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McCain Slams Obama on Iraq Surge
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ShareJuly 15, 2008 2:23 PM
ABC News' Jennifer Duck Reports: Campaigning in Albuquerque, New Mexico Tuesday, Sen. John McCain focused his remarks on Iraq and Afghanistan following a speech given on the same topic by his Democratic opponent Sen. Barack Obama.
Before McCain began speaking at a town hall event, the campaign seemed to focus on the economy. Large signs declaring “Jobs for America" and "Reform Prosperity Peace” encompassed the room flanked by American flags.
However McCain dedicated nearly 20 minutes addressing his new strategies for Afghanistan -- including sending at least an additional three brigades into Afghanistan and doubling the size of the Afghan army.
“Our commanders on the ground in Afghanistan say that they need at least three additional brigades. Thanks to the success of the surge, these forces are becoming available, and our commanders in Afghanistan must get them,” McCain said.
If elected McCain said he would appoint an Afghanistan war czar “whose sole mission will be to ensure we bring the war in Afghanistan to a successful end.” He also proposed appointing a special envoy to Afghanistan to “address disputes between Afghanistan and its neighbors.”
McCain attacked the presumptive democratic presidential nominee for laying out plans for Iraq and Afghanistan before he sets foot in the region.
“Senator Obama is departing soon on a trip abroad that will include a fact-finding mission to Iraq and Afghanistan. And I note that he is speaking today about his plans for Iraq and Afghanistan before he has even left, before he has talked to General Petraeus, before he has seen the progress in Iraq, and before he has set foot in Afghanistan for the first time,” McCain told the crowd of 200 in Albuquerque.
“In my experience, fact-finding missions usually work best the other way around: first you assess the facts on the ground, then you present a new strategy. So this is certainly a departure to what I have usually done.”
McCain told the crowd that Obama had opposed the surge and then quoted Obama’s Afghanistan speech today. “He goes on to say today, ‘I had no doubt we would see a reduction in violence with the surge.’ My friends, flip floppers all over the world are enraged. It gives new meaning. It gives new meaning,” McCain said. “So my friends this is a very significant difference of opinion that we had. And it’s pretty clear that Sen. Obama is contradicting the statements he made on the surge and war in Iraq that he made for a long time.”
“Obama will tell you we can't win in Afghanistan without losing in Iraq. In fact, he has it exactly backwards. It is precisely the success of the surge in Iraq that shows us the way to succeed in Afghanistan,” McCain continued to the crowds’ applause. "I know how to win wars. And if I'm elected President, I will turn around the war in Afghanistan, just as we have turned around the war in Iraq, with a comprehensive strategy for victory. I know how to do that.”
McCain accused Obama of sounding “tough” on Pakistan and losing support in the region. “Senator Obama has spoken in public about taking unilateral military action in Pakistan. In trying to sound tough, he has made it harder for the people whose support we most need to provide it. I won’t bluster, and I will not make idle threats. But understand this: when I am commander -in-chief, there will be nowhere the terrorists can run, and nowhere they can hide.”
He received a standing ovation for saying, "I want to assure you I have complete confidence I will get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.”
He ended, touting his experience: “Let me conclude by reminding you in wartime, judgment and experience matter. In a time of war, the commander-in-chief doesn't get a learning curve. If I have that privilege, I will bring to the job many years of military and political experience; experience that gave me the judgment necessary to make the right call in Iraq a year and half ago. “
July 15, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (18)
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mcwar monger is an idiot
Posted by: angie | Jul 15, 2008 2:29:53 PM
Obama is in a heap of trouble. And erasing his website of his surge criticisms just proves he's a huge phony.
All of you taken in by this guy should be feeling extremely foolish right about now.
Posted by: Jo | Jul 15, 2008 2:32:52 PM
While I do not support most of the policies of John McCain, his assessment of the Obama defense policy (or a lack, thereof) seems to be accurate.
As in the primary, Obama policies continue to represent a plethora of revolving ideas gathered from opponents and presented as his own.
Neither candidate will get my vote, and I would vote to send all of Congress home and start over.
But, in consideration of policy, ability, and experience, Obama is definitely the worst of two bad choices.
Posted by: Jayhawk | Jul 15, 2008 2:40:40 PM
Poor Ol'Jo.
See the thing is if the violence in Irak goes down, then McCain says this is a reason why we can stay there 100 years.
If the violence in Irak goes up, then McCain says this is the reason why we can't leave Irak.
Head we lose, tails they win. It's dog tired thinking.
Posted by: The Commander Guy | Jul 15, 2008 2:46:14 PM
McCain is such an IDIOT.
His decision to go to war in Iraq has made us LESS SAFE.
Now Afghanistan is a problem.
Posted by: Sandy | Jul 15, 2008 2:46:39 PM
McCain has it right. Obama has it wrong. No need for an advanced degree in logic to figure that out!
