From The Road
February 27, 2008 1:49 PM

McCain Attacks Obama on Troop Withdrawal

By
Andante Higgins
Topics
John McCain
(CBS)

From CBS News' Andante Higins:

TYLER, TEXAS -- Slamming Barack Obama for comments he made at last night's Democratic debate, John McCain attacked Obama's position on withdrawing troops from Iraq.

"I am not embarrassed to tell you that I did not watch the Democrat debate last night," McCain said. "But I am told that Senator Obama made the statement that if al Qaeda came back to Iraq after he withdraws, after American troops are withdrawn, then he would send military troops back if al Qaeda established a base in Iraq."

"I have some news. al Qaeda is in Iraq," McCain added sarcastically.

Obama responded to McCain at a rally in Ohio.

"I have some news for John McCain," Obama said. "There was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq."

Obama claims that Bush and McCain have ignored the threat of al Qaeda in Afghanistan, strengthening the terrorist organization there. "John McCain may like to say he wants to follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell, but so far all he's done is follow George Bush into a misguided war in Iraq that's cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars," Obama said.

McCain argues that the surge in Iraq is working, and that al Qaeda is on the run. But he stopped short of calling Obama inexperienced on national security. "I don't make that judgment," he said. "I just question as strongly as possible the premise that somehow you could leave Iraq and defeat the entire purpose of this strategy we're now employing, which is now succeeding."

CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic contributed to this report


Add a Comment
by sharonaustin February 27, 2008 9:42 PM EST
What has Hillary been doing on her Senate job while running for president? I''m sure the Senate Committee has been meeting to take care of business while Obama has been on the campaign trail.

Last night Hillary was asked why she hasn''t provided her taxes (and campaign donor list). Her response was she "hadn''t had time. She hasn''t been able to find time to sleep." What a great excuse? She has an accountant?

Just now on her plane, Hillary told the press that "she had a good performance last night and continues to get $1 million a day from her supporters and even if she loses Ohio and Texas, she''s going to the convention. A lot of people have not voted yet."

Gov. Strickland (D-Ohio) a Hillary supporter says (in an interview) he believes she will do well in Ohio and is certain she will take Pennsylvania.

If she doesn''t drop out if she loses Texas and Ohio, she will continue to do damage to the Democrat party by attacking Barack and giving McCain assistance.

I pray she has some class and consideration for the America she says she cares about. Her desire to win (here come the superdelegates) will divide the party and turn off Obama''s supporters (approx. 10 million votes to date) who will stay home rather than vote for Hillary.

Congratulations President McCain and 4-8 more years of Bush''s economic policies and years in Iraq with the continued loss of our troops and the Iraq'' people.

Thank you Hillary!
Reply to this comment
by memekiller February 27, 2008 6:32 PM EST
McCain has no problem staying in Iraq 100 years, so of course he''s opposed to any troop reductions in our lifetimes.

I don''t think it will take another century to decide that Bush''s venture has failed.
Reply to this comment
by mattcat25 February 27, 2008 5:27 PM EST
$497,977,996,218
is the everlasting $cost of the Republican War on Saddam Hussein%u2019s Iraq and Osama Bin Laden%u2019s Taliban in Afghanistan. After over 5 years of miserably planned war and occupation, the United States is no more safer since before George W. Bush read my pet goat during the September 11th World Trade Center Attack.

A properly trained and funded military along with the proper intelligence and police work is the way to keep terrorist attacks from American soil.

Mr. McCain needs to address the issues of the Middle East,

Has the threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction been alleviated in Iraq?
Has Osama Bin Laden, Al Quaida, and the Taliban been eradicated?
What happened to all the Iraqi Oil we were supposed to get???
Reply to this comment
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