McCain Doesn't Understand Iraq War History, Says "We Were Greeted as Liberators"

On ABC's This Week, McCain when pressed by George Stephanopoulos whether Obama was right about invading Iraq, scoffed saying, "we were greeted as liberators." This just adds to the evidence of last week that John McCain doesn't understand the history of what's happened in Iraq.

So McCain now thinks that everything went as expected during the invasion that in fact American troops were greeted as liberators. One has to wonder if McCain's memory is really that bad. If McCain really believes that U.S. forces were greeted as liberators, as he and Cheney, predicted, then he clearly has no understanding of what actually happened in Iraq.  

In fact, during the initial phase of the war U.S. forces encountered tougher resistance than expected and the cheering crowds failed to materialize. Max Boot, McCain's own military adviser, said at the time that the idea we would be greeted as liberators "might have been wishful thinking." [Boston Globe, 3/28/03] The Philly Inquirer said that one top administration official "almost every assumption the plan's based on looks to be wrong." The administration was expecting a WWII type toppling, but instead Saddam's forces blended in with the population providing unexpected resistance that laid the ground work for the coming insurgency.While the battle for Baghdad did not materialize and the city fell quickly the result was chaos, not parades of liberation. While McCain was praising Bush and Rumsfeld, the Boston Globe noted on April 20, 2003 that,

More than a week into "Phase 4" - the reconstruction of Iraq, the centerpiece of the military's effort to be seen as liberators and not conquerors -- life in Baghdad has decidedly not returned to normal. In all levels of society, from those who openly embrace American military rule to fundamentalist Shi'ites who seek to replace Saddam Hussein with an Islamic government, people here are expressing swelling suspicion of America's motives. At night, the capital's residents listen to a cacophony of gunfire in total darkness, unless they have generators. People beg journalists for phones, because they have had none since US forces started bombing Baghdad. Government buildings still smolder and hospitals turn away patients, even though by the end of last week, US troops belatedly began guarding crucial public buildings -- most of which already had been looted.

Comments

[BBackSoon]

I have tried to post this several times but it never mad it. So I have changed it up a bit.

I can"t shake the feeling that McSame is a patsy and a diversion. On one hand I can see the Repugs being so c0cksure and arrogant to think that they can get this guy elected and we know he will dance when they pull the strings.

But on the other hand I think McSame will have some kind of a health issue in late August or early September and step out. They (the RNC NeoCons) will put someone "New" in his place. It will be a young, handsome, charismatic, Christian Bushco water carrier that no one has ever taken a good hard look at. The public will be spellbound by this fresh face who will of course, push all the right buttons and there will not be enough time for the press (ok, the working press) to really check him out. And poof they manage to slip another Bushlike puppet into the WH.

As far fetched as this sounds we must always remember that Karl Rove is a master of playing the voting public. This may not be the plan but there is just something fishy about the McSame mess.

[maddoc3000]

That actually sounds pretty good. I might vote for the new guy. :) At times it looks like McCane is intentionally bungling things up to put O in the oval office. I'd say that if this new face strategy is to work, we should look toward credibility of the new guy. He can't be completely unchecked, but should have been around for some time, and shared the McCane spotlight. I'd say look toward whoever McCane nominates his VP - that might be the new candidate.

[Truthfighter1]

To those of u who want to say the Iraqi's were so happy when we toppled the Sadaams statue, what do u have to say about the 400 million refugee's who can't come home, the 4000 dead American soldiers guided into a false War for WMDs and now everyone wants to spin it and say we went for Sadaam, bullshit!..
Sadaam was the person holding Iran in check. We put a Shiite in charge to run Iraq (Maliki) now he is locked step with the Iranians.

This War was STUPID!!! no way to spin it, if you dont think it was stupid then you are yourself.

[Truthfighter1]

Anyone who thinks the surge has worked and honestly believes there will not be a Civil War when we leave in 16month, 4years, 10year, 25 50 100 years...whenever, then u are sadly mistaken. The Sunni's will have no choice because the majority Shiite run Government is not going to give them what they want, they hate each other, and are separated by a Wall, like old Berlin.
We stirred up a big bee's nest by going over their in the first place, now it will never be the same again. We gave more power to the Iranians (Shiite's) and less to the Iraqi people.

[twofish]

This isn't McCain's memory or understanding failing him. It's more of the Big Lie technique the Bushies have been practicing since Day 1. Decide what you want people to believe and keep repeating it, in the face of all evidence to the contrary and any impertinent questions from soon-to-be-banished news critters. Said critters will accomodate you by not pressing the question and letting the lies pass -- they know who signs their paychecks.

