McCain sharpens attack on Obama
John McCain today launched his harshest, most detailed assault to date on Barack Obama's Iraq policy, saying that Obama failed the commander-in-chief test by opposing the surge of additional troops and would risk defeat by withdrawing most troops by 2010.
McCain, one of the biggest supporters of sending 30,000 additional troops to Iraq last year, asserted that Obama "not only opposed the new strategy, but actually tried to prevent us from implementing it. He didn't just advocate defeat, he tried to legislate it. When his efforts failed, he continued to predict the failure of our troops."
"If Senator Obama had prevailed, American forces would have had to retreat under fire," McCain told the national convention of the American GI Forum, a Hispanic-American veterans group. "....Fortunately, Senator Obama failed, not our military. We rejected the audacity of hopelessness, and we were right."
And that defeat, McCain suggested, could have led to genocide in Iraq and a wider war in the Middle East.
"The Iraqi Army would have collapsed. Civilian casualties would have increased dramatically," he said. "Al Qaeda would have killed the Sunni sheikhs who had begun to cooperate with us, and the "Sunni Awakening" would have been strangled at birth. Al Qaeda fighters would have safe havens, from where they could train Iraqis and foreigners, and turn Iraq into a base for launching attacks on Americans elsewhere. Civil war, genocide and wider conflict would have been likely.
"Above all, America would have been humiliated and weakened. Our military, strained by years of sacrifice, would have suffered a demoralizing defeat. Our enemies around the globe would have been emboldened. Terrorists would have seen our defeat as evidence America lacked the resolve to defeat them. As Iraq descended into chaos, other countries in the Middle East would have come to the aid of their favored factions, and the entire region might have erupted in war."
The surge helped reduce violence in Iraq, but Obama also credits the rebellion of Sunni leaders against al Qaeda and political developments. Now, he want to pull out most combat troops within 16 months of taking office, though he says he would redeploy them if the situation in Iraq deteriorated into civil war and possible genocide.
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton responded to McCain's speech in a statement: “The American people are looking for a serious debate about the way forward in Iraq and Afghanistan, and angry, false accusations will do nothing to accomplish that goal. Barack Obama and John McCain may differ over our strategy in Iraq, but they are united in their support for our brave troops and their desire to protect this nation. Senator McCain's constant suggestion otherwise is not worthy of the campaign he claimed he would run or the magnitude of the challenges this nation faces.”
UPDATE: The Democratic National Committee and Obama's campaign also highlighted McCain's response, in an interview that aired today on CNN, that the 16-month proposal by Obama -- and generally supported by Iraqi leaders this week -- was "a pretty good timetable."
"MCCAIN ENDORSES OBAMA'S PLAN FOR IRAQ?" the DNC suggested.
But in the CNN interview, McCain quickly added his usual caveat that any pullout has to "based on conditions on the ground."
"This success is very fragile," he said. "It's incredibly impressive, but very fragile. So we know, those of us who have been involved in it for many years, know that if we reverse this, by setting a date for withdrawal, all of the hard-won victory can be reversed."
McCain is trying to make the war the defining issue of the presidential race, and trying to compete for attention with Obama's high-profile foreign trip.
Asked what he has learned on the trip, Obama said at a joint press conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy that he had no "blinding insight," but rather a deepening understanding.
"There was nothing I saw that caused me to change my basic strategic assessment," Obama said.
He said he saw first-hand that conditions are worsening in Afghanistan, and more troops need to be deployed. In Iraq, conditions are improving and will allow a withdrawal of US troops "at a steady, prudent pace."
McCain argues that US forces should not leave until Iraq is stable and secure.
"We can withdraw when we have secured the peace and the gains we have sacrificed so much to achieve are safe," McCain said. "Or we can follow Senator Obama's unconditional withdrawal and risk losing the peace even if that results in spreading violence and a third Iraq war. Senator
Obama has suggested he would consider sending troops back if that happened. When I bring them home in victory and with honor, they are staying home.
