Brownstein to McCain: Explain Yourself on Iraq

In an article published today, Ron Brownstein addresses the fundamental issue surrounding John McCain's position on Iraq: the fact that he has not explained what his position is.

"McCain, under any interpretation of his words, is proposing another mission in Iraq--a long vigil--that would extend for decades. With the stakes so high, it's not enough for him to accuse critics of twisting his meaning: He needs to more clearly explain it himself."

McCain has pushed back against the use of his "100 Years" statement, and has compared US presence in Iraq to Korea. He's even gone so far to warn of chaos should US troops redeploy to address our security concerns elsewhere in the world. However, he has failed to state why US troops should stay in Iraq, and what they hope to achieve.

Brownstein methodically points out what many of us have been trying to say for a long time. If McCain expects to have a real debate on the most critical issue of our time, he needs to lay out what he intends to do.

I echo Brownstein's thoughts that you can't just criticize people for taking you out of context for repeating your "100 Years" remark when you have failed to explain what, exactly, your context is.

Comments

[johnie2xs]

Geez, Louise!! Will this country ever learn? There has got to be a way to make the corporate media wake up. The answer eludes me. The buying power of the American people has been so diminished, it is doubtful that any effort of boycotting could be mounted that would have any great effect. However that having been said, there may be some merit to swamping their e-mails and phone lines with calls for change. I'm not calling for any boiler room jobs, just individual people making individual entreaties to these corporations albeit of massive amounts. We seem, no more, to be willing to amass in the streets to voice our distaste for what the give us in the way of news, maybe this would be a consideration. I just don't know, anymore. We could not be in more depressive times. Maybe even what I suggest is a bit on the naive side, but what else is available to us.

[RickO]

The only thing I know about McCain's war is that a) it's 100 years and b) the surge is working. Perhaps he should be a little more specific.

In the remote chance that he wins in November, there is still the possibility that a new Congress (one where Pelosi is voted out) will pull the war our from under him anyway.

[dadw5boys]

Mc Cain won't say " THEY HAVE OIL AMERICANS NEED OIL AND WE TOOK IT"!

Of course Americans will not say " WE DON'T NEED OIL" after all they MADLY SUPPORTED REGEAN/ BUSH when they RIPPED DOWN ALL OF JIMMY CATERS OIL INDEPENDENCE PROGRAMS even the solar panels on the White House roof.

[Viper]

Or when this BUSH killed in 2002 the Electric Cars in California... that even today have a better range than Hydrogen Fuel Cell cars.

Regards

[hopeless277]

"I echo Brownstein's thoughts that you can't just criticize people for taking you out of context for repeating your "100 Years" remark when you have failed to explain what, exactly, your context is."

You can if you are John McCain. Have you not been paying attention? With EVERY Corporate Sponsored Media pundit and talking head covering McCain as if he were Jesus H. Christ, he can do and/or say ANYTHING. If it is unflattering to him, the media will ignore it. If it is demeaning to Democrats, they will echo it around the globe. The Coroporations have chosen their candidate: John McCain and there is NOTHING anyone can do to prevent them from building on the myth that the RNC has so carefully constructed. So please, do not insult our intelligence. John McCain can and will criticize people for taking him out of context without explaining what hs context is. He's John McCain, legendary hero, straight shooter, and corporate criminal enabler.