Jun 18, 2008 9:41 pm US/Mountain
Obama: Bin Laden Must Not Be Made A Martyr
WASHINGTON (AP) ―
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Democratic Presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) delivers a speech at Apostolic Church of God June 15, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois.
David Banks/Getty Images
Barack Obama says if Osama bin Laden were captured on his watch, he'd want to ensure he doesn't become a martyr if he were prosecuted.
Obama said he's not sure that the terrorist mastermind would be captured alive. But if he were, Obama said he would want to bring him to justice "in a way that allows the entire world to understand the murderous acts that he's engaged in and not to make him into a martyr."
Obama was asked about how he would handle bin Laden at a news conference Wednesday after he met with a new team of national security advisers. The meeting came after rival John McCain's campaign criticized Obama for a having a pre-9-11 mind-set for promoting trial of terrorists.
Among them are three who advised Hillary Rodham Clinton and had served in her husband's Cabinet - former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright and Warren Christopher and former Defense Secretary William Perry.
Obama also was meeting Wednesday with nearly 40 retired admirals and generals to discuss the state of the military and the challenges in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.
Obama plans to consult the working group members regularly between now and the Nov. 4 election, but those sitting with him in the two meetings would be likely picks to serve in high posts if he is elected. They could be secretaries of defense or state, national security advisers or maybe even a running mate.
Former Pentagon leaders are among Obama's possible vice presidential picks, those who have been consulted on the search have said. The first-term Illinois senator may look for a military or national security expert to help counter Republican candidate John McCain, a Vietnam War veteran and former prisoner of war.
Other working group members include Sam Nunn of Georgia, Lee Hamilton of Indiana, David Boren of Oklahoma and Tim Roemer of Indiana, former Democratic lawmakers known for their foreign policy expertise. It also includes several Clinton administration officials - Tony Lake, Susan Rice, Greg Craig, Eric Holder, Richard Danzig and Jim Steinberg. Holder, a former deputy attorney general, is helping lead Obama's search for a running mate.
In a statement, Obama said the national security stakes could not be higher.
"It's time to change course," Obama said. "It's time to end the war in Iraq responsibly, refocus on Afghanistan and al Qaeda, and renew our global leadership so that we can tackle the huge challenges of the 21st century."
Obama plans to spend the day in Washington Wednesday and also will meet with union leaders and attend a $28,500-per-person Democratic National Committee fundraiser hosted by Robert Kennedy's widow Ethel at Hickory Hill, her home in McLean, Va.
(© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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