So, where excactly does McCain stand on American troops in Iraq?
By Hayley_N
@Hayley_N (525)
Argentina
July 13, 2008 6:12pm CST
Iraqi leaders call for a timetable for U.S. withdrawal, McCain gets caught in a bizarre denial and flip flop. The Iraqis now want us to begin planning our withdrawal - McCain however wants to stay foooorrreeevvveerrrr. So what does McCain say - First, he refuses to accept Maliki's statement as being true. Then he concedes that it was an accurate statement, but was probably just a political ploy to curry favor with his own people and WOULD NOT influence his determination to keep US troops in Iraq indefinitely. Yet, McCain in 2004 at the Council on Foreign Relations said that if the Iraqis asked us to leave, we would have to go. No matter what. But that was apparently a younger and less experienced John McCain.
Miliki has made this statement before. He has also stated he wants no permanent American force in Iraq. Yet, the US has gone ahead with about 14 new 'permanent access' bases in Iraq!
1 person likes this
2 responses
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
15 Jul 08
What a question and one that even McCain probably can't answer, no honestly at least since he's been all over the place on this topic. First, it was going to be a quick and easy victory, then it would be "months not years" but he never said it would be easy, then we had the infamous hundred years comment, which he later said he didn't say or didn't mean, he also said a long time ago that if and when the Iraqis asked us to leave, of course we'd have to leave but now, when that's happened he doesn't think they really mean it? Add to that his opposition of the new G.I. Bill and his support of torture which does NOT make our troops any safer not to mention the fact that it's usually not effective. Who knows what he'll say tomorrow and NOBODY could possibly guess what he might say next January 20.
Annie
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
15 Jul 08
I know what McCain said about the one hundred years and I know how he's tried to run from that ever since. I know he made the comparison between Japan, Germany and Korea where there has been a U.S. presence for many years but those countries are totally different from any country in the Mideast, in case you haven't noticed. You totally ignored the fact that Miliki has said he wants us to leave or set up a timetable for doing so! I guess you think we should stay in a country where we're not wanted and go ahead and build permanent bases there, just to rub their noses in it? Big deal, some will say the surge has worked! All that does is point out how totally mismanaged this war was from the beginning by this incompetent Administration. How many members of the Administration were fired for disagreeing with Bush and friends on how long the war would last, how many troops were necessary and how much it would cost?
Annie
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I believe at this point that is more important to know what congress and the now President have to say about this than the candidates running for office.
After all they do the job now.
That is my two cents on that question and I have no idea where McCain stands.
Other than what I read in your discussion that is.
