McCain: Obama is Completely Wrong on Iraq

Last updated on August 11th, 2014 at 12:04 am

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Today Barack Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki both reaffirmed that they would like to see U.S. troops out of Iraq by 2010, but John McCain still contends that America must stay in Iraq.

The spokesman for the Prime Minister Ali Dabbagh said, “Barack Obama showed his support to this government. He came to listen to our views and the views of the prime minister. And the prime minister gave him his point of view about the presence of U.S. forces and . . . what we want from the forces.” He also told reporters, “We are hoping that in 2010 that combat troops will withdraw from Iraq.”

For his part, Obama has said little publicly about his trip, and he called his meeting with Maliki, “very constructive,” but McCain blasted Obama today for having no military experience what so ever, and said about Iraq, “When you win wars, troops come home. He’s been completely wrong on the issue. … I have been steadfast in my position.”

The White House would not talk about Obama’s position, and Press Secretary Dana Perino said that it would be up to next president to decide whether or not the troops come home in 16 months, “I’m not going to talk about Senator Obama’s position. He can articulate that himself. I would just tell you that where we come from, we’re not going to talk about specific dates, but we are — in terms of the press, there will be an aspirational goal, a time horizon that is laid out in the strategic framework agreement. It will not have any discussion about troop levels. The next Commander-in-Chief is going to have to make those decisions. I would hope that he would make them based on conditions on the ground, whichever President it is. Whether or not it’s 16 months, or later, or earlier, I just don’t know.”

So if Barack Obama is wrong for wanting to get the troops out by 2010, does mean that the Iraqi government and the White House are also wrong? Who cares if McCain is steadfast in his position, if it is the wrong position? John McCain won the Republican nomination because he pledged to stay in Iraq, but with the situation in Afghanistan deteriorating, it is time for a change in policy. McCain’s inability to adapt to changing circumstances is one of the main reasons why he should not be our next president.

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Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association