John McCain Flip-flops on Surge in Afghanistan

[Puppycow]

John McCain until recently said that we had enough troops in Afghanistan and that Iraq was the central front in the war on terror. There is a trade-off in troops between Iraq and Afghanistan in that we cannot increase troops for one country (without even longer duty-tours) until we reduce them in the other. So McCain has changed his position on this and is now closer to Obama's position.

 

[chipmunk stew]

The McCain camp trying to paint Obama as a 'flip-flopper' is hilariously hilarious in its hilarity.

 

[MaGZ]

McCain will carry the 51st state

see new thread

 

[Texas]

John McCain until recently said that we had enough troops in Afghanistan and that Iraq was the central front in the war on terror. There is a trade-off in troops between Iraq and Afghanistan in that we cannot increase troops for one country (without even longer duty-tours) until we reduce them in the other. So McCain has changed his position on this and is now closer to Obama's position.

It's obvious that the EU NATO partners are unwilling to carry their share of the load. No big surprise.

 

[Texas]

The McCain camp trying to paint Obama as a 'flip-flopper' is hilariously hilarious in its hilarity.

In terms of strategic interests for the United States which country is more important, Afghanistan or Iraq? What is more important, finding a man that has been reduced to semi-annual audio tapes or a functioning democracy in the midst of Islamic theocracies? Afghanistan is a NATO operation, let the EU NATO nations finally at long last pull the the wagon instead of riding in it.

 

[Undesired Walrus]

In terms of strategic interests for the United States which country is more important, Afghanistan or Iraq? What is more important, finding a man that has been reduced to semi-annual audio tapes or a functioning democracy in the midst of Islamic theocracies?

Al Qaeda now as strong as pre 9/11 levels

 

[mrbaracuda]

My goodness, a flip flopping white cracker?

 

[chipmunk stew]

Al Qaeda now as strong as pre 9/11 levels

That's from the Washington Post, home of Charles Krauthammer, Robert D. Novak, and George F. Will. You can't trust the liberal media to report such things honestly.

 

[chipmunk stew]

In terms of strategic interests for the United States which country is more important, Afghanistan or Iraq? What is more important, finding a man that has been reduced to semi-annual audio tapes or a functioning democracy in the midst of Islamic theocracies? Afghanistan is a NATO operation, let the EU NATO nations finally at long last pull the the wagon instead of riding in it.

It's not just Afghanistan. McCain's positions have "shifted" on a variety of topics during this campaign as he's tried to hang on to conservative Republicans. I guarantee there will be a McCain flip-flop video before this election is through that will make John Kerry look like a principled "maverick".

As far as Iraq goes, Obama did change his position on the surge, although being a politician, he'll never admit it. He has admitted that the surge is a tactical success in the midst of a strategic blunder. That contradicts his prediction that the surge would make things worse. It would be nice if he would acknowledge that he was wrong about that. I'm not holding my breath.

Some of the other claims of "flip-flopping" in that video are flat-out wrong and dishonest, though. For instance, the claim that he was ever against supporting the troops. In fact, Obama risked being seen as inconsistent on his opposition to the war by supporting funding for the war because he believes that once our troops are in the field, they should never be left unfunded and unequipped. Clinton's team attacked him for "voting for the war" while saying he was against it. Damned if you do, damned if you don't, I guess.

 

[moon1969]

Too bad history will repeat itself and USA will lose in Afghanistan just like Soviet Union lost the Soviet Afghan war in 1979-1989. Or maybe if people listen to Barack Obama history will not repeat itself. If John McCain continues the Iraq war there is no way USA can win in Afghanistan and history will repeat itself.

 

[Megalodon]

My goodness, a flip flopping white cracker?

Not funny, bad form...

 

[BeAChooser]

Al Qaeda now as strong as pre 9/11 levels

Walrus, don't you think it's a bit dishonest to link us to that article with that statement? Afterall, that article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/11/AR2007071102443.html ) is dated July 12, 2007 which isn't "now". Even more glaring is that the article you linked states the new report by the National Counterterrorism Center asserts "al-Qaeda is still considerably weaker than it was before the Sept. 11, 2001". Not at all what you dishonestly claimed that article says. Think we wouldn't notice?

 

[Kthulhut Fhtagn]

Walrus, don't you think it's a bit dishonest to link us to that article with that statement? Afterall, that article (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/11/AR2007071102443.html ) is dated July 12, 2007 which isn't "now". Even more glaring is that the article you linked states the new report by the National Counterterrorism Center asserts "al-Qaeda is still considerably weaker than it was before the Sept. 11, 2001". Not at all what you dishonestly claimed that article says. Think we wouldn't notice?

Hmm; I could swear I heard Bush state that the US was investigating claims that Al Qaeda was at pre 9/11 strength. I'll link you when I find the article...it's impossible to type 9/11 and investigation in a google search engine without being carpet bombed by twoofers.

