Bush and McCain Said They Wouldn't Pursue Bin Laden in Pakistan

Since neither Bush nor McCain caught or killed Osama bin Laden, all we can go by is their rhetoric. And both said they WOULD NOT pursue Bin Laden into Pakistan even if we had intelligence telling us he was there.

Here's Bush in 2006:

BUSH: We are, Richard. Thank you. Thanks for asking the question. They were asking me about somebody's report, well, Special Forces here — Pakistan — if he is in Pakistan, as this person thought he might be, who is asking the question — Pakistan is a sovereign nation. In order for us to send thousands of troops into a sovereign nation, we've got to be invited by the government of Pakistan.

Here's McCain in 2008 while running to replace President Bush:

Larry King: "If you were president and knew that bin Laden was in Pakistan, you know where, would you have U.S. forces go in after him?"

McCain: "Larry, I'm not going to go there and here's why: because Pakistan is a sovereign nation."

As you'll recall, Obama's campaign comments in 2008 that he would go into Pakistan to capture or kill the person responsible for 9/11 was thought of as completely crazy by Republicans.  Just to refresh, here's what Republicans thought about a plan that would pursue Bin Laden in Pakistan.  Hannity called it "frightening."  Rove chalked it up to Obama's inexperience.  Limbaugh even said it would royally screw Musharraf who he believed was a great ally despite the fact he had been hiding Bin Laden in his country.  O'Reilly said Obama's comments were not worthy.

In their world, Iraq was the war they wanted.  Afghanistan and pursuing the people responsible for 9/11 was a distraction.  A presidential policy that focused on tracking down Bin Laden no matter where he might be was laughable to Republicans.  Of course they aren't laughing now.  They are wanting credit for it.