IRAN: Hillary's threat to "obliterate" in war reverberates

 

Better be careful what you say in the heat of a political campaign. It could have global repercussions.

Presidential contender Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's vow to "obliterate" Iran, presumably with nuclear weapons, if it attacked Israel on her watch was duly noted in the U.S.

[UPDATE: To see a video and full transcript of the comment, click here.]

Jaded American insiders shrugged off the remark as typical campaign season bluster, filed away with myriad other exaggerations and gaffes.

But it prompted shock overseas as well as headlines from Bulgaria to New Zealand.

The statement triggered alarm bells in the Persian Gulf, which would likely suffer the consequences of any war between Iran and the U.S. In a harshly worded editorial, the Saudi-based daily Arab News trashed Clinton's comment today as insane:

This is the foreign politics of the madhouse. It demonstrates the same doltish ignorance that has distinguished Bush’s foreign relations. It offers only violence where there should be negotiations and war where there could be peace. At a stroke, Clinton demonstrated to everyone in this region that if she were the next occupant of the White House, Iraq-like death and destruction would be the order of the day.

The paper generally stays  true to the line of the Saudi government, which is a key U.S. ally. But criticism of the remark also came from even friendlier quarters.

In the United Kingdom, which has been a steadfast U.S. ally in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as on the issue of Iran, Lord Mark Malloch-Brown, a ranking British diplomat, criticized Clinton's remark as gratuitous:

While it is reasonable to warn Iran of the consequence of it continuing to develop nuclear weapons and what those real consequences bring to its security, it is not probably prudent ... in today's world to threaten to obliterate any other country and in many cases civilians resident in such a country.

—Borzou Daragahi in Beirut

Photos: Image from a 1954 U.S. nuclear test in the Pacific Ocean. (Wikimedia Commons) Hillary Rodham Clinton (Official picture).

P.S. The Los Angeles Times issues a free daily newsletter with the latest headlines from the Middle East, the war in Iraq and the frictions between the West and Islam. You can subscribe by registering at the website here, logging in here and clicking on the World: Mideast newsletter box here.

Comments

[Benjamin]

There is more than sees the eyes in Hillary's comments. She is running out of time to win the nomination for the Democratic party as Obama is still in the lead. Hillary was not realy talking to the Iranian people but to those who run the show in America. She is giving a clear signal to those who are able to put her in the White House that she will do anything they want if they get her elected.
We all know who controls the media as there is hardly any discussions on her comments in the public airways. However, if one dares to threaten Israel in the same manner that Hillary threatened Iran, then there would have been public outrage all over the news on every major network.
I think Hillary would have a far better chance of winning the presidency of Israel than America. But if you realy think about it they are both one and the same.
American policies are put together in Israel and go through the formalities in the US senate. Then they are signed by our Isreali backed president.
And before you respond to these comments as another Anti-Jew comments; let me say that I have nothing against Jews. They are as good/bad as any other religion. It's the state of Israel that is the root of all the tentions in Middle East. Of course, that is another disucssion all together.
As Americans we owe it to our children to speak-out against wrong and fight for the right of the people who can not do it themselves. United we are stronger than any force, regarldess of which institutions they control. They might be able to discredit one or hundred people, but they can't stop the free spirit of the American pepole.
May the force protect the United States of America as it's fighting an invisible enemy within.

[Kate Poe]

Well now Hillary plans to blow up the world how Clintonian;however, I would not get to bent out of shape it is just another false campaign promise. She has made hundreds of them you know.

HILLARY'S TO DO LIST

1. Get More Money From Oil Companies
2. Stand By Her Man While He Goes On Trail For Fraud
3. Make sure Bill has Money While He Is In Jail
4.After Being So Upset About Bill Being In Jail She Finally Decides To Obliterate The World.

[chingwaru]

The most disturbing thing about these elections is the lack of candidates to address global problems,eg Zimbabwe, Angola, Somalia etc. Besides destroying people maybe Hillary can talk about healing people. Hope for Zimbabweans struggling under Mugabe, Hope for Somalians and hope for the world. Change we can believe in.

[George W. Bushleague]

Betty~

The ignorance of your statement and sentiments, while astounding, is not too uncommon; they are the reason we will likely be stuck with another Republican in the White House. Whether her name is Hillary or his name is John.

[chingwaru]

I am from Zimbabwe, and the arrogance that Hillary Clinton is showing is similar to that shown by Mugabe. Hillary will do anything for votes, and the worst thing she did was to talk about Martin Luther King's dream speech and within the same breath claim Obama is not electable. Hillary hates the idea that Obama a black man is about to lead the world, this was Martin Luther King's dream and Hillary is the only stumbling block, so for her to give a speech on how Martin was great man is purely political. By using the word obliterate, Hillary shows she is worse than Bush, worse than Mugabe and who knows where we are heading.

