McCain: Obama "Choosing Failure" In Iraq War

By: John Bentley
Topics: John McCain

(CBS)

From CBS News' John Bentley

(DENVER) – In some of his harshest words yet about Barack Obama, John McCain railed against his Democratic opponent today, accusing him of trying to cut off funding for the troops and "choosing failure" in the Iraq war.

"Fortunately, Sen. Obama failed, not our military. We rejected the audacity of hopelessness, and we were right. Violence in Iraq fell to such low levels for such a long time that Senator Obama, detecting the success he never believed possible, falsely claimed that he had always predicted it," McCain said.

"Sen. Obama said this week that even knowing what he knows today that he still would have opposed the surge. In retrospect, given the opportunity to choose between failure and success, he chooses failure. I cannot conceive of a Commander in Chief making that choice."

The Obama campaign said McCain's "false accusations" would not add to the debate over the Iraq war.

"Barack Obama and John McCain may differ over our strategy in Iraq, but they are united in their support for our brave troops and their desire to protect this nation," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "Sen. McCain's constant suggestion otherwise is not worthy of the campaign he claimed he would run or the magnitude of the challenges this nation faces."

McCain made the comments at the American GI Forum National Convention, which is a Mexican-American veterans and civil rights organization. Veterans care has been an issue that has come up numerous times at recent town halls McCain has held, and he reaffirmed his commitment to getting soldiers appropriate treatment.

"In addition to strengthening the VA, we should give veterans the option to use a simple plastic card to receive timely and accessible care at a convenient location through a provider of their choosing," McCain said.

"I will not stand for requiring veterans to make an appointment to stand in line to make an appointment to stand in line for substandard care of the injuries you have suffered to keep our country safe. Whatever our commitments to veterans cost, we will keep them, as you have kept every commitment to us."

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by chuckamok July 26, 2008 12:33 AM EDT: Stop the presses - John Edwards has a MISTRESS (Rielle Hunter - Rielle?) and a - gulp - LOVE CHILD !!

Obama''s short list just got shorter.

Oh ... the humanity.; Reply to this comment


by chuckamok July 26, 2008 12:23 AM EDT: "f the withdrawal had begun when Democrats wnated it to we would already be out and the Iraqis would''''ve been forced ..."

But al qaeda and the deadenders would still have been entrenched (as well as the Sardists)and the whole place would have imploded. Without the benefit of the surge.

Slimy *** Morris is on now, and he sez that the election will come down to what''s happening in the world on election day (will Israel have bombed Iran by then, etc.).

I think he''s right. All the posturing now will have faded, and the American voter (not know for elephantine memories?) will grab onto the "safe" vote (McCain, sorry to say) if it looks like every thing''s going down the crapper, or Obama, if, through absolutely no effort on his part, things are going swimmingly in the Mid East.

In other words, if the Bush admin is successful in righting the Mid East morass by November, Obama will win.

I love irony.

;); Reply to this comment


by realpatriot1 July 26, 2008 12:10 AM EDT: Chuckamok,

The democratic position was and still is to begin withdrawal now.

Democrats are smart enough to know that the actual withdrawal can''t be implemented overnight. If the withdrawal had begun when Democrats wnated it to we would already be out and the Iraqis would''ve been forced into the political compromises they are now making precisely because they know we''re going to be leaving and they have to step up to the plate. They have no other choice now.; Reply to this comment


by realpatriot1 July 26, 2008 12:09 AM EDT: Chuckamok,

The democratic position was and still is to begin withdrawal now.

Democrats are smart enough to know that the actual withdrawal can''t be implemented overnight. If the withdrawal had begun when Democrats wnated it to we would already be out and the Iraqis would''ve been forced into the political compromises they are now making precisely because they know we''re going to be leaving and they have to step up to the plate. They have no other choice now.; Reply to this comment


by realpatriot1 July 26, 2008 12:09 AM EDT: Chuckamok,

The democratic position was and still is to begin withdrawal now.

Democrats are smart enough to know that the actual withdrawal can''t be implemented overnight. If the withdrawal had begun when Democrats wnated it to we would already be out and the Iraqis would''ve been forced into the political compromises they are now making precisely because they know we''re going to be leaving and they have to step up to the plate. They have no other choice now.; Reply to this comment


by realpatriot1 July 26, 2008 12:09 AM EDT: Chuckamok,

The democratic position was and still is to begin withdrawal now.

Democrats are smart enough to know that the actual withdrawal can''t be implemented overnight. If the withdrawal had begun when Democrats wnated it to we would already be out and the Iraqis would''ve been forced into the political compromises they are now making precisely because they know we''re going to be leaving and they have to step up to the plate. They have no other choice now.; Reply to this comment


by realpatriot1 July 26, 2008 12:09 AM EDT: Chuckamok,

The democratic position was and still is to begin withdrawal now.

Democrats are smart enough to know that the actual withdrawal can''t be implemented overnight. If the withdrawal had begun when Democrats wnated it to we would already be out and the Iraqis would''ve been forced into the political compromises they are now making precisely because they know we''re going to be leaving and they have to step up to the plate. They have no other choice now.; Reply to this comment


by chuckamok July 26, 2008 12:01 AM EDT: Mea culpa, for the double post.; Reply to this comment


by chuckamok July 26, 2008 12:00 AM EDT: Both parties have managed to lower themselves to "beneath contempt."

Bush has been a disaster. McCain and Obama both come from Congress, where decision making can be fobbed off onto groupthink, and no member is REALLY responsible for anything, except getting reelected by the sheeple.

I''m underwhelmed by the choices (Romney was the best choice out of a suspect lot.)

But I''m following the Iraq situation because of its interesting dynamic.

After one face plant after another, our military has finally got a grip on the situation. The surge IS working, and Iraqis HAVE turned on al qaeda and the deadenders.

And ironically, a timetable for withdrawal will focus the minds of the Iraqis wonderfully (as deadlines always do.)

This irony is farcically evident in that Obama''s "threat" of withdrawal now looks, ah, logical, given that the war IS being one, and I have no doubt the situation have improved further by November.

Obama is lucky in this regard. And he''s helped along by McCain''s failure to elicit anything but yawns from the populace.

The election will come down to, when folks are actually facing the ballot in the booth - is Obama too green, or too black, to get their votes?; Reply to this comment


by chuckamok July 25, 2008 11:59 PM EDT: Both parties have managed to lower themselves to "beneath contempt."

Bush has been a disaster. McCain and Obama both come from Congress, where decision making can be fobbed off onto groupthink, and no member is REALLY responsible for anything, except getting reelected by the sheeple.

I''m underwhelmed by the choices (Romney was the best choice out of a suspect lot.)

But I''m following the Iraq situation because of its interesting dynamic.

After one face plant after another, our military has finally got a grip on the situation. The surge IS working, and Iraqis HAVE turned on al qaeda and the deadenders.

And ironically, a timetable for withdrawal will focus the minds of the Iraqis wonderfully (as deadlines always do.)

This irony is farcically evident in that Obama''s "threat" of withdrawal now looks, ah, logical, given that the war IS being one, and I have no doubt the situation have improved further by November.

Obama is lucky in this regard. And he''s helped along by McCain''s failure to elicit anything but yawns from the populace.

The election will come down to, when folks are actually facing the ballot in the booth - is Obama too green, or too black, to get their votes?; Reply to this comment