"Senator Obama might dismiss defeat in Iraq as the current president's problem. But presidents don't lose wars. Nations do. And presidents don't fight wars. You do, the men and women of the greatest fighting force in the history of the world."
The Obama campaign also responded by issuing a statement from former Senator Bob Kerrey, a Nebraska Democrat who, like McCain, supported the Iraq war.
"As is often the case in politics, the most important questions do not get debated while the most trivial ones are pushed front and center," Kerrey said. "Such is the case with the current attacks by Senator McCain's supporters purporting that Senator Obama's failure to support the surge demonstrates he has been wrong on this important foreign policy question.
“Assessing all facts available to us today, Senator Obama's judgment six years ago looks a whole lot better today than either Senator McCain's or mine was back then. Barack Obama understands that moving from the U.S. being an occupying force to strong ally is an urgent necessity both for Iraq and the United States. He also sees that the growing consensus in the United States and Iraq for a timeline that will allow the responsible redeployment of our combat brigades out of Iraq while preserving our commitment to remain a strong ally of the Iraqi people is an opportunity that we must seize. Finally, Barack Obama is right in his judgment that this redeployment will accelerate the political progress Iraq so desperately needs to lock in the security gains delivered by our military forces.
“Let's not re-fight the past. From what I've seen of the two candidates, Senator Obama has the better strategic vision and judgment to meet our challenges moving forward."
The Republican National Committee responded to Kerrey's statement by noting a May 2007 op-ed piece he wrote for the Wall Street Journal in which the former senator declared that Iraq is the primary battleground against radical Islamists.
"The key question for Congress is whether or not Iraq has become the primary battleground against the same radical Islamists who declared war on the US in the 1990s and who have carried out a series of terrorist operations including 9/11. The answer is emphatically 'yes,' Kerrey wrote.
"This does not mean that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11; he was not. Nor does it mean that the war to overthrow him was justified--though I believe it was. It only means that a unilateral withdrawal from Iraq would hand Osama bin Laden a substantial psychological victory."
I wish John McCain would change his message.......IT'S GETTING OLD AND TIRED! He's beating the same dead horse. What about our economy, gas prices, education woes, housing woes??? That's what he should be talking about. I guess my question to voters is "Is it because John McCain NEEDS to be right and won't let this issue die a peaceful death"? If the answer is yes, is that the kind of rigid mindset that we need as our next POTUS? GWB has been rigid throughout the last 7+ years, having America go it alone......real cowboy attitude. Look where we are because of that! Please, America, JUST SAY NO TO MCCAIN!
Could someone remind Sen. Mc Cain of why we went to Iraq. It was supposed to be because of the WMDs, which were non-existent (as we now know). McCain himself alluded to the fact that it may have been because of Iraq's oil; Saddam Hussein was overthrown ("Mission accomplished") and only THEN did the topic shift to Al Qaeda. What authorization to war did McCain sign? And if this was the rationale for going into Iraq, are we now going to invade Colombia? Algeria? Zimbabwe?
Great for McCain......McCain tells the trust about Obama and Iraq. Obama is the biggest liar who has ever run for the office of president & commander In chief. No one can believe a word that comes from his mouth as he only says what he thinks will get him votes. If he is elected (God forbid), no one knows how he will govern; he has changed his mind on so many issues. If you do your research and read his book "Dreams From My Father" you will see that he is a radical liberal who dislikes white people. His white grandmother helped raise him when his father abandoned him and his mother left for a time, but he called her a racist.
Reminds me of what happened two days ago in a city near me. A white couple were driving, there was an anti-Obama sticker on their vehicle. A black woman was beside them driving and starring at them. The white couple drove into their driveway; the black woman parked right behind them and got out of her vehicle, screaming at the white couple that they were "racist" and that "she'd get someone to take care of them later". The police were called and the black woman was cited for a terrorist threat. In our large city newspaper this morning the most liberal columist wrote that while he thought the bumper sticker was not in good taste, it was not racist. WHEN ARE THE OBAMA SUPPORTERS GOING TO QUIT CALLING ALL THE MCCAIN SUPPORTERS RACISTS JUST BECAUSE WE DO NOT SUPPORT OBAMA?
Who started this bloody war? why is John Mc. Cain not talking about that?
McSame obviously lives in a bubble.
He is so out-of-touch with what the American people want.
McSame is old, tired and not worthy of being president.
Remember McSame, you never won the war you were in...Vietnam!!
The entire Iraq fiasco has been a failure... never mind the surge 'success'.
This has been a giant blunder in statecraft and a shameful waste of blood and national treasure. We will have wasted thousands of lives and well over a trillion dollars - and for what ? ! A strengthened Iran ? A weakened US prestige abroad when America could most use a bounty of persuasive capitol ?
-Ask yourself - In a few years when we are 'persuaded' under any plausable scenario - to pack up and leave Iraq. - What will have gained ? And what will we have lost ?
The most admirable human trait is humility - the ability to admit ones own personal failures and choices.
America will NOT reward complete GOP failure.
Not this time !
One word: Desperation.
John McCain will withdraw our troops through Iraq-Pakistan border. He's like a joke.
What a grim picture McBush has painted. No wonder he is advocating that we stay Iraq for more than a 100 year. The war must end.
Janice Carson, if you don't want to be called a racist, don't write like one. Why are you bringing up "White vs Black" in this conversation? McCain's attacks have nothing to do with race. He's STILL attacking him about Iraq! Only a racist would bring white vs black into this conversation! I think you read his book with a racist mindset, because I read it and enjoyed every page! AND, I am a 62-year old WHITE working woman! Be a racist all you want, but don't bring it into a conversation that has nothing to do with race.......you're in the wrong place!
Dear Janice
God forbid a black man gets into office.
Racist!!!!
McBush to hung up on winning a war. How far will he go if he can't win a war.
NUKE
SOMEONE NEEDS TO TELLS MCCAIN THAT THE REASON IT IS CALM RIGHT NOW IN IRAQ IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF THE SURGE BUT THE LECTION ITSELF. BECAUSE THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR THE WINNER. THE DICTATORS WILL CELEBRATE IF IT'S MCCAIN AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS IF OBAMA. THE SURGE DOES NOT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS QUIET WATCH
John McCain's whing and belly aching is getting hard to read and listen to - doesn't he have any fresh ideas on the issues? One gets the feeling that he figures the American Public 'doesn't get it' and so he is constantly repeating himself (although old people tend to do that) - but even his voice has got that 'whining' tone. Stop it - talk about something else...
"...Senator Obama's judgment six years ago looks a whole lot better today..."
Where exactly is Obama on the record six years ago regarding his opposition to the initial invasion? A local high school newspaper?
Hate to break it to you kiddies, but don't be suprised to see Obama tossed to the dustbin of America's discarded liberals come November. Rememeber how confident you all were with Dukakis, Gore and Kerry? "When the truth hurts, say ouch!" McCain nailed him today.
Janice Carson sounds like a typical, uneducated fear monger -- just what the Republican party likes in their voters!
John McCain was NOT the "architect" of the Iraq STUPIDITY ! Let us all try to remember what happened in SAIGON!! Lets all remember waht happened on 9-11! Lets all remember JIMMY CARTER who became our "president for change" in a very similar situation and what he "accomplished"....disgrace to the United States in an ill planned hostage rescue attempt..and a "peace" in the middle East which resulted in increased vulnability for our ONLY ally in the Middle East.
Forgetting history means repeating the same mistakes as the past.
My opinion only..
Too bad Obama voted on many occasions to provide funding for the war. Over the next few months he is going to get hammered in the media.
"invasion?" Ding..Ding...Ding!
Supporting the invasion of Iraq was a collosal "commander-in-chief test" failure.
"Rememeber how confident you all were with Dukakis, Gore and Kerry? "When the truth hurts, say ouch!" "
And the alternative has worked out sooooooooooooooooooo...
wait for it
ooooooooooooooooooo...
wait for it
ooooooooooooooooooo...
GREAT!
McBush can't see the initial mistake, how can he see the problem?
