WASHINGTON, June 28, 2008
McCain, Iraqi President Meet In D.C.
Citing Progress, Both Support Security Agreement To Keep U.S. Troops In Iraq
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Photo
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., hugs Iraq President Jalal Talabani at the conclusion of their meeting in Washington, Saturday, June 28, 2008. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
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The GOP presidential nominee-in-waiting expressed confidence about prospects for the two countries completing a complex agreement that would keep U.S. troops in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires at year-end. And, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said an American military presence still was needed.
"I, of, course am encouraged. We both agree that the progress has been significant but the progress is also fragile. And there's a lot of work that needs to be done," McCain said at the end of a private meeting with Talabani.
Sitting next to the Arizona senator at a Washington hotel, Talabani nodded in agreement and said it was a pleasure and an honor to update an "old friend" about "this stage of success" in Iraq.
U.S. and Iraqi authorities are trying to meet a July target date for completing a security agreement. Talks bogged down over several key issues, which Iraqi lawmakers said violated the nation's sovereignty. Recently, however, Iraqi authorities said prospects for a deal had brightened after the Americans submitted new, unspecified proposals.
Talabani discussed the issue with President Bush on Wednesday.
McCain emphasized that the two countries will decide the role of U.S. forces together.
"I am confident that the two nations, as sovereign nations, will reach agreement in the best interests of the United States of America and the best interests of Iraq," McCain said.
"We are winning in Iraq, and we will withdrawal, but we will withdrawal in victory and in honor," McCain said.
Talabani, for his part, said his country has achieved "good successes and achievements" in training the Iraqi army and policy force.
But, he said: "We are still in need to have American military presence in Iraq, and it must be decided by both governments of the United States and Iraq how much they will remain there."
Talabani added: "In my personal opinion, we are in need to have some, at least some, military bases as a symbol for preventing" other countries from "interfering."
McCain has been a strong backer of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, saying that the United States is winning the battle against insurgents and shouldn't pull out now. His Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, opposes the war and has said as president he would begin to bring U.S. troops home.
(AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
The protesters, some holding signs, were escorted out of the auditorium.
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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CNN.Com carries an article, this morning, where the pentagon is preparing to send 30,000 additional troops to Iraq in early 2009. Somebody must have gotten to McCain. If the surge was working; if the Iraq troops were performing as advertised and if violence is down, why do we need 30,000 more troops in Iraq. More disturbing - Why is not McCain asking these questions?
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Because McCain gave up his analytical and reasoning skills a long time ago. Now he can only "think" what someone else tells him to think.
Not only did John McCain miss the vote on Webb''s GI bill, he actively opposed it as OVERLY GENEROUS.
And he has the nerve to say this: I''m happy to tell you that we probably agreed to an increase in educational benefits for our veterans that not only gives them increase in their educational benefits, but if they stay in for a certain period of time than they can transfer those educational benefits to their spouses and or children.
WE, he says. He OPPOSED it, he didn''t bother to vote on it, but he has the nerve to include himself in on its passage. Senile or liar, take your pick.
Meanwhile, our Decider-in-Chief will merrily waltz back to Texas in seven months to a life of prosperity and luxury, never realizing the pain and suffering he has inflicted on so many parts of the world.
The 20th century suffered under the likes of Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
The 21st century continues to reel under George "AWOL" Bush.
GIVE ME PALLETS OF MONEY WITH NO RESTRICTIONS!
YOU CAN PROFIT OFF ALL THE JET FUEL WE CAN SELL YOUR AIR FORCE!
AMERICA IS TIRED OF THE REPIGS AND THEIR NEOCONS!
The thought of 4 more years of Bush type governing is like a nightmare. If McCain gets elected then whatever happens those that voted for a continuation of the Bush era truly deserve whatever downturns face the Nation in the future.
Isn''t time for a Depends change or is that after nap time?
Posted by nanc12 at 02:06 PM : Jun 28, 2008
He''s both.
patience for what? We invaded without a plan for occupation. We were lied to. There was no WMD. The government is a sham. The Army & Police are corrupt and don''t want to take up the fight becuase they''ve been infiltrated by the militias and insurgency.
What should we be patient for?
But now that we''re waist deep in waste, we need to get out in a responsible manner.
To that end, Obama has promised a complete withdrawal of combat troops within either thirteen or eighteen months. With that campaign promise in mind, you would think Obama might meet with the Iraqi President.
But no, no, no . . . Obama is nowhere to be found. Which leaves McCain to deal with the issues.
Wake the Hell up America!!! Obama is an empty-suit, fraud who will say absolutely anything to get elected. Just look who his new best friend is: Bill Clinton. Need I write more???
Talabani: "You still pay same amount like Monkeyman"??
Pappy: "Why of course, you little sumbichh".....
Talibani: "I Pledge my Eternal Loyalty, Great Olden One"......
Pappy: "You tell those other Camel Jockeys that they better tow the line, or I''ll Bomb their azzes back to the Stone Age"......
Talibani: "Yes, Oh Great Decrepit One"....."But your predecessor has already done that"......
