexico with Elvis and Sasquatch! ;)
Posted by: pksk531 | December 9, 2011, 9:00 am 9:00 am
Oops -that is supposed to read keep Osama a secret”. Sorry.
Posted by: pksk531 | December 9, 2011, 10:23 am 10:23 am
Mitt Romney’s despiration is showing! He will say anything to get ahead and I’m sure he wakes up and ask “What did I just say?” and “why did i say it?” I have unwavering confidence in this President. I was a Reagan Democrat, I’m not totally influenced by party line.
For all of the undecideds look into the eyes of all the political candidates and see if you see a soul there or if they all look vacant. I see vacancy in the eyes of these Presidential candidates.
Posted by: political junkie | December 10, 2011, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm