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Jason Linkins

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McCain Offers A Few Minutes Of Thin Rationale To Back Up His Call For A Century Of War

January 6, 2008 02:32 PM


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Think we've made too much about McCain's nutlog plan for a century of war in Iraq? Well, he seems to think that our if, ands, and buts are really just a century of candy and nuts! Where the rosy scenarios never ever end! Really, why wouldn't you consign your kids, their kids, their grandkids and whoever happens to be left over in the remnants of civilization in the year 2525 to McCain's marvelous plan?

Well, maybe we should take pause at some of his flawed reasoning and glittery contradictions!



McCain: If Americans aren't dying, why not stay? We have a base in Kuwait!

Yes. And Kuwait has really done an exemplary job of not killing Americans. We've done an exemplary job of not arming a bunch of Kuwaitis that want to kill us. We've had no trouble on the moon, either. Why not station some troops there?

McCain: It's not American presence that bothers the American people, it's American casualties.

Uhm...doesn't this go without saying?

McCain: We need a reduction in casualties to the point where the Iraqis are doing the fighting and dying.

Well! This is really, the most powerful argument for immediate, wholesale withdrawal I can think of! If we came home, all of this - our own troops survival, the Iraqis fighting and dying - would be immediately achieved.

McCain: The Saudis...they didn't want us there for various reasons, so we left.

Glad you mentioned this, John. In a poll conducted in September of 2007 by the BBC, ABC News and NHK, Iraqis gave the following responses:

  • 70% of Iraqis believe security has deteriorated in the area covered by the US military "surge"
  • 60% see attacks on U.S.-led forces as justified
  • Only 29% think things will get better in the next year
  • 58% said they had "no confidence" in U.S./UK occupation forces
  • 53% "Strongly Oppose" the presense of coalition forces in Iraq. An additional 26% "Somewhat oppose" them. I'm guessing there are "various reasons" for this.
Mr. McCain, the people have spoken!

McCain: Many experts said that the surge would not succeed and that I was wrong. I was right.

Oh, did it? That political reconciliation is all ironed out? Because we're sort of poised for the coming of the de-surge that Petraeus promised. And, don't you know, it'd appear that things are poised to go south in Kirkuk in short order. So you'd better hope that the surge solved everything. Because new problems are unfolding, and like the new movie from P.T. Anderson says, "There will be blood." Do we want another century of it? That's the question.

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- geewhizes See Profile I'm a Fan of geewhizes permalink

HAVE A NICE DAY

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:40 PM on 01/11/2008
- geewhizes See Profile I'm a Fan of geewhizes permalink

IF YOU ELECT SENATOR MC CAIN. MAKE SURE YOU VOTE SOMEONE WITH HIM SO HE CAN BE FILLED IN. MC CAIN HAS THE SAME BAD HABIT HE'S HAD IN THE SENATE WHERE HE SITS UP STRAIGHT, CLOSES HIS EYES AND GOES TO SLEEP. ALSO MC CAIN IS'NT UP ON ALL ASPECTS OF THE WAR IN IRAQ. HILLARY CLINTON GAVE HER ALL TO TRY AND CONVINCE OUR PEOPLE IN NEW HAMSHIRE WITHOUT LETTING THE W.M.D. OUT HILLARY AND OBAMA KNOW ABOUT THE HIDDEN UNDERGROUND TUNNELS, BUT NOT THE LARGE STORAGE AREA WHERE THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ARE HIDDEN. SADDAM'S SON TESTED ONE GALLON OUT ON THE KURDS. 5,000 DIED IN ONE WEEK. NOW THEY ONLY KNOW OF 3 MOBILE LAUNCHERS WITH MISSLES FILLED WITH POISON GAS READY FOR LAUNCH. IF COALITION FORCES ARE PULLED OUT OF IRAQ, LEAVING IRAQIANS VULNERABLE TO ALQUIDDA, THEN SADDAMS SPECIAL MOBILE TEAMS WILL BRING THE LAUNCHERS UP AND SET THEM IN A CERTAIN LOCATION AND LAUNCH TO THE FREE WORLD COUNTRIES, ONLY HILLARY AND OBAMA WERE INFORMED OF THIS, BUT THATS BEFORE WE FOUND OBAMA WAS AGAINST AMERICA, BUT FOR MUSLIM AFRICA AND TAKING ORDERS. MC CAIN BLIND.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:38 PM on 01/11/2008
- rboylern See Profile I'm a Fan of rboylern permalink

