Senator John McCain on Iran

In his address yesterday to the Conservative Political Action Committee Conference, Senator John McCain, the presumed Republican presidential nominee, spoke about how he will deal with Iran. His position does not seem to have changed much since he sang his little ditty, "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran." The excerpt below is from the transcript of Senator McCain's speech.

SEN. MCCAIN: Those senators won't recognize and seriously address the threat posed by an Iran with nuclear ambitions to our ally Israel in the region. I intend -- (applause) -- I intend to make unmistakably clear to Iran we will not permit a government that espouses the destruction of the state of Israel as its fondest wish and pledges undying enmity to the United States to possess the weapons to advance their malevolent ambitions. (Applause.)

Senator Clinton and Senator Obama will concede to our critics that our own actions to defend against its threats are responsible for fomenting the terrible evil of radical Islamic extremism, and the resolve to combat it will be as flawed as their judgment. I intend --

AUDIENCE MEMBER: Hear, hear!

SEN. MCCAIN: I intend to defeat the threat by staying on offense and by marshalling every relevant agency of our government and our allies in the urgent necessity of defending the values, virtues and security of free people against those who despise all that is good about us.