[Sumocat]

We shouldn't generalize. Some Iraqis did greet us as liberators and he's focused on those few, just as he's focused on those few Americans who are going to vote for him. I commend McCain's focus and hope he continues to focus on positive but small blocks of people all the way through the election.

[Doofus]

More 'Big Lie' tactics at work.

We wished to be greeted as Liberators, so...
We should have been greeted as Liberators, so...
We WERE greeted as Liberators.

You haven't forgotten that already, have you?

Purple thumbs! That was quite a day, wasn't it?

Your gratitude is evident, free Iraqis! Now, if you'll just
bottle up the oil, as we'd like to have it 'to go'. Thanks!

[Davwbaird]

Memory loss, he is covering and those around him are doing so as well. He will disintegrate before our eyes. He is becoming less competent each day.

[realpolitic]

That is why these news shows are often so frustrating. McCain can say we were greeted as liberators and the moderator does not hold him to account for such a statement. McCain probably remembers things as he wished they would have happened. I am tired of revisionist history and looking at things with rose colored glasses. Vote Obama.

[MizLiz]

Stephanapoulos is a Hillary supporter, so maybe he's throwing softballs for McCain out of spite. I don't trust this man to be impartial.

[TunaFish]

Excuse me, but I'm not sure that I understand the headline to this story. I've been under the impression that McCain did not understand anything. Why would his lack of understanding of the Iraq war be any different?

[JRandomPoster]

Propaganda is a (dark) art, and Bush, Cheney and company; and now McCain, are just playing a different verse of the same old song. They know that if they keep repeating the same falsehoods that many people will eventually succumb. The only problem for them is that for this Big Lie approach to work, they have to be able to at least fit some of their propaganda to actual events; and not just any event, but events that show some sort of real, measurable success at some level. Hence, all the talk of how well the Surge worked.

[martinchill]

"One has to wonder if McCain's memory is really that bad."

it's the memory of the american people that they are hoping is bad.

[torrrep]

My memory is just fine. Maybe you should check yours. I saw all of the footage of the troops being cheered and thanked for hat they had accomplished.

[cunuck]

I think the telling moment was when the American soldier wrapped the American flag around the face of Saddam's statue just before they toppled it. I remember having a strong feeling of dread at the time.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/pictures/image/0,8543,-10404645413,00.html

[JennyJay]

Cheney told him that . . . and McCain believes everything Bush/Cheney tells him.

[mh01]

Enough with the revisionist history. We were greeted as liberators. Recall the toppling of saddam statues, people celebrating in the street.

In case you don't believe me, go here:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E0DC163BF933A25757C0A9659C8B63&scp=6&sq=john%20f.%20burns%20april%2010,%202003&st=cse

Yeah, we bungled things up almost immediately after "mission accomplished" but please don't act like the iraqi's didn't want saddam gone, and weren't ecstatic when he was.....

[GonzoFactor]

A set of staged photo-ops do not make a national trend.

[martinchill]

i recall seeing some photoshopped photos from that photo-op.

[Voltage]

Well, maybe the twenty or so we saw on television.

[feo]

If Iraqis, including tough guy Sadr, wanted to get rid of Saddam, then why didn't they do it?

[torrrep]

If you had any knowledge of Iraqi history then you would know the answer to that. Try looking up how Saddam gassed and murdered 10,000 Kurds for planning an uprising.

[RedDogBear]

Interesting that you mention the toppling of Sadam's statue:
Army Admits It Staged Toppling of Saddam Statue
A newly declassified Army study of the Iraq invasion confirms that the U.S. military stage-managed the fall of Saddam Hussein’s statue in Baghdad. According to the Army’s own report, a Marine colonel decided to topple the statue and an Army psyops worked to make the toppling of the statue appear to be a spontaneous undertaking by Iraqi civilians. This according to the Los Angeles Times. The psyops team used loudspeakers to encourage Iraqis to gather in Firdos Square and a Marine recovery vehicle was used to topple the statue with a chain.
From: http://www.democracynow.org/2004/7/6/headlines#4

[mh01]

ok, i'll give you the toppled statue, as long as you admit that the rest of the non-saddam supporting iraqi's were happy to see him go......

[theistus]

People (shiites and kurds, not sunnis) being happy to see Sadaam go is NOT the same as them being happy to see us come in. It was more like, "yeah thanx, now get the f_ck out"

[mh01]

Jesus, i bet you could find the negative in a ray of sunshine. Well, I don't really like the sun, it contains harmful UV rays.

[PhantomAviator]

..

Rinse and repeat:

War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength

.