McCain Lashes Out At "100 Years" Ads

Says Democratic And Independent Ads About Iraq War Remark Are A "Direct Falsification"

(AP)  Republican John McCain defended himself Friday against television ads that accuse him of advocating a 100-year war in Iraq.

The ads tie McCain to President Bush and cite McCain's comments that there could be an American military presence in Iraq for 100 years. They are being run by the Democratic National Committee and the liberal group MoveOn.org.

"One hundred years in Iraq? And you thought no one could be worse than George Bush," an announcer says in the most recent ad, run by MoveOn.org.

McCain brought up the commercials at a town hall meeting Friday in Denver, saying they are lies. He doesn't deny saying "100 years" in connection with U.S. military operations in Iraq, but says he was clearly referring to a possible peacekeeping force - not a centurylong war, as critics imply.

"You have seen an ad campaign that is mounted against me that says I wanted to stay and fight in Iraq and fight for 100 years," McCain told about 300 people at the Robert E. Loup Jewish Community Center.

"My friends, it's a direct falsification, and I'm sorry that political campaigns have to deteriorate in this fashion," McCain said. "Because there's legitimate differences between myself and Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on what we should do in Iraq."

The Democratic presidential candidates want to set a date for withdrawal from Iraq, which McCain argues would lead to chaos and genocide in the Middle East.

"After we win the war in Iraq, and we are succeeding - and it's long and hard and tough, with enormous sacrifices - then I'm talking about a security arrangement that may or may not be the same kind of thing we had with Korea after the Korean war was over," he said.

He described how, at the time, the U.S. entered into a security agreement with South Korea, and the U.S. troop presence there served as a buffer and as a deterrent from further North Korean aggression.

"So it's too bad that they're deliberately falsifying, when there are legitimate differences," he said.

The other ad, run by the Democratic National Committee, says President Bush has talked about staying in Iraq for 50 years, then plays a clip of McCain saying, "Maybe 100. That'd be fine with me."

The announcer then says: "If all he offers is more of the same, is John McCain the right choice for America's future?"

At issue is McCain's answer, in January, to a question about Mr. Bush's theory that troops could be in Iraq for 50 years.

McCain said: "Maybe 100. As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, that'd be fine with me, and 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."

Also Friday, McCain's campaign began running a health care ad in the presidential battleground state of Ohio. The campaign ran a similar spot this week in Iowa, another general election battleground.

[trishab4]

He doesn''t deny saying "100 years" in connection with U.S. military operations in Iraq, but says he was clearly referring to a possible peacekeeping force - not a centurylong war, as critics imply.


-McCane, what if you had to stay longer in Iraq? I know but htat time you and me we''d be dead long time ago! McCane, you are not only Senile, but like GWBush, a LIAR. You are a warmonger, and yet a LIAR.

But hey why would he care?

[vrnnjoseph]

How much does the 100 years of peace keeping cost? What makes McCain think the Iraqs will be peacefull during the oil removal without benefits to the Irags? He really should exaime what happened in the 1920s!

[samthetvcat]

"My friends, it''s a direct falsification, and I''m sorry that political campaigns have to deteriorate in this fashion," McCain said.

ITA trishab4 - nobody thinks he''s got reason to feel outraged except that 29% who think the war in Iraq is going well (ie Halliburton employees, Blackwater, Cheney (''so?''), Bush, Rove, etc) . . . the rest of us basically think it''s an accurate indication of his war policy ideology because nobody believes we can be there 100 years without continued casualties at the current rates.

Unless that ''clarification'' of McLiar includes the condition that if there DO continue to be casualties at current rates he would therefore leave sometime sooner than 100 years, the 100 years criticisms and ads are ABSOLUTELY fair. Which also means that his moral outrage once again makes him look like an amoral lying phony - not a good place to be when you keep company with liars like Bush, Cheney, Rove, etc. Either he names his exit date or he''s painting himself not only a warmonger but an aggressively lying phony everytime he complains about his own words. And we all know part of his plan is to not name an exit date. Hence, McCain is painting himself to be an aggressively lying phony.

And the GOP wonder why Barack''s numbers aren''t worse due to REv. Wright - look at his competition . . .

[samthetvcat]

PS Oh and the ''my friends'' like everybody knows he copied off of Reagan, only he lacks the warmth to pull it off . . . McLiar''s got nowhere to go but down once the general kicks in . . .

Dems 08!

[realpatriot1]

You said it, so stop your whining and start explaining the policy!

How can we stay in Iraq without armed conflict? There weren''t any War Lords or armed Militias in Japan at the end of WW2 Mr. foreign policy expert! That''s because we didn''t disband the Japanese Army before we could conviscate their weapons. We didn''t have 160,000 troops occupying their cities.

The Militais and their allies in the government are siphoning off all the oil profits meant to pay for reconstruction while we pay for it at the pump.

