McCain Makes False Claims On Iraq Timeline (VIDEO)

In an interview with CBS News' Katie Couric tonight, John McCain made the false assertion that the Surge brought about the so-called Anbar Awakening. Except, as MSNBC"s Keith Olbermann points out, the Surge was announced after the Awakening. Olbermann also explains that CBS News edited the gaffe out of the final interviewed that aired Tuesday night.

Watch the video:

HuffPost blogger Ilan Goldenberg points out that this is not some minor gaffe, but a fundamental misunderstanding of the Iraq situation:

This is not controversial history. It is history that anyone trying out for Commander and Chief must understand when there are 150,000 American troops stationed in Iraq. It is an absolutely essential element to the story of the past two years. YOU CANNOT GET THIS WRONG. Moreover, what is most disturbing is that according to McCain's inaccurate version of history, military force came first and solved all of our problems. If that is the lesson he takes from the Anbar Awakening, I am afraid it is the lesson he will apply to every other crisis he faces including, for example, Iran.

Comments

[plooger]

The significance of McCain's comment continues to be understated.

McCain's disregard of the Sunni's "awakening" and their actively fighting against al Qaeda elements in Iraq demonstrates that McCain has either forgotten or never understood that al Qaeda never had any natural support in Iraq... even before we invaded. Iraqi Sunnis were opposed to al Qaeda before our invasion, and are opposed to al Qaeda now.

Note that McCain needs to diminish the Sunni Awakening aspect, as admitting its role in lessening violence would undercut the Republican meme that Iraq is teetering on the brink of falling under the dominion of al Qaeda, their central argument in maintaining significant troop levels in Iraq for the next 100 years.

[Heavy]

Looks like low information voters like low information politicians.

[truthtopower007]

GE replacing the News Bureau. Corporation trumped information.

Earnest attempt to make us 'low information voters.

Its not about bias ... its about money. The networks need the race to be close to keep their ratings up. And they will keep it close ......

Boycott only meaningful solution. Funny I don't watch Couric to begin with.

[ls1z28chris]

I realize the term "low information voter" has become popular, but it is really a misnomer as the folks who consistently vote for neo-conservative policies do not suffer from a dearth of information. They have an awful lot of information. It just happens that none of it is based on fact.

[Clarabell]

Maybe it should be changed to "lowly informed."

[saywha]

Each day we get another reason why electing McCain would be a true disaster for this country. The man has evolved into a total disgrace, despite his "war hero" status. Good Gracious, can we have one day go by without him showing us his basic lack of understanding about a myriad of things a person running for POTUS should know?. How anyone can find him qualified to lead this nation is beyond me. And, this latest remark about Sen. Obama's willingness to lose the war to further his political purposes, should be beneath him. Did anyone notice that he followed his disgusting remark with a sinister grin and a "wink"? He obviously thought he had scored a "slam-dunk" with that one, but what he did was show what a callous and pathetic human being he really is. Talk about "buyer's remorse"; I bet the GOP would trade him now for a Huckabee, anyday.

[JiminNC]

McGaffe
http://www.bi30.org/wordpress/flipflopper.htm

[Avembe]

Hey guyz i'm sorry to ask you that but is someone able to tell why on earth did the US troops were sent in Iraq?
And why is the surge important for? What is the benefit for the USA? i mean , that i don't remember the White House or Mc CAIN explaining the goal of all...that...actions....Ok the surge must help to secure...that's ok ...but...what for?
The whole world knows the USA and the coalition are hunting fiercefully Al Qaida in Afghanistan...That is clear..but what is the goal or what was the goal in Iraq?...

[MzTexas]

That's easy . . . control of the region and its resources aka OIL. Didn't work.

[MourningDude]

The goal was regime change. That was also the goal of Bill's administration in the 90's. Remove Saddam Hussein and replace him with a free, democratic government.

Now that we've done all the heavy lifting, and have an acceptable government in place there, Barry and the libs want to abandon them in favor of 'going it alone' and escalating a war in Afghanistan.

Apparently when libs talk about 'regime change', it doesn't matter what Iraq is changed TO. Sharia law? Fine. Terrorist protectorate? No problem. Iranian outpost? Great. We're on the home stretch of our mission in Iraq, and Barry wants to give up now and go run some other race. Foolish, foolish, foolish.

[democratsaint]

gee um iraq is NOW pro iran when it wasn't . the regime change sure worked as we are now spending billions to prop it up,. guess what when you have a civil force that your fightening they can go underground and hide till we leave. our policy of air strikes does noit help us at all,as the number of civillian deaths rise,think they trust us?when people who kill civillians are protected and not procecuted because of an agreement we shoved on iraq?

