- Daily Photo: Obama Jokes Around at G-20
- Blackwater gets replaced in Iraq
- Daily Photo: U.S. Marines Look Out for Taliban in Afghanistan
- Hillary Clinton the Tomboy and Her "Ah-Ha" Moment
- Obama Administration Sudan Envoy Headed to Region
- Daily Photo: Potential Flashpoint in Iraq
- Clinton Says New Afghanistan-Pakistan Plan Depends on Diplomacy
- Exclusive: Three Israeli Airstrikes Against Sudan
- Additional 4,000 Troops to Be Ordered to Afghanistan
- Daily Photo: Navy Submarine Trains in the Arctic
- Alarm Over North Korea Missile Prep
- Anti-Terror Stimulus? US Offers Rewards for Top Terrorists
- Daily Photo: Pakistani Women in Refugee Camp
- Condoleezza Rice Appears on "The Tonight Show"
- Diplomat and Aid Group Sound the Alarm on Darfur Camp Situation
- auto industry rescue
- Ballotwatch
- Biden, Joe
- Bush, George W.
- Clinton, Bill
- Clinton, Hillary
- Dodd, Chris
- Edwards, John
- Giuliani, Rudy
- Gravel, Mike
- Huckabee, Mike
- Hunter, Duncan
- Inauguration
- Iraq
- Kucinich, Dennis
- McCain, John
- Obama, Barack
- Palin, Sarah
- Paul, Ron
- Romney, Mitt
- Tancredo, Tom
- Thompson, Fred
- Veepstakes
- Vote 2008: Democrats
- Vote 2008: Republicans
- Washington
- White House
« Previous | Main | Next »
McCain Proposes Additional Troops for Afghanistan
Email
ShareJuly 16, 2008 12:16 PM
ABC News' Ron Claiborne Reports: Senator Barack Obama's campaign attacked Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) for "flip-flopping" when he called for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan to deal with increasing violence and instability.
On Tuesday, McCain proposed sending at least three brigades of troops to Afghanistan. His advisers said later they should be an unspecified combination of U.S. and NATO forces.
"Thanks to the success of the surge, these forces are becoming available, and our commanders in Afghanistan must get them," McCain said in Albuquerque, N.M.
The Obama campaign attacked McCain for changing his position from opposing additional U.S. forces to agreeing with Obama's proposal to send more forces to Afghanistan. Obama said last year he would send two combat brigades -- about 10,000 troops -- to Afghanistan. McCain had said for months that no additional U.S. troops were needed in there. But he had long been open to the possibility that conditions on the ground might require additional forces, both from NATO and the U.S.
In December 2006, during a visit to Afghanistan, the Associated Press reported that McCain said he would favor sending more American troops there "if it's necessary."
"I'm sure we would be agreeable, but the focus here is more on training the Afghan National Army and the police, as opposed to the increased U.S. troop presence," McCain said at the time.
In February 2007, in a speech to the Munich Conference on Security Policy, McCain spoke of a need for NATO to beef up its military presence in Afghanistan.
"It has been a long five and a half years since the crumbling of Taliban rule," McCain said. "In the United States, at least, Afghanistan has moved off the front pages of newspapers and magazines, replaced by the dire situation in Iraq, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and North Korea’s weapons tests. But Afghanistan is anything but yesterday’s news. In fact, the stakes there have never been higher... NATO members can help ensure that we keep the Taliban on their heels by at least matching the U.S. troop increase of 3,000."
One of McCain's chief foreign affairs advisers, Randy Scheunemann, said Tuesday that a greater U.S.-NATO military presence is now necessary because of the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan.
July 16, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (101)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
I think it is amazing how Bush and McCain are doing everything Obama has said he will do if elected president. Maybe Bush should have spoken to Obama a few years ago.
Posted by: becky | Jul 16, 2008 12:38:10 PM
When Obama goes overseas this month...Bush will see how a president with savy,intelligence and class acts.
Posted by: linda n carolina | Jul 16, 2008 12:52:52 PM
What this article failed to mention was that McCain flip-flopped twice in the same day. First, he said that he would send three US brigades to Afghanistan, then when people began to question where he was going to actually get the troops from, (realizing it would result in troop withdrawl from Iraq)he said that NATO troops would be deployed as well.
