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McCain: Afghanistan Not As Tough As Iraq – With Video



Oct 1, 2009 22 Comments ›› Pat Dollard

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CBS News:

Sen. John McCain continued his lobby for a troop surge in Afghanistan as President Obama reconsiders his overall strategy for the region.

“It’s not as tough as when the surge started in Iraq,” McCain said today during an interview with NBC’s David Gregory at The First Draft of History, a conference in Washington, D.C., produced by The Atlantic, the Newseum and The Aspen Institute.

“I am confident we can succeed if there are sufficient resources to do so. If we don’t get sufficient manpower–men and women in uniform–then I think we could fail,” he said.

McCain said that the strategy used in Iraq to clear and hold areas, and create an environment so that allowed citizens to return to normal life, could be applied to Afghanistan. “We could see signs of success in 18 months. If not we’ll make a decision at that time,” he said.

If the Congress and the president aren’t willing to send more troops than the 68,000 currently deployed, McCain said he would rather get out of the Afghanistan.

McCain said that the people of Afghanistan don’t support the Taliban, but noted that the American people are “very weary” and “understandably saddened by the tragic loss of life,” and that corruption in Afghanistan presents obstacles to success.

“[President Hamid] Karzai is corrupt and we have to address that,” McCain said. “Things were far worse in Iraq than in Afghanistan today — we can’t preserve our national security without dealing with Afghanistan.”

On Wednesday, McCain said he would seek to have the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McCrystal, and Gen. David Petraeus, head of Central Command, to testify before Congress. In a confidential report delivered to the Obama administration, Gen. McChrystal said that additional troops are needed within the next year or else the conflict “will likely result in failure.”


  • Phil Byler

    McCain is trying his best to get the right “tough” decision made as to Afghanistan. Say what you will about McCain, he has experience and knowledge concerning foreign policy and military matters and thus would have made an excellent Commander in Chief. He would make the right “tough” decision as to Afghanistan.

    The problem is that Obama has no experience and no knowledge concerning foreign policy and military matters and is a dangerous incompetent as to his responsibilities as Commander in Chief. I doubt that he will make the right decision as to Afghanistan because it is too tough for him.

  • http://none WWTD

    Respect your service, but please shut your pie hole.
    Troops out…bombs away. Smoke clears…bombs away. Ask the S. U. if they want a shot…kinda got their ass handed to ‘em before. We will too if politicians fight wars. Oh, and leave the AP embedded press when the bombs are away. :idea:

    • Phil Byler

      If your suggestion is that instead of implementing a counterinsurgency strategy supported by Generals McChrystal and Petraeus and by Senator McCain, we can handle the Afghan War by bombing from the air (a strategy presently espoused by the dovish minded members of the Obama Administration), then I think you are mistaken. The only way we can win this one is with boots on the ground, and it won’t be easy.

    • http://none WWTD

      Phil, bro, with all due respect, those boots on the ground don’t like being picked off from the hills. That terrain is hell…hell on the body without being shot at. The Brits tried, the soviets tried. There is no defined objective. Did we not learn anything from desert storm. I beleive we did, and those boots on the ground understand. Like cockroaches…bomb ‘em. they scatter, then hit ‘em again. They understand that. No boots without bombs first, and a clear objective. War on terror isn’t good enough. That’s Korea without the pine trees. I’m sure we’re on the same team. My test…would I want my son, or his friends to be that boot today?…No fuckin way. I want those Talifags lickin the boots when they arrive.

  • Bobby E

    Phil, I’m kind of at a loss here with all this lobbying and being an apologist for McCain. Don’t get me wrong – it’s your prerogative. But, I just keep wondering if maybe you and he are related or you’re one of his staffers or worked on his campaign or … hell, I don’t know. I haven’t read one thing from anyone that takes you to task for backing McCain. You are more than free to do so, if you wish. However, you seem to have a problem with anyone dissenting McCain. He IS a RINO and one of the reasons the Republican Party is in the shape it’s in. Senator Vitter is more a conservative than McCain and in his short time in the Senate has done more to fight Democratic plans while McCain just wants to get along. You don’t have to agree with that, but I’m still entitled to my opinion and won’t be discussing it with you further. On top of that, and to close, I’ll thank McCain for his service as WWTD (and many others) has done, but this hero worship with McCain has gotten old. I KNOW of a man, who fought in VietNam on the ground, and was more deserving of hero status on the day he died, but because of his not being an officer, I guess – and more importantly didn’t get to return home to a hero’s welcome – no one will ever know of him. McCain’s time is over and I don’t want him anywhere near a Republican presidential ticket in the future. He’s blown it twice and really blew it this last time. He knew more about Obama than he will ever let on but chose to play nice. It’s really NICE what we’ve gotten now because of it.