I think the term "full of shit" fits here. Sen. McCain just loves the idea that we can tramp in and take over a country, or so it seems.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:56 AM on 01/08/2008
- Garvagh See Profile I'm a Fan of Garvagh permalink

The continuing truce between alHakim and al-Sadr(two strongest Shia warlords), and the realisation by the Sunnis that they cannot overthrow the Shia, explains much of the decline in violence. McCain would squander another trillion dollars of US taxpayer funds to enable Israel to keep the illegal settlements in the West Bank and to continue to oppress the Palestinians for generations to come. This formula will bankrupt the US. McCain is a militarist and a fool.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:39 PM on 01/07/2008
- StanQ See Profile I'm a Fan of StanQ permalink

McCain is, quite simply, a nut case.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 03:08 PM on 01/07/2008
- DrJ See Profile I'm a Fan of DrJ permalink

Dr. J.'s 'He Really Said That': John McCain's Falwell Endorsement, BuzzFlash,
http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/jonas/093
Senator John McCain celebrated his surprising 4th place finish in Iowa by announcing the next in a series of surprising endorsements he has been receiving since November. The first was that of Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), the self-described "Faith Candidate" representing Christian fundamentalism. That of course is the same John McCain who took apart the Christian fundamentalist leadership in the 2000 Presidential campaign.

At about the same time, back in November, Pat Robertson came out with his endorsement of Rudy Giuliani. (Who?) Then in December, McCain picked up the endorsement of the party-less Sen. Joe Lieberman. This despite the fact that McCain had previously declared that he did not regard non-Christians as qualified to govern (The Progress Report, "Blackout and Brownout," Oct. 1, 2007). Now, with Huckabee's win in Iowa coupled with his own strong showing (what was that, Senator?), McCain happily announced another endorsement from the Christian Right. That personage is none other than the Robertson brother-in-hate, Jerry Falwell.

When a reporter questioned how that could be when Falwell was dead, the spokesman first said that that in fact was a matter of controversy, "you know, like global warming." Then he asked a question back: "What, you think that Robertson is alive? And after all," he went on, "the Senator's good friend Joe Lieberman, although breathing, is not qualified to govern and is therefore dead as a political figure. But in any case," the spokesman further allowed, "following Senator Brownback's lead, and indeed that of Gov. Huckabee, about what counts in life, we take the Falwell endorsement on faith."

Steven Jonas, MD, MPH is a Professor of Preventive Medicine at Stony Brook University (NY), a weekly Contributing Author for the Web zine The Political Junkies.net; a Special Contributing Editor for Cyrano's Journal Online; and an invited contributor to the Web log The Daily Scare.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:58 PM on 01/07/2008
- Bigtexxx See Profile I'm a Fan of Bigtexxx permalink

McCain's solution: Build a bigger, better quagmire! Yeah, Johnny! That'd be SWELL!

What a nutbag. He's off the rails entirely. Nice guy, but either loopy, or driven to saying loopy things in an effort to trump the "what we need is more Guantanamos" idiots.

Nothing quite like American politics, is there? Heaven help us all.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:41 PM on 01/07/2008
- FOXYLADY See Profile I'm a Fan of FOXYLADY permalink

IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT MCCAIN SUPPORTS THIS WAR AFTER WHAT HE SAW AND LIVED THROUGH IN NAM AND IT'S PRISONS.....I THINK HE IS STARTING TO SHOW SIGNS OF DEMENTIA....TOO OLD TO BE PRESIDENT.......WATCH WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT ACTOR PRESIDENT. REAGON AND ALSHEIMERS. WE NEED A HUGE CHANGE AND PERHAPS A WOMAN IS THE RIGHT TICKET...NEVER DONE BEFORE, AT LEAST IN THIS COUNTRY BUT CHECK OVERSEAS...GERMANY ETC.. THEY ARE DOING FINE WITH A WOMAN LEADING THEM

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:39 PM on 01/07/2008
- WilliePilgrim See Profile I'm a Fan of WilliePilgrim permalink

Does he really think this shoe would feel as good if worn on the other shoe? What is it with these idiots? Has the concept of american exceptionalism blinded them so much that they can't see how our occupying a country that considers us infidel invaders will ever see us any other way as long as their fundamentalist co-religionists are in power, and with hatred this historical, it will be a long time before they forget and probably not until they've made good and sure that "payback is hell". What ever happened to turning the other cheek? Oh, yeah, that was Jesus after spending a weekend with Ted Haggerty and the Republican noise machine.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:26 PM on 01/07/2008
- shep65 See Profile I'm a Fan of shep65 permalink