Posted by: Jennifer | Jul 16, 2008 1:00:51 PM
How is John McCain a copycat, when in fact, the Senate committee Obama was supposed to be chairman of was assigned to look into getting more NATO troops for Afghanistan? That was how many years ago? Even in the primary debates, Obama had not even called a meeting. Saying Obama was the first to call for more troops is a joke. Obama's camp loves to play with their artificial stances after he has continually backtracked on every issue. Who wants a leader who has become well known for changing and "refining" his previous stances? Obama cannot be trusted to make any firm decisions we can count on. McCain has continually worked to assure success with our missions in the Middle East. This report, in fact, reveals that McCaing spoke for increases for Afghanistan in December of 2006, and February of 2007. He has been constant in his opinions of what is needed and necessary. He is on record, and has consistently stood up for successful efforts. Obama is a waffling latecomer. In fact, he is "just words".
Posted by: georgia | Jul 16, 2008 1:05:58 PM
mcsame is old and weak minded. He is also a mean very old man
Posted by: mike | Jul 16, 2008 1:15:46 PM
McCain's new slogan should be "FOLLOW THE LEADER". Can this candidate possess an independent and original thought? Honestly, I know that Obama has has his own issues in the past regarding flip flopping, but this is ridiculous.
Posted by: kw | Jul 16, 2008 1:21:11 PM
McCain: "because the situation has been deteriorating?"
The situation in Afghanistan has been deteriorating for a couple years now! Thanks, Johnny McComeLately.
georgia:
But Iraq essentially blocked any move to increase troop presence in Afghanistan. We can't expect everyone else to clean up our mess while we fiddle with our new toy.
Posted by: Nick B | Jul 16, 2008 1:22:34 PM
It's amusing to see Obama try to act like he knows anything about anything. Especially when it comes to foreign affairs. He's so clueless.
President McCain - get use to it. The polls are now tied up and the novelty has worn off for Obama. People are wising up.
Posted by: Jo | Jul 16, 2008 1:25:41 PM
BO needs to keep his trap shut- he has no right to slam anyone! McCain is doing the next logical step- to move more troop to Afghanistan since the surge there has worked so well. BO remains an empty, worthless and meaningless suit who is running as the Sierra Club candidate. People get ready for $10/gallon gas!
Posted by: Linda SAT | Jul 16, 2008 1:27:07 PM
really *not* against what he'd said previously.
Posted by: Nick B | Jul 16, 2008 1:33:18 PM
I guess Nat Turner didn't get the notice from Newsweek. 15 point lead has dropped to a tie.
Nat, your guy was a novelty and now he's been unmasked. He's going down, and fast.
Live it, learn it, love it.
Posted by: Jo | Jul 16, 2008 1:35:40 PM
so McCain said more troops may be needed in Afghanistan depending on the conditions... now, a month later, as conditions have worsened, he says there should be more troops. whats the issue? is Obama's reading comprehension that bad?
Posted by: Tyler | Jul 16, 2008 1:36:59 PM
Jo: Glad to see you like flip-flops.
Can you explain why it is that, even though the Iraqis are now saying we should start to leave, that McCain, who like Bush set aside these statements, is the one for the job?
Posted by: Nick B | Jul 16, 2008 1:38:00 PM
Obama: Making a mountain out of a mole-hill. Again!
Posted by: Soetoro No! | Jul 16, 2008 1:38:42 PM
Nat Turner... read a bit more carefully, I'm on your side.
Posted by: Nick B | Jul 16, 2008 1:39:01 PM
Obama wants to surrender in Iraq. Now that we're finally winning, he wants to surrender.
Posted by: Jane | Jul 16, 2008 1:40:53 PM
Can Obama come close to 1% of McCain's political experience?. I am not talking about community service.
Posted by: FACT | Jul 16, 2008 1:41:49 PM
There is nothing wrong with McCain changing his mind about what to do in Afghanistan due to a change of events. That is not flip-flopping, that is what any leader should do. What Obama has done is flip-flop because he took a tough stance on Iraq based on his promise to supporters to get out of Iraq by saying that he would have all the troops out in 16 months. Now he is changing his basic position which got him the nomination. I don't even understand how Obama and his supporters don't see the difference. If McCain had said we should be out of Afghanistan within 16 months, then his position might be flip flopping, but he has never said that.
Posted by: Susan | Jul 16, 2008 1:42:17 PM
RealityCheck
Don't read much, do you?
Posted by: Aston | Jul 16, 2008 1:42:42 PM
Obama does himself no favours when he tries to act tough on foreign policy. He is the weakest candidate of the two and i know he loathes the military (unless your a decorated general).
McCain has to keep reminding people of Obama's weaknesses because Obama wont get his face off the TV. McCain is just reminding the average joe that there is an alternative to the inexperienced Obama
Posted by: Louise | Jul 16, 2008 1:42:48 PM
Post a comment