Pappy: "Well, It''ll be even worse when I''m done with your Sandy Azz".....
Talibani: "I can''t imagine worse than this, Oh Great Wrinkled One".......
You got educated from stuff you found in cracker-jack boxes, didn''t you.
Keep spewing your ignorant tirades, jerkwad, we love seeing Liberals constantly proving that they are brainwashed little dumbarses.
You got educated from stuff you found in cracker-jack boxes, didn''''t you.
Keep spewing your ignorant tirades, jerkwad, we love seeing Liberals constantly proving that they are brainwashed little dumbarses.
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Posted by DemWatcher at 06:18 PM : Jun 28, 2008
+ report abuse
It''s Hilaaaaaaaaarious listening to you little Neocon Jizzz Lappers spout your inane verbal "insults"....
Do some more,......wew love to support the mentally challenged here at CBS.......LMMFAO......dumbazz....
Talabani: "You still pay same amount like Monkeyman"??
Pappy: "Why of course, you little sumbichh".....
Talibani: "I Pledge my Eternal Loyalty, Great Olden One"......
Pappy: "You tell those other Camel Jockeys that they better tow the line, or I''''ll Bomb their azzes back to the Stone Age"......
Talibani: "Yes, Oh Great Decrepit One"....."But your predecessor has already done that"......
Pappy: "Well, It''''ll be even worse when I''''m done with your Sandy Azz".....
Talibani: "I can''''t imagine worse than this, Oh Great Wrinkled One".......
Posted by vnveteran72
Keep it up. Laugh out loud stuff.
I generally like John McCain, but I will not vote for him because he is on the wrong side of too many of the really important issues - especially with respect to the Iraq War.
Senator McCain has been very critical of President Bush%u2019s conduct of the Iraq War for the past four years. However, McCain was one of the principal advocates for the war in the first place. In 2002, McCain said "I believe that success will be fairly easy, and we are not going to get into house-to-house fighting%u2026We may have to take out buildings, but we are not going to have a blood-letting or trading American bodies for Iraqi bodies.%u201D
As a leading Republican Senator, John McCain could have impeded the Iraq war. Instead, John McCain and George Bush started an unnecessary war that caused the deaths of more than 4,000 American soldiers (including my cousin Mark) and wasted more than $1 Trillion.
For some perspective, $1 Trillion could pay for the installation of complete solar heating systems for 50 million American homes.
Now John McCain wants you to hire him to fix it. I don''t think so.
Taliban got his tongue in McBush ear and McBush fetchin out his chub!
Great work, guys.
Course, this kinda thing in the ovary office got Cliton inpeached.
Was Clinton trying to get it on with a man or woman in that deal? Its been SO LONG ago.
The last eight years seem like an eternity.
When my progeny finish paying off this national debt WILL BE AN ETERNITY!
That would be withdraw (verb) not withdrawal (noun), the difference between a verb and a noun is that a verb denotes movement or action. McCain is not intending to do either with Iraq.
And in other news....McCain does not even know how to use a computer and yet expects to lead us into the future.
CHA-CHING, CHA-CHING! RACK HIM !
Posted by sandy19731 at 09:24 PM : Jun 28, 2008
a WWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT????????
It''s true.
Read it yourself
It''''s true.
Posted by sandy19731
................................................
How weird. Aren''t you supposed to eat them or make Muffins out of them?
Posted by guadalcanal3
.... ............................
If he''s a lib thin it''s a loser and UR wasting UR time on a know it all who can''t learn new things without a lot of hate and discontent going on.
But now that we''re waist deep in waste, we need to get out in a responsible manner.
To that end, Obama has promised a complete withdrawal of combat troops within either thirteen or eighteen months. With that campaign promise in mind, you would think Obama might meet with the Iraqi President.
But no, no, no . . . Obama is nowhere to be found. Which leaves McCain to deal with the issues.
Wake the Hell up America!!! What do we really know about Obama? Well, of course, other than the fact that he''s an empty-suit, fraud who will say anything to get elected. Just look his new best friend: Bill Clinton. Need I write more???
Has Bu$h declared martial law?
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080626-4.html
Isn''t this the same guy who said like, last august, if I remember correctly, that the US could "leave anytime it wants"?
McSame, without doubt, is going to continue the disastrous "Bush doctrine" of corruption, illegal war, and the destruction of the US economy.
Continuing an illegal and immoral war against the wishes of the people of both countries is almost as "go it alone Bush cowboy" as it gets, except that in light of the sight of these two embracing, a more apt comparison might be "Brokeback Mountain Bush cowboys"...
You assume that the Iraqi PM wants also to stop the US gravy train. He is meeting with the person most likely to keep sending trillions of our dollars over there to be "lost", not the one who says that it needs to be stopped.
You assume that the Iraqi PM wants also to stop the US gravy train. He is meeting with the person most likely to keep sending trillions of our dollars over there to be "lost", not the one who says that it needs to be stopped.
Wow that is some nasty stuff the Iraqi PM has to do to keep the money flowing.
