McCain Mocks Obama's Iraq Comments

AP reports:

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain mocked Democrat Barack Obama on Wednesday for saying he would take action as president "if al-Qaida is forming a base in Iraq."

"When you examine that statement, it's pretty remarkable," McCain told a crowd in Tyler, Texas.

"I have some news. Al-Qaida is in Iraq. It's called `al-Qaida in Iraq,'" McCain said, drawing laughter at Obama's expense.

Obama responded quickly, hitting back hard:

Mr. Obama, in Columbus, responded soon after. "I have some news for John McCain," Mr. Obama said at a large rally at Ohio State University. "There was no such thing as Al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq."

Mr. Obama mocked his potential Republican rival as he answered Mr. McCain's charge that he lacks sufficient foreign-policy experience for the presidency.

"I've been paying attention, John McCain," Mr. Obama said, speaking to a crowd of 7,000 in the St. John Arena on the Ohio State campus. "So John McCain may like to say he wants to follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of Hell, but so far, all he's done is follow George Bush into a misguided war in Iraq."

What goes unmentioned is that McCain distorted Obama's original statement by taking it out of context. During the Democratic debate on Tuesday, moderator Tim Russert laid out a hypothetical situation: what if al Qaeda "resurges" as a powerful force in Iraq after U.S. troops withdrew? The Obama statement that McCain is mocking -- "if al-Qaida is forming a base in Iraq" -- came in the context of that hypothetical.

Here's the full exchange:

MR. RUSSERT: I want to ask both of you this question, then. If we -- if this scenario plays out and the Americans get out in total and al Qaeda resurges and Iraq goes to hell, do you hold the right, in your mind as American president, to re-invade, to go back into Iraq to stabilize it? ...

SEN. OBAMA: ... Now, I always reserve the right for the president -- as commander in chief, I will always reserve the right to make sure that we are looking out for American interests. And if al Qaeda is forming a base in Iraq, then we will have to act in a way that secures the American homeland and our interests abroad. So that is true, I think, not just in Iraq, but that's true in other places. That's part of my argument with respect to Pakistan.

I think we should always cooperate with our allies and sovereign nations in making sure that we are rooting out terrorist organizations, but if they are planning attacks on Americans, like what happened in 9/11, it is my job -- it will be my job as president to make sure that we are hunting them down.

Video of the back and forth is here:

Comments

[Hajji]

Fear Fear Fear 911 911 911
Fear Fear Fear 911 911 911
Fear Fear Fear 911 911 911
Fear Fear Fear 911 911 911
Fear Fear Fear 911 911 911

These are the popsicle stick upon which
the Repugneocon's platform rests.

-T

[Trollstakeyourmeds]

Is there anyone besides me who suspects that the black-out in Miami just might be more of the same. Be afraid...b­e very afraid. Same philosophy that is going to cause the frequent elevated terror alerts that we're bound to see up until the elections.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

The Bush administration has argued that Al Qaida in Iraq (AQI) is a serious threat and could take over the country. This is a misrepresentation of the true state of affairs in Iraq and a device to keep us there unnecessarily, for corporate interests and continued war profiteering.

Here's an interesting article on the Myth of Al Qaida in Iraq:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2007/0710.tilghman.html

[FullChat]

So are we going to invade every country with Al Qaida cells?

Of the 250 or so countries in the world, there are probably less than 50 with no Al Qaida cells in them.

There are more Al Qaida in Pakistan, India, Egypt, Jordan, Spain, England, and Germany among others than there are in Iraq (last estimates I saw)!!

[Ramirez]

Invade? No, but under McCain we will continue to hunt and kill them in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the other countries you mention we will assist the government forces in hunting and killing them.

[Adjuster]

McSurge is a jackass. He would rather bankrupt us in Iraq than go after the real AQ in Afghanista­n/Pakistan­. He has no idea how to conduct foreign policy. He will just throw more troops at Iraq and hope that keeps things quiet enough to pass the baton the the next POTUS. But we will be in economic ruin way before then. He has forgotten, that's what happened to the former Soviet Union. Went broke buying weapons! Good plan, McSurge!

[trippin]

McAsshole says: "It's called `al-Qaida in Iraq'"

Actually, it's called Organization for the Foundation of the Holy Struggle in Mesopotami­a."

Your butt bangin' boys in the military in collaboration with a worthless media coined the name "al Qaeda in Iraq" just to give you pieces of sh!t something to say.

No matter what you call it, neither existed before your butt-boy invaded, you lousy lying piece of warmongering sh!t.

"Maverick?" I got your maverick right here, sweet cheek.

You earned my respect, Senator Bush sucker, and you destroyed it. So it's gloves off on your POW insane ass now, butt boy.

They evidently tortured your freaking brains out, you filthy lying bastard.

[incontempt]

LOL

[StillAmused]

A moment of silent compassion for the putative GOP candidate and the merciless beating he's about to take in the general.

This election will conclude with the losing candidate carried off into the night in an unmarked ambulance, likely in restraints.

A moment of silent compassion for the putative GOP candidate and the merciless beating he's about to take in the general.

This election will conclude with the losing candidate carried off into the night in an unmarked ambulance, likely in restraints.

"Per cent'anni" is an Italian wedding toast, not a foreign policy.

