On NPR’s Diane Rehm Show this morning, Joe Biden–the struggling presidential candidate who also happens to be Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee–said Barack Obama is “naive” in declaring he might order military strikes in Pakistan:
“In order to look tough, he’s undermined his ability to be tough, were he President. Because if you’re going to go into Pakistan — which is already our policy by the way, if there’s actionable intelligence– you need actionable intelligence from moderates within Pakistan working with you. Now if you’re already going to say I’m going to disregard whatever the country thinks and going to invade, the likelihood you’re getting the cooperation you need evaporates. It’s a well intended notion he has, but it’s a very naïve way of figuring out how you’re going to conduct foreign policy.”
Biden also told guest host Susan Page that he’s not interested in being named Secretary of State as a consolation prize.
You can hear the show here.
UPDATE: Senator Chris Dodd–the second most senior Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, and another presidential contender looking for an opening to move up in the pack–piles on with “confusing and confused”*:
“Over the past several days, Senator Obama’s assertions about foreign and military affairs have been, frankly, confusing and confused. He has made threats he should not make and made unwise categorical statements about military options.
“We are facing a dangerous and complicated world. The next President will require a level of understanding and judgment unprecedented in American history to address these challenges.”
*After Obama says he would not use nuclear weapons “in any cirumstance.”