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Not that important?
By Mike in Politcs Plus
June 13, 2008

On military matters, I usually give John McCain the benefit of the doubt, because he is a true American hero, and I would never question his support for the troops.  He has tested my beliefs, recently.  When the senator was asked if he had an estimate for when the US troops might leave Iraq he said “No, that's not too important” he went onto say "what's important is casualties in Iraq.”  Giving McCain the benefit of the doubt still does not explain why, third or forth tours are not that important. It is to the troops and their families.  That comparison to South Korea and Germany is not resonating with me.  This is the Middle East or the sandbox as the soldiers call it,is not a place where a soldier can roam Baghdad unharmed.  Religion does not play a big role, when there is violence in South Korea or Germany.  Ten casualties this month this month, with four to be identified, and when we withdraw is not important?

Perhaps Senator McCain is not being up front with us by giving us the larger picture.  Are the troops in full force, because we are planning to attack Iran, if Obama wins the November election?  Are they pulling out all stops to preserve the Bush -McCain legacy?  Is it to man the proposed 60 new bases?

McCain said we ought to wait until July, when General Petraeus’s report comes out to see where we go from there. I don’t see a political reconciliation in one month. It will be a carbon copy of the others. Give us six more months.  He keeps saying the surge is working, but we always knew if we send more troops and got more Iraqi troops trained, and in the field the violence would go down. It’s that second part, political reconciliation that we need to get to.  The military victories have not taken the Sunni and Shia to the table.

McCain continues to say Obama is waving the flag of surrender, by wanting to start the responsible withdrawal when he gets into office.  If victory is really just around the corner; I'm sure any president would allow that to happen.  McCain predicts gloom and doom him if we choose a timetable for withdraw, but he is also the one that predicted that we would be greeted as liberators, and it would be a short successful war. Only thing we know for sure is that there is no is no truth certain either way.

Comments


  • Mike Mike Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    After WWII the Japanese and Germans were defeated people and offered no resistance... Their culture embraced democracy,  and they thrived economically..... As you well know Iraq and the other Arab nations have been fighting this religious Sunni- Shiite war for ages.  Our presence there will not make a difference.... Their culture is content with a monarchic government.
    Joe Biden has the best solution.... Break up this country into Shiite, Shia, Kurd states, and they will settle their difference.,  Just like their Arab neighbors do.... We dethroned the ruling Shia and replaced it with the Shiites... Today we're protecting the Shia against the Shiites and Iranian influence.
    We don't have a Marshall plan for Iraq. The neocons, the president, and John McCain want to remain in Iraq for a long time,but they cannot tell us why we need  to continue to spend billions ,loss of life, and  not to mention the wounded or the three or four tours.  They only say if we withdraw anytime soon, it will cause genocide. That is not a true certain,besides they have been wrong since day one.
    Personally(I don't know for a fact).  I think the loss of the Vietnam War had a lasting impression on John McCain,and he vows to never let that happen again. Noble? If that causes him to have tunnel vision, then that is dangerous.
    This might be what is happening...From the washington Post
    The Bush administration is currently trying to push Iraqis into accepting a indefinite long-term security agreement, with demands including nearly 60 permanent bases, immunity for foreign contractors, control over air space, and authorization for war with Iran.
    But Iraqis are rejecting the administration’s stubborn attempts to control Iraq’s future. Today, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki remarked, “The American version of the agreement infringes hugely on the sovereignty of Iraq and this is something that we cannot ever accept.”

    June 14, 2008 at 11:38 a.m.

  • maryann maryann Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Hello Mike,
    When I look at how we're still in Germany, Korea, the Philipines, Okinawa, etc. I tend to agree with McCain.
    This seems to be the nature of American military history. Once we get there, most times we stay, if the natives are somewhat friendly.
    One can argue on the merits/faults of this occurrence, but it's a fact.
    Dealing with that pattern of wars and invasion, it does seem true that we will be in Iraq for some time to come, but maybe in a different capacity.
    Reducing casualties IS important.

    June 13, 2008 at 7:27 p.m.