Remember McSame, you never won the war you were in...Vietnam
That is a remark that deserves contempt. You are a loser if you remember Vietnam as a war we did not win. It was because of you Liberal idiots the loss of that war led by John Kerry and now you want to lose the Iraq war the same way. You liberals are nothing but anti-Americans living the life of an American by the sacrifices of real Americans. You anti-Americans can only blab about "WMD's" and have no clue as to the real threat of the Saddam regime. What were all the hundreds of sucide belts that were uncovered in Iraq to be used for? What was the Boeing jet that was in the Al-Quada training camp used for? What about the daily firing of anti-aircraft missles that were shot at our airman? You have a blocked brain that only says "WMD's". Your hatred of Bush is small compared to your hatred of America. Liberals are worse than Nazi's. Germany had thousands turn out for Barack and Germany had thousands turn out for Hitler too.
Although it's ideal to support our contracts with Halliburton as long as possible, it's time we find a diplomatic end to this crisis I believe we intentionally created. This reminds me of the story of the husband that wants to visit his wife in the intensive care unit at the hospital after he has beaten her. Every time the wife seems to be getting better, the husband's mere appearance puts her into shock. Eventually you'd think someone would realize he shouldn't be allowed to be in there.
We are spending one billion dollars a month on a country that in turmoil because of our bombing and our desire to debathificate the country into chaos. Our "restoring order" is and always will be seen as an attempt to "control" them.
For those questioning how our country can afford to give the $1000 tax cut Obama is proposing, I want you to imagine paying that much money to a million people. Then have them all throw that $1000 into the Persian Gulf...each and every month. That's the difference between McSame and Obama.
Our faith in Christ won't just disappear, and neither will their Muslim faith that believes our presense is in itself an attack. Unless everyone else is dead, American soldiers will not leave this region in peace.
The first step in restoring peace to the region is when the Iraqi people are running the country without our 'help'. Surely other countries could work together in the absense of George W. Bush to end this war that was waged to make oil men and Halliburton rich.
About a year ago I heard that we were losing about one soldier a day trying to 'spread liberty' in Iraq. Although every media outlet claimed 'the surge has worked' last month, there were still 38 soldiers killed in Iraq in June. How long will we assume that we are the wet nurses of the world, especially in a region that is only volatile because we are there?
When the U.S.A. was attacked, bush took the fight away from us and to the middle east. This has saved us on more attacks that possibly could have devistated us in the U.S.A. our best defence is to keep the fighting away from the U.S.A. If Obama brings our troops home without victory, That will open the U.S.A. for any and all attacks. instead of watching the destruction on t.v. it will be at your door step. Wake up america dont let My troops fighting and friends dieing be all in vain. Gas prices and poor education will not matter if we are all dead!!!
Above all, American would have been humiliated and weakend????? Above ALL???????
Obama is more decerning in the "real life" for the American, he is not polarised by war. McCain cant win without making an 'exagerated" case for the "surge"
......Obaaaaaaaaaama go for the seat, its your!
Typical liberal web site. Unable to comprehend and acknowledge the truth.
"Above all, America would have been humiliated and weakened. Our military, strained by years of sacrifice, would have suffered a demoralizing defeat. Our enemies around the globe would have been emboldened. Terrorists would have seen our defeat as evidence America lacked the resolve to defeat them. As Iraq descended into chaos, other countries in the Middle East would have come to the aid of their favored factions, and the entire region might have erupted in war."
Interesting to see that he is so certain of all these happenings.. IN THE FUTURE.
Keep up the Fear Mongering, old man... way to go. Scare 'em into votin' fer ya. Seemed to work for Bushy...
Keep watching them polls Libs. Big surprise on Nov.15
What if Carrot Top didn't want us to go into Iraq, should we make him President? How about Bernie Mac?
Obama never had the intelligence reports that (D) Bob Kerrey, (who was mentioned in the article), John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and many other Democrats got. Obama was in an extreme left wing district so everthing he said was perfectly centered in what they wanted to hear at the time.