The Iraqis have healthcare coverage at our taxpayer''s expense while Americans go without.

We''re being suckered in order to hide the failure of our policy. Stop trying to save face and do what Ronald Reagan did in Lebanon, cut your losses.

If you choose to not do the right thing then stop whining about being called on it!

[gangesdak]

McCain asked for it. He not only whole heartedly supported Iraq war, he "improved" on it by himself speaking about 100 year war. Now he is angry!

[samthetvcat]

realpatriot1, great details - I''d heard stuff about those differences, but didn''t know enough about it . . . yeah, those are so key!

[tylenol6]

McWar, McWar, McWar!!!!!!! What in the world are we going to do with you?????? His comment of "100 years
in Iraq" video is plastered all over the internet for anyone to see and it sure did get around. Wait until everyone finds out McWar''S nickname is "SONGBIRD" and
everone finds out he is NOT a hero as he claims. McWar
gave the enemy intelligence information so he wouldn''t
be tortured and even had his own private prostitute
over there. Don''t believe me??? Research it yourself.
McCain is a PHONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[smiley676]

Obviously his comment was about having a presence in Iraq, not fighting a war in Iraq. We have a presence in a number of nations, why should Iraq be any different?

For those of you who say there is no way for troops to be there without getting killed, I must assume that you see Iraq as a ruthless country that will never be civil. How sad for you.

[smiley676]

even had his own private prostitute
over there. Don''''t believe me??? Research it yourself.
McCain is a PHONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by tylenol6

You do some research before you post blatant falsehoods that you found on some Enquirer type website.

[realpatriot1]

I don''t care who McCain screws, so long as it''s not the country!

[mudrose-2009]

John, you''ve got to get over the fact that you are a fair sorta guy. The lefties are not for fairness, they will lie like Al Bore did in 2000, and distort and cheat at every turn to try to wrestle the Presidency away from you. Time to take off the gloves, John.

[walt1944-2009]

"Bagdad John McBush" McCain has finally decided to defend himself regarding the statement he made some months back regarding staying in Iraq for 100 years.

Naturally, it took an ad from the evil DNC and the wicked Move On.org to motivate McCain to defend himself.

Stating the familiar neocon Fascist Nazi refrain of "that may have been what I said, but it''s not what I meant!", McCain "clarified" his remark to mean a "peace-keeping force" in Iraq, "when the struggle there is over." There was no indication from McCain as to when that "struggle" MIGHT be over except that it will be a hard, long one with a lot of "sacrifice"!

Didn''t they say the same thing about an earlier "struggle" named Viet Nam???

And, concerning "peace-keepers", I thought they were already in Iraq?

SIG HEIL, BUSH!!!!
sig heil, more of the same, McCain!!!

[tonyd_31]

mudrose, tell John no need to worry. He will not have to address it anymore after 1-20-09 since he will be back in the senate. I can''t wait to read the postings then as I watch for you to write President Obama or President Clinton. I bet the words will burn in your mouth worse than it does when we say President Bush. Didn''t hear from you yesterday regarding the 5-year anniversary of "Mission Accomplished" :)

[truthspeake2]

LOL...it really doesn''t matter because McSame is, and will, be the top dog among Republicans and is slightly better than the current "decider". (at least in their eyes anyway)

[jsilver2th]

Can''t remember what he said huh?

Say Cindy on Leno say he wasn''t the greatest driver and she had to do all the driving--

Wow-

[johnstossel]

He said it. Maybe it was a Freudian slip. He needs to monitor what he says when he''s in bed with his wife. Maybe he will call out the name of the DC madam while he''s humpin'' the old lady!!!

[downtowner97]

McCain is assuming, of course, that the Iraqis will learn to accept our presence, and that Americans will one day be able to walk freely among the Iraqis as Americans do in South Korea. There''s one fundamental difference: We were in South Korea to help defend the people there, and were welcomed. In this case, we are invaders and occupyers. It is unbelievably ignorant to assume that Iraqis will just decide one day that they want us there.

[mudrose-2009]

John, you''''ve got to get over the fact that you are a fair sorta guy. The lefties are not for fairness, they will lie like Al Bore did in 2000, and distort and cheat at every turn to try to wrestle the Presidency away from you. Time to take off the gloves, John.

[kenbomc]

McSame is full of it. That is exactly what he meant -''what ever it takes''. It took him this long to say he was referring to a peace keeping force? That is complete bs. Bush is so proud of his little protege.

[realpatriot1]

Dear John,

It''s time for some straight talk. A peacekeeping force in the middle of a sectarian civil war is a combat force.

The ads feature your own words, so maybe you''re correct when you say they''re filled with lies.

If you honestly believe that we can continue to occupy Iraq, or that the Iraqi Army & Police will ever take over the fighting of their own comrades so long as we are there to do it for them, you aren''t the foreign policy expert you claim to be.

