McCain Has Zero Plan to Get Us Out of Mess President Bush Has Created
John McCain revealed today that he has no plan -- none -- to get us out of the mess the president has created. Senator McCain said that it is important for presidential candidates to "define their objectives and what they plan to achieve not with vague language but with clarity." But especially when it comes to Iraq and Afghanistan, the picture he painted today of where he hopes to be by 2013 is totally divorced from reality and there is zero clarity about how he would get there. It's beyond being vague: John McCain is totally silent about how he would realize his rosy vision for 2013.
It's like saying by 2013, every American will be a millionaire and there will be peace on earth. Wishing will not make it so. The last things Americans need now are empty promises. They need, and our security demands, a concrete plan of action that brings the war in Iraq to an end without leaving chaos behind.
In his speech, Senator McCain says that by 2013, "the Iraq war has been won." How? What's the strategy?
He says "Iraq [will be] a functioning democracy." It certainly isn't now -- what's his place from getting us from here to there?
He says "civil war has been prevented, militias disbanded, the Iraqi security force is professional and competent." But not a word on his strategy to actually prevent civil war, disband the militia or train the security forces.
He says "the government of Iraq is capable of imposing its authority in every province of Iraq." Right now, it can't even impose its authority through all of Baghdad and there is little trust within the government, of the government by the people and no capacity by the government to deliver basic security or services. So how do we get from here to there? Senator McCain is silent.
At the same time, Senator McCain says that in 2013: "the threat from a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan has been greatly reduced... U.S. and NATO forces remain there to help finish the job and continuing operations against the remnants of al Qaeda."
Exactly how will we have any chance of winning in Afghanistan and defeating al Qaeda if we keep 140,000 troops in Iraq for another three or four years? Senator McCain doesn't say because he can't.
The fact is, when I visited Afghanistan in February, General McNeil, who commands the international force, told me that with two extra combat brigades -- about 10,000 soldiers -- he could turn around the security situation in the south, where the Taliban is on the move. But he can't get them because of Iraq.
Even when we do pull troops out of Iraq, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mullen, says he would want to send them home for a year to rest and retrain before sending them to Afghanistan. The longer we stay in Iraq, the more we put off the day when we fully join the fight against the real al Qaeda threat and finally defeat those who attacked America seven years ago.
Today's speech is further proof that when it comes to Iraq, there is no daylight between John McCain and George W. Bush. They are joined at the hip. When it comes to Iraq, there will be no change with a McCain administration and so there is a real and profound choice for Americans in November.
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Senator Biden,
Your "bullshit" comment was amazing today. It convinced me that you would be the best VP nominee. WE NEED YOU OUT THERE TO SHOW AMERICA THAT THE REPUBLICANS ARE SCREWING THIS COUNTRY UP.
OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!!!!!!!!!!!
(hopefully it wont be a problem having a black/catholic ticket)
HE DOES HAVE A PLAN:
The Candy and Flowers were just delivered late to the liberators.. the order for the flowers got lost...
Regards
Dear Senator Biden -- Please get out on the campaign trail for Senator Obama and knock down the Bush-McCain-Lieberman trio. It is like they are standing in a circle embellishing the same lie, and around and around they go. And even worse, they get lots of air time.
McCain's begging.
He wants us to go from no plan going in, to no plan going out.
He sounds like he's saying he's a real conservative, who hates the Republicans as much everyone else.
They should change their motto to "Please don't leave, baby... We can change."
You didn't mention Iran, Senator, but it looks as though the next President may inherit war there too, unless the Joint Chiefs put their collective feet down and stop it. Do you and Congressman Conyers hold out any hope that Bush will care about impeachment threats in, say, October? I don't.
2Lane, I caucussed in IA for Biden too. I asked him a similar question-- he talked about criminal charges, and it's beginning with Rove.
Biden is talented and tireless-- and definitely a grownup. I only wish Americans could have heard more from him when he was running, but the media put him in a tower of silence.
Yay. Here's a little straight talk from one of the grownups in Washington. What a contrast with the Straight Talk Express, which headed into the ditch a few months back. This is why I was a Biden delegate in Iowa.
That's twice today, Senator, and your first statement hit the nail on the head as well. I'm sure that the media pack will be having the vapors over references to bovine digestive functions, but you called Bush's execrable remarks what they are. Don't apologize.
Get on the bus Gus and tell us your plan Stan ator Biden. Basically, to stay the course exactly like Bush's, right? Sensible people have watched with disgust the Democrats military's undermining our troops over the Iraq War for years knowing that is all BS (yeah, heard your vulgarity in response to the Prez in Israel -- good example for the kids). If the empty suit Obama takes over he'll stay in Iraq resulting from a decision he'll make immediately after the CIA FBI briefing he gets a few minutes after assuming office. This is consistent with Democrat behavoir, example, how's that retreating from Iraq going for you guys that y'all promised two years ago?
Oops, scratch the redundancy (military's) and pass the Grey Goose.
Dear 28%er and Bu$h apologist,
How has Senator Biden or any Dem undermined the troops? How about passing Webb's GI bill? Is that the kind of Orwellian "undermining" you're talking about?
Wow casey, you really have no clue. The 2 candidates will get security briefs during the campaign. The President will get daily briefings before he takes the oath of office, you are an idiot.
No clue? About what? The briefing after assuming office is much different from the ones normally given to leading principles (not yet President). The one for the Prez is "For Your Eyes Only." You are very uninformed.
No, sir, there IS NO "real and profound choice."
That is precisely the problem.