To all you people with the "McSame" junior highschool popularity context mentality folks need to face up to is that Barack Obama has voted to fund over $300,000,000,000 and voted to confirm Condi Rice, one of prime architects of the War? If he was a man of conviction he would have done what he was elected to do and end the War. He, like most of the Democrats didn't even have the backbone and competence to retreat correctly.
He is taking charged words and powerful language to electrify a dumb audience. He is taking this language and turning it into empty, hollow cliches.
Guess what guys, we might have a Military presence in that region of the world for a long, long time, and as long as it represents our safety and National interest to do so, we'll be there. We have Military bases in Germany and that has been what 60 years. McCain never said that we would have the SAME TROOP LEVELS for 100 years and that is what the many in the Obama camp want the brain dead to think.
Much of the Obama coalition are the brain dead which is why the 100 year line is used that much; because it targets the brain dead. When you hear Obama and his high level surrogates use that line knowing full well that McCain never meant today's troop levels in a 100 years don't kid yourself, know full well that they are targetting the dumb and lazy and they want the dumb lazy's votes and that is what Obama and his surrogates think of you, that you're dumb. That is why Obama was so pissed about the cartoon, he knows much of his base are dumb and lazy; he's banking on the dumb and lazy and he's manipulating and throwing out political lines to them with the 100 year thing. That is not elevating America, that is resorting to base politics; trying to twist and extend the meaning of another's words. If you resort to that tactic you are not inspired, you're another political low-life.
McCain is an American hero that has a heart and mind in the right place. He is simply to old to be Peresident.His frequent lapses indicate he does not have the mental clarity to hold this office.He should be fishing with his beautiful wife and not running for President.
Lets see....
Over a trillion dollars worth of debt, thousands of American soldier dead -- 10 times as many wounded, the economy in the dumps, and bin Laden is still free? Weigh the pros and cons you Mcain fools, we've already lost. Lets bring our troops home, regather ourselves, rally our allies and go after the real terrorists. It is clear doing it alone with just the UK will destroy us economically and ruin us socially around the globe.
Yawn.
More desperation from George W. McCain.
Why does McCain hate peace so much?
If you are voting for Obama because he is black you are a racist. If you feel good about voting for the first Black President, you are a racist.
If you don't want to be a racist, try being colorblind. Racism exists and it flows through blacks as well as whites. Reverse racism is racism.
If you base any favoritism on race it is racist. Blacks don't get a pass, they can't be racist because they think the world owes them something. We have a zero tolerance for white racists and maybe we should have a zero tolerance for black racists. When over 90 percent of blacks were breaking for Obama in the Primaries it is safe to say that a good portion of them are racist (they were basing their vote on the color of Obama's skin). "Black Pride" isn't an excuse for racism.
You know I would have a hard time choosing between Colin Powell and John McCain, but most likely would vote for McCain because he is the most outspoken about wasteful spending and going into this Economy we need someone who will cut spending not a socialist that tells people that it is ok to be a lazy deadbeat and that you are entitled to have government be your mother.
Obama is doing more to hurt poor people by making them feel entitled and making them feel like it is ok to have handouts. He is enabling their laziness and that will just waste generations of lives. National healthcare would be great, but so wouldn't everybody actually paying taxes.
This whole War thing isn't something that we can turn on or off, it is a War on Terrorism. The largest Military (active troops) in the World is Iran's. It is followed by China, North then South Korea, India, Russia, then the United States (number 7).
Iran wants to destroy Israel.
The leader of Iran doesn't believe that the Holocost ever happened.
An unstable Iraq would be a target for its neighbor Iran (a country that has been at war with in recent years).
Iran wants and is pursuing nuclear weapons.
Pre Iraq War, Iraq (Hussein) was offering rewards to terrorists that targetted Americans.