Posted by GreatDriveW
********
You assume that the Iraqi PM wants also to stop the US gravy train. He is meeting with the person most likely to keep sending trillions of our dollars over there to be "lost", not the one who says that it needs to be stopped.
Posted by brianbwb
*****
Dear brianbwb,
If Iraq is a "US gravy train," then that''s one miserable train on which I and many others will never willingly book passage.
That aside, my point still stands: Unless Obama is ready to break his multiple promises to withdraw all combat troops in either thirteen or eighteen, then us low brows might just think it''s important that Obama at least meet with the Iraqi Prez.
Unless of course Obama intends to break his promise on Iraq too?!?!?!
A person is no better than their word, and as Obama has proven, his word is ***.
I used "gravy train" as a short summation of the fact that trillions of US dollars are disappearing into Iraq, and it is this money that is the "gravy" on which the Bushpuppet Iraqi PM, his corrupt cabinet, and the US war profiteers feed. He would not willingly meet to discuss how to stop this cash flow, rather how to continue it indefinitely.
Thus he has no wish to meet with Mr. Obama, besides, the meeting only occured because McSame is the Bush klan''s chosen successor, Bush ordered Talabani to go kiss McSame''s tumor. There is no way this meeting could take place without Bush''s complicity, and they don''t want a public meeting with Mr. Obama, he is, at this time, not willing to follow the Bush line.
You, by supporting this illegal and immoral war, have not only booked passage with your previous vote, but paid executive fare for an economy class seat, and with your upcoming vote for McSame, have asked the conductor to drive the train even faster toward the edge of the cliff.
And they aren''t even sharing the gravy with you.
Also it apparently escaped your notice that Talabani came to the US, to meet with whom he "chose" to meet with, if he feels a need to discuss anything with Mr. Obama, he should go to Mr. Obama, not the other way around, if he can visit McSame, surely he should request to visit with the man who at this time is leading at the polls.
As far as people''s word, McSame has basically laid out that he will follow the Bush doctrine of corruption, illegal war, and other actions detrimental to the interests of the American people. If he is, as you say a man of his word, then he assures the collapse of the US economy.
As I am an atheist, I would ask that you excuse the religious analogy, but I personally would rather aim toward heaven, struggling long and hard in the attempt with no real guarantee of arrival, than plunge willingly, headlong and rapidly into hell, arriving successfully.
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Talabani and his ilk have been claming progress for the last six years and they continue to do so. As the article so aptly puts it, Talabani met only with those who support the war and not with folks like Clinton, Obama, Powell, Peloski, Reid, etc. His schedule was all arranged by the administration.
Question thats McCain could have asked Talabani were this, "With all of the billions Iraq is getting from its oil sales, when are you going to start investing in Iraq itself so that the American taxpayer can cut back? When are you going to start reimbursing us?" McCain will not ask these questions.
Your post is an astute one, except for one point, since the Iraqis didn''t ask us to provide "occupation services" in their country, why should they be asked to pay for that which they did not ask to buy?
This idiot thinks that something that at the core was started from the deepest reaches of dishonor, lies, and corruption can somehow have an honorable ending.
Next time Talabani comes to suck on McSame''s jaw tumor, he might bear in mind that Bush''s orchestrated photo op is only showing more and more Americans that McSame is his new puppet.
In March of 2008 a Cambridge, MA. oil & Gas consulting firm issued a report to Congress. In that report the Congress was told that the laws of supply & demand no longer apply to oil. Demand is constant with only small fluctuations at any given time. Although world demand will increase their is plenty of supply. BIG OIL currently leases 90 million acres of oil & gas land & offshore sites 70 million are not in use. However, it is not in their economic interest as they have enough supply at this time. Big oil does not want to loose profit by increasing supply , after all selling oil products is their business. Additional offshore and Alaskan wilderness leases are not necessary, Big Oil just wants additional control of these areas for future marketing. The Saudi''s and Big Oil are very happy with the Bush & Cheney energy policy which eliminated Iraqi world oil market manipulation. Saddam kept prices down by selling cheap thus preventing the Saudi''s & Big Oil from getting the prices up. Bush & Cheney opened Pandora''s box & now things will never be the same.
Newsweek is set to publish a highly embarrassing report on Sen. John McCain, revealing that the McCains have failed to pay taxes on their beach-front condo in La Jolla, California, for the last four years and are currently in default, The Huffington Post has learned.
Under California law, once a residential property is in default for five years, it can be sold at a tax sale to recover the unpaid taxes for the taxpayers.
The McCains own at least seven homes through a variety of trusts and corporations controlled by Cindy McCain.
UPDATE: Newsweek''''s story is now online. The report notes that the McCains paid the bulk of their back taxes yesterday, but continue to owe additional taxes:
When you''''re poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you''''re rich, it''''s hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying. It''''s a lesson Cindy McCain learned the hard way when NEWSWEEK raised questions about an overdue property-tax bill on a La Jolla, Calif., property owned by a trust that she oversees. Mrs. McCain is a beer heiress with an estimated $100 million fortune and, along with her husband, she owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona. [...]
How "significant" can it be with no draw-down in troops which is the real measure of "progress".....
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