McCain Camp Blasts Obama Over "Policy Refinements" in Iraq

By: John Bentley
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley:

MEXICO CITY – John McCain's campaign wasted no time in responding to Barack Obama's comment that he might "refine his policies" on withdrawing troops from Iraq once he visited there, accusing Obama of "putting politics ahead of country" in his previous statements where he advocated an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

"Today, Barack Obama reversed that position, proving once again his words do not matter. He has now adopted John McCain's position that we cannot risk the progress we have made in Iraq by beginning to withdraw our troops immediately without concern for conditions on the ground," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers. "Now that Barack Obama has changed course and proven his past positions to be just empty words, we would like to congratulate him on taking John McCain's principled stand on this critical national security issue. If he had visited Iraq sooner or actually had a one-on-one meeting with Gen. Petraeus, he would have changed his position long ago."

Obama responded that he had not changed his position, and that he had consistently said he would take the situation on the ground into account when making troop level decisions. "I think that what's happened here is that the McCain campaign primed the pump with the press to suggest that somehow we were changing our policy when we hadn't," Obama said. "I've given no indication of a change in policy."

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by mattcat25 July 5, 2008 4:49 AM EDT: There were No Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq, the invasion and occupation have been mismanaged with $Billions of Federal Treasury Funds being pilfered to Private Contractors and Iraqi opposition rebel forces.

Iraq is not a war, there is no %u201Cwinning%u201D and no losing. Iraq has become a continued military action without a mission, purpose, and conclusion. The War Mongering Republican Party desires to maintain a perpetual and permanent wartime economy with every American paying for the diversion of Federal Treasury Funds to the Private Republican Sector.

Anyone that supports this type of theft in the name of National Security is not a true American and cannot have any claim to Patriotism.

I take solace in the fact that this will be the last US Independence Day that George W. Bush will be the President of the United States.

Happy 4th ya%u2019ll%u2026; Reply to this comment


by shingles1 July 5, 2008 4:10 AM EDT: All politicians flip flop, but for McCain who has flip flopped on every single issue imaginable to condemn someone else of flip flopping is high comedy. And for him to get away with it, because the McCainiacs in the press corps have become a mouthpiece for his campaign, is inexcusable.

And all the pseudo-conservatives who prance around pointing the finger at Obama while ignoring the great stink wafting from McCain, have just proved what worthless hypocrites and blind partisans they are.

It seems like just yesterday that all these clowns were condemning McCain as a Republican in Name Only...oh, memories.; Reply to this comment


by shingles1 July 5, 2008 3:58 AM EDT: Best quote on this is from Josh Marshall:

For the McCain campaign to put out a memo to reporters claiming that Obama has adopted McCain''s policy only shows that his advisors believe that a sizable percentage of the political press is made up of incorrigible morons. And it''s hard to disagree with the judgment.; Reply to this comment


by realpatriot1 July 4, 2008 3:07 PM EDT: Greenfun,

Not a bit. Anyone with half a brain(that excludes conservative Republicans)can figure out that the exact pace and logistics of withdrawal is something which needs to be worked out with the commanders on the ground who have to implement that withdrawal.

That''s what a refinement is. A total flip-flop is more like McCain calling for troops to stay for 100 years then saying he''ll withdraw troops in 2013.

Given the fact that 2013 would be after he had to face voters for the last time(even if he seeks a 2nd term), what would prevent him from reneging on that promise? Why should it take until 2013 and why is that not a timetable that will let the enemy know when we''re leaving?

McCain is the one selling the public a bill of goods on Iraq.; Reply to this comment


by greenfun July 4, 2008 2:39 PM EDT: Dang.
Any Obama supporters feeling a little disillusioned?
Duped?
Hoodwinked?
Bamboozled?
Getting tired of all the triple back flip/flops?
What happened to the candidate of Hope and Change?
I guess he got the change part down anyway.; Reply to this comment


by memekiller July 4, 2008 2:15 PM EDT: As JMM said, McCain is banking on the bulk of the political press being incorrigible morons. The point is to get these last two headlines, of course. You must report what they said, no matter how baseless, or stupid you have to pretend to be because sentience is bias.

Yours is better than most, in that you play neutral in the "Earth is flat" debate, pitting one side against the other, or rather, simply focusing on McCain''s false charges with a quick response from the Obama campaign tagged on the end, rather than just printing the McCain oppo research.

But you''re still playing dumb. You know Obama''s position hasn''t changed. I know it. And the Republicans know it. But they also know you''re cowed enough to pretend you''re oblivious to the obvious because they''ll scream if you don''t dance on cue. So dance, you do...; Reply to this comment