McCain Says: Obama Seeks to 'Legislate Failure' in Iraq

August 10, 2008

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McCain Tells Vets: Obama Seeks to 'Legislate Failure' in Iraq McCain on Saturday issued a scathing critique of Obama's judgment and readiness to be commander in chief, telling a veterans' group his Democratic rival had tried to "legislate failure" in Iraq and placed his own ambition ahead of military success there. Addressing the Disabled American Veterans convention, McCain mocked what he called Obama's varying positions on the Bush administration's decision to send an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq last year.

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popgoestheworld 4 years 40 weeks

Is it really true that he wants to immediately remove all troops? I feel like I've read a lot about a controlled withdrawal by a specific date. But I haven't heard "immediate removal".

UnDave35 4 years 40 weeks

Pop - Obama doesn't take new information into account while forming is opinion on Iraq. He thinks we've lost, and we need to immediately remove all American troops.

popgoestheworld 4 years 40 weeks

I agree that McCain's assertions that Obama wants to lose in Iraq for political gain are pretty outrageous. Especially in light of the fact that the current administration AND Iraq are basically lobbying for troop withdrawals in a controlled timeline.I also think that SO many people have changed their opinion on the war as new information came out. Who would even WANT a president that refused to take new information into account in forming their opinions? Who wants a military expert who thinks Iraq borders Pakistan? McCain needs Lieberman whispering into his ear to sound like he knows foreign policy! There have been too many "misspeaks" in this particular area to make me feel like he really doesn't fully understand what's going on.

popgoestheworld 4 years 40 weeks

I agree that McCain's assertions that Obama wants to lose in Iraq for political gain are pretty outrageous. Especially in light of the fact that the current administration AND Iraq are basically lobbying for troop withdrawals in a controlled timeline. I also think that SO many people have changed their opinion on the war as new information came out. Who would even WANT a president that refused to take new information into account in forming their opinions? Who wants a military expert who thinks Iraq borders Pakistan? McCain needs Lieberman whispering into his ear to sound like he knows foreign policy! There have been too many "misspeaks" in this particular area to make me feel like he really doesn't fully understand what's going on.

Jillness 4 years 40 weeks

Good points, Torg. I am still confused as to how McCain can argue he has superior war judgement when the Iraqis are calling for a timeline, and Bush is now for setting a "time horizon". Obama spoke out about Afghanistan/Pakistan over a year ago, and now the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is agreeing it is precarious and urgent, and that he has needed to shift focus for sometime but the Administration has tied his hands.It is like McCain is the last to know, and yet he is pretending that he is a leader.

Jillness 4 years 40 weeks

Good points, Torg. I am still confused as to how McCain can argue he has superior war judgement when the Iraqis are calling for a timeline, and Bush is now for setting a "time horizon". Obama spoke out about Afghanistan/Pakistan over a year ago, and now the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is agreeing it is precarious and urgent, and that he has needed to shift focus for sometime but the Administration has tied his hands. It is like McCain is the last to know, and yet he is pretending that he is a leader.

Jillness 4 years 40 weeks

" I can't figure out why McCain thinks he has so much military experience that would help him make judgements about war. He ranked 894 out of 899 at Annapolis, so he sure did not learn much theory. "Amen. McCain was one of the loudest voices calling for the war before it began. I even saw him on Letterman in Oct. 2001 saying that the Anthrax might have come from Iraq! When it comes to the big picture, McCain got this really, really wrong.

Jillness 4 years 40 weeks

" I can't figure out why McCain thinks he has so much military experience that would help him make judgements about war. He ranked 894 out of 899 at Annapolis, so he sure did not learn much theory. " Amen. McCain was one of the loudest voices calling for the war before it began. I even saw him on Letterman in Oct. 2001 saying that the Anthrax might have come from Iraq! When it comes to the big picture, McCain got this really, really wrong.

janneth 4 years 40 weeks

Honestly, I can't figure out why McCain thinks he has so much military experience that would help him make judgements about war. He ranked 894 out of 899 at Annapolis, so he sure did not learn much theory. Did he have any substantive leadership position in the Navy? I can find no evidence. And then he makes wise proclamations that we will win the war by winning the war.

UnDave35 4 years 40 weeks

I missed the John Clark reference earlier. I'm like a blind fool flayling my arms trying to find the lightswitch sometimes...

stephley 4 years 40 weeks

We're all aware that Clark isn't running for President. I was questioning someone else's assertion.

UnDave35 4 years 40 weeks

Is Wesley Clark running for President?

stephley 4 years 40 weeks

How is John McCain's military experience superior to Wesley Clark?

Auntie Coosa 4 years 40 weeks

Since John S McCain has military experience and knows first hand what he's talking about, I would believe what he says about the Military in general.Since Barack H Obama has never served in the Military and it is doubtful that even registered with the Selective Service when he turned 18, I would not believe one word he says about the Military, even if he has Wesley Clark and John Kerry whispering in his ear. They are both losers, in fact all three are loser-mentality victims.Who wants a Victim for President? Vote BHObama.Who wants a Victor for President? Vote JSMcCain.

Auntie Coosa 4 years 40 weeks

Since John S McCain has military experience and knows first hand what he's talking about, I would believe what he says about the Military in general. Since Barack H Obama has never served in the Military and it is doubtful that even registered with the Selective Service when he turned 18, I would not believe one word he says about the Military, even if he has Wesley Clark and John Kerry whispering in his ear. They are both losers, in fact all three are loser-mentality victims. Who wants a Victim for President? Vote BHObama. Who wants a Victor for President? Vote JSMcCain.

stephley 4 years 40 weeks

It's never that McCain disagrees with Obama, it's always that Obama has sinister intent. I'd hate to have such a paranoid president.

True Song 4 years 40 weeks

Well, on the one hand I'm glad we're off gimmicks and onto substance. On the other hand, it is one thing to say someone's war strategy is wrong, and it's quite another to allege that they have put their own "ambition ahead of military success." That is a very serious accusation. (One which I, of course, do not think is true at all.)

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