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Aides to Herman Cain are pointing to a Libyan military commander with ties to the Taliban to vindicate the candidate’s suggestion yesterday that the former militant ruling party of Afghanistan is playing a role in the formation of Libya’s new government.
Cain spokesman JD Gordon cites Abdel-Hakim Belhaj, Libya’s Islamist military commander who fought with the Afghan Taliban, as proof that Cain’s remarks were accurate. Gordon, a former spokesman for the Department of Defense, said he knows Belhaj has taken an “oath of loyalty” to Taliban leader Mullah Omar.
In Orlando on Friday, Cain rhetorically asked reporters at a press conference, “Do I agree with siding with the opposition? Do I agree with saying that Ghaddafy should go? Do I agree that they now have a country where you've got Taliban and Al Qaeda that's going to be part of the government?”
The comment came after the former Georgia businessman faced another question about a mangled answer he gave to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board when asked if he agreed with how President Barack Obama handled Libya. Cain took an extended pause before beginning to answer, and at one point needed to start over.
His suggestion that the Taliban, now dispersed through Afghanistan and Pakistan, is playing a role in forming the new Libyan government was quickly picked up by media as another example of a foreign policy gaffe.
"He’s not suggesting the Taliban is running Libya, he's just saying we did not do a good enough job vetting who the opposition is,” Gordon told NBC News.
Gordon cited several news agencies having to update or correct initial stories after too abruptly reporting Cain had made another gaffe.
“You guys oughtta do your homework,” Gordon said when asked for his reaction to media coverage of the candidate’s remarks. “It's interesting that he knows more than the media in this case."
But it is Al Qaeda, not the Taliban, that U.S. officials most frequently cite as a concern for the role they may play as Libya forms a new government in the wake of Moammar Gadhafi’s death.
Cain’s comments to the editorial board followed a foreign policy debate where he faced criticism for a lack of specificity in his answers, often saying he would rely on the foreign policy advisers around him to make decisions.
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Herman's brain is filled with too much Pepperoni!
Please, please, keep him in the race.
hell,keep em all in the race....I love Saturday night live....
Herman Cain doesn't know where Libya is. Toss him into the trashcan with the rest of these republo-crat idiots.
Managing Godfathers Pizza and/or Burger King certainly does not in any way shape or form provide anything of use in the position of President of the United States of America.
Herman is a clueless pervert with a doctorate in distorting the truth, a liar, a conceited, self centered as-.
and I am not kidding,but I have had their pizza twice in the last month and it is nasty. (the second time a friend brought it over)
Mr Cain the Taliban probable is in partner ship with the Chinese cause they both want a nuclear bomb which the Chinese are trying to develop.They want to attack us because we adopted the 999 plan and went broke and couldn't pay them back.But were safe because you've never read a news paper.Much less anything else.Good grief get a clue and get out of the race
He really did ask Kissinger to be his Sec. of state...omg...the 88 year old has not stopped laughing yet......He thought somebody was punkin' him !!!! I can just hear Cain,...C'mon Henry...please. I will even drive ya to Libya if I have to....
He asked the Taliban to tally his banana's.....
Cain,ignorance isn't helpful for a presidential candidate.Maybe you should try to read some books, for a change.
I have to wonder...If you gave Hermy and unlabeled map of the world if he could locate any of these countries. Oh of course not' that's what his staff (pizza delivery boys) are for.
Thanks Vet...
The Cain cabinet at a glance....
Sec. of state-not Kissinger
sec. of Defense-Chuck Norris
Sec. of the Interior-J and R upholstery
sec. of the navy-Robert Wagner
sec. of Commerce-Bernie Madoff...more to be named later...after the election...
Cowboy--Robert Wagner for SecNav? That's tasteless. I like that in a post.
Cain is actually really smart, and making a joke of the whole primary process. How else do you explain all the subtle ties to SimCity and Pokemon? Rachael Maddow has nailed it. This is a art project for him, he never thought he would get this far. Just like Newt, they are using the process to make fun of ignorant Americans, while they stuff their pockets with Koch brother dollars, not to mention all the books they are pushing. At least Romney and Perry are serious about the race.
Herman and Perry are a great examples of the dumbing down of America. Do you remember when in school, the dumb, the loser, the unambitious was teased? Now, the smart kid has to hide the fact that he's smart, those who care have to act as if they don't. Now, up is down & down is up. We have allowed the idiots to rule. Herman and Perry are proud of being ignorant in too many areas. Why do so many republicans apear to like simple, ignorant, unsophisticated candidates? While I'm at it, throw in Palin with Herman & Perry.
Your common sense is showing, better hide it, the tea party brown shirts might knock down your door.
The Taliban are running Cain.
Someone please send dumazz Caint back to the pizza kitchen. Even if Godfather's is awful pizza. I don't go there, so it's all good.
DO YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT WHATS HAPPENING TO OUR COUNTRY ,Watch the video THE AGENDA -GRINDING AMERICA DOWN ( U-TUBE ) go to the information sites , Obama is their man , The Democratic party has become their party , the republicans are not innocent they have their people there as well ,
No, Darrel, whatever it is you are selling... I am not buying and I DON'T CARE!
Obama is MY PRESIDENT; I am a proud and Patriotic Independent; and I have no idea what you are talking about and furthermore... I DON'T CARE!
btw, this litter you have running for the GOP candidate is beyond belief in the arena of hypocrisy, flip flopping and stupidity!
This idiot doesn't even know where Libya is... just more of his insane push back from his empty head.
Libya!? Libya!? Who is Libya? I never met Libya, I never talked to Libya, I never touched Libya! This is all a lie! Who the hell is Libya!?
Yea, I think we should listen to Cain on this one. After all, he has shown himself to be quite the expert on Libya!!!
I think Herman(sex predator) has a bit too much of that Thick Crust around his brain stem.
Cain is the one that said candidates do not need to know the details of foreign policy. This goes to show how unprepared he is on foreign policy. Being president is a lot more complex than running a pizza business.
Cain is toast...nothing coming out of his mouth is grounded in reality anymore...
What scares me though are the ones defending or worse, actually supporting clowns like cain, bachmann, trump, perry...they can't be serious.
So obvious, Herman Cain't be Prezdent.
Did Herman Cain really think the GOP would ever let him be he Republican Nominee for President in 2012 ??
They used this boy to try and put the spin out...."We're not Racists". They gave him his 15 minutes but make no mistake about it, if there was any chance of him winning the nomination, the GOP would have planted heroin on him to stop him in his tracks if it were necesary.
That's why Rush Limpbore so vigorously defended this clown in order to keep him out there as the token black guy on the right, and yes, it really is back to the future with the GOP, they're bringing back the "token minority face" play book of the 70s.
Oh give me a break. Cain can't even find Libya on a map let alone know anything about it's politics.
And just think; the rePUBS believed that Herman Cain't posed some sort of threat for the Demos! OMGoodness, LOL. Said that's why the liberals and the media was against him. Even said that Demos were a bunch of racist because no one saw him as qualified. Now Hear This: Herman Cain't, ain't qualified! Jeez! Racist my ass! I am black-American and he still ain't qualified. But by all means, bring'im on!!!