McCain: We'll Look Back On Iraq As An 'Academic Argument'

[via Democracy Arsenal] John McCain, appearing on the Hardball College Tour, didn't shy away from making his now-familiar case on why he will be a different president than George W. Bush. He made some effective distinctions - nothing you haven't heard before - on the issues of global warming and torture. He's against it! But more critical to his argument is his opposition to the way in which Bush handled the Iraq war initially:

MCCAIN: The war was mishandled terribly for nearly four years by Donald Rumsfeld and this administration. I fought against it. I argued against. And I argued for the new strategy, which is succeeding. It's long and hard and tough. We just passed not that long ago the 4,000th brave young American who was sacrificed in this conflict. But I believe that the strategy is succeeding.

Critically, however, McCain's willingness to scrutinize these failures do not go so far as to analyze the underlying strategic decision to go to war with Iraq at all, a decision that has greatly benefited the larger al Qaeda organization in Afghanistan and Pakistan. You remember those guys, right? One major disputant of McCain's foreign policy, Senator Joe Biden - who Matthews invokes in his exchange with McCain - sure does! As does Ambassador Ryan Crocker himself.

But for McCain, the whole matter of whether we would have been better off actually working to defeat the terrorist organization that attacked the United States as opposed to launching an costly military distraction in Iraq is a concern best left for tweedy types to discuss at their chummy leisure:

MCCAIN: We can look back at the past and argue about whether we should have gone to war or not, whether we should have invaded or not, and that's a good academic argument.

I can think of about four thousand people that will have no opportunity to attend that lecture.

[WATCH.]

Comments

[BillKen]

The only thing academic about the war in Iraq is the grade it gets, an F.
Semper Fi

[brainlego]

Yep, the deaths are...statistic, numbers, commas.

[Nyland8]

Since we'll never hear the press in this country eviscerate McBatshit for his statement, I can only hope that when and if his own family member (doesn't he have a son serving) gets seriously maimed, or sustains a head wound or worse, someone in the press asks McBush if he thinks it's merely an academic argument then.

8

[mamacat]

It is unfortuneate that the MSM does not hold him up to criticism over his many misunderstandings of the real world.
"Academic Argument" - one that he is not qualified to partake in, unfortuneately. Waving the American flag and calling for more sacrifice in a military blunder may reflect on his intellectual qualities, but certainly not admirably.

"100 Years in Iraq" - he, and his right wing apologists, just don't understand that there is no real-world scenario in which it is good for the U.S. to try to maintain a military presence in Iraq for 100 years.

"Bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran" - I wish someone would splash some cold water at him, and remind him that bombing anyone, including Iran, is not a good way to further international cooperation, and it is certainly neither moral nor legal.

"Democrats want to raise your taxes" - I hope people realise that this statement makes sense only if McCain is talking to the Association of American Multi-Millionaires, otherwise known as the Republican base. What a stupid lie. If he wants to get elected, he's going to have to come up with some better lies than this one.

[elbzee]

Lest we forget... KEATING FIVE, MCCAIN GOT $112,000, COST TAXPAYERS $3.4 BILLION, 9 FREE DREAM TRIPS-CORRUPTION!"

What a guy!

[notMcNuts]

But it's the "Academic Argument" you FAILED,McNUTS!! You must repeat third grade again! Oh ----and how will you-as pres- PAY for this Academic Argument????? Give more corporate tax breaks!!!!!!????

[Marichu]

I wonder how many years it will take (assuming this will still be a cohesive, viable country) before Americans can look back and view the Iraq War with all of its ramifications, as simply an academic argument?

[darker]

'Academic Argument'? With all those people dead from Iraq INVASION for oil and corporate profiteering? 'Academic Argument'?? McCain is INANE.

[compassionone]

Do Vietnam Vets Swiftboat John McCain?
http://www.prisonplanet.com/articles/february2008/020708_never_tortured.htm

Claim here is that John McCain ratted in prison and was never torched.

So either he was tortured and can't be fully trusted under pressure to not get personal like Bush, or he is a liar. Either way there is more worth exploring about him having virtually absolute rule of the US military.

[mediamarv]

There are over 4000 who won't be looking back!! Some of them will be buried this week.,

This guy is a genuine crock of shit and why ABC isn't after his ass, real news in the making, just shows what a miserable excuse for journalism we have today.

[Bilbo983]

I wonder if Senator Mccain even realizes that American soldiers are still dying on a daily basis for the Iraq War he seems to love so much. We now have 4037 dead American soldiers who won't be with their loved ones, come Easter Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day... ever. His son served one tour in Iraq while so many have to face stop-loss.

[MadJeffersonian]

Can our guys come home now?

Our soldiers may as well be fighting a fire at some guy's house who refuses to listen and continues to pour gasoline onto his own house.

[MadJeffersonian]

SORRY! This comment got posted in the wrong place.

[MadJeffersonian]

"Academic Argument "? If one were to grade this "Academic Argument ", perhaps and "F-" would be appropriate.

[TXfemmom]

Anyone who would say or think such a thing is a real danger to this country.

[Jonahson]

You are damn wrong Mcain. History won't be kind to Bush and his war mongering cronies. Nowadays information is avaiilable almost instantly world wide, the World bear witness to the invasion of Iraq and the suffering it caused to the Iraq people. The World witness the lies created by Bush to justify his actions and the UN refusal to sanction the invasion. There is no argument or debate about it in the future.

[blurredtruth]

John's advanced age is really settling in. American lives lost for "Academic Argument ". We don't need comments like these.

[Abycat]

No, McSwine. There is nothing academic about 4000 American dead and still counting. There is nothing academic about nearly 30,000 American wounded and still counting. There is nothing academic about several hundred thousand dead Iraqis, This war will cost over two trillion dollars before it's over. That's not academic. You, Senator, are a rectal aperture!

[Southrnbelle]

Is it possible this man is even more stupid than George W. Bush?

[RedWhiteandBrooklyn]

I think that this comment of his clinches it: yes, he really IS more stupid than George W. Bush. The torch has been passed.

[JessWonderin]

In 2000 he wasn't smart enough to beat George Bush, and was rejected by the RepubliCONS. It seems time has not been good to him and once again he comes up short as compared to Bush . . . doesn't look good for AMERICA. Isn't that a step BACK????

McSame: Forward Into the Past . . . . .