Michael Ware, Marc Thiessen Debate Whether Cairo Speech "Undercut" U.S. Troops (VIDEO)

Via, Crooks And Liars. Last week, Bush speechwriter Marc Thiessen and CNN war correspondent Michael Ware "debated" whether or not President Barack Obama "undercut the troops."

According to Thiessen, the Cairo speech did a disservice to "our military," specifically when Obama said, "Just as America can never tolerate violence by extremists, we must never alter our principles -- 9/11 led us to act contrary to our principles." Ware disagreed with that contention. And what's interesting about Ware's responses throughout the debate is the way he identifies Thiessen's argument as an airy, ivory-tower piece of sophistry that bears no practical relationship to the world of actual military personnel stationed overseas. Moreover, he seemed to understand the practicality of delivering a speech to a Muslim audience, and he repeatedly disputed the notion that the troops need a requisite number of shout-outs in speeches to feel better about themselves.

WARE: I would argue that President Obama and Cairo was not giving a Republican candidate's stump speech on the campaign trail. I mean, one needs to be aware of one's audience.

Now, the Arab Muslim world has its own firsthand appreciation of the U.S. military and intelligence community and its sons who are in Guantanamo, for better or for worse. And Guantanamo exists in its own right. I don't think we need to defend the merits of that here.

Paying lip service to the troops who have been serving there honorably anyway, to the grunts who are in the field, bleeding and sweating, I don't think is going to play in a Muslim audience. I don't think that's what they were there to hear. I don't think the troops in the field or at Guantanamo need to be treated like such needy children, that they need someone to stroke their hand in every speech.

The difference, to my mind, is that you have one person talking about "the troops" as if they were abstract political ideas, and another person talking about them as if they were flesh and blood human beings.

Of course, this exchange, in which Thiessen hilariously draws an equivalence between himself and American combat forces, is also worth highlighting:

WARE: (INAUDIBLE) your article but the problem is you're not talking to a Veterans of Foreign Wars evening dinner. You're talking to the Arab or the Muslim world.

THIESSEN: Yes.

WARE: And to be honest, they don't feel terribly liberated by the U.S. military. Now, you and I might have views of that.

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THIESSEN: Well, that's why the president has a responsibility to say something.

WARE: You and I may have our view of that. But when there's American tanks sitting in the Arab streets, when they see the killings in Afghanistan from our bombings, though they're not intended, that's not how they feel. When they see what happened in Abu Ghraib --

THIESSEN: The vast majority of Afghans support Americans --

WARE: You got to understand -- you got to understand, Marc, I mean, it might feel different in the ivory towers in the Capitol Hill and the Pentagon. But on the streets -- on the streets --

THIESSEN: Excuse me, I've been to Iraq and Afghanistan four times in each of those countries so I know what it's like in the Arab streets. I've been there.

WARE: Oh, I'm sorry. You spend how much time in Iraq?

THIESSEN: Oh, listen --

WARE: No, no, no, how much time, Marc? How much time, Marc?

THIESSEN: I've traveled -- oh, I know you lived there.

WARE: Right, I lived there for six years, right? I know the problem that President Obama is trying to address.

THIESSEN: Yes.

WARE: And I can tell you, I've spent more time in the trenches with your troops than I can guarantee you have. And I'm speaking for your soldiers.

THIESSEN: Michael, let me tell you something.

WARE: And I'm telling you, they don't need platitudes. They need a solution.

THIESSEN: I was under fire too. I was in the Pentagon in September 11, 2001 with our troops so don't tell me about being under fire with the troops.

Personally speaking, I found it amusing and heartening to see Ware react to the staged set-up of this presentation with such obvious disdain. Dig the hilarious look Ware gives as he's told about the rules governing the "opening statements," and stick around to the end, where he and host Campbell Brown have this exchange:

BROWN: I love it. Guys, thank you so much. It was a great debate, Marc and Michael.

WARE: Oh, I hardly use the word "great," Campbell.

[WATCH]

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Comments

[WATCHDOG1]

A former Bush speech writer is not someone that should be debating this subject as he is completely politically motivated. On the other hand... I have always been impressed with Michael Ware. This guy knows what he's talking about. Ware has lived in Iraq for 6 years and knows first hand the attitude and thinking of the American troops there and the Iraqi people. Obama's speech in Ciaro was praised by the muslim world as a great moment in history where Americans and Muslims start to heal wounds and begin a new path of respect. This is the only direction that will sustainably help keep America safe.

[ankae]

What I find amazing is the continued instance of the GOP about their love of the troops. The same GOP couldn't care less to offer proper care for these people when they return to our shores, wouldn't provide them with the equipment and the resources to do their jobs - BUT THEY CARE FOR THE TROOPS!

[Polichick66]

I saw this, and what a relief it was to see Michael Ware break from the usual back and forth crapola, and just speak him mind.