[tojoi]

Oil, my friend. Black gold... Texas Tea. Well the next thing you know old Bush's a millionaire. His kinfolk said Bush get away from here. They said The District of Columbia is the place you oughta be, so he loaded up his truck and he moved to DC. Washington, that is. Politicians... lobbyists.

[curocat]

You got that right... Just the other night I was pulling some info off the net about the Oil pipe line to Israel... My brother didn't believe me so I got about four different articles....From China, UK, Washington and Israel news... about eleven days after the invasion there was talk about repairing the old ( like about in the 1948 ) pipeline... Makes you wonder huh ???

[Mort]

Depends who you talk to. The current administration says we went to Iraq to fight the war on terror after 9-11. Some think it was to save the Iraqi's from their genocidal leader. Many feel it's all about control of oil. Others think it's all about profits. Probably a combination of these and a few other greed and power hungry reasons. Too bad we were lied to about it and so many lives were lost for hollow reasons. The surge, as far as I'm concerned, is a face-saving measure for the die hards who are determined to "win" a war that can't be won.

We got rid of Saddam, but the real war on terror isn't in Iraq. It's in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Washington DC. Propaganda can be just as deadly as guns and video tapes from caves.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Very encouraging sign for 0bama. Vet erans coming to his defense for McBush's dis gusting remarks saying 0bama does not want to win the war. I have to admit that I was not surprised with McBush's comments and they have seemed to be the last straw for vet erans and even columnists like Joe Klein. I think myself and other bloggers on Huf fPo never bought McBush's promise that he would run an hon orable campaign.

Vet erans Respond to Mc Cain's "O bama Wants to Lose" Remark
by: Brandon Fried man
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=D297B782D322D24655DE92B507EAD8A5?diaryId=1654

Mc Cain Meltdown
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/07/mccain_meltdown.html

[InfosolutionWiz]

WOW!!! GREAT STUFF!!!

[goldnchyl]

Thanks for the sources, KQuark. Good stuff. That the Mc same people are trying to call media bias fouls is amazing considering what doesn't make it onto the MSM. I say please give Mc same all the press he wants. It can only help O to win.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Very encouraging sign for 0bama. Vet erans coming to his defense for McBush's disgusting remarks saying 0bama does not want to win the war. I have to admit that I was not surprised with McBush's comments and they have seemed to be the last straw for vet erans and even columnists like Joe Klein. I think myself and other bloggers on Huf fPo never bought McBush's promise that he would run an honorable campaign.

Vet erans Respond to Mc Cain's "O bama Wants to Lose" Remark
by: Brandon Friedman
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=D297B782D322D24655DE92B507EAD8A5?diaryId=1654

Mc Cain Meltdown
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/07/mccain_meltdown.html

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Very encouraging sign for 0bama. Vet erans coming to his defense for McBush's disgusting remarks saying 0bama does not want to win the war. I have to admit that I was not surprised with McBush's comments and they have seemed to be the last straw for veterans and even columnists like Joe Klein. I think myself and other bloggers on Huf fPo never bought McBush's promise that he would run an honorable campaign.

Vet erans Respond to Mc Cain's "O bama Wants to Lose" Remark
by: Brandon Friedman
http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=D297B782D322D24655DE92B507EAD8A5?diaryId=1654

Mc Cain Meltdown
http://www.time-blog.com/swampland/2008/07/mccain_meltdown.html

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

I see McBush has embarrassed the tr0lls so much this time they are quiet.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

HuffPo needs to do a gaffe and lie list for McBush and keep it on the front page. The problem is most people forget these gaffes after a couple days but if they are list and that list is updated every time he gaffes or lies it will show the voters the truth. The pattern is much more important than any one specific gaffe or lie.

[JiminNC]

Here ya go

http://www.bi30.org/wordpress/flipflopper.htm

[Clarabell]

They also need a media watch thread so we can report what is being reported by the "liberal" press. But I'm noticing that most of my criticisms of the MSM aren't making it past the censors.

[ZHarris]

Today's MSM is making T ed Ba xter look competent...

[VolvoBirkenstock]

His wife, Georgette, seems to have a new gig.

[ZHarris]

The Drowsy Chaperone?

[bosshogg]

o camp http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080723/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_iraq_timeline_2

[CocteausTwin]

**But O.bama's campaign says M.cCain was wrong about the war's timeline during a nationally televised interview Tuesday.**

But I thought they did not televise this part.

[goldnchyl]

They didn't televise it but the complete transcript was available on CBS' website