WHAT EVERYONE NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THIS REGION OF THE WORLD HAS SOME CRAZY AND INSANE PEOPLE. TRYING TO EXPLAIN IT SOUNDS AS CRAZY AS THE SUBJECT. YOU DON'T SOUND LOGICAL EXPLAINING A CRAZY PERSON, BUT GUESS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH, WE HAVE LEADERS THAT ARE OUT OF THEIR MINDS. Obama can't put a positive spin or apply Harvard logic to whitewash the truth. The truth sucks and it is dangerous to not look at the reality of what we're dealing with. Pretending evil and danger doesn't exist is naive and I'd rather have a Commander in Chief that understood the risks we're dealing with instead of trying to pretend it is a bad dream and we can walk away. The reality there is bad, the potential problems with Iran are worse. An Iran with nukes is unfathomable. An Iran with nukes and the largest Military is serious stuff. We need to wake up, that is not fear mongering, it is reality.
OBAMA KNOWS HOW TO SOOTH YOU and he speaks to you like you are a frightened child that wants a bad dream to go away. The fact that people are allowing this delusion to grow is because they don't want anyone to pop their bubble, their hope that Obama can make all the problems go away. Obama wants you to hope and believe that he can make everything all better and nobody is kicking the tires or looking for any experience or action that he has ever taken ever, to underpin his rhetoric. They don't bother look for back up because they want him to be a superhero, some fantasy. Obama's followers look like cult members, it is sort of scary.
Isn't it funny that all the people that are bringing up race are not voting for Obama?
What is all this I keep hearing about handouts? What do you think that election year $600 check was? What do you think all those no-bid contracts are for Halliburton? What do you think the $8 Billion (yes, that is a B) dollars in subsidies for oil companies for "oil exploration" are?
If your fear is that the poorest schools are going to be given a two dozen pairs of $5 tennis shoes for barefoot children (that may happen to be black) then I ask you to question what would Jesus do.
The saddest thing about this whole "HateClinton/HateBush" divided country we've become is that the Republicans aren't hopeful anymore. They're just plain scared, intolerate and hateful. They are scared that someone will bring terrorism back to our country, and somehow only Papa Republican can make them feel safe. They are intolerate to new ideas of hope and peace. They are hateful as they make up their long list to add to the axis of evil.
McCain's biggest campaign policy is that he doesn't like Obama. Look at his headlines. He's certain the world will end if Obama wins.
Whomever wins, I hope we can start to do the things Americans are known for; Resolving conflicts and working together to remain the greatest and the fairest country on earth.
the candidates, and others, keep going back and forth debating new details about the same old failed would-be solutions. the united states cannot win a guerrilla war on foreign soil--we never have and never will. so why doesn't someone start thinking outside the box, as suggested here: www.straightrecord.com/outside and come up with new ways to deal with problems in the world's hotspots. that site suggests we use our greatest power--money--and start bribing to get what we want, starting with afghanistan, at less cost and fewer lives. it may sound a bit kooky, but at least someone is thinking in new ways.
So...Obama tried to 'legislate defeat'. If we "win", what do we win?
As far as I'm concerned, defeat was when there weren't WMDs.
Let's stop trying to cover this up and realize the war against terror isn't in Iraq.
The Iraqi people there are only trying to regain control of their country from the people that killed thousands of their family and friends.
If we could set religion aside, these muslim extremist probably get along great with our NRA members.
I saw Obama speaks live on my TV at alJazeera channel (I am Indonesian at Jakarta), and I now understand prediction why America will become world leader again.
Forget Bush and McBush with their policy of HATE and CONSPIRACY. They are liars, they talk the have faith in Jesus yet Jesus never teach them to go to war deliberately from Afghanistan, Iraq, and then Iran etc.
Islamist and terrorist are "better" than Bush etc because Islamist doing the teaching of their prophet to use any way including war to preach and defend their religion.
Who's Barrack Hussein Obama?I know he is a Muslim and thats about it,thats right them people that have the guts to flew our own plane into our own building to commit a mass murdering act of our own citizens and weaken our economy so that is him ok.And now he goes to his Arab roots to give them a handshake deal as if we Americans are stupid people.It's time to stop betraying us by a Muslim candidate he's not a Democrat but them fools the Democratic Party close their eyes when they elect him as their candidate.
The former Senator from Nebraska Kerry is the first person who denouced that Obama is a Muslim.
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