CNN: Tancredo: Threaten to bomb Muslim holy sites in retaliation

[jpillian]

Tancredo: Threaten to bomb Muslim holy sites in retaliation

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo’s campaign stood by his assertion that bombing holy Muslim sites would serve as a good “deterrent” to prevent Islamic fundamentalists from attacking the United States, his spokeswoman said Friday.

“This shows that we mean business,” said Bay Buchanan, a senior Tancredo adviser. “There’s no more effective deterrent than that. But he is open-minded and willing to embrace other options. This is just a means to deter them from attacking us.”

On Tuesday, Tancredo warned a group of Iowans that another terrorist attack would “cause a worldwide economic collapse.” IowaPolitics.com recorded his comments.

“If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina,” Tancredo said. “That is the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they would otherwise do. If I am wrong, fine, tell me, and I would be happy to do something else. But you had better find a deterrent, or you will find an attack.”

Tom Casey, a deputy spokesman for the State Department, told CNN’s Elise Labott that the congressman’s comments were “reprehensible” and “absolutely crazy.” Tancredo was widely criticized in 2005 for making a similar suggestion.

It's interesting. If the US at some point does become locked with the Islamic World in a true struggle, and is truly backed into a corner (i.e., WMDs used in the US as the most probable example) -- I think this would be one of the options on the table at that time.

However, talking about this in the open, as a presidential hopeful -- you'd think it'd be political suicide. What's this guys angle on talking about a purely hypothetical situation, repeatedly, as part of his (exceedling longshot) run for the presidency?

[Predicto]

I will be interested to see what response this draws vis a vis the recent criticism of Obama's Pakistan comments.

[SkinsHokieFan]

What an idiot :doh:

Re-read everything I wrote in the Obama thread and thats what I think of this schmuck

[Mass_SkinsFan]

I'm going to repeat what I've said in the past.... If another muslim attack occurs in the United States we should flat out CARPET-NUKE the entire Arabian Penninsula. Turn the entire desert into a sheet of radioactive glass.

[Midnight Judges]

I couldn't possbily disagree more. Bombing Mecca would only inflame anti-American sentiments and unite our potential enemies. Agree with Tom Casey from State, those comments are absolutely crazy.

This isn't the only issue where Tancredo has displayed his extremist tendencies.

[Predicto]

I'm going to repeat what I've said in the past.... If another muslim attack occurs in the United States we should flat out CARPET-NUKE the entire Arabian Penninsula. Turn the entire desert into a sheet of radioactive glass.

And I'm not going to repeat what I have said about your opinions in the past.

[Predicto]

I couldn't possbily disagree more. Bombing Mecca would only inflame anti-American sentiments and unite our potential enemies. Agree with Tom Casey from State, those comments are absolutely crazy.

This isn't the only issue where Tancredo has displayed his extremist tendencies.

Extremist is not really the word. Tancredo is dumber than a box of rocks.

[SkinsHokieFan]

I couldn't possbily disagree more. Bombing Mecca would only inflame anti-American sentiments and unite our potential enemies. Agree with Tom Casey from State, those comments are absolutely crazy.

This isn't the only issue where Tancredo has displayed his extremist tendencies.

Hey look we actually agree

[Mass_SkinsFan]

I couldn't possbily disagree more. Bombing Mecca would only inflame anti-American sentiments and unite our potential enemies.

That's not a serious issue when a large percentage of them are already DEAD and most of the rest glow a nice neon green.

[ACW]

I couldn't possbily disagree more. Bombing Mecca would only inflame anti-American sentiments and unite our potential enemies.

Exactly. If yu're looking for a way to invite more attacks, you couldn't do better than bombing Mecca. Interestingly, Tancredo's good on some issues (voted yes on Hinchey-Rohrabacher to prohibit DEA interference in states that've legalized medicinal pot), but overall, :doh:

[Vinnick]

That's not a serious issue when a large percentage of them are already DEAD and most of the rest glow a nice neon green.

because they'll all just sit there and let us know where to bomb, especially the ones in Europe, Africa and the America's.

You'd find yourself either hiding in a bunker the rest of your life, or dead pretty quickly with your ideas.

[jpillian]

I just don't understand at the political level how this statement would ever make sense for a presidential candidate; I don't see the angle.

[zoony]

I'll play Devil's Advocate here.

What makes terrorists and muslim extremists so dangerous is that by and large they are immune from consequences.

Unlike a sovereign nation, a muslim terrorist could launch a nuclear attack on the United States and have about a 90% chance that no nuclear strike would be launched in return. I mean... who exactly is the United States going to nuke?

So how can we get them to think twice? What do they hold dear? Not much.

Economic retaliation? These guys live in caves and live on a diet of goats milk and bread. They bathe once a month.

Political retaliation? You don't negotiate with these guys. They've made it abundantly clear that negotiations don't interest them.

Military retaliation? We've done that.

So how can we get them back? How can we get them to think "gee Osama... maybe setting off a dirty bomb in Manhattan isn't such a good idea?"

I think this is exactly how you do it. It is absolutely the only thing they hold dear. Make it abundantly clear to them... Use WOMDs, and Mecca is leveled. Do it again, we take out every holy site in the Middle East.

