Gingrich: "I Would Have Disabled the Missile"

It looks to me like Newt Gingrich wants to run for president:

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told “Fox News Sunday” that he would have disabled the long-range missile before North Korea launched it, saying too many people “do not appreciate the scale of the threat that is evolving on the planet.”

“One morning, just like 9/11, there’s going to be a disaster,” Gingrich said. “I have yet to see the United Nations do anything effective with either Iran or North Korea.”

Reacting to President Barack Obama’s speech in Prague, Gingrich called the plan for a Global Summit on Nuclear Security a “wonderful fantasy idea,” saying Russia and other nations can’t be trusted.

“What are they going to promise, and why would we believe them?” Gingrich said. “It’s very dangerous to have a fantasy foreign policy, and it can get you in enormous trouble.”

Host Chris Wallace asked Gingrich: “So you’re saying that President Gingrich would have taken out that” missile?

Gingrich replied: “There are three or four techniques that could have been used, from unconventional forces to standoff capabilities, to say: ‘We’re not going to tolerate a North Korean missile launch, period.’ I mean, the world’s either got to decide that North Korea is utterly dangerous … I’d recommend, look at electromagnetic pulse, which changes every … equation about how risky these weapons are.”

The obvious problem with Newt's approach is it's an act of war. Are you ready to risk the Nork's deciding to invade South Korea in retaliation? That's a very real possibility and suddenly it's round two of the Korean war.

The Israelis make a preemptive strike on the Iraqi nuclear facility in the 80's and more or less got away with it. I'm sure they're considering similar action in Iran, but the outcome is not so sure.

Statements like Newt's are easy to make when you can't actually do them and won't be held responsible for the results. I don't think this statement will enhance his presidential run.

Newt already carries significant baggage as a potential presidential candidate. The three marriages and the mess that left behind certainly will start him at a disadvantage. Realistically, I don't think he can win.

Newt is a great policy guy and knows how to explain conservative ideas and principles in a way that makes them quite attractive. He orchestrated the 1994 GOP victory in Congress, and his time could best be spent behind the scenes helping today's crop of GOP congressman to formulate their national strategy for 2010.

Newt's making noises about a conservative third party in 2012. Big mistake. A conservative third party could not win and would only guarantee the reelection of Obama. I will not waste my vote on a third party candidate. Let's hope he gets over that idea.