John McCain Criticizes Afghanistan Drawdown Plan

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John McCain said Sunday the Obama administration is taking an unnecessary risk in drawing down the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," the senator said none of the U.S. military commanders has recommended the drawdown.

President Barack Obama has ordered a troop reduction of 10,000 by the end of the year and another 23,000 by September 2012.

The Marine general who is expected to carry out the president's order to begin withdrawing U.S. troops has said the drawdown schedule is a bit more aggressive than the military had anticipated.

Lt. Gen. John R. Allen cautioned that successfully winding down the war will require new progress on a wide front, including more help from allies and less Afghan corruption.

The U.S. administration sent more than 30,000 extra troops in a bid to pacify areas in the Taliban's southern heartland and other dangerous areas. U.S. military officials have predicted more tough fighting through the summer as the Taliban try to regain territory they have lost.

McCain, R-Ariz., is on a tour of Afghanistan and spoke from Kabul.

WATCH: John McCain's comments on Afghanistan, along with other highlights from this week's Sunday shows:

Comments

[sophie M]

08:00 PM on 08/15/2011

to think this guy could have been a President.

[BoudiccaBlanc]

06:12 PM on 07/23/2011

Somebody ought to "rip" this grandstanding old coot!

McCain and John Kerry supported a bill in the Senate to pay for Obama's adventure in Libya (it got pulled...too much opposition)

McCain & Kerry are the Senators with the largest number of military industry stocks in their stated portfolios.

McCain supports that guy in Georgia (Saakashvilli) who is killing citizens in Tiblisi. Just before the dust-up with Russia happened (2008) McCain's wife was over there.

I don't think that Mccain ever met a war that he didn't like!

It's time for the voters of Arizona to retire this old buzzard!

[stacknef]

12:21 AM on 07/06/2011

Go away, Mr McCain...you've done enough damage.

[DesertKayaker]

03:59 PM on 07/05/2011

I agree with you, Sen. McCann, that a troop reduction may cause problems in Afghanistan. The problem is, sir, we can't afford to continue fighting this war - one that should have been done and over with years ago. For decades, our war policy hasn't been to achieve a goal and stop ~ it's been mired with greedy corporations and power-hungry politicians who invent weird "how to wage war nicely" kwap. So the Taliban and other enemies of the US are achieving their goals - to make the US go bankrupt (and Wall Street, housing, and free spending people haven't helped either!).

[Jeff Klenck]

01:32 PM on 07/05/2011

Thanks John we appreciate your service etc. but it's time to retire with dignity. You used to be a noble cause but you have fallen into the political sewer and now your nothing but hot air like the rest doing what is your own best interest etc. Your wife fights with Palin etc. Lets give it up and retire.

[SiriusGD]

12:59 PM on 07/05/2011

I'm sure the war machine is financing his worthless career. Another politician messing up things.

[ttaz4dqm]

11:12 AM on 07/05/2011

McCain is in full-on "Hey-you-kids-get-outta-my-yard" mode, apparently...

[cmfrtblebbw]

10:44 AM on 07/05/2011

People need to stop asking this guy's opinion...all he's good for are some smartass blog remarks after. Wish I could have thought of one.

OH...how 'bout "the forest service told me that some illegal aliens started a war in Afghanistan".

[adventurephoto]

09:09 AM on 07/05/2011

Ummm, John, you lost so let our president do his job. Plus, were you not the tool back in 2003-2008 pushing for and extolling the virtues of going into Iraq? And you wanted to bomb Iran too I recall? Oh, and to boot, didn't you pick Sarah Palin as your "qualified" running mate? Sir, you have no credibility on these matters, so please step aside and keep quiet.

[jr3houpe1849]

09:04 AM on 07/05/2011

Time to put an end to this war we cannot afford this. End of story.

[albalatrv]

08:55 AM on 07/05/2011

We have to get out of Afghanistan and Iraq because we cannot afford to be there anymore. We can no longer fight a war 10,000 miles away from our nation using our National Guard. The slightest conflict any where could cause us to reinstitute a draft. We could never afford to pay conscripts what we pay our present professional military.You may call me an alarmist, but if you ask a vet what he/she earned as a raw recruit a few years ago and compare it to todays pay scale I think you will be alarmed. I know what" freedom is not free" means, I also know what squandering our resources means.

[Brian Gilmer]

11:18 AM on 07/05/2011

When civilian employees of the DoD get a pay freeze Congress is giving active duty a pay raise greater then the Sec of Defense requested. Sec Gates warned Congress that their generosity towards vets is putting a crushing financial burden on the Department of Defense.

[unionave]

08:18 AM on 07/05/2011

Once again J McCain is seeking to obstruct the operations of our government while it works to end some nefarious profiteering activities . He seems to be making a career of doing that .

[jimme]

08:13 AM on 07/05/2011

Johnnie, we do know ye.

But I thought the country was broke and that's why we have to fire teachers and make the poor pay more. Make up our minds.

[o5419069]

03:07 AM on 07/05/2011

McCain was an aviator who got shot down and taken prisoner. This was unfortunate. He is a hero. He is not an expert on strategy. Yes, if you work for Obama you work with "stretch goals" a lot. If it looks to be more than advisable you can adjust the numbers as you go. Let's get the process started.

[stacknef]

12:24 AM on 07/06/2011

John McCain crashed 2 jets before his 3rd was shot down. If he didn't have a daddy and grand daddy as Admirals in the USN, he would have been booted out after his first crash and we would never have heard of him or Sarah Palin...Ahh fate (and nepotism)

[jken21]

01:17 AM on 07/09/2011

How is this relevant?

[emigholzjr]

01:01 AM on 07/05/2011

You find me one lifer in the military that does not say, "Kill them all" and or "Nukem" I still would not believe it. Military men are too emotionaly invested to even think about withdrawing. Ut oh, I was thinking. It might be cheaper for our nation, for our government to buy out the military contracts from Halliburton, whatever the cost, same thing with the CIA in Afghanistan. Of course we will have to wait for Dick Cheney to die before anyone on this planet could ever even think about pulling thoughts Iraqi oil contracts out of his hands.