    • Phil Byler

      Bobby E, I am giving John McCain his due. He is a genuine patriot war hero from a distinguished American military family. McCain knows his stuff when it comes to foreign policy, military matters and national security — the subject here in the video is the Afghanistan War, and I listened to carefully what McCain had to say because, among other things, McCain was right for years about the need to send more troops to the Iraq War. I think a certain animosity has built up toward him among some conservatives that is not deserved at this point in time and not helpful in the years ahead. Obama is going to be a dangerous incompetent as Commander in Chief, and McCain’s voice will be needed concerning Commander in Chief issues, such as here with respect to Afghanistan.

      Also, I don’t agree that McCain is a RINO. While Olympia Snowe can rightly be called a RINO, McCain can’t rightly be categorized as a RINO given his historical record as a pro-military, pro-life fiscal conservative. Indeed, McCain’s voting record this year is conservative and as good as any. McCain has voted AGAINST every Obama bailout bill. McCain has voted AGAINST every Obama deficit spending bill, denouncing the multi-trillion dollar deficit spending as “generational theft,” a phrase thereafter used by Sean Hannity and more recently by Rush Limbaugh. McCain has voted AGAINST the confirmations of tax cheat Geithner, radical pro-abortion advocate Sebellius, leftist Kagan and transnational legal theorist Koh to their respective positions in the Obama Administration. McCain voted AGAINST the confirmation of Sotomayer to the U.S. Supreme Court. McCain has announced he is opposed to Obama’s cap and trade bill and opposed to ObamaCare.

      I think McCain did unwisely pull his punches during the 2008 election, but it was a bad year generally for Republicans due to the financial crisis, the Bush bank bailout plan, Bush’s unpopularity (unfair as that was), Obama’s 7 to 1 money advantage and absurd media bias. The view of McCain who showed himself at the Saddleback Forum to be a vastly superior candidate to Obama was lost. Now, however, the American people will learn their foolishness of having elected a smooth talking community organizer who had no credentials to be Comander in Chief.

    • Phil Byler

      One other point, Bobby E, I do very much agree with you about not playing nice going forward. That is a separate matter from how McCain handled the 2008 campaign. We have to get in the faces of these socialists and weak kneed appeasers.

    • Bobby E

      Phil, let’s just shake hands and agree to disagree on the RINO thing. I still stand by it as my opposition of McCain has to do with more than just voting against bailouts and his foreign policy … we discussed that some time back and I asked you the question why he didn’t harp more on foreign policy during the campaign. You may recall that … maybe you don’t. As for giving him his due as a war veteran and hero, there’s been a misunderstanding of my comments … see below where one or two wish to beat up on me. I’ll try to make my point somewhat clearer now: McCain doesn’t deserve any more due than regular joes who served in the VietNam era, or any era, but don’t have the platform he has. He’s not the first, nor will he be the last, prisoner of war or decorated veteran, but he is one that has been in a position to lead and more often than not chooses compromise with those that wish Republicans, and more so conservative Republicans, harm. On the issues he’s strongest on, and that I agree with, he will still temper his remarks when in the belly of the beast, the MSM. Would I ever wish that he and the Joe Wilsons would quit apologizing for their beliefs. Should they act like statesman? Yes. Will the Dems act like it? Hell NO. So why is there this effort by politicians such as McCain to continually placate EVERYONE (when that is impossible)? To remain in power. On the one hand, that keeps a worthy opponent in the fight for us all, but on the other hand we still end up getting a raw deal. To get the Hispanic vote, Republicans (McCain included) want to act like Democrats. Guess what we get? More illegals being made citizens which invites more illegals. I’m only hitting the major issues here, Phil, but the bottom line is that McCain, and a host of others, could be doing a lot more given the advantageous positions they’re in. We are more in agreement than I think we BOTH realize, but I think all of this debate started by my having a dissenting opinion. And, as I’ve said before, if every one of us can not, or are not allowed to, think independently and have various shades of difference in our opinions, then we are no better than the Democrat Party … or at least the Obama version. I want to be very ‘uncivil’ with that group, but if this group (Pat Dollard and branching out) wants to be uncivil to someone just because they aren’t in total agreement with THEM, then we’ll head in the direction of fascism ourselves. By the way, I wasn’t referring to you as being uncivil. Have a good day.

