US Troops in Iraq: The War as McCain Sees It

The Washington Post ^ | 2008-07-23 | Robert G. Kaiser

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ROCHESTER, N.H. -- Far from Amman, Jordan, where the world's news media were fixated on Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. John McCain told a town hall meeting here that U.S. troops "have succeeded, and we will win the war in Iraq."

In midday remarks to a lively crowd in the old Rochester Opera House, McCain criticized Obama for sticking to his proposal for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. "Now he wants to reverse the success we have had and set a date for withdrawal," McCain said. He did not address recent statements supporting withdrawal by 2010 from the prime minister of Iraq, Nouri al-Maliki, and the Bush White House's implicit recent support of the idea.

[rabscuttle385]

"When you win wars, troops come home," said McCain, who disparaged Obama as "someone who has no military experience whatsoever." (source)

If, as McCain said, in the article, "we have succeeded" (i.e., we have won) and "the people of Iraq are now leading normal lives," then why not begin to withdraw? Or, is he referring to the overall war on terror?

[Rudder]

...then why not begin to withdraw?

We'll stay at least long enough to secure our strategic interests.

[Jan Hus]

Obamaosama would rather lose a war then win a campaign. What a scheitz koph. A mensch he’s not!

[KC_Conspirator]

Because we will leave when it is in the best interest of our national security. Its the grown up thing.

[Loyal Buckeye]

Couple of reasons: 1. We need to make sure the peace sticks, and 2. We need to nail down Afghanistan and not allow the thugs to reenter Iraq.