Huntsmanator III
Among the places Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. visited in Iraq with John McCain was a detention facility where, Huntsman said, McCain wanted to make sure "there was not torture taking place."
President Bush, of course, says the United States doesn't torture. So does McCain know something we don't?
Under questioning, Huntsman backed away from his earlier comment, saying that McCain -- a former prisoner of war and harsh critic of the administration's rather wishy-washy stand on interrogation techniques of dubious legality -- really just wanted to make sure interrogators "were abiding by the military handbook."
Huntsman danced over several other issues during an hour-long press briefing on Monday:
-- Testifying before Congress, recently, Gen. David Petraeus said he didn't know whether the war in Iraq was making U.S. citizens safer. After meeting with Petraeus in Iraq, Huntsman was asked whether he thought the war in iraq was making the U.S. safer.
"Our own state is safe," Huntsman said.
On the issue of whether the U.S. was safer, Huntsman said he would have to defer to Petraeus.
In other words: "I don't know."
-- Huntsman stayed overnight at the "heavily fortified" U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad. According to a recent United Nations investigation, that embassy is guarded by armed security guards from a number of third-world nations, some of whom are making as little as $31 a day to risk their lives to keep American soldiers, diplomats -- and visiting dignitaries -- safe.
Having run an embassy himself -- Huntsman is former ambassador to Singapore -- the governor said he was aware that contractors are sometimes used to provide security, though he stopped short of acknowledging the exploitive wages that are paid to contractors/mercenaries from Fiji, Peru, Honduras and other impoverished nations.
"What should the policy going forward be?" Huntsman asked.
He didn't answer himself.
-- This was Huntman's second trip to Iraq alongside McCain. Though political observers say Huntsman is vying for an ambassadorship (rhymes with Mynah) in a McCain administration, the governor said he was simply invited as "a friend" and a governor who sees things differently than another congressman might.
If you were going to war, which Western states governor would you invite along?
Jon Huntsman Jr.
Bill Richardson
Janet Napolitano
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Yup, that's what I thought.
-- Matthew D. LaPlante
President Bush, of course, says the United States doesn't torture. So does McCain know something we don't?
Under questioning, Huntsman backed away from his earlier comment, saying that McCain -- a former prisoner of war and harsh critic of the administration's rather wishy-washy stand on interrogation techniques of dubious legality -- really just wanted to make sure interrogators "were abiding by the military handbook."
Huntsman danced over several other issues during an hour-long press briefing on Monday:
-- Testifying before Congress, recently, Gen. David Petraeus said he didn't know whether the war in Iraq was making U.S. citizens safer. After meeting with Petraeus in Iraq, Huntsman was asked whether he thought the war in iraq was making the U.S. safer.
"Our own state is safe," Huntsman said.
On the issue of whether the U.S. was safer, Huntsman said he would have to defer to Petraeus.
In other words: "I don't know."
-- Huntsman stayed overnight at the "heavily fortified" U.S. embassy compound in Baghdad. According to a recent United Nations investigation, that embassy is guarded by armed security guards from a number of third-world nations, some of whom are making as little as $31 a day to risk their lives to keep American soldiers, diplomats -- and visiting dignitaries -- safe.
Having run an embassy himself -- Huntsman is former ambassador to Singapore -- the governor said he was aware that contractors are sometimes used to provide security, though he stopped short of acknowledging the exploitive wages that are paid to contractors/mercenaries from Fiji, Peru, Honduras and other impoverished nations.
"What should the policy going forward be?" Huntsman asked.
He didn't answer himself.
-- This was Huntman's second trip to Iraq alongside McCain. Though political observers say Huntsman is vying for an ambassadorship (rhymes with Mynah) in a McCain administration, the governor said he was simply invited as "a friend" and a governor who sees things differently than another congressman might.
If you were going to war, which Western states governor would you invite along?
Jon Huntsman Jr.
Bill Richardson
Janet Napolitano
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Yup, that's what I thought.
-- Matthew D. LaPlante
5:55 PM
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1 Comments:
So many questions, so little time. Was Gov. Huntsman asked what he thinks about multiple combat tours for National Guard units? How about the Bush administration's promise to defend the Maliki government in perpetuity in exchange for permanent bases and trade concessions? (They were careful not to use the word "oil").
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