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McCain's Election - What If The War Goes Bad?
Salon ^ | Feb 15 2008 | Joe Conason

Posted on 02/16/2008 10:00:46 AM PST by zeestephen

His presidential hopes depend on a perception of "victory" in Iraq. If things turn worse by summer with fewer U.S. troops, will he still argue for more of the same?

(Excerpt) Read more at salon.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: iraq; war
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I don't usually read hard left editorials. The MSM keeps me up to date. But Joe Conason's idea puts a chill down my back. What's going to happen to the GOP's election prospects if Iraqi radicals start a "Terrorist Surge" in September and October? The MSM will give it 24-7 coverage, and we'll get our political butts kicked in!
1 posted on 02/16/2008 10:00:50 AM PST by zeestephen
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To: zeestephen

That’s exactly what the MSM communists are hoping for.


2 posted on 02/16/2008 10:05:03 AM PST by alice_in_bubbaland (Vote Obillary! And we'll be picking shrapnel out of our butts for decades!)
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To: zeestephen

Fortunately, adults are in charge of the war. Just imagine what would happen when starry-eyed dopers are in charge.


3 posted on 02/16/2008 10:05:38 AM PST by NautiNurse (Plants are people too)
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To: zeestephen

If a Salon wacko can think of it, then the generals have too. There is a plan to mitigate the effort.

I think the subject of Iran will have more influence.

The snuff out in Syria happened at the Iranian embassy. The message was incredably powerful to Iran and all surrogates. We are coming for you


4 posted on 02/16/2008 10:07:10 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . Never say never (there'll be a VP you'll like))
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To: zeestephen

the progress against the insurgents isn’t window dressing. they are contually being degraded. Where’s their reserve going to come from ?


5 posted on 02/16/2008 10:10:25 AM PST by gusopol3
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To: zeestephen
Let’s turn that spiel by Joe Conason around and ask what will happen when coming summer things continue to look up in Iraq?
My forecast:
Continuous, ongoing silence by these media spin- meisters.
6 posted on 02/16/2008 10:13:39 AM PST by hermgem (Will Olmr)
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To: zeestephen

“If things turn worse by summer with fewer U.S. troops, will he still argue for more of the same?”

The fact that Bush is even talking about troop reduction so soon after the “surge” started is ridiculous. The pressure from the Dems. and the MSM has paid off, and has forced him to react. Not only will things look bad if the war worsens, Bush and those who supported the surge will look very foolish, reducing troops so soon after some progress seems to have been made.

The elements for some serious damage to Bush and all Republicans exist in Iraq, and they are definitely tempting fate with any troop reductions in the next year or so.

We need more proof of progress, with Iraqis keeping cities and provinces secure for many months, not a few weeks.


7 posted on 02/16/2008 10:14:15 AM PST by Will88 ( The Worst Case Scenario: McCain with a Dhimm majority in the House and Senate)
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To: zeestephen

The US government will be one big force responsible for the future course of the war. The other force is be Iraq, whose citizens are sick of bloodshed. So it is a question of resolve. Bush is clever enough to realize that the enemy will do their best to try and influence the election results, if they can even do that without undermining themselves.


8 posted on 02/16/2008 10:15:40 AM PST by dr_who_2
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To: bert
bert - How do you politically “mitigate” a pre-election surge in USA troop deaths? How do you politically “mitigate” 24-7 MSM images of Iraqi citizens blown to bits by suicide bombers? You can’t. The blunt fact is that McCain has gambled the future of the GOP in 2008 the same way George Bush gambled in 2006. I didn’t much care for the election results in 2006.
9 posted on 02/16/2008 10:20:48 AM PST by zeestephen
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To: zeestephen

The military make a career out of fighting and winning wars... Who is better prepared to make a decesion that leads to victory? When the Generals on the ground say it is lost then it is lost not a minute sooner... When the Generals say more troops .. you send more... etc..

When politicians get in the habit of micro-managing war then this country is in a bad place...and that is exactly what has happened...

The Media and the Democrats have advanced political agendas on the backs of our bravest...

Good luck when that comes home to roost.


10 posted on 02/16/2008 10:22:52 AM PST by tomnbeverly (If Islamic Jihad is an existential threat then the candidate that should be POTUS is a no brainer.)
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To: gusopol3

The trend is our friend, my friends.


11 posted on 02/16/2008 10:26:22 AM PST by Blue State Insurgent (Superdelegates = The Guardian Council)
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To: zeestephen

The Democrats are undergoing Al Qaeda training as we speak.


12 posted on 02/16/2008 10:26:27 AM PST by TommyDale (Never forget the Republicans who voted for illegal immigrant amnesty in 2007!)
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To: zeestephen

I’m not a general and don’t need to be concerned.

They are there and will do their jobs well.


13 posted on 02/16/2008 10:26:27 AM PST by bert (K.E. N.P. +12 . Never say never (there'll be a VP you'll like))
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To: zeestephen
McCain's Election - What If The War Goes Bad?

McCain is a one trick pony. He needs a war, any war and his buds, Bush 41 & 43 will accommodate him. Number 41 endorsed him and #43 has enough "firecrackers" spread out so he can light a fuse any time he wants. It's only a question of how large a "KAPOWIE" is needed to establish that we need experienced military leadership in time of "WAR" and either Hillary or Barak are toast!!!

