McCain, Obama Spar Over Iraq Policy

McCain Casts Obama As Focused More On Personal Ambition Than Victory As Obama Says Rival Following Flawed Bush Policies

(AP)  Republican John McCain portrayed Barack Obama as focused more on his own ambition than military success in Iraq, while his Democratic rival argued that McCain favors extending a war that is hurting Americans at home.

McCain mocked what he called Obama's varying positions on the so-called "surge" that sent an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq last year but that was unpopular with the American public. Obama opposed the strategy at the time and has suggested that he would pull U.S. combat troops out of Iraq within 16 months of taking office.

McCain has increasingly tried to portray the Illinois senator as an ambitious but empty celebrity, a man with a way with words but not the expertise or experience to back his rhetoric. The 71-year-old military veteran's Saturday comments echoed an earlier statement that raised eyebrows when he appeared to question Obama's patriotism, charging that he "would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign."

In his speech to the Disabled American Veterans convention Saturday, McCain said Obama had not only predicted the troop increase would not succeed but had taken steps to ensure its failure, saying Obama had tried to prevent needed funding for it.

"Not content to merely predict failure in Iraq, my opponent tried to legislate failure," McCain said.

Obama voted against one major military appropriations bill in May 2007, but otherwise has voted consistently for funding to support the war, even though he opposed the initial invasion.

The surge has been credited with helping stabilize Iraq and reduce violence there. Obama has argued that it has not brought about the political reconciliation between rival Sunni and Shia factions needed to create lasting peace in the country.

Obama has consistently criticized McCain for supporting the original Iraq invasion, which polls show many voters now consider a mistake. Obama, who has made Afghanistan a centerpiece of his anti-terrorism strategy, has said the protracted Iraq conflict has drawn needed resources away from Afghanistan where al-Qaeda and Taliban forces have shown a resurgence.

He also said Saturday while beginning a weeklong vacation in Hawaii that McCain's embrace of President George W. Bush's policies shortchanged Americans by favoring an extended war in Iraq at the expense of fixing underfunded schools and crumbling roads and bridges.

Obama used a national radio address to trumpet his campaign proposals to end U.S. dependence on foreign oil by investing in alternative energy and to conclude the war in Iraq responsibly "by asking the Iraqis to take responsibility for their future and to invest in their own country."

He pointed to a recent Government Accountability Office report that found the Iraqi government could end the year with a $79 billion budget surplus while spending only a fraction on reconstruction costs that are largely borne by the U.S.

"Sen. McCain talks about putting our country first, but he is running for a third term of the very same policies that have set our country back," he said.

Money spent in Iraq could have been used to help develop alternative energy and create jobs, he argued, "and begun to end the tyranny of oil in our time."

The two also weighed in on the fighting in the breakaway South Ossetia region, contested by Russia and Georgia. McCain said he had spoken with Georgia President Mikhail Saakashvili late Saturday and called Russia's military actions in the conflcit "totally, absolutely unacceptable."

"I would be very direct with (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin that these actions will have consequences long term, in terms of our relationship with Russia, and it is in violation of the norms of international conduct," he said in an interview with The Associated Press in Las Vegas.

Obama said he had talked with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Saakashvili to condemn Russia's recent actions. He said top diplomats from the U.S., the European Union and the United Nations should become directly involved in mediating the military conflict.

"A genuinely neutral mediator - not the Russian government - must begin a process of negotiations immediately," Obama said in a statement.

Also Saturday, Democrats met in Pittsburgh to debate the party's platform. On Iraq, the draft states that Democrats "expect to complete redeployment within 16 months." That reflects Obama's time frame, but with less certainty than he has expressed.

Party platforms are a statement of principles that are not binding on the candidates or the next president and they are typically given little attention after they are adopted.

The Democrats' platform also includes a guarantee to health care for all Americans, support of women's rights, energy rebates to struggling families, a crackdown on predatory lenders, higher taxes for families earning over $250,000, tax breaks for others, billions for economic stimulus and "direct high-level diplomacy, without preconditions," in the case of Iran.

[actornaught]

Isn''t the person with the most proven ties to Islam George Bush?
Posted by mrmazerati at 09:15 AM : Aug 11, 2008

As much as this observation should send the hypocrite ''cons reeling, the ultimate point is:

Why does it matter?

[actornaught]

usais11 is one of the most racist posters here, sweating about how bad it will be if "whites" lose control of this country. Nothing he poses is worth a moments thought. Pigs like that are so convinced of their superiority that they refuse to even recognize the possibility that a black man can be president.

Worthless.

[hasher471]

Posted by gslinger3 at 08:43 AM : Aug 11, 2008
------------------------------------------------
Shouldn''t your name be $hitSlinger???

[mrmazerati]

Isn''t the person with the most proven ties to Islam George Bush?

[hasher471]

John McCain quotes pre-Iraq War and during Iraq War:

"Because I know that as successful as I believe we will be, and I believe that the success will be fairly easy, we will still lose some American young men or women." [CNN, 9/24/02]

"We%u2019re not going to get into house-to-house fighting in Baghdad. We may have to take out buildings, but we%u2019re not going to have a bloodletting of trading American bodies for Iraqi bodies." [CNN, 9/29/02]

"But the point is that, one, we will win this conflict. We will win it easily." [MSNBC, 1/22/03]

"But I believe, Katie, that the Iraqi people will greet us as liberators." [NBC, 3/20/03]

"It%u2019s clear that the end is very much in sight." [ABC, 4/9/03]

"There%u2019s not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shiahs. So I think they can probably get along." [MSNBC, 4/23/03]

"This is a mission accomplished. They know how much influence Saddam Hussein had on the Iraqi people, how much more difficult it made to get their cooperation." [This Week, ABC, 12/14/03]

"I%u2019m confident we%u2019re on the right course." [ABC News, 3/7/04]

Posted by Smirk5 at 08:20 AM : Aug 11, 2008
---------------------------------------
This is Chief in Chief intelligence, judgment, and %u201Cexperience%u201D material???

[micma-2009]

What''s there to spar about?

Both the American people and the Iraqis want us out of Iraq.

[kevingrze]

I am an Iraq/Afg vet for Obama. A young, intelligent and positive President will be great! McCain is old, seems always confused, flip flops to "win at all costs" and is an elite. I have no respect for an old man who lies! He should stay with his second, rich, beer magnate wife in the desert.

[mcvet-1]

Barak Hussein Obama has proven ties to Islam. To the rational folks reading this, Do you really think it will be a good idea to elect him just 7 years removed from 911? Think long and hard before you cast that ballot in November!!

http://www.newsmax.com/hea
dlines/obama_muslim_connection/2008/08/0
7/119942.html?s=sp&promo_code=678F-1


NOBAMANATION 08!!!!! WWJWD "What would Jeremiah Wright Do?"

Posted by gslinger3 at 08:43 AM : Aug 11, 2008

Now you have got to stop reading those comics sparky!! This LIE is so old no one but you morons are telling it anymore. Suggestion?? You need to get yourself a Canidate who actually HAS a position os something.. anything, then come back to try to slime the Democrat!! Now lets let McBush here ya today!! SIEG HEIL MCBUSH

[omega39-2009]

NOBAMANATION 08!!!!! WWJWD "What would Jeremiah Wright Do?"

Posted by gslinger3

Obama is the kind of guy I would like to have a beer with-- I think I will vote for him for that reason alone.

[mcvet-1]

Republicans are not any more lecturing than the Dummies people call Democrats who think they are above the law, committ adultry- apologize, want to be forgiven, and the people do just that. If it were a Republican the incident would never be forgotten. Stop being a hypocrit..Change isn''''t change if it makes you look like a fool. McCain is not any more like Bush than Obama is like Kennedy.