ETA: Al-Qaida has rebuilt some of its pre-Sept. 11 capabilities from remote hiding places in Pakistan, leading to a major spike in attacks last year in that country and neighboring Afghanistan, the Bush administration said Wednesday.

It doesn't say that it was at pre-9/11 strength but then again Bush only said he was investigating the claim.

 

[chipmunk stew]

nvm

 

[corplinx]

Is Afghanistan really the crumbling failure it appears to be lately for the news or is that just the CNN effect? I have noticed a very positive trend in reporting stories from Afghanistan that make forces there look too small or incompetent. It it real, or is it CNN?

 

[BeAChooser]

It doesn't say that it was at pre-9/11 strength

No, actually it says the opposite:

"It has reconstituted some of its pre-9/11 operational capabilities through the exploitation of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, replacement of captured or killed operational lieutenants, and the restoration of some central control by its top leadership, in particular Ayman al-Zawahiri," it says. Dailey, however, stressed that al-Qaida is still weaker overall than it was before Sept. 11, 2001.

And do you know that the bulk of that article was first published back in July of 2007 by Lee? It's a year old. So we are again not talking about NOW. Democrats like Huffington are getting desperate if they're regurgitating year old news as if it was recent. It's dishonesty by the media ... just as one of the sources I posted noted.

 

[BeAChooser]

Is Afghanistan really the crumbling failure it appears to be lately for the news or is that just the CNN effect? I have noticed a very positive trend in reporting stories from Afghanistan that make forces there look too small or incompetent. It it real, or is it CNN?

http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/02/media_spins_success_in_afghani.html "February 08, 2008, Media Spins Success in Afghanistan as Failure, American and Coalition forces have taken the initiative in Afghanistan, and have the Taliban on the run. Yet major American media outlets, to the extent they cover fighting in Afghanistan, are portraying the Taliban as "resurgent". Going on the offense and succeeding at it always increases violence. But is being spun onto bad news. The increase in fighting in Afghanistan is not a sign of a stronger Taliban, but rather a more desperate one. Despite all the media reports to the contrary it is we who are surging in the war against the Taliban and al Qaeda. ... snip ... No American media, except for the AP, not even the media that carries AP content, ran the story that NATO officially reported that the Taliban was not resurgent in Afghanistan. Most of the American media buried General McNeill's statement as well while continuing to use the "resurgent Taliban" characterization. Why? It should be painfully clear. To acknowledge that the Taliban is losing instead of winning is to validate the war policy of President Bush in the war against terror. When combined with a surge success in Iraq, the implications are dark for any Democrat nominee for the White House."

http://www.thestar.com/News/Columnist/article/427330 "Taliban 'losing momentum', Canadian UN official says most militants are looking for a way out of war they cannot win, May 19, 2008"

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...-Taliban-insurgents-'on-brink-of-defeat'.html "Afghan insurgents 'on brink of defeat'... snip ... June 2, 2008, Missions by special forces and air strikes by unmanned drones have "decapitated" the Taliban and brought the war in Afghanistan to a "tipping point", the commander of British forces has said. ... snip ... In the past two years an estimated 7,000 Taliban have been killed, the majority in southern and eastern Afghanistan. But it is the "very effective targeted decapitation operations" that have removed "several echelons of commanders"."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4340239.ece "July 16, 2008, US troops poised to cross Afghan border for raid on bases"

 

[Puppycow]

Frank Rich

It’s the Economic Stupidity, Stupid
By FRANK RICH
THE best thing to happen to John McCain was for the three network anchors to leave him in the dust this week while they chase Barack Obama on his global Lollapalooza tour. Were voters forced to actually focus on Mr. McCain’s response to our spiraling economic crisis at home, the prospect of his ascension to the Oval Office could set off a panic that would make the IndyMac Bank bust in Pasadena look as merry as the Rose Bowl.

“In a time of war,” Mr. McCain said last week, “the commander in chief doesn’t get a learning curve.” Fair enough, but he imparted this wisdom in a speech that was almost a year behind Mr. Obama in recognizing Afghanistan as the central front in the war against Al Qaeda. Given that it took the deadliest Taliban suicide bombing in Kabul since 9/11 to get Mr. McCain’s attention, you have to wonder if even General Custer’s learning curve was faster than his.

Mr. McCain still doesn’t understand that we can’t send troops to Afghanistan unless they’re shifted from Iraq. But simple math, to put it charitably, has never been his forte. When it comes to the central front of American anxiety — the economy — his learning curve has flat-lined.

 

[BeAChooser]

Frank Rich

Trying to change the subject?

 

[mrbaracuda]

Not funny, bad form...

It was merely an experiment.

Not funny. Not clever. Simply racist.

I wonder if you were all up in arms if I made some white cracker joke about McCain or a reference to one. Most likely not, or would you?

I would.

I am very disappointed by you racists! Why do you hate the white man?