McCain Panics on Iraq
15 May 2008 10:43 am by Taylor Marsh
BY TAYLOR MARSH
Looking at reality, the GOP voter abyss and the backlash of his “100 years”
gaffe, John McCain is quickly moving to make himself more palatable to the electorate.
With the weight of George W. Bush around his neck, McCain has to find some way
to walking back some of his more outrageous statements on Iraq. So what does
he do? He channels Democratic plans for redeployment hoping no one
will notice. There’s that word again. What is the linchpin of his new Iraq plan?
“Hope.” I kid you not.
By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and
women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her
freedom. The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although
still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries
of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much
reduced. Civil war has been prevented; militias disbanded; the Iraqi Security
Force is professional and competent; al Qaeda in Iraq has been defeated;
and the Government of Iraq is capable of imposing its authority in every
province of Iraq and defending the integrity of its borders. The United
States maintains a military presence there, but a much smaller one, and
it does not play a direct combat role.This raises a question McCain has so far refused to answer directly: If America
does not “win” by 2013, would McCain support withdrawal of U.S.
troops?
I’m remembering back to a debate where neither Clinton, Obama or Edwards could
guarantee we’d be out of Iraq by 2013. It was a wake up call for all Democrats,
that’s for sure.
Now we get John McCain “hoping” that 2013 can indeed be the end point.
Seriously, all the leaders currently working through our Iraq nightmare clearly
are struggling. But this latest from John McCain is absolutely laughable. It’s
the Democratic plan without specifics, based on an emotion. Instead of making
the case for why people should trust him on national security, John McCain just
made matters worse for himself, because conservatives are going to hate it and
if he doesn’t get them he’s in trouble.
Or is he?
Of course, as a Democrat, I’m enjoying McCain’s foreign policy fumbles and
struggles.
I can’t imagine, however, how McCain’s base will react to this part of his
speech:
If I am elected President, I will work with anyone who sincerely wants to
get this country moving again. I will listen to any idea that is offered in
good faith and intended to help solve our problems, not make them worse. I
will seek the counsel of members of Congress from both parties in forming
government policy before I ask them to support it. I will ask Democrats to
serve in my administration. My administration will set a new standard for
transparency and accountability. I will hold weekly press conferences. I will
regularly brief the American people on the progress our policies have made
and the setbacks we have encountered. When we make errors, I will confess
them readily, and explain what we intend to do to correct them. I will ask
Congress to grant me the privilege of coming before both houses to take questions,
and address criticism, much the same as the Prime Minister of Great Britain
appears regularly before the House of Commons.
Is McCain trying to reach Republicans and conservatives or is he trying to
go straight for independents and disaffected Democrats coming out of a bruising
primary, while betting most Republicans will be with him in the end, especially given the alternative? McCain as Teddy Roosevelt, does he really think he can pull this off?
