In '74 Thesis, the Seeds of McCain's War Views

NY Times ^ | 15 June 2008 | David Kirkpatrick

[jude24]

Now a senator who is the all-but-certain Republican presidential nominee, Mr. McCain often points to his nine months at the War College as the time that crystallized his views toward foreign conflicts like the war in Iraq. He has talked about his studies as a tutorial in the hows-and-whys of America’s involvement in Southeast Asia. But the 40-page final paper he produced was limited to an evaluation of the military code of conduct through the prism of his “narrow, but personal, viewpoint.”

...

Mr. McCain’s paper sheds new light on the experience that first brought him national attention and remains a staple of his campaign commercials. His conclusions hint at themes of his career, like his habit of making peace with former enemies. And his arguments that the government and the military should have done more to convince the voters and the troops about the case for the war in Vietnam echo in current debates about Iraq as well.

Asked if he still had those views, Mr. McCain said in an e-mail message that he still believed the antiwar movement had hurt the morale of some prisoners, although he added the vast majority “performed their duty with courage and resolve irrespective of how controversy about the war influenced their view of it.”

[jude24]

Very interesting read.

[lexusppd]

John McCain is a certified war hero as testified to by none other then the most decorated soldier since MacArthur, Colonel “Bud” Day. Day spent much time with McCain and has testified to his personal courage by relating many incidents witnessed by him.

[libertylover]

A lot more fair than I’ve come to expect from the NYT.

[weegee]

We aren’t allowed to bring up old thesis that these candidates wrote. The Obamas have said that is a dirty trick and unfair politicking.

[hellbender]

Everybody should read the entire original post. It shows that McCain is a patriot with an extreme level of courage.

But in Mr. McCain’s paper, he instead focused on the failure to sustain public support for the fight.

This offers hope that McCain could do a better job of selling the war on Islamofascism than fumblemouth Bush has.

For all his many faults, McCain should never be considered "no better than" Obama, who is a sneaky Alinsky-trained saboteur of America.

[El Gato]

his habit of making peace with former enemies.

Nothing wrong with that...if you've whipped them. Or if not, if you make friends through give and take, rather than just give. That's what the *loser* does.