[genia]

Hill made these remarks in Penn.
Large Jewish population in Penna. She was pandering.
Now, moving on to Indiana and NC, ...she will twist and spin this.....sad thing is....she'll get away with it.

[Cathi]

Folks in the middle east would just as soon spit on her as look or listen at/to her -- same thing with Condi Rice...it's just a fact...if she wins ANYTHING, prepare for the consequences -- she opened Pandora's Box when she made that statement with such ease.

[James]

Those comments were despicable and disgusting. It shows Americas true colors as a savage and racist country.

How is it possible that those who make war, drop bombs, make thousands of nuclear arms, torture in their jails, and wiretap—that is to say, the biggest violators of human rights in the world—can try and impose their model on everyone else?

[Betty]

Im glad she said it
Had someone had the backbone to tell Saddam the same thing years ago maybe we wouldnt be over there fighting right now
What if Bush SR told him way back when"Look knock it off or we are gonna come after you with brute force he would have thought about a little more cooporatuion with inspectors but nobody put it out to him plain and simple
If someone was threatening us in the way they threaten Israel no doubt they would defend us in the same way
Any one notice that BO refuses to comment on Jimmy Carters trip to have tea with Hamas?
If he says its great he enrages people who dont like terrorists if he says he doesnt agree with Carters trip he riske Carters support so he says nothing as usual
Ask Hillary what she thinks of it and I would bet she will answer
So let all the BO supporters-Iran- Gaza- Hamas- know that Clinton nor McCain will take any of their crap the way BO will.
I would much rather get a straight answer from a candidate even if I dont agree then to get the run around from one who dodges all questions
Carville said last night BO fears the results of a re vote in Mich and FL and fears another debate for the questioning he is a real tough guy now isnt he

[DVS]

She has made a massive case of how Obama would be a naive (read dangerous) Commander-in-Chief. Sad that it took the international press to see the insanity of her cowboy comments about obliterating Iran.

As a lifelong Democrat, I would NEVER vote for Hillary Clinton after hearing her Iran bravado. We would be much safer with John McCain and a Democratic Congress than with Clinton in the White House,

[Egypt Steve]

Death to the Wogs! By the Millions!

They don't call her "Hitlery" for nothin'.

[jsfox]

For all Senator Clinton's supposed foreign policy creds she seems to be making one blunder after another. Individually minor, but they do start to pile up.

Calling out Putin a soulless - you may agree he is, but not something you say to the world.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0208/Putin_vs_Clinton.html
Telling a joke at the expense of New Zealand prime minister and also thinking she was the ex-prime minister. http://rugbyheaven.co.nz/dominionpost/4490843a23917.html
Angering Pakistan by suggest that Musharraf had Benazir Bhutto killed.
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20080101-43204.html
Also not understanding the basic structure of the Pakistan government.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0108/Clinton_errs_on_Pakistan_.html

[Fred Reza]

I say to Hillary . Bring it on baby . If you want to Nuke the 70 million people of Iran and spread the radiation all over the Middle East, bring it on . I am sure the Lakudist do not give a damn if the price of oil goes to $2000 a barrel as the result and whole world would come to an stop . Not to mention genocide of unprecedented proportion that makes the Hiroshima crime look likes child's play.
So I dare you .
Fred R

[Jodie]

A few months ago Hillary was calling Senator Obama niave for saying that he would speak with leaders of countries we did not agree with. Remember her high and mighty condescension about that....Then when he said that he would strike Bin Laden if he had actionable intelligence, he would strike Bin Laden on the Afganistan/Pakistan border if Musharaff wouldn't or couldn't do it himself and Hillary again high and mighty said that was dangerous and niave talk and that there were some things a President should not say out loud.....I would say Hillary, "Totally Obliterate" is definately one of those things you never say, it is beyond reckless and vile. Hillary proves to me everyday that she does not have the needed temperment to be a leader, especially in dangerous times.

[Elena]

Yep, she's READY on Day 1 to start WWIII. Enough IS Enough. This arrogance AND ignorance is what has gotten America caught up now!

[Mae]

I agree with Mike. However I do think she is morally capable of destroying the people of Iran. She has shown that in her campaign. She will go for broke to appease IAPAC.

[Mike]

I believe she was hee-hawing about Iran to satisfy the Jewish community in Pennsylvania and therefore to desperately get their votes.