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McCain: Obama Has No Experience in National Security, Warfare

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March 31, 2008 6:48 PM

ABC News' Bret Hovel Reports: Speaking to reporters as part of his biograhipic tour, Republican Sen. John McCain attacked Democrat Barack Obama for what he called a "fundamental misunderstanding" of the history of national security and warfare in the twentieth century.

The critism of Sen. Obama, of Illinois, was some of the sharpest language to date that McCain has used against his potential general election opponet.

"Well then in all due respect he does not understand the elements, the fundamental elements of national security and warfare," McCain said, when he was asked about Obama’s comments earlier in the day. Obama had said that McCain’s had not offered a clear definition of what could be viewed as success in the war torn country.

McCain went through a litany of 20th century conflicts and the American military bases they begat, including bases in Korea, Germany, Japan and Kuwait.

Obama, he said, "displays a fundamental misunderstanding of history and how we’ve maintained national security, and what we need to do in the future to maintain our security in the face of the transcendent challenge of radical Islamic extremism. And I understand that because he has no experience or background in any of it."

He said he is not worried about Obama's interpretation of McCain's infamous "100 years" comment catching hold with the American people.

"No I think the American people are smart enough to figure that out. And I underst- they’ll understand over time if they don’t know that he has no experience or background on these issues."

Obama spokesman Bill Burton responded with a statement. "Barack Obama doesn't need any lectures from John McCain, who has consistently misunderstood American national security and the history of the Middle East in arguing for an invasion and 100-year occupation of a country that had nothing to do with 9/11.

Instead of spending trillions of dollars on permanent bases that the Iraqis don't want and that won't keep the American people safe, Barack Obama will end the war in Iraq and finally press Iraq's leaders to take responsibility for their future."

March 31, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (74)

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McCain has both the experience and judgment over either Dem candidate, period.

Posted by: smartprimate | Mar 31, 2008 7:12:41 PM

As much as I hate war and the republicans, they know how to fight, and they arent going to take Obambi's silly "100 years war" campaign. Yes, McCain, we are smart enough -- even people who are lifetime Democrats smell through this nonsense.

Posted by: tony | Mar 31, 2008 7:18:17 PM

Mc Cain cant even keep quiet until the Liberal media destroys Clinton. He has to MOCK Obama right now.

Cant he wait until the Democrats make the LUNATIC mistake of forcing Obama down our throats as the nominee first?

Obama can win the general election if Mc Cain laughs so hard at how pathetic a candidtate Obama really is, he keels over with a heart attack.

This is how Obama wins the general election.

Posted by: tomdavie | Mar 31, 2008 7:21:02 PM

I didn't even like McCain to begin with, but after Obama, he's looking more and more presidential all the time.

Posted by: Jo | Mar 31, 2008 7:21:15 PM

John McCain has a fundamental misunderstanding of the fact that al-Quaeda are Sunni and the Iranians are Shia. How dumb or out of touch can you be, when you don't even know the enemy your fighting, AND want to invade the country that isn't even al-Quaeda? Lieberman had to correct him when he claimed that Iranians were crossing into Iraq, when it was Al-Quaeda, that was coming over from Saudi Arabia. The man has no clue about our enemy, our economy, health care, you name it. If flawed perception and a certainty to send American troops to occupy foriegn lands for hundreds of years are qualifications for being President; I think Mr. McCain has confused his idea of the Presidency, with Petraeus job as head of operations and war planning at Central command. He is simply running for the wrong position. He is NOT qualified to be anything else, by even his own admission.

Posted by: cba | Mar 31, 2008 7:27:30 PM

With all McCain's experience, he is utterly lost, confused and has no innovative idea on how to deal with the war. He keeps talking about success in Iraq. Which success. Do you call the death of fourteen of America's sons and daughter in one week, success. Do you call traumatized young men and women success.Do you call, the killing, delimbing, blinding, humilating , traumatizing of once strong ,hopeful, and patriotic young soldiers, SUCCESS.No, that's not success. That's not putting your experience to work. McCain. that's not using good judgement.From the start Obama said no war!

Posted by: Pat s austin | Mar 31, 2008 7:41:23 PM

McCain mixes up al Qaeda and the Shiite militia... corrected in a few seconds.

Clinton confuses reality and fantasy in her recollection of Bosina... corrected after numerous repitition of a lie and after news footage disproves it.

Obama denounces his pastor's incindiary remarks... corrected after 20 years of attendance.

Posted by: smartprimate | Mar 31, 2008 7:42:56 PM

I could care less how much military experience McCain has had.

I just don't want to be in Iraq for 100 years.

Posted by: Maritza | Mar 31, 2008 7:46:16 PM

Even McPeak, Obama's military advisor, advocates for "a century" of presence in Iraq if we get it right.

