Hillary: We cannot negotiate with individual terrorists
posted at 1:04 pm on October 15, 2007 by Allahpundit
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Geraghty’s alarmed, as he should be. Like I said Friday, contra Obama, the Glacier’s always careful in her foreign policy rhetoric not to commit too strongly to any one position. As such, the rather pointed qualifier in this passage from her new big bag o’ bromides isn’t there by accident:
Use our military not as the solution to every problem but as one element in a comprehensive strategy. As president, I will never hesitate to use force to protect Americans or to defend our territory and our vital interests. We cannot negotiate with individual terrorists; they must be hunted down and captured or killed. Nor can diplomacy alone stop the perpetrators of genocide and crimes against humanity in places such as Darfur. But soldiers are not the answer to every problem. Using force in lieu of diplomacy compels our young men and women in uniform to carry out missions that they may not be trained or prepared for. And it ignores the value of simply carrying a big stick, rather than using it.
This may be an allusion to Bush’s plan to designate the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, a measure Hillary herself voted to support two weeks ago and for which she’s been getting grief from the left ever since. If it’s a reference to Iran then there’s no sense hollering about it: Bush’s own ambassador to Iraq has met with the Iranians twice so she’s only guilty of following a Republican precedent.
But if this is all about Iran, why not specify it in the passage I quoted? E.g., “We must never negotiate with terrorists, but thanks to the president’s foolhardy polices in Iraq, we have no choice at this point but to make an exception for Iran.” Why broaden it to “terrorists” generally? Geraghty thinks he knows why. I’m inclined to agree.
Update: Please note — this isn’t Hillary speaking off the cuff. Follow the link and you’ll see it’s from an article in Foreign Affairs magazine. She put a lot of thought into this formulation.
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Way to rip off TR there, Cankles.
ReubenJCogburn on October 15, 2007 at 1:08 PM
What a f&^king retard, if you carry a big stick that you are not going to use, somebody will eventually use your big stick against you.
doriangrey on October 15, 2007 at 1:16 PM
ditto
Viper1 on October 15, 2007 at 1:20 PM
I got it!!! The terrorists need to form a terrorist union. Then Hill will negotiate with them all. And probably give them a health plan. It’s all good!!!
mjk on October 15, 2007 at 1:30 PM
I do not like the sound of this at all.
I didn’t realize from your blurb that this wasn’t just another freudian slip on the campaign trail but an article in Foreign Affairs Magazine, written with the input of her policy team.
see-dubya on October 15, 2007 at 1:31 PM
“Comprehensive”
Every politician’s favorite word right now.
When you hear this word … RUN!
Gregor on October 15, 2007 at 1:34 PM
I’m baffled with BS, again
Kini on October 15, 2007 at 1:37 PM
Hmmm…a “comprehensive strategy”…one that demonstrates extensive understanding – y’know…comprehension.
Go ahead..tell me something that communicates your understanding, hence why people should be looking to you for leadership…anything at all…anytime you’re ready…no rush
Ochlan on October 15, 2007 at 1:40 PM
Alarmed? Why is anyone actually shocked by this?
As if, we didn’t know this would be her policy ten years ago?
Gregor on October 15, 2007 at 1:40 PM
I’m waiting for her “a camel in every tent” policy to appease terrorists worldwide.
The Clintonistas wrap themselves in buying solutions to problems. Well, that and bodies disappearing.
fogw on October 15, 2007 at 2:03 PM
If we pay any attention to this, it should only be so that we can remember it next year, when she says something different. It’s not like anyone in the media is going to try and pigeon-hole her when she slips up next year and says “we cannot negotiate with any terrorist.”
For all we know, she and her crack foreign policy team just floated this out there to see if there would be any reaction.
In any case, what she says now is immaterial. Anything she says on the campaign trail will be discarded in an instant, if need be, once she is in the White House. If she finds it expedient, she will not only negotiate with individual terrorists, she’ll send money to their organizations, and throw state dinners for the representatives of Saudi Arabia and Iran.