[fibonacci_]

HA HA HA HA HA.

[memekiller]

McCain said, on many, many occasions, he didn''t mind if we stayed in Iraq 100, 1,000, 1,000,000 years. So I imagine he wants to claim anyone who runs the video tape of any of these quotes is deliberately distorting wha the said, when what he really said is worse - he doesn''t mind staying a millenium AFTER we win. How long will that take? As long as it takes, even if it takes 100 years.

No wonder the GOP wants to claim McCain didn''t actually say what he believes. No wonder the MSM won''t ask McCain how long he IS willing to stay in Iraq if soldiers are dying. No wonder you didn''t quote a single Democrat in this entire article. Because McCain''s words, and his intentions, are so undeniable, it''s the only way you can keep up this facade.

[roger_inkart]

Ok, they should pull this ad. Then start a new one where he sing/jokes about bombing Iran.

Naturally, he''ll say it was taken out of context.

Right now the righties are loving the Obama/Clinton battle. But when one is chosen, they are going to be able to beat McSame to death with his insane devotion to the failed Iraq policies of the Bush administration.

[my5200-2009]

Let''s see $700 billion a year for 100 years equals ridiculous

[dvsden]

Sorry, McSame. The left is just using the same tacticts the right did the last decade. Where was your indignation in 2004? Remember the Swift Boat ads? Remember "I voted before it before I voted against it". All taken out of context, too. Didn''t matter one bit with the average Joe.

[notblue]

Leftwing in America=screaming, complaining, critisizing, purposeful ignorance of message and facts. This article and the required effort to further explain the truth behind the statement is proof!

[incog-nito]

Even if there are no casualty, which is highly doubtful, why does McCain want the U.S. to stay there 100 years? What would an essential permanent American military presence be for, if not for the oil?

[notopennshut]

How can you trust McCain? I heard the "100 years" with my own ears!! So what if he now says that he did not mean to be in a war? There can be no peace if the factions keep on fighting and we remain as an occupier. There will be no peace in Iraq until the US leaves completely, and leave it to the Iraqis to figure out for themselves what they really want; and they could fight each other for another 100 or more years. But why should we pay another penny for this war? Why should we allow the blood of 1 more American to be shed for an unjust cause?? McCAin, you must NEVER be president, because we can see the grief and destruction you will bring to our beloved country. Sure, we have and should have peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan. The legitimate government has requested and wants us there. There is no legitimate government in Iraq and we went there as occupiers, so there is a big difference. No McCain, now or ever for president - NEVER IN A 100 YEARS!!!

[roger_inkart]

This article and the required effort to further explain the truth behind the statement is proof!

Posted by notblue at 04:40 PM : May 02, 2008

...only to extreme rightwing lunatics who only see what they want to - like yourself.

[soldat44]

John, you''''''''''''''''ve got to get over the fact that you are a fair sorta guy. The lefties are not for fairness, they will lie like Al Bore did in 2000, and distort and cheat at every turn to try to wrestle the Presidency away from you. Time to take off the gloves, John.

Posted by mudrose
---------------------------
Ye
ah, John, take those gloves off. But did you or did you not say you don''''t mind if U.S. troops are in Iraq for 100 years?

Posted by avoice at 04:45 PM : May 02, 2008

And just how long do you think that we will have a presence in Europe? Or Japan? Or the Philippines(over 100 years already)?

It''s are very presence in Europe and Japan that kept the Commies at bay.

Do the research and some clear thinking.

[rf35]

So he wants to make Iraq another Korea? Great idea! Korea is completely dissimilar to Iraq. Maintaining a military presence there will be much more expensive in money and American lives than Korea is. Heck, the Koreans are, for the most part, happy to have us. Not so in Iraq. I could go on for pages, but suffice to say there is no comparison between Iraq and Korea. Keep tapdancing McSame. If you stay in Iraq for 100 years, you will have 100 years of open warfare.

[soldat44]

Some(most) of you really need to pick up a history book and READ IT. We have been occupying countries for 150 years for the very same reasons we are occupying Iraq. Remove a dictator who was a threat to our national security, dismantle the government, re-write their constitution, hold elections and maintain a military presence. Sound familiar?

Now get to the library.

[incog-nito]

BagdadsHere: Then it IS about oil. Believe it or not I can understand the economic aspect of war/occupation. But I suppose it''s not politically palatable for this administration to sell it as such.

[tonyd_31]

BagdadsHere, YOU ARE A MORON! Do us a favor and stop giving us your reasons. They are idiotic. We were in Europe because that was the front in the event the Cold War escalated into a traditional war - nothing to do with our economy you fool! Notblue, I won''t even comment about your retarded butt!

