McCain hits Obama on Iraq visit
John McCain, having apparently goaded Barack Obama into contemplating a visit to Iraq, isn't letting up on the assault.
McCain and the Republican National Committee have been bashing Obama for advocating a phased withdrawal, despite not having toured the war-torn country since January 2006. Wednesday night, Obama said he might visit this summer, but quashed an invitation for a joint visit with McCain.
This morning on MSNBC, Obama's communications director Robert Gibbs added, "I don't think we'll be taking that trip with John McCain because as Senator Obama said yesterday, the work that the men and women in our military are doing over there is just far too important for them to be props in some sort of political stunt or photo-op. You know, what they're doing over there is separated from their families, giving for their country. It's truly, truly amazing, and I think we would want to go over there and talk to them and see what sort of difficulties they're facing and see how it is that we can begin to carefully remove them and carefully bring them back to their families and bring them back to the United States."
That brought this response from McCain spokesman Brian Rogers: “It is disappointing that Senator Obama would travel to Iraq for the first time in over two years, and instead of listening and learning from our troops, he would insist upon an immediate withdrawal. The American people want a president and commander in chief who bases critical decisions on the facts, not ideology. Senator Obama’s willingness to deliberately ignore the facts on the ground reveals his flawed judgment, and reflects a position completely rooted in his ideology rather than reality. It’s unfortunate that Senator Obama continues to refuse to seek the facts but instead will go to Iraq, look our troops in the eye, and admit defeat. That’s not the kind of leadership we need today.”
While Obama pledges to withdraw combat troops, probably within 16 months of taking office, McCain is among the most vocal supporters of the so-called surge of troops and has talked about a long-term peacekeeping presence.
Barrack Obama has to visit the troops in Iraq and meet face to face with dedicated men and women of our mighty military force and asked them if they want to come home soon.I bet you all most will tell Obama straight to his face "hell no, we've got to finish this mission with victory not with defeat".And maybe this will teach him a lesson about caring for humanity because caring for humanity must start at the war zone not running away from it.We must make sure the civilian life of the Iraqi people are back to normal and without anymore threats from dictators and murderers.There is no point bragging about humanity and then decide to leave the Iraqi civilian with no hope for their future.We must finish our good work for the people of Iraq so that their future is quarantee free of violence and free of evil rulers with the iron fist.Why the United Nation not really doing much to help other humanity area like Darfur while the United States is helping others like the Iraqis is beyond belief.We remove the greatest threat to the world and the Middle Eastern region in Saddam Hussein and restoring Democracy in Iraq and rebuilding that country and their civilian life within few years and they(the United Nations)are not moving a finger.People we need a President that really understand what humanity really mean and the amount of works that goes with it and not just standing in front of the world media spewing carbages.In conclusion I want to say John Mccain is ready to be a leader for this country and the world because he understand the important of the humanity work we're doing in Iraq but Barrack Hussein Obama doesn't.
@skmj (#1):
Caring about humanity must start at the war zone? How about starting BEFORE the war, to PREVENT the war, since there was NO NEED for the war!
skmj, you're a troll. It's time you accepted that fact.
#2perspicio
You must understand that I'm referring to the current situation in Iraq and the Presidential candidates current position concerning our efforts to rebuild that country.Again no presidential candidate think he can ran or campaign on past situation because it doesn't show that such candidate can handle the job of President.If Barrack Hussein Obama think he can handle the job then talk about the future of Iraq but he seems to look back and play the blaming game but thats not what we need right now.John Mccain is focussing to the future of Iraq and its people and the role of our military and us as a nation in our continuing effort to help restore the new Iraq.
Perhaps if Mr. McCain would spend more time in Washington, he could have been present for the vote on benefits for Veterans, one way or the other. He took the cowardly way out by being absent. As for the situation in Iraq, I am doubtful that any American has instant solutions to the ethnic hatred that fuels war in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else. By the way, anyone who finds it necessary to use Mr. Obama's middle name instantly diminishes their message in the eyes of rational, decent people.
Are we putting Sadam in charge now?
C'mon
Barrack Hussein Obama ?
The dude is an arab.
