No need to apologize

Over at Contentions, J-Pod writes:

I was among many people who ridiculed the Obama proposal [that he would unilaterally strike within Pakistan if the need arose during his presidency] at the time, on the grounds that a) no nation violates the territorial integrity of an ally, even if that ally is problematic, and b) Obama’s bellicosity seemed entirely unbelievable, given that he spoke in the wake of his remarks about meeting with the leaders of the world’s worst regimes “without preconditions.” On the latter point, he was and remains wrong and foolish.

On the former point, though, he was, apparently, precognitive, and may be due an apology.

I don’t think Mr. Podhoretz owes Barack Obama an apology. And the reason is this: Even if what Obama said is true–that we will and should conduct military operations in Pakistan, an ally, should we find Islamic extremists being protected there–Obama shouldn’t say it out loud. Why show up an ally, even a problematic one like Musharraf? What good does that do anyone? Yes we should be striking Islamic terrorists hiding out in the tribal regions, with or without the approval of the ISI/Pakistani military. But we shouldn’t be saying it for the world to hear, and we definitely shouldn’t be saying it to make a point on the campaign trail.