McCain On "100 Years in Iraq," Troops in Middle East

By: Andante Higgins
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' Andante Higgins:

John McCain defended his now infamous "100 years in Iraq" comments made at a town hall back in January, contending the Democrats are deliberately distorting his remarks. He explained today that those who say he wants to fight in Iraq for 100 years are making a "direct falsification" and apologized that campaigns "have to deteriorate in this fashion."

At a New Hampshire event five months ago, McCain had an exchange with a voter about the war. "President Bush has talked about staying in Iraq for 50 years," the man said before McCain interrupted. "Maybe a hundred… We've been in Japan for 60 years, we've been in South Korea 50 years or so, that'd be fine with me. As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, then it's fine with me. I hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where Al-Qaeda is training recruiting equipping and motivating people every single day," McCain said.

The comments have become a rallying cry for the Democrats, and both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have referenced them in their stump speeches. Most recently the liberal organization moveon.org is using his comments in an anti-McCain ad, which you can see here: http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/04/30/politics/fromtheroad/entry4058498.shtml

He also addressed the reasons that U.S. troops are deployed overseas, suggesting perhaps that they are there because it's an oil-rich area. "I will have an energy policy that we will be talking about which will eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East," McCain said. "That will then prevent us from having ever to send our men and women into conflict again in the Middle East."

7 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment


by marqg01 May 3, 2008 4:28 AM EDT: If John McCain actually thinks that we can have our military in Iraq for 100 years and not be under constant attacks then he is even more deluded than the commercials indicate.

If the legal definition of insanity is that one is not able to understand the consequences of one''s actions (and that is the legal definition) then John McCain, and in fact every like minded conservative, is completely insane.; Reply to this comment


by marqg01 May 3, 2008 4:28 AM EDT: If John McCain actually thinks that we can have our military in Iraq for 100 years and not be under constant attacks then he is even more deluded than the commercials indicate.

If the legal definition of insanity is that one is not able to understand the consequences of one''s actions (and that is the legal definition) then John McCain, and in fact every like minded conservative, is completely insane.; Reply to this comment


by marqg01 May 3, 2008 4:27 AM EDT: If John McCain actually thinks that we can have our military in Iraq for 100 years and not be under constant attacks then he is even more deluded than the commercials indicate.

If the legal definition of insanity is that one is not able to understand the consequences of one''s actions (and that is the legal definition) then John McCain, and in fact every like minded conservative, is completely insane.; Reply to this comment


by marqg01 May 3, 2008 4:27 AM EDT: If John McCain actually thinks that we can have our military in Iraq for 100 years and not be under constant attacks then he is even more deluded than the commercials indicate.

If the legal definition of insanity is that one is not able to understand the consequences of one''s actions (and that is the legal definition) then John McCain, and in fact every like minded conservative, is completely insane.; Reply to this comment


by marqg01 May 3, 2008 4:27 AM EDT: If John McCain actually thinks that we can have our military in Iraq for 100 years and not be under constant attacks then he is even more deluded than the commercials indicate.

If the legal definition of insanity is that one is not able to understand the consequences of one''s actions (and that is the legal definition) then John McCain, and in fact every like minded conservative, is completely insane.; Reply to this comment


by memekiller May 3, 2008 12:20 AM EDT: There is a quote of Adlai Stevens that remains as true now as it did then:

" have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends... that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them."

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/adlaieste137733.html; Reply to this comment


by obbcbs May 3, 2008 12:18 AM EDT: McCain''s plan is the original Karl Rove plan.
Have bases in the middle east. It is horribly flawed. Muslims will not tolerate our presence there, and McCain is deluded. He is mouthing the party line to appeal to his party but that doesnt mean it makes any sense at all. Have you seen women and children throwing roses in the path of the army yet? It is not going to change. Our being there is a recruiting poster for the terrorists. Having bases there, like we do in Germany is the McCain plan. That is not going to work, unless by ''work'' you mean give reasons to keep the Draconian anti-terrorism laws in place and prevent Americans from having the rights they are due under the Constitution. Why is anyone taking seriously the "heroism" of a former prisoner who has approved the use of waterboarding against prisoners? He would not have survived Vietnam if the communists had done that to him.; Reply to this comment