I wish the CNN, MSNBC, etc. would let go of that format (one from the right, one from the left, canned argument of talking points) and let people just speak honestly! We're not children, we can handle it : )

[denicci1977]

Ok why would we take a Bush speechwriter serious ? LOL come on CNN, this is absurd. Obama in no way shape or form undercut our military. There is no common ground with anything Bush or his extreme policies. Bush undercut the military by sending them into Iraq with his lies while Obama spoke out against it.

[JustLeftOfRight]

It's funny, because the last frame of video shows the facts: 63% of americans who voted in their CNN poll disagree that Obama undercut the military in his speech. And it's likely the 37% number is so high because the military is (and was in recent time) overwhelmingly repuglican in the mid and upper ranks. So Marc, you speak for the minority. Move along...

What gets me is that guys like Thiessen really make no relevant points. They just attempt to plant the seeds of discord and stoke fear and hatred.

[motherforpeace]

Isn't there some sort of bill in congress now about funding for our troops and it is the Republicans that are against it?

Talk about hypocrisy.

[Dynamohum]

It wouldn't be 2 minutes before I popped Marc Thiessen in the face!! I am not a violent or agressive person, but this guy makes me want to punch the crap out of him. Bloody his face and shut him up.

[SiberianRat]

Yep.

[JustLeftOfRight]

Seriously. He looks more like a "Scooter" or a "Chad" or a "Chip", with apologies to those named such.

[popart]

Just having troops in Iraq....undercuts "troops in Iraq"....if we had no troops in Iraq then i think a lot of folks would be happy.....i know i would....i wish that we ( the united states) did not support "troops in Iraq".......obviously "we" do....so nothing we say can possible undercut them....as much as i wish it could.

[thefooligan5]

how about the iraqis? think they would be happy?
I was never a proponent of the war but there is a certain catch-22 to the present situation in iraq. The US kicked in the front door trying to stop a home invasion and in the process accidentally set the house on fire. They then realized, oh wait, there is no intruder but the house is on fire. Can you really leave in good faith after causing so many of the problems that now exist? I would want more than anything for the troops to come home but I fear for the lives of the middle easterners which we disrupted and destroyed. Unfortunately this may indeed be a losing battle where the supporting structure of the house is already too damanged for our staying to really make a difference.

[thefooligan5]

A few points:

- I think I love Michael Ware
- Marc Thiessen is a squirrely, disguesting man whom even in the 'common ground' segment attempted to score political points and disparage the man whom he was supposed to be finding coming ground with.
- That show looks god awful.

[MikeElPaso]

How strikingly provincial are the views of those who have never lived outside of the country for any length of time compared to those who have.

[BigAl72]

Good point.

[hmmmmmer]

Michael Ware is one person I would trust to tell the truth about what is actually happening in the Middle East. He knows what he is talking about.

[bogues]

Barack Obama is the President now and he is doing it his way. The Bush administration had more than enough time to address some of these difficult issues that President Obama is working on but they chose to bide their time and run out the clock, hoping to keep the Republican party in the White House. The American people rejected the Republican party and its speech writers.

[SEQUOIABISON]

And the Winner and still Champion; Michael Ware.

A brilliant assault against the Bush advocate who encouraged the invasion of Iraq and created the catastrophe we are still mired in today.

Obama is trying to play down our unnecessary imperialistic invasion of a sovereign Arab state and Mr Thiessen wants our president to continue the attitude of a macho America, the biggest and the best at everything and of course the mightiest of all nations, and lets not forget our brave conquering troops sitting in the middle of the Middle East. Lets hear a big round of applause for the American Troops just nearby in Iraq, how about it you Egyptian Muslims, a big hand for the troops, anybody.

Thank goodness we are finally moving away from that insane attitude.

Thank you Mr Ware for putting that arrogant snob in his place and for putting the situation in its proper perspective.

[motoGpifupleez]

This is precisely the problem with the cable infotainment blathersphere. They attempt to present a "fair' view by including two sides. Michael Ware has lived there for 6 years. On the ground with the people. He has a direct understanding of the situation. Thiessen is a party hack who has never been outside the protected areas. Going to the Green Zone and claiming you've been to Iraq is like going to the Olive Garden and claiming you've been to Italy.
If guys like Thiessen want true credibility, go to the Middle East with Michael ware and live beside him for the entire time. Hold your breath for that to happen.

[thefooligan5]

Great! Where do these upper-class elite white guys get the gall to say, "I've been there!" when they've visited for a week at a time to the green zone. I don't know where they learn such behavior but I know when I was raised I was taught humility and respect. These right wing pricks can't comprehend those two words lest it is printed next to the words 'US military' and even then it is only platitudes.

[malinvr]

These people are getting more ridiculous everyday.I cannot take much more of it.Seriously.