In 2006, Nancy Pelosi said that capturing bin Laden wouldn't make Americans safer

[alp227]

Ed Brayton, referencing an Andrew Sullivan blogpost, brought up this statement that Rep. Nancy Pelosi said back in September 2006: "ven if is caught tomorrow, it is five years too late. He has done more damage the longer he has been out there. But, in fact, the damage that he has done ... is done. And even to capture him now I don't think makes us any safer."

Five years later: "The death of Osama bin Laden marks the most significant development in our fight against al-Qaida. ... I salute President Obama, his national security team, Director Panetta, our men and women in the intelligence community and military, and other nations who supported this effort for their leadership in achieving this major accomplishment. ... he death of Osama bin Laden is historic."

I googled the quote to verify it, and it's made the rounds around the right-wing blogs, and Sullivan attributed the quote to a satirical website, America Weakly. I found a DU thread about this statement from 2006, here without the bracketed clarifications: “Even if he is caught tomorrow, it is five years too late. He has done more damage the longer he has been out there. But in fact, the damage that he has done is done. And even to capture him now, I don’t think makes us any safer.” Sourced http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2101510.php">Marine Corps Times.

[valerief]

1. The Congress who funds the WARS and lets commercial and investment banks merge and

allows credit default swaps and strips rights from citizens have done more harm to us than bin Laden.

[gateley]

11. You nailed it. Bushco carried OBL's torch. nt

[jeanpalmer]

35. yes, bin Laden was insignificant

compared to the polticians from both parties who have undermined our country from within. Including Obama. The destruction was becoming so apparent that Obama needed an assassination sideshow to divert people's attention away from his and the Congress' culpability.

[Uzybone]

2. whats your point?

She said something 5 years ago and said something else last week?

[alp227]

3. isn't it a double standard? n/t

[Uzybone]

5. no...it is a major accomplishment and it may also not make us safer

both things can be true.

[Diamonique]

8. Exactly!

[Honeycombe8]

21. It sounds like flipping, but she doesn't actually contradict herself.

I think her 2006 statement was weird, though. At that time, I would've disagreed with her. Wonder why she said that. Was she being defensive about not getting OBL? (I think she was on some committee involved in intel.)

[theoldman]

4. There are thousands of other nut jobs wanting to kill us.

Some were born in the good old US of A. Th question is, how many will be killed at one time.

[Drale]

6. We didn't capture Bin Laden did we?

We killed his fucking ass.

[Diamonique]

7. These two statements are not contradictory.

What she said both times is true. And in this recent statement, she didn't say that we are safer... she simply said that it was a major accomplishment, which it was.

Killing him doesn't make us any safer.. but the s.o.b. is dead and I'm glad.

[ItNerd4life]

9. Killing him does make us safer.

Cutting off the head of any organization puts it into disarray for a while.

[Enrique]

10. how dare she downplay Bush's nonexistent capture of bin Laden!

she should give him full credit for his great, imaginary accomplishment!

[Bluenorthwest]

12. I don't see the contradiction at all

Sorry.

[craigmatic]

13. Technically what Pelosi said in 2006 was right.

There is still going to be terrorism with or without bin laden. Was it a good thing to get rid of him? Absolutely but the whole terrorist movement in the middle east and beyond has always been bigger than just 1 man. Obama should still get credit for making the decision to kill him. Bush couldn't do it.

[JTFrog]

14. Yep, mighty butthurt some folks are.

:rofl:
:rofl:

[GoCubsGo]

15. So what? She was right then, and she is right now.

Her current statement says NOTHING about whether or not we are safer now. We aren't any safer, and his capture WAS a major accomplishment. What is your point?

[Ikonoklast]

16. And your point is...what, exactly?

What Nancy Pelosi said both times is true.


But, carry on regardless.

[alp227]

17. I didn't include Brayton's link but here's his comment:

"Apparently the killing of Bin Laden somehow manages to be the "most significant development in our fight" against Al Qaeda without actually helping make us any safer. Quite a feat, that." http://scienceblogs.com/dispatches/2011/05/pelosis_hypocrisy_on_osama.php

[Ikonoklast]

18. And that is also correct. Killing a general does not make an army disappear.

But it does throw it into disarray.


You realize that there are still people out there filled with deadly intent, right? That the death of OBL will not stop them from trying to kill people.

And as important as OBL was as a symbol, he was still only one man.

As Charles de Gaulle said, "The cemeteries of the world are filled with indispensable men."

He will be replaced with others of the same stripe.

Hopefully they will live out their lives in constant fear of the dark, and hearing footsteps from the shadows every minute they breath air.

[Armstead]

20. It's still a ridiculous parsing of words

I'm not sure anyone, President Obama included, would disagree with her originaloint that "the damage has been done" even as they accept his demise as significant.

Nor would anyone disagree that the threat is still put there.

The only hypocrite is the author of that.

[bigwillq]

19. It won't (nt)

[dkf]

22. If we can catch his associates I think we will be safer.

Now getting Saddam didn't make us any safer.

[Beacool]

23. In 2006 Bush was president, now a Democrat is president.

That's the difference.

:D

[OhioBlue]

24. Both statements are true. Not sure what the controversy

might be.

Killing OBL doesn't make us safer. that is true.

However, it is historic and significant. That is also true.

[Arkana]

25. So? Doesn't change the fact that getting bin Laden was a huge accomplishment

and may be the catalyst we need to get out of Afghanistan.

[ProudDad]

27. BFD

:boring:

[Arkana]

28. What's it like being you?

I'd imagine it's a mixture of unadulterated, insufferable smugness and unbridled, frothing-at-the-mouth anger.

[Swede]

30. Go easy on him,he's had a rough week.

You know,the opposite of Obama's week.

[jenmito]

32. THIS is what it's like:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=user_profiles&u_id=112054 (It's about time!)

[Swede]

38. Good riddance.

Not one positive thing about a Democrat or President Obama was ever posted by this fuck.

[dionysus]

33. and i for one, am tickled pink you got your dumb ass tombstoned. sleep well sweet prince.

[DevonRex]

36. Snoopy dance!!

[Hutzpa]

26. So whats your point? n/t

[Swede]

29. Aren't you glad she was able to be informed and changed her position.

I am.

[lunatica]

31. No one is claiming we're safer

[ecstatic]

34. Actually, both statements can be true without contradiction

Yes, it is a major development. Depending on what they found in his home, we may or may not be much safer. We'll see.

[Dr Fate]

37. No worries. Obama did not capture him, he KILLED him. n/t

n/t