GOP voters should be SO proud...

[StillAmused]

Ooops... but you get the point.

[Durango]

Al Qaida is never going to "take over Iraq."

Iraq is majority Shia. And while the Sunni's have been in charge the Baath Party was not anything like Al Qaida.

Al Qaida thrives in a country torn apart by war. Afghanistan, Somalia, its allies in Algeria. It is only in Iraq because we destroyed the central government and instituted chaos.

When the chaos leaves, so will Al Qaida.

[sn]

Durango: You are exactly right. Once US leaves, the shia majority will drive Al Qaida out of Iraq. Even the sunni militia have been fighting Al Qaida in Iraq. So Al Qaida is actually benefited by the US presence in Iraq and the chaos and anti-US hatred among Iraqis.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Does McCain believe that the Iraq Al Qaida is one and the same as the Al Qaeda that attacked us on 9/11? He's not doing his homework again:

http://terrorism.about.com/od/groupsleader1/p/AlQaedainIraq.htm

Al Qaeda in Iraq is made up, at this point, of both Sunni Iraqi members and foreigners who made their way to Iraq to wage jihad. It is also considered to have some elements of Ansar Al Islam, a Kurdish Islamist group prominent in the northern area where the original group landed.

The degree of the group's current connection to Al Qaeda in Afghanista­n/Pakistan is disputed and highly politicized. The Bush Administration maintains that there are deep connections between different Al Qaeda groups. Others argue that Al Qaeda in Iraq does not have wide membership or support:

Numerous estimates show that the group called Al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) and its foreign fighters comprise only 5 to 10 percent of the Sunni insurgents' forces. Most Sunni insurgents are simply what Wayne White -- who led the State Department's intelligence effort on Iraq until 2005 -- calls POIs, or "pissed-off Iraqis," who are fighting because "they don't like the occupation­."

Al Qaeda in Iraq was founded in 2004.

Some believe the organization was developed by (now deceased) Musab Al Zarqawi.

[researcher]

as I now live in arizona for the sun shining 350 days per year please elect mc war as president so he will leave az.

americans love war never saw a war they did not want to fight the side effects of capitalism which lead to wars for profits.

mc war who still feels the sting of losing the vietnam imperialism we give them all the wars they want.

combine free for all capitalism and cousins marrying cousins in the south and you got yourself a war mongering country.

[KLRinLA]

I am appreciating your snarkiness in most statements except war profiteering is anti-capitalist, as it utilizes things such as no-bid contract, etc. that provides profit for only a select few (by those in control of gvt) and eliminates competition.
I will also disagree with tarring the idea of cousins mating; my cousin is super hot so don't make me feel guilty for my thoughts.

[wolf58]

He said that withdrawing troops would be "waving the white flag."

Hey McCain fuck you, by your remark you have insulted those very troops who have done all thats been asked of them. You would keep them there chasing ghost getting shot and blown up for nothing. You are a fear monger with the same chicken little thought pattern as your boy Bin Bush.

You want to stay in fucking Iraq then tell America the truth, to do so you will have to bring back the draft. Once again you like the asshole you are trying to replace are fighting the wrong war in the wrong country. We have had an idiot in charge for the past seven years this country does not need another one.

[Seafarer61]

Obama is going to lose the Iraq debate if all he can bring the table is "hey, I didn't vote for it."

Sure as the sun comes up in the morning, McCain will clean this fella's clock unless Barack starts looking FORWARD, not backward. Today, he made the junior senator sound like a fool last night. "Yeah, if Al-Qaeda is there, I'll bring the troops back into Iraq."

As John more or less schooled him, "they're ALREADY there and you want to LEAVE?"




OWNED.

[inthenitemare]

You're an idiot.

Let me school YOU!

1) There was no Al-Qaeda in Iraq before your hero Bush invaded.
2) For the most part, they have been driven out and only represent about 5% of the insurgency at this point.
3) The one who sounds like a fool is YOU.

[Ramirez]

So is Obama pledging to go after AQ in Iraq or leave them alone?

[Ozarks]

Duh, Seafarer you have been out to sea too long. Obama was answering a hypothetical question with a proper "what if" answer. So like every lying twisted republican, you attempt to change the facts and twist the truth to your sniveling benefit. Go visit Davy Jones locker you loggerhead.

[wolf58]

He said that withdrawing troops would be "waving the white flag."

Hey McCain fuck you, by your remark you have insulted those very troops who have done all thats been asked of them. You would keep them there chasing ghost getting shot and blown up for nothing. You are a fear monger with the same chicken little thought pattern as your boy Bin Bush.

You want to stay in fucking Iraq then tell America the truth, to do so you will have to bring back the draft. Once again you like the asshole you are trying to replace are fighting the wrong war in the wrong country. We have had an idiot in charge for the past seven years this country does not need another one.

[Scytherius]

And they weren't there until teh Republican thugs invaded Iraq. I SO can't wait til the nomination process is over and the Dems focus on McInsane. Talk about getting toasted. He'll be lucky to take 3 states.

[stonepier]

McCain should stop saying "my friends" - it's patronizing.

[BWonka]

Especially with friends like Bill Cunningham!.

[iPolitics]

The put American heroes in harms way express.