Attacking Iran, a move that military experts said would lead to a catastrophe in the Middle East, has suddenly become a joke in the United States.
While campaigning for the 2008 elections in South Carolina on Wednesday, Republican Senator John McCain responded to a question about how to deal with Tehran by changing the melody of the Beach Boys song "Barbara Ann" to "Bomb Iran."
"That old Beach Boys song, Bomb Iran ... bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb," McCain jokingly sang when he was asked whether he believes the U.S. should send Tehran "an airmail message.”
McCain’s insensitive joke, which drew chuckles from the audience but triggered fierce criticism from opponents, has been viewed nearly 11,000 times on the Internet video sharing site YouTube after being posted on Thursday.
After the signing performance, the Arizona senator turned serious and said that he agrees with President George W. Bush that the U.S. must protect Israel from Iran and prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons; a charge strongly denied by the Islamic Republic which insists that its atomic program is strictly peaceful.
"It bothers me a great deal that they (Iran) might have a nuclear weapon or a missile, but it bothers me also to have a nuclear weapon knowing their relationship with various terrorist organizations, that they would give it to a terrorist organization,” he said, according to Reuters.
The “bomb Iran” joke and the subsequent answer clearly indicate that McCain is following the footsteps of the current U.S. President, whose administration refuses to rule out the use of force against Tehran, claiming that it would pursue a diplomatic solution before restoring to military force.
Some analysts said McCain’s joke echoed President Ronald Reagan's 1984 quip at the height of the nuclear arms race with the Soviet Union when he said: "My fellow Americans, I'm pleased to tell you today that I've signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes."
Reagan was testing a microphone before his regular Saturday radio address.
Responding to McCain’s silly joke, the liberal group MoveOn.org, which launched an ad against the Republican Senator, called the comment “dangerous”, arguing that the United States "can't afford another reckless president."
"America has lived through six years of a reckless foreign policy… We're stuck in Iraq. More than 3,000 Americans are dead. And thousands more wounded…Now comes John McCain with his answer to what we should do about Iran. John McCain? We can't afford another reckless president,” an announcer says in the ad.
McCain tried to defend his joke during a campaign stop in the state of Nevada, telling critics: “Please, I was talking to some of my old veterans friends… My response is, Lighten up and get a life."
Asked if his joke was insensitive, McCain said: "Insensitive to what? The Iranians?"
McCain is joking, though it is perhaps a mistake for a Presidential candidate to make such a joke.
Objectively, it is funny. The original lyrics fit the parody perfectly.
McCain is a hawk among hawks. Were he to get the Republican nomination, the peaceniks will be pressing for a Constitutional Ammendement to allow a third term for Bush.
He would have instant credibility with the military because of his former POW status.
It's amazing how the introduction of the internet and video cameras has affected politics. I'm surprised politicians are brave enough to say anything these days.
"Imagination was given to man to compensate him for what he is not, and a sense of humor was provided to console him for what he is."
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