[ramos937]

"After we win the war in Iraq, and we are succeeding - and it''s long and hard and tough, with enormous sacrifices - then I''m talking about a security arrangement that may or may not be the same kind of thing we had with Korea after the Korean war was over," he said.
-----------------------------------
As long as we are in Iraq, there will be terrible violence the the people will suffer. McCain refuses to acknowledge that we are part of the problem and not part of the solution. We cannot be defeated militarily but we cannot win neither. We do not really know who the bad guys are or if there are any really bad guys. Do we really know what we are doing in Iraq? I do not think McCain does.

[cdnblaze-2009]

You Americans should cut back on a few cruise missles and invest some into education, imagine a portion of your population being brainwashed by oreilly, coulter, hannity and the rest of the lunatics, scary and pathetic. Iraq is a perfect place for them to shoot their mouths off.

[lucasnico]

100 years of peacekeeping...........100 years of war..... bottom line is this guy will do NOTHING to fix education, energy or health care....... more of the same ***.

[kesac4650]

McCain never said he wanted the US to stay in Iraq 100 years. The fact that some people might believe that to be true, is solely because some of the media has taken a remark he did make and used it in an attempt to intentionally decieve their readership.
Some Liberal pubs seem to have a real contempt for their subscribers, and will tell them anything.

[j-whitman]

soldat44,,,, Germany & Korea isn''t Iraq,,,,, Those where our wars ,,,, This one''s Iraqi''s & they are even more angered by our continuing presence

[tonyd_31]

Still there Bag-gayhard. I just left there not long ago. Have you ever had your simple butt out of the US?

[ixoye_02]

So McCain says we are winning the war in Iraq. The problem is, where is the evidence? Would McCain say that we have a hold on Afghanistan too? Lying about the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan, McCain has become a Bush apologist. And with a McCain presidency, America will get more of the same *** as Bush is heaving upon America.

[j-whitman]

kesac4650,,,, No, McCain said he didn''t care if we where their 100 years

[terrapin78]

Crocodile tears from someone who advocates being there for 100 years. He has said it more than once. Give me a break!

So if you don''t like your words being used against. you should shut the fuque up. Or speak concisely so the words cannot be used "out of context".

Otherwise, live with what you said. And you will. This will be brought up so often we will all be able to quote the statement word for word by the end of the election.

[terrapin78]

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

"I don''t care if we are in Iraq for a 100 years" said McCain.

[consciousnes]

People who think beyond their nose, their next plate of food or their next tank of gas would realize that the DNC is doing nothing but trying to change the focus from the inabilities of its candidates to understand and deal with international politics. Clinton%u2019s past strewn with unexplained incidents and Obama%u2019s extremely limited past can%u2019t be shown in a positive light so they try to cast a shadow on someone else. Let%u2019s see, who was in power when we settled on being a peace keeper in Korea?
Don%u2019t get me wrong, I don%u2019t trust even one politician on capital hill. But, would you rather have a battle hardened soldier leading you into battle or someone that can%u2019t hold their own in a debate so they keep their mouth shut hoping the other guy makes a mistake, or someone who is there because he can carry a lot of ethnic votes but has no experience on the international scene?

[rf35]

Posted by soldat44 at 04:57 PM : May 02, 2008

By your logic we should have invaded Cuba, not Iraq. There are no commies in Iraq. Read a book yourself! We''re drawing down in Europe, in case you hadn''t noticed. Our air base in the Philippines has been gone for a while now. The only reason we''re not massively downsizing in Japan is because it makes a convenient staging area for the Middle East. Looking at other occupations does not justify continued presence in Iraq. They need to have their civil war and then pick up the pieces themselves. Iraq is not important enough to continue an indefinite %u201Coccupation.%u201D Technically, considering the level of combat still going on, I don%u2019t think it can yet be called an %u201Coccupation.%u201D

[consciousnes]

Terrapin78
Learn how to use your own mind.

[scottyusa]

In all honesty folks if a candidate farts in church he/she will be persecuted for it throughout the whole campaign. A slip of the tongue or off the cuff remark could throw one out. Using this 100 year statement, and it is out of context of course, is the dumbest thing the DNC has done to date. We want to discuss issues not BS. McCain is guilty only of not using a silly enough number. Realistically we probably will be there for quite a while and if a small presence will ensure peace and keep Iraq as a good ally where is the problem?

[lojackubc]

How can McCain call the ads a lie when they use his own words? The ads never said that he wanted the war to continue for 100 years. They just quoted his own exact words. If he has an explanation for what he meant, what role the forces would have. that''s fine. But what exactly was dishonest about the ads? They said exactly what he had said - that McCain is okay with American forces being in Iraq for 100 years. He apparently doesn''t want people to hear his own words. Instead of blaming others, McCain needs to be a man and accept responsibilty for his own words. If he wants to explain them, then go ahead and explain them. But quit calling people liars when they did not lie.