14 posted on 02/16/2008 10:30:48 AM PST by varon (Allegiance to the constitution, always. Allegiance to a political party, never.)
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To: zeestephen
Maybe that's why the national finance chairman for Hillary Clinton, Hassan Nemazee, and Barak Obama's foreign policy advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, took a trip to Syria that is shrouded in mystery:

Yesterday I noted Eli Lake's New York Sun story on Zbigniew Brzezinski's trip to Damascus. In Damascus Brzezinski met with Assad and senior officials of his regime, whose security he seeks to promote. This at the same time that the world was reminded of the sancturary afforded by the Assad regime to terrorist mass murderer Imad Mugniyeh. On Wednesday Brzezinski issued a statement affirming that both Syria and the United States have a common desire to achieve stability in the region. Zbigniew Brzezinski is the kind of "realist" who can't see what's in front of his nose.

Today Lake returns to report that one of the national finance chairmen for Ms. Hillary's presidential campaign -- Hassan Nemazee -- left Damascus last night after a visit there as part of the same RAND Corp. delegation that Brzezinski headed. The Clinton campaign offered Lake no comment on Nemazee's Syrian visit last night. The New York Sun is more forthcoming in its editorial on the subject.

A Google News search on "Brzezinski Damascus" reveals again today that the Obama/Clinton delegation to Syria remains a deep secret confined to readers of the New York Sun, Power Line, and Martin Peretz.

UPDATE: Michael Rubin writes: "Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki was there at the next day (Feb. 14). Did they overlap?"

JOHN adds: Hey, don't take our word for it. Here's photographic evidence! Brzezinski with Assad; click to enlarge:

Someone should ask Obama whether his foreign policy adviser brought back any useful insights into our common interests with Assad. Assad had a busy week; here he is the following day, with Iranian Foreign Minister Mottaki. Do you suppose Assad was able to pass on any insights he'd gained into the foreign policy views off the front-runner for the Democratic nomination?

FURTHER UPDATE: According to an Israel National News report, Hezbullah terrorist Imad Mughniyeh was in the midst of preparing a major terrorist attack, with the help of Assad's government, when he was killed in Damascus on Tuesday:

A Kuwaiti newspaper reports that Hizbullah terrorist chief Imad Mughniyeh, who was killed in a car-bomb attack in Damascus on Tuesday, was in the midst of planning major terrorist attacks in moderate Arab countries when he was killed.

Al-Watan reports that American intelligence had learned that Mughniyeh arrived in Damascus three days earlier with instructions from, and in coordination with, the Iranians. His objective was to meet with Hizbullah leaders and coordinate a mass attack, for which he was to receive help from Syrian intelligence.

Another Kuwaiti newspaper, Al-Siasa, reports that Mughniyeh took part, shortly before he was killed, in a secret meeting in the Iranian School in Damascus. Also participating in the meeting were Syrian Intelligence Chief Gen. Aisaf Shwackath, Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal, and an Islamic Jihad representative.

In this context, Brzezinski's statement that the U.S. and Syria have a "shared interest in stability in the region" is puzzling at best. What are the chances that any reporter will ask Barack Obama whether he agrees with his adviser's comment about our shared interests with Syria?

From powerlineblog.com

Maybe the rat presidential candidates are working with the terrorists to make some trouble in Iraq in the fall to ensure an Obama/Clinton victory?

15 posted on 02/16/2008 10:37:22 AM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
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To: zeestephen
we'll get our political butts kicked in!

Who's we??? McCain and his liberal supporters are going to get their butts kick period.

16 posted on 02/16/2008 10:40:54 AM PST by org.whodat (What's the difference between a Democrat and a republican????)
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To: org.whodat
Who's we??? McCain and his liberal supporters are going to get their butts kick period.

I guess this is what many who are so angry at McCain are hoping, but I don't get any comfort in knowing that those voters will feel virtuous, having 'taught the Republicans a lesson', because that will mean that either Her Heinous or Obama will be sitting in the Oval Office come Jan, 2009. Doesn't comfort me in the least, especially with THIS news of their meetings with the Syrians. Shades of Teddy the Swimmer and John Effin Kerry during the Paris Peace Talks near the end of the Vietnam War.

17 posted on 02/16/2008 11:12:46 AM PST by SuziQ
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To: SuziQ

“Boo”, i’m scared, try some name calling next, you just about worked it in that time.!


18 posted on 02/16/2008 11:23:44 AM PST by org.whodat (What's the difference between a Democrat and a republican????)
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To: zeestephen
The press always comes up with these stories just before a big election. Interesting article here:

Analysis: Insurgents target U.S. will

19 posted on 02/16/2008 11:37:35 AM PST by mass55th
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To: zeestephen

I expect total victory in Iraq this summer. Then our forces will be free to go into Iran after a bombing/missile attack to take out their nuclear facilities and massed forces.

It will be a swift victory, like in Iraq. But without the aftermath we suffered there. We have learned our lesson, our counter-insurgency lesson.

So, all these fears are meaningless. Even so, I can’t bring myself to vote for McCain.


20 posted on 02/16/2008 12:41:02 PM PST by FFranco
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