Posted by: smartprimate | Mar 31, 2008 7:52:31 PM

McCain's comments make no sense. If he's such a foreign-policy wizard, then why did he vote for the war in Iraq? That's been an absolute disaster for America.

Why doesn't he know the difference between the Sunni and Shia? Between Iran and al-Qaeda?

Obama made the right call on Iraq from the get-go. He gets my vote.

Posted by: Andy | Mar 31, 2008 7:53:32 PM

We know about Professor Obama and we know that "Hill the Bosnian sniper" a a law degree. We konw that McCain does not understand economy. But Can somebody tell us if McCain has finished high school? Because listening to his speeches it is difficult to know his educational level. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08

Posted by: BKMC | Mar 31, 2008 7:59:01 PM

In an effort by the Obama camp to make McCain look old, they say Obama doesn't need a lecture from McCain.

All that phrase does is make Obama look like a headstrong, rebellious know-it-all, which the emperor is not.

Posted by: sherr | Mar 31, 2008 8:16:32 PM

And McCain doesn't have any experience with ANYTHING else, so there, Obama comes out ahead! What sort of guy runs for national office and then needs to be tutored regarding policy matters? Oh George Bush and any other lame a// Repub. Chump.

Posted by: Rick | Mar 31, 2008 8:17:30 PM

Obama was a professor of Constitutional law, yet his website syates that he will "overturn the Supreme Court's recent ruling that curtails racial minorities' and women's ability to challenge pay discrimination”.

How exactly will he overturn Supreme Court rulings… I find it disturbing to think that a Constitutional professor thinks that he can overturn a judicial ruling from the executive branch… this is like Huckabee’s plan of replacing the Constitution with the Bible.

I want a president that knows the Constitution not one who wants to replace it with his personal opinions.

Posted by: smartprimate | Mar 31, 2008 8:17:49 PM

smartprimate, could you tell us what is McCain level of education, because we cannot understand his logical way of thinking. God bless America and God bless Obama. OBAMA08.

Posted by: BKMC | Mar 31, 2008 8:23:27 PM

Obama, by his own admission said he did not posses the experience required for the Presidency and therefore he would not run in 08. BY HIS OWN ADMISSION!

And he is absolutly correct. He has no experience. Period. Yet, in probably the most volitale period in this country that I can remember, Dems want to push this novice whose entire mantra is "HOPES AND DREAMS MADE OF SMOKE SCREENS" onto the loyal, moderate democratic base. Unbelievable......In a time of war yet.

Is there lead in the water over there at the DNC headquaters?

Posted by: SadStateOfAffairs | Mar 31, 2008 8:39:39 PM

Mccain's version is that we take some sort of insane military posture, that would bankrupt the american economy as his buddy george bush has successfully done, we dont need any more republican war- mongers in the white house, we had better try and put a levelheaded president that will deal with domestic issues, and not be chopping at the bit for war with someone mccain's ideal war is with iran, and if the republicans have their way, god forbid, we'll be in iraq for 100 years and getting ready to put the american economy in the shitter like the republicians have successfully done!!!

Posted by: THE NEW DEMOCRATIC POWER | Mar 31, 2008 8:41:27 PM

BKMC - McCain attended Episcopal High School and, following, in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, McCain entered the United States Naval Academy. Awards: Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Prisoner of War Medal. Member of the House 1983 -1987. Member of the Senate: 1987 – present, which means that he has been on the national stage for 25 years over Obama’s two… Anything else…

Posted by: smartprimate | Mar 31, 2008 8:41:54 PM

And yet, Obama was right the mark wrt Iraq, while McCain is *still* uninformed and delusional about what's going on there. I'll take Obama's inexperience over McCain's experience any day.

Eight years of conservative rule have taught us that lack of intelligence in our leadership has grave consequences.

Posted by: voter | Mar 31, 2008 8:43:41 PM

McCain finished fifth from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy in Annapolis. Like Bush, he thinks very simplistically, and no wonder he thinks we should carry out an Iraq occupation for 100 years. McCain will be torn apart by the liberal media once a democratic nominee is confirmed. The media won't start this negative process until the current democratic nominee war is decided. The televised and written media is anti-Bush, anti-war, want the economy fixed with liberal ideology, and they would love to have a liberal democrat as President. The media hand picked and orchestrated McCain's nomination by tearing down the more conservative Romney, building up McCain's image, and leaving Huckabee alone so that he would stay in the race long enough to split the conservative vote with Romney, thus making the relatively more liberal McCain the new King of the Republicans. The media will likewise orchestrate an Obama victory in the national election, once HIllary sees the light and steps aside. In the national election, you won't see any more of those silly CNN polls asking if the media favors one candidate over another. It will nonetheless be quite obvious.

Posted by: rco | Mar 31, 2008 8:45:10 PM

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