Posted by: Aston | Jul 15, 2008 3:02:06 PM
You reporters are TOTALLY MISSING THE POINT.
Obama was RIGHT all along on Afghanistan. He has warned for OVER a year that the real fight is Afghanistan NOT Iraq and as we can see, things are spiralling DOWN in Afghanistan because we took our eye OFF the ball and fought the war in Iraq.
Don't reporters get the point.
Posted by: Sandy | Jul 15, 2008 3:12:08 PM
Reporters,
Who was FIRST to discuss Afghanistan?
It surely was NOT McCain. It was Obama sounding the alarm for more than a year on the campaign trail.
Posted by: Michelle | Jul 15, 2008 3:13:05 PM
Michelle
Actually, McCain beat Obama on this one. Well into the nominations, Obama was only saying he was against the war and he'd get the troops out of Iran immediately. His never ending change of position probably fooled you.
Posted by: Aston | Jul 15, 2008 3:15:35 PM
wilderr -- how so?
Posted by: Aston | Jul 15, 2008 3:16:40 PM
Can't fight in Iraq and Afghanistan at the same time?
Perhaps some should have a little more support for and confidence in our military men and women.
Or, maybe some should simply study history just a bit longer.
As I recall, we were able to fight on several fronts at the same time in WWI.
Then, we were able to fight the Japanese, Italians, and Germans all at the same time in WWII.
Now, with the finest and best-equipped military force in history and the world, we supposedly can't fight on two fronts in third world countries at the same time?
Time to start up the draft and get some of these posters on the front lines for some life changing experience...
Posted by: Jayhawk | Jul 15, 2008 3:20:57 PM
Iraq will end up in the hands of the Iraqi military. That'll be the end result of the billions of dollars and years of training, a military dictatorship. Go Bush.....
Posted by: JR | Jul 15, 2008 3:37:52 PM
I can't believe we have to choose between these two jokers.
Posted by: a reader in ga | Jul 15, 2008 4:03:41 PM
From this point in time, who do you trust? Bush and Cheney were deceitful in taking us into Iraq. They did not listen to voices of reason and caution. McCain knew more troops were needed to stabilize Iraq. He knows what the situation requires now, and it is not getting the troops out in "16 months'max". Obama has been doing everything backwards. He takes a stance, learns a little reality, then has to backtrack. He believes that by making a speech on the subject, everyone will take notice and fall into place. He doesn't get it. McCain does, and will find the best solutions for our efforts in the Middle East.
Posted by: georgia | Jul 15, 2008 10:08:12 PM
one thing is for sure , if it was Obama a year a go , we would have by now seen pictures of American troop exiting from roof-top of our Baghdad embassy like our dads did more than 20 years ago. Soon , we would have seen waves after waves of refugee flooding out of Iraq , with tales more horifying than most horror movies . But thank God , it was Bush who made the call , and I admit , the guy does seem to have steel gut ...with all the criticism and doubts he faced back then , he actually had the courage to go thru with it and pulled thru successfully . Obama , on the other hand , does not even have the courage to admit his own fault when doubting the SURGE and called for the cut-and-run policy . Now , when the results of the SURGE is so obvious, he still would not admit that , instead ,he sneakily deleted from his website that the Surge has been a failure and instead replaced by "improved security situation" --What the heck is that ,sport? Never admit failure , flip-flop from one issue after another , cry like a girl every time , either because a girl beat him , or the press question him ,or the newspaper shows a picture of him...this guy is a joke and can't take the heat , yet he acts like a HERO , declaring to withdraw from Iraq in 16 months BEFORE EVEN TALKING TO GENERAL ON THE GROUND , He does not even care if it is doable , he does not even care if that means throwing all the hard-earned successes of the brave troops there into the thrash can , he does not even care if it means danger for the troop and for the whole region . This guy , who cried and cried and now try to acts tough in his attempt to tie the hands of generals on the ground the way they did in vietnam is NOT PRESIDENTIAL MATERIAL and should not be elected to lead our nation at this time , no way JOSE!
Posted by: alohaone | Jul 15, 2008 10:41:07 PM
Although I'm not a huge fan of John McCain, Barack Obama actually scares me. His position on the issues of the day, including very much Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, seems to change as the situations in those places respectively evolves. He is, in my opinion, the epitome of a political fence straddler. He is certainly not of leadership quality, capable of effectively leading this country - no way!
Posted by: Al Pippin | Jul 15, 2008 11:57:14 PM
"Iraq will end up in the hands of the Iraqi military. That'll be the end result of the billions of dollars and years of training, a military dictatorship. "
...and your proof of this is????
Posted by: lloydrmc | Jul 21, 2008 5:10:36 PM
"Iraq will end up in the hands of the Iraqi military. That'll be the end result of the billions of dollars and years of training, a military dictatorship. "
...and your proof of this is????
Posted by: lloydrmc | Jul 21, 2008 5:10:42 PM
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