McCain, Iraq, And 100 Years
McCAIN, IRAQ, AND 100 YEARS....Steve Benen summarizes John McCain's inability to make up his mind about whether we should have a long term presence in Iraq, similar to the one we have in South Korea:
- In 2005, McCain decided Iraqis resent our military presence, so we should reject a Korea-like model for long-term troop deployment. He insisted that "U.S. 'visibility' was detrimental to the Iraq mission and that Iraqis were responding negatively to America's presence — positions held by both Obama and Clinton."
- In 2006, McCain reversed course, and embraced the Korea model for a long-term military presence.
- In 2007, McCain reversed course again, saying the Korean analogy doesn't work and shouldn't be followed. "[E]ventually I think because of the nature of the society in Iraq and the religious aspects of it that America eventually withdraws," McCain told Charlie Rose last fall.
- And in 2008, McCain reversed course yet again, deciding that we should be prepared to leave troops in Iraq, even if it means 100 years or more.