Posted by usais11 at 08:35 AM : Aug 11, 2008

Now YOU have got to explain that one to me!! EXACTLY what is the difference between McBush and Bush on Iraq?? It sure sounds the same on this end there Sparky. But then what about the Economy? Sure sounds the like the same old "Trickle Down" to me. I''d say Obama is a LOT like Kennedy and I''d say McBush is a LOT like Bush!! SIEG HEIL McBUSH!!

[mcvet-1]

John McBush''s message is clear to all American''s and it''s the EXACT SAME message as Cheney had for you! You don''t want your kids sent to War based on LIES? You don''t want your Kids fighting a War for no reason? SO?? It doesn''t matter to Cheney or McBush what WE the PEOPLE want. It doesn''t matter that We the People want a war stopped... NOPE! What matters is that no one in the "party" has to admit what they did!! Sieg Heil McBush

[mrmazerati]

Yes, it would be a good idea to elect Obama. What is your next question.

[gslinger3]

Barak Hussein Obama has proven ties to Islam. To the rational folks reading this, Do you really think it will be a good idea to elect him just 7 years removed from 911? Think long and hard before you cast that ballot in November!!

http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/obama_muslim_connection/2008/08/07/119942.html?s=sp&promo_code=678F-1

NOBAMANATION 08!!!!! WWJWD "What would Jeremiah Wright Do?"

[mrmazerati]

I don''t get it. McCain slams Obama over a timetable, yet the headlines read that Iraq is insisting on one. Doesn''t that make Obama right on this issue? At the very least, it should render McCain''s point moot.

[usais11]

Republicans are not any more lecturing than the Dummies people call Democrats who think they are above the law, committ adultry- apologize, want to be forgiven, and the people do just that. If it were a Republican the incident would never be forgotten. Stop being a hypocrit..Change isn''t change if it makes you look like a fool. McCain is not any more like Bush than Obama is like Kennedy.

[smirk5]

RUSSERT: The fact is you are different than George Bush.

SEN. McCAIN: No. No. I%u2013the fact is that I%u2019m different but the fact is that I have agreed with President Bush far more than I have disagreed. And on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I%u2019ve been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.

[smirk5]

John McCain quotes pre-Iraq War and during Iraq War:

"Because I know that as successful as I believe we will be, and I believe that the success will be fairly easy, we will still lose some American young men or women." [CNN, 9/24/02]

"We%u2019re not going to get into house-to-house fighting in Baghdad. We may have to take out buildings, but we%u2019re not going to have a bloodletting of trading American bodies for Iraqi bodies." [CNN, 9/29/02]

"But the point is that, one, we will win this conflict. We will win it easily." [MSNBC, 1/22/03]

"But I believe, Katie, that the Iraqi people will greet us as liberators." [NBC, 3/20/03]

"It%u2019s clear that the end is very much in sight." [ABC, 4/9/03]

"There%u2019s not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shiahs. So I think they can probably get along." [MSNBC, 4/23/03]

"This is a mission accomplished. They know how much influence Saddam Hussein had on the Iraqi people, how much more difficult it made to get their cooperation." [This Week, ABC, 12/14/03]

"I%u2019m confident we%u2019re on the right course." [ABC News, 3/7/04]

[smirk5]

%u201C[Obama showed] a remarkable failure to understand the facts on the ground%u2019 by continuing to call for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq on a fixed timetable.%u201D
John McCain [Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/24/08]

%u201CAn artificial timetable based on political expediency would have led to disaster and could still turn success into defeat,%u201D [New York Times, 7/19/08]
John McCain [New York Times, 7/19/08]

"So the fact is that we have succeeded. We are winning. They%u2019ll come home with honor. And it won%u2019t be just at a set timetable." [CBS interview, 7/22/08]
John McCain [CBS interview, 7/22/08]

and then...

"I think it''s a pretty good TIMETABLE as we should ha ah ah our horizons for withdrawal"
John McCain [CNN interview, 7/25/08]

[smirk5]

In the Navy, John McCain crashed 5 planes.

[smirk5]

He only got into Annapolis through legacy. Once there, he was in the bottom 99% of his class finishing 894th out of 899 students.