  • Sully

    Call people that defend Mac ‘apoligists’, ‘hero worshippers’ and ‘lobbyists’ and then say you “won’t discuss it further”?
    What’s up with that?
    You like Hillary better too?

    • Bobby E

      I like Hillary like a case of ass-burn. So now, if one dissents with McCain … ??? You guys are the ones starting to sound like goose-stepping Dems.

    • Bobby E

      Maybe it’s because I ‘try’ not to be long-winded in getting a point across, but go back and read where I said I wouldn’t discuss it further. To add, here’s further background: Phil and I have had this discussion before. What I won’t discuss further is not being entitled to an opposing opinion and an opinion in general. Now it looks like you want to join that chorus. I do NOT like McCain and I AM entitled to that opinion. Love him all you want … it’s a free country.

    • Sully

      You’re certainly entitled to your opinion BobbyE. But if you’re gonna call people names you should defend that.

    • Bobby E

      Such as you should, Sully.

  • LechWalesa

    Phil Byler, you’re right, McCain is better armed for foreign policies

    • Bobby E

      Show me where I said he wasn’t. But, also show me where he even made this part of his campaign?

  • B. A.

    I’m a vietnam vet, 25th Inf. div. and I like McCain and I like Palin. Bobby E is right about playing nice. Those days are over. There are still too many politically uneducated people out there who have bought into the bullshit. We need some hardcore republicans ( I know, I’m dreaming ) to show some balls. Right now McCain is too little too late. Sarah Palin is showing more balls than anyone else, but she has too much negative baggage, although she may be able to beat it, I don’t think she is the answer right now. We don’t need an independent because that would put the usurper back in. Vote out all incumbents in 2010 and again in 2012 etc. We need term limits in congress the senate and all local governments. It’s a start, but we need to show the politicians who they work for and that is We the people. Thank you.

    • Bobby E

      Maybe it’s because I ‘try’ not to be long-winded in getting a point across, but go back and read where I said I wouldn’t discuss it further. To add, here’s further background: Phil and I have had this discussion before. What I won’t discuss further is not being entitled to an opposing opinion and an opinion in general. Now it looks like you want to join that chorus. I do NOT like McCain and I AM entitled to that opinion. Love him all you want … it’s a free country.

    • Bobby E

      Sorry B.A. Somehow my first reply to Sully ended up here. But, I did wish to reply to your post as well. First off, thank you for your service … I have the greatest amount of respect combat veterans as opposed to my service ‘riding ships’. Thank you also for your support although the last thing I’m looking for is validation. What is being lost here in all these posts is that I voted for McCain, but never, ever thought he was the best the Republican Party had to offer. Also, I have not been the first to dissent with McCain, but for some unknown reason Phil has singled me out to combat over this. Hey, to all you folks who visit these pages, if you want to start riding herd and cut out all Americans who are on your side, but don’t agree with everything you say, because you feel you can do with less, then be my guest … I don’t know if I’d want to be a part of that type of group-think, much less any group-think.

  • vincenzo4

    None of this is tough if this country stops interfering and showing weakness. Nothing is tough if this country has some balls and avenges, yes I said avenges the deaths of its countrymen by decapitaing a world crusade designed to erase the United States.

    Nothing is tough if you stop restricting rules of engagemenet and stop sympathetic military laywers and lividly enemy complict politicians from sabotaging warfighting.

    This war could have easily been over in two years. But no, everyone knows warfare better than the soldier.

    • B. A.

      AMEN Vincenzo4.

  • Bobby E

    The issue of McCain’s foreign policy is singled out as my only reason for dissent with McCain. Go back and check the record. He wants to side with Dems in controlling free speech, ‘conservative’ free speech … Fairness Doctrine, anyone? He’s also sided with Feingold on other issues and sided with other Dems, along with RINO buddies like Graham, on a number of things. Don’t like the illegal invasion of this country? Check his record.

  • Bobby E

    Another dissenting opinion on McCain from Rush Limbaugh.

    RUSH: And there are other things happening. For example, from The Politico today: “Fresh from a humbling loss in last year’s presidential election, John McCain is working behind the scenes to reshape the Republican Party in his own center-right image.” No! No! But it’s true. McCain is trying to remake the Republican Party. He’s already done that, which is why the Republican Party is losing big time! This is horrible, folks. If people get wind of this — and of course you have because I just told you — it’s going to accelerate the third party movement. People are going to want no part of the Republican Party. Why would the loser…? I mean, this is like John Kerry remaking the Democrat Party, or Michael Dukakis.

    Now, for those who don’t like people who don’t care for McCain, e-mail Rush and take him to task.