What planet did John McCain fall from. His comments are so absurd that they should qualify him for some mental evaluation. Its okay for Iraqis to die as long as Americans dont and we dont care how long we stay in Iraq? Apparently he has not seen any polls.
I used to respect McCain but now it seems that he is so wrapped up in his Vietnam experience that his judgement has been completely clouded over.
When are the war mongers going to face up to the fact that the 9/11 terrorists were mainly from Saudia Arabia and not Iraq. If they had been trained and equipted by Sadam then all Americans would probably supported and would still probably support this war.
I cannot imagine a country with any of the Republican candidates as president.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:09 PM on 01/07/2008
- ProgressivePartisan See Profile I'm a Fan of ProgressivePartisan permalink

As an American citizen and a USMC Viet Nam vet I will always be grateful for Senator McCain's service to his country.
But at this point in time the honorable Senator is SO far off track for what is good for this country that it makes me embarrassed for him.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:36 AM on 01/07/2008
- Bondaroid See Profile I'm a Fan of Bondaroid permalink

First of all we did not choose war it chose us if you have not forgotten September 11th. If Muslim extremists, or Islamic Fascists if you will, did not poke the sleeping bear with a stick it would not have awoke to kick their asses. If Saddam would not have listened to his friends Chirac, Schroeder and Putin and opened his country up to compliance to the United Nations as the 17 resolutions suggested, he would have not been a target. The problem with Muslim extremists have with the West is freedom, they want everyone to convert or die. That is the reality and if you believe something else you are delusional and if you believe you are not just trot your little ass over to their cave and ask them, we will see if you leave with your head.

As far as McCain, he states the same thing all the other Democrats have said as well, that we can't leave unless we finish the job. Unless they are catering to the Anti-War folks then they say out of the side of their mouths they would pull out. If you are a fool you would believe that, we will stay until the job is done. I find it somewhat laughable also that since the surge "is working" that the only thing the Dem's can hold onto now is "reconciliation", it is against the Democrats character to believe in their own country or for that matter their own flag. They have more in common with Chavez, Castro, Putin, Saddam (when he was alive), then their own country. Lastly, if you are quoting polls why not use polls that are less Anti-American then the BBC, NHK or the ABC News polls. It's too bad that Democrats do not support their country or their military, the job the do and the lives the give, when they are fighting to protect you.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:26 AM on 01/07/2008
- rchwel See Profile I'm a Fan of rchwel permalink

The polls have the old warhorse McCain ahead un Nh huh ? What the hell is wrong with the people there ? Thank god NH only has 4 electorial votes , they backed loser McCain in 2000 and will do so again this year !

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:25 AM on 01/07/2008
- Bozwellian See Profile I'm a Fan of Bozwellian permalink

..btw, McC makes me think perhaps COULD vote for Hillary if that was the two put up..Presently see none the GOPS are ready to endorse but have some hope in the Obama factor surging presently and is where the votes here would be cast(uh, plural , as in mine and other family/friends vote grouping...)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:06 AM on 01/07/2008
- Bozwellian See Profile I'm a Fan of Bozwellian permalink

...caught the Senator on MTP with Russert who asked if he WOULD have gone into Iraq even knowing what is known NOW, and big Mac said YES...UH, trying to fanthom why none noting such along with his reasoning that should it come to be a 100year or more supposed need for our presence in Iraq and well, many other etc's of same...MCC says/claims the surge is WORKING...uh, what happens when the troops ARE withdrawn, which WILL be occuring due to OVERSTRETCHED MILITARY and the need to ROTATE them out no matter if an OFFICIAL WITHDRAWAL exercise or not...the number WILL BE REDUCED , they have no choice and the Iraqi governing body still has NO GRIP ON THEIR COUNTRYS REALITY/BEINGNESS...There is no way WE are going to have TROOPS ready and of force needed to RESURGE THE SURGE, the never ending and costly surge which is NOT working to our advantage folks and meanwhile, Afghanistan is being lost further and Pakistan is exploding and we remained BOGGED IN THE IRAQ QUAGMIRE for FALSE HONORIFICALS and the inability to admit what a collossal egregious mistake it was from the get go !!! McC thinks it was needed, gives no indication of comprehending that there were other means to contain and curtail Saddam which would have cost us ALL far less.....Where is the outrage at his current stance and proclamations ? Do YOU really believe the surge IS working as it was sold ? (got a few bridges to sell ya' if you so do..they lead to nowhere but downhill trajectories as well !!!)

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:04 AM on 01/07/2008
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