McCain wants Obama to go to Iraq as a ploy. What better way to have Obama's blood on the hands of the enemy rather than an American. This would also play into his push to continue the war and further labeling Obama naive. Hillary might just get what she wants with McCain's help. Who has to provide protection for Obama while he is in Iraq? Think about it why at this point McCain is so keen on having Obama go to Iraq. i certainly hope Obama doesn't play into this ploy. There will be time for Obama to go to Iraq; now simply isn't the time.
Well I am a REAL veteran and not some very-well-paid blogging poster machine, that doesn't even have a real name, and I am telling you:
1st) stop to copy your posts from McCain's website. At least learn how to write.
2nd) Why if you really believe on that BS you writing, don't YOU go there and replace my friends that are on their 5th or 6th FORCED tour of duty?
Our troops are demoralized and want to go back home. That war doesn't have any meaning besides to fill the pockets of the Oil and Weapon industry barons, which have to get paid for all the money they gave to the president Bush campaigns.
We never had such a high rate of suicides within the Military. Only those who have been there and saw the horror of a war without a reason, can understand that.
john mccain is a idiot! had enough vote democratic!
John McCain has been a hot headed liberal war monger all his life. Now you conservative wanna be's rally around a man you don"t like in the first place,talk about hypocracy.At least we have a plan better than staying in a no win war situation for a 100 years. Just admit you where wrong. I mean Scott McClellan can do it so you should too.
How can you justify the rationale of those who put this country into a protracted war situation for reasons that simply did not exist; namely, the supposed existence of all those big, bad terrible weapons of mass destruction that Saddam was supposedly stockpiling? That was the big push that got us in this situation in the first place, yet so many people are willing to look past that to excuse why we're there now.
The fact is that many thousands of Iraqis are dying every month. The fact is that Iraq is much worse off than it was before we set foot there. The fact is that this current administration marched into Iraq with complete arrogance, and ignorant of the long term affects of the consequences. It's a shame that the men and women of our armed services have to deal with and fix the situation that the bad decision making in Washington created.
One shouldn't trust the words of those today who blatantly lied yesterday to go to war. Moreover, if Bush wants to keep referring to world war II, then he should consider that Hitler did EXACTLY the same thing that eventually led to the calamity in Europe and, in particular - Russia, during the war.
McCain a coward,You should be slapped in the face.
This man was a prisoner of war for gods sake.Unreal
the idots taht live in this free country.You should go live
overseas.McCain for pres. No taliban obama. vote American Republican
John Mccain is an honorable war veteran,a senator and a Vietnam pow that never complain about his military service.
Treetop,
Would you please explain to me why Saddam's own generals were wondering why they did not use WMDs against our forces when we invaded? It's seems based on the facts of the matter, the Saddam was one of the only people in the entire world who actually knew he did not have those weapons.
Saddam could have prevented all of this and he chose not to do so.
Additionally, WMDs were only one of 23 reasons the Congress voted to send troops to Iraq - http://www.c-span.org/resources/pdf/hjres114.pdf
Semper Fi.
For how many years will people be complaining about what happened before the war began?
The fact is that we are in Iraq now. Stop looking at what should have been. Hindsight is is not a strategy. It's time to figure out how to actually win. Yes, win. As in "victory" -- a word people refuse to consider but which just might be the case.
People are so busy complaining/arguing about what happened 5 years ago, they've not noticed what's happening in Iraq today. The American public has been left behind.
It is time for change---Claire McCaskill knows how to relate to people and understands what is important to them---
I started a Draft Claire for Governor in which we had over 75 team captains statewide in 2003. She instead became a US Senator two years later. Claire McCaskill was a prosecutor in Kansas City, a single mom while serving as state representative for 3 terms and then a State Auditor. Her knowledge of local, state, and Federal levels of governments and how they work is extremely important. There has likely never been a vice presidential candidate which such a record of service.
She has become known as a center of the road legislator fighting for anti ear mark legislation and an accountability office for expenditures on the war. What she is most noticed for is that she has a pulse of the people that comes naturally and speaks out for the people when something is not in their best interest concerning government or important issues. Yes two inspiring candidates who bring out the best in people on the ticket sound real good.
Steven L. Reed
1441 South Estate Ave.
Springfield MO
stevenlloydreed@hotmail.com
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