Sunday, June 29, 2008
U.S. May Face Terror Attack In 2009
Sen. Joe Lieberman warns the United States will likely face a terrorist attack in 2009 and feels Republican presidential nominee John McCain will be better prepared to handle the imminent attack than Democratic rival Barack Obama.
"Our enemies will test the new president early,” Lieberman says during on interview Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“Remember the truck bombing of the World Trade Center happened in the first year of the Clinton administration, and 9/11 happened in the first year of the Bush administration," he notes.
Lieberman, a four-term former Democratic incumbent from Connecticut who now aligns himself with the Independent Party, says he prefers Sen. McCain’s approach to foreign policy over that of Sen. Obama’s, citing McCain’s experience “will make the United States' enemies weak and [its] allies strong.”
McCain “knows the world," Lieberman explains. "He's been tested, and he's ready to protect the security of the American people."
Lieberman says the United States is in desperate need of a commander-in-chief who will be prepared to lead the nation on day one of taking office. McCain, he concedes, is that person.
“We’re in a war against Islamic extremists who attacked us on 9/11, and they’ve been trying to attack us in many ways since then,” Lieberman reminds. “We’ve been very fortunate as a result of 9/11 reform legislation which Senator McCain championed.”
Lieberman says McCain is the candidate best prepared to take the reigns of President of the United States on January 20, 2009, because “he doesn’t need any training.”
Commenting on the agreement the Bush administration reached last week with North Korea, whereby the former rogue country officially was taken off the list of states that sponsor terrorism, Lieberman is optimistic, yet cautious.
“It’s hopeful, and I think Senator McCain feels the same way,” Lieberman admits, “but we’re not going to know whether this is a significant step forward or not for about five years. It’s only the beginning.”
Lieberman points out that North Korea only made a partial disclosure of what it had promised prior to the agreement.
“Yes, they told us what they’ve done with plutonium to make bombs, but they really haven’t told us about how many bombs they have,” Lieberman says.
“And they haven’t told us what they’ve down with uranium,” he adds, noting that at the same time the partial agreement was reached, U.S. officials reportedly found uranium residue – used to make highly enriched uranium bombs – on some of the documents North Korea submitted.
“They [the North Koreans] have a lot of work to do, but it’s a beginning,” Lieberman concedes.
“You’ve got to 'mistrust and verify,' he adds, paraphrasing a term oft-repeated by Ronald Reagan in reference to the former president’s foreign policy negotiations.
“This is an agreement [with North Korea] that the next president – with a combination of strength and a willingness and intention to improve our relations – will have to carry forward,” Lieberman says.
“I believe John McCain has both of those capabilities.”
Lieberman acknowledges that he and McCain have had “good-faith disagreements on some issues,” in the past, such as McCain’s willingness to appoint justices to the Supreme Court who might overturn Roe v. Wade, but that the two generally agree on the larger issues the nation struggles to resolve.
“We respect each others positions,” he says.
“I agree with [McCain] on big issues like foreign and defense policy, climate change, and lobbying and ethics reform. But where we disagree, that’s the point. It’s time that people who disagree get together for the benefit of the country. We’ve got to forget our loyalties to the Democrat and Republican parties and pay our loyalties to America,” Lieberman says.
“Our enemies in the world,” he asserts, “will fear and respect John McCain. Our allies will trust and like him.”
Sen. Joe Lieberman warns the United States will likely face a terrorist attack in 2009 and feels Republican presidential nominee John McCain will be better prepared to handle the imminent attack than Democratic rival Barack Obama.
"Our enemies will test the new president early,” Lieberman says during on interview Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“Remember the truck bombing of the World Trade Center happened in the first year of the Clinton administration, and 9/11 happened in the first year of the Bush administration," he notes.
Lieberman, a four-term former Democratic incumbent from Connecticut who now aligns himself with the Independent Party, says he prefers Sen. McCain’s approach to foreign policy over that of Sen. Obama’s, citing McCain’s experience “will make the United States' enemies weak and [its] allies strong.”
McCain “knows the world," Lieberman explains. "He's been tested, and he's ready to protect the security of the American people."
Lieberman says the United States is in desperate need of a commander-in-chief who will be prepared to lead the nation on day one of taking office. McCain, he concedes, is that person.
“We’re in a war against Islamic extremists who attacked us on 9/11, and they’ve been trying to attack us in many ways since then,” Lieberman reminds. “We’ve been very fortunate as a result of 9/11 reform legislation which Senator McCain championed.”
Lieberman says McCain is the candidate best prepared to take the reigns of President of the United States on January 20, 2009, because “he doesn’t need any training.”
Commenting on the agreement the Bush administration reached last week with North Korea, whereby the former rogue country officially was taken off the list of states that sponsor terrorism, Lieberman is optimistic, yet cautious.
“It’s hopeful, and I think Senator McCain feels the same way,” Lieberman admits, “but we’re not going to know whether this is a significant step forward or not for about five years. It’s only the beginning.”
Lieberman points out that North Korea only made a partial disclosure of what it had promised prior to the agreement.
“Yes, they told us what they’ve done with plutonium to make bombs, but they really haven’t told us about how many bombs they have,” Lieberman says.
“And they haven’t told us what they’ve down with uranium,” he adds, noting that at the same time the partial agreement was reached, U.S. officials reportedly found uranium residue – used to make highly enriched uranium bombs – on some of the documents North Korea submitted.
“They [the North Koreans] have a lot of work to do, but it’s a beginning,” Lieberman concedes.
“You’ve got to 'mistrust and verify,' he adds, paraphrasing a term oft-repeated by Ronald Reagan in reference to the former president’s foreign policy negotiations.
“This is an agreement [with North Korea] that the next president – with a combination of strength and a willingness and intention to improve our relations – will have to carry forward,” Lieberman says.
“I believe John McCain has both of those capabilities.”
Lieberman acknowledges that he and McCain have had “good-faith disagreements on some issues,” in the past, such as McCain’s willingness to appoint justices to the Supreme Court who might overturn Roe v. Wade, but that the two generally agree on the larger issues the nation struggles to resolve.
“We respect each others positions,” he says.
“I agree with [McCain] on big issues like foreign and defense policy, climate change, and lobbying and ethics reform. But where we disagree, that’s the point. It’s time that people who disagree get together for the benefit of the country. We’ve got to forget our loyalties to the Democrat and Republican parties and pay our loyalties to America,” Lieberman says.
“Our enemies in the world,” he asserts, “will fear and respect John McCain. Our allies will trust and like him.”