Look up the actual voting records of all three of these sitting Senators: http://thomas.loc.gov.
There IS NO difference between them. "By their fruits shall ye know them," and this fruit is dead-rotten.
The people of this country MUST become extremely(!) involved in what is going on, precisely as the Founders intended. The system works. But, we must work it. And there is not now a moment to lose.
So, "no difference"? Except for voting for the war, you mean?
You see, that's the problem. When you don't like the circumstances you've put yourself in, you lie about them. McCain and the Repubs are going to be needing a lot of lying in this campaign. Their problem is that they've lied for so long, the word is out on them.
We were to "be greeted as liberators". When did that happen?
The Iraqi oil was going to pay for our war effort? Is that why we are in such desperate financial straits?
"Mission Accomplished"; when? Their lies are so blatant that it would be funny if more than 4,000 of our men and women had not died, untold thousands injured, and this country's financial stability had not been damaged so badly.
And now its; Iraq at peace by 2013? Sorry. I'm not buying.
Do you have any idea how long the groups over there have been fighting? It would be easier to undo all of the environmental damage in the world by tomorrow morning, than to have those parties come to terms.
I do like your reference to scripture however. "By their fruits" we do know them. McCain is a warmonger. Yes, he was a P.O.W. but sadly he never learned anything other than war.
We've had enough. No more stupid wars for fabricated causes. No more lies. No more Bush. Certainly not McCain.
Biden is auditioning for Secretary of State. This way, the pre-eminant gasbag of the senate can talk and talk and talk. No substance, just talk.
Bush was right and the haters can't take it. Obama is a babe in the woods diplomaticly speaking. Carter all over again. God help us!
Yeah... Well, Senator Biden has forgotten more than you'll ever know.
You forget "Saint Ronnie" colluded with the Iranian hostage takers to release the hostages during Reagan's inauguration, January 20,1981. To give Reagan an extra glow, American hostages endured extra days in captivity.
Carter had to clean up the mess caused by Nixon and Ford's FAILED Administrations.
And if Reagan had followed Carters lead in taking America to energy independance, we might not have had 9/11, and energy prices would be cheaper.
))))))))))))))))))))))))))) BINGO (((((((((((((((((((((((((((
WHAT???? Name one single thing Bush was right about? One single thing?
Has Bu$h accomplished anything -- positive that is and for more than his greedy pals?
Your hero was completely innocent of any knowledge of foreign policy or national security when he was elected, and we have the results to show for it. Two wars and a helluva mess.
At least Obama has spent time on the Foreign Relations Committee learning from this sterling, brilliant, substantial man, and others like Lugar, Hagel, Kerry and Kennedy. Too bad the President that you revere didn't bother to listen to any of them, but relied on ideologues like Cheney and Rumsfeld for really terrible advice on every subject.
If you listened to Biden instead of writing childish insults in blog comment threads, you would learn something you obviously don't know.
I'll never forgive him for the way he mishandled the Bork nomination. Bork is a towering intellect who would have been a great Supreme Court Justice. Biden was chairman of the committee and helped turn the word BORK into a verb.
Biden is dangerous because he thinks he's smarted than any else.
Sen. McCain has a plan to make his dream come true: Continuing Bush's failed policy for four more years and lots of prayers that it might actually work out better for him than it did Bush. Keep dreaming, Sen. McCain!!!
Excellent critique, Senator! Thank you for speaking out on this--you're insight is very much needed in this conversation. I hope you are Sec of Defense in the next administration!
I second your motion!
As a supporter of your ill-fated run at the nomination, I have been disappointed by your seeming reluctance to endorse Obama- especially now, when his nomination is virtually assured. Please do us all a favor and submit your application for Secretary of State along with your endorsement (assuming, of course, that you aren't interested in being the Veep). Our country will need your knowledge and experience to help Barack get the ox out of the ditch.
Then ask one of your fellows in the House of Representatives to impeach. It is quite simple. Words by our legislative body that ignore your ability to enforce the law you are required to are now moot.
Please, do something other than talk.
No! Do not start any proceedings now. It's too late to do that and Bush has the ability to protect and "pardon" while he is in office. Get a Dem elected Pres., put Edwards as AG and then get out of his way. The Democrats should be easily in the majority in the House and Senate. Let Edwards begin in January 09 to bring justice to the group that has done so much harm to this country. Let him take his time and put as many as possible in Federal Housing.
Thank you Senator Biden for focusing on Senator McCain’s intention to carry on Bush’s failed policies in Iraq. With the recent revelations of the rampant and wide spread corruption cases that involve al-Maliki and a possible cover up by elements of the State Department, it is more necessary than ever to make sure there is a clear strategy to address our problems in Iraq.
It is my understanding from the recent hearings chaired by Senator Byron Dorgan that we have been inadvertently funding insurgents who are killing our troops because of the massive scale of corruption in Iraq. In essence we have been funding to our enemy.
If our tax dollars are being used by rogue elements of the al-Maliki government to kill our own troops, we have a significant problem. This goes a long way in negating any serious discussion of what would happen if there was a precipitous withdrawal. If we can’t trust al-Maliki now, how are we going to trust him in five years? This is a fatally flawed partner and strategy.
Given all of this, and who knows what else has not yet reached the light of day, John McCain wants to do more of the same for five years. No thanks!
I think this helps reinforce Senator Biden's point/s.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-byron-dorgan/shocking-corruption-is-gi_b_101815.html
Joe, why in heavens name did you get out of the race? I miss common sense; there isn't any anymore.
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