P.S. I know that Democrats and Foreign Policy are like oil and water, so that paragraph above should be read with a grain of salt.
stivv on October 15, 2007 at 2:03 PM
How does one negotiate with individual terrorists, anyway?
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on October 15, 2007 at 2:03 PM
I see the bad witch arisin’.
I see Hillary on the way.
I see HillaryCare and rationin’.
I see bad times today.
Don’t go stayin around in Iraq,
Well, it’s bound to take your party’s life,
There’s a bad witch on the rise.
I hear her momentum ablowin’.
I know Hillay is comin’ soon.
I fear liberals on the court over flowin’.
I hear the voice of tax and ruin.
Hope you got your $hit together.
Hope you are quite prepared to cry.
Looks like we’re in for Hillary weather.
Her comprehensive political strategy is not going to result in any 2000 kind of tie.
- CCR
MB4 on October 15, 2007 at 2:04 PM
Entelechy on October 15, 2007 at 2:06 PM
Negotiator: Don’t press that detonator!!! I’ve got seventy three virgins for you right here!! Seventy three!!!
Terrorist: I also want something that goes really really fast and gets really sh$%*y gas mileage!
Negotiator: How ’bout the new 6000-SUX?
see-dubya on October 15, 2007 at 2:07 PM
Speaking of that foreign affairs article…nice ending.
see-dubya on October 15, 2007 at 2:09 PM
To think that almost 50% of Americans would even consider letting this woman be in charge of this country’s national security is insanity. A great civilization cannot be destroyed from without until it destroys itself from within. We’re on our way.
volsense on October 15, 2007 at 2:14 PM
Rasmussen 10/08 – 10/09
Clinton (D) 48
Giuliani (R) 41
MB4 on October 15, 2007 at 2:24 PM
Dread Pirate Roberts VI on October 15, 2007 at 2:25 PM
I hate it when you are forced to dissect every syllable of every word or every sentence to understand what they are really saying.
I think that is what the people are really tired of, just say what you mean.
I will not negotiate with individual terrorists I consider them criminals, but terrorist sponsored states we will negotiate with, I consider them freedom fighters.
right2bright on October 15, 2007 at 2:27 PM
Another canard of the left. They blanketly imply that the Republican’s solution to every problem is to send in the military. Of course they have no basis for such implications. Except in rare cases, the use of military force is the result of FAILED negotiations, dipolmacy, or sanctions. The soldiers are used as the LAST resort.
Another example of what a dishonest bytch she is.
Mallard T. Drake on October 15, 2007 at 2:37 PM
She likes organization.
T J Green on October 15, 2007 at 2:51 PM
Gawd, does she think we’re idiots? (that’s rhetorical)
A big stick is absolutely useless if the ragheads don’t believe we’ll use it. And they’ll only believe we’ll use it if they see us use it on other ragheads.
Splashman on October 15, 2007 at 2:55 PM
It’s called “TRI – ANG – U – LATION”
And the Clinton Crime Family invented it!
georgej on October 15, 2007 at 3:14 PM
I have to look at any Hillary post on HotAir for the simple reason that I laugh out loud when I see you refer to her as the Glacier… brilliant.
D2Boston on October 15, 2007 at 3:58 PM
The military is always useful for a large budget cut, and will provide the cash to pay off all of those crack heads to make babies for 5K a pop.
Hening on October 15, 2007 at 4:33 PM
It’s hard to imagine the Glacier with the code/finger to that special football.
In addition, be reminded what her ‘husband’ and her did to the Military, financially and from a morale standpoint when they had their first round of power. No more!
Indeed see-dubya, America is still great. She’s just sellig it as not great so she can save us from ourselves. Hillary, the great Saviour. Merci!
Entelechy on October 15, 2007 at 5:57 PM
Hillary is getting a pass on this crap now, but in the general, she is going to be pressed on her varying positions on every side of every issue.
csdeven on October 15, 2007 at 8:45 PM
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