It's an interesting idea that I'm surprised everyone is so quick to dismiss. Also it would be interesting to see if other Muslims, for once, actually stood up to these terrorists and told them to knock that **** off.

[Predicto]

I just don't understand at the political level how this statement would ever make sense for a presidential candidate; I don't see the angle.

Trying to nail down the MSF vote? :whoknows:

Actually, I think Tancredo knows he is not going to be President. He is using the platform to make sure that he remains a force among the wingnuts. Permanent employment guaranteed. Kind of like Alan Keyes did.

[SkinsHokieFan]

I'll play Devil's Advocate here.

What makes terrorists and muslim extremists so dangerous is that by and large they are immune from consequences.

Unlike a sovereign nation, a muslim terrorist could launch a nuclear attack on the United States and have about a 90% chance that no nuclear strike would be launched in return. I mean... who exactly is the United States going to nuke?

So how can we get them to think twice? What do they hold dear? Not much.

Economic retaliation? These guys live in caves and live on a diet of goats milk and bread. They bathe once a month.

Political retaliation? You don't negotiate with these guys. They've made it abundantly clear that negotiations don't interest them.

Military retaliation? We've done that.

So how can we get them back? How can we get them to think "gee Osama... maybe setting off a dirty bomb in Manhattan isn't such a good idea?"

I think this is exactly how you do it. It is absolutely the only thing they hold dear. Make it abundantly clear to them... Use WOMDs, and Mecca is leveled. Do it again, we take out every holy site in the Middle East.

It's an interesting idea that I'm surprised everyone is so quick to dismiss. Also it would be interesting to see if other Muslims, for once, actually stood up to these terrorists and told them to knock that **** off.

The big problem is, you bomb Mecca, you go from having a few thousand-10 thousand terrorists to a few billion

This is the easiest way to truly make this a global war

[RobertGoulet]

I'm kind of confused by the article. At first its saying that attacking the sites would be an effective deterrent to PREVENT more attacks. But then his quote is more or less saying he would attack the sites in response to an attack on the US. Both are dumb ideas and would only increase hate for our country, but I'm just wondering which one he actually believes.

[Predicto]

I'll play Devil's Advocate here.

What makes terrorists and muslim extremists so dangerous is that by and large they are immune from consequences.

Unlike a sovereign nation, a muslim terrorist could launch a nuclear attack on the United States and have about a 90% chance that no nuclear strike would be launched in return. I mean... who exactly is the United States going to nuke?

So how can we get them to think twice? What do they hold dear? Not much.

Economic retaliation? These guys live in caves and live on a diet of goats milk and bread. They bathe once a month.

Political retaliation? You don't negotiate with these guys. They've made it abundantly clear that negotiations don't interest them.

Military retaliation? We've done that.

So how can we get them back? How can we get them to think "gee Osama... maybe setting off a dirty bomb in Manhattan isn't such a good idea?"

I think this is exactly how you do it. It is absolutely the only thing they hold dear. Make it abundantly clear to them... Use WOMDs, and Mecca is leveled. Do it again, we take out every holy site in the Middle East.

It's an interesting idea that I'm surprised everyone is so quick to dismiss. Also it would be interesting to see if other Muslims, for once, actually stood up to these terrorists and told them to knock that **** off.

The problem is, someone truly nutty is still going to pull something, somewhere in the US. And then we would pretty much have to retaliate against Mecca. And then all hell breaks loose.

[ACW]

Zoony, that would piss off Muslims more than it would stop them I think.

EDIT: What SHF said.

[zoony]

The big problem is, you bomb Mecca, you go from having a few thousand-10 thousand terrorists to a few billion

This is the easiest way to truly make this a global war

I think the point here is... we don't ever bomb Mecca. It's a deterrent.

But they know we're serious.

[zoony]

The problem is, someone truly nutty is still going to pull something, somewhere in the US. And then we would pretty much have to retaliate against Mecca. And then all hell breaks loose.

That's a good point.

[Kilmer17]

I fear that the total war is inevitable anyway.

Stupid thing to say publicly, but not stupid to use in private channels.

[SkinInsite]

What makes people think the crazies really care about Mecca.

[codeorama]

The big problem is, you bomb Mecca, you go from having a few thousand-10 thousand terrorists to a few billion

This is the easiest way to truly make this a global war

Exactly... Although, Zoony makes some great points within his post, but the problem remains that while Mecca is held dear to the terrorists (we think it is), its also held dear to so many more non terrorists.

Besides that, you know if that happens, the Vatican and other christian sites get attacked... WWIII begins.

And also, once you blow mecca away, do we really think they are going to say, "aw man, we give up"... ? No way, they just fight harder and have a way to recruit more to their cause.

[Doozinbrah]

I'm going to repeat what I've said in the past.... If another muslim attack occurs in the United States we should flat out CARPET-NUKE the entire Arabian Penninsula. Turn the entire desert into a sheet of radioactive glass.

I actually agree with one of your posts.......good job MSF!

[codeorama]

What makes people think the crazies really care about Mecca.

Exactly... To be honest, I bet some of them wish we would destroy Mecca because it would make their recruiting job so much easier... :2cents: