Republican presidential front runner John McCain wants to convince the United States that the war in Iraq is succeeding...even though Northern Iraq is in complete peril. If he can't get the American people to accept the Iraq war, he says, " I lose. I lose."
Right after McCain made the statement to reporters from his campaign bus, he didn't take long to back-pedal. "If I may, I'd like to retract 'I'll lose.' But I don't think there's any doubt that how they judge Iraq will have a direct relation to their judgment of me."
McCain has been an avid supporter of the Iraq War, and makes clear that he intends on keeping U.S troops in the Middle East until the "War on Terror" is complete. He made a statement last month indicating that the troops could possibly be in Iraq for another 10,000 years, and his support of the military surge has been something he constantly boasts about.
McCain's Democratic rivals argue his candidacy would serve as a continuation of George Bush's failed policies. McCain has fought back, saying that withdrawing troops would be like waving the "white flag of surrender."
Although many Republicans still support the Iraq War, Democrats and Independents want out, and they have good reason to. The war in Iraq has been anything but a successful fight against terror. In reality, terror as only increased in the Middle East.
The Turkish military's web site says an additional 41 Kurdish rebels have been killed in a cross-boarder operation in Iraq. A total of 153 Kurds have died since the beginning of Turkey's incursion, with Turkish troops destroying rebel shelters and logistic centers.
In addition, a suicide bomber blew himself up in Baghdad on Sunday, killing 40 Shiite pilgrims and injuring 60. The bombing was the second attack of the day. Hours earlier extremists used guns and grenades to attack a group of Sunnis in another part of Baghdad. The attack killed three and wounded 36.
Bush's policies along with the Iraq war have been complete failures. McCain's denial is a great indication that if he makes it to the White House, the failures will live on.
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Conditions in Northern Iraq Worsen...But McCain Says The War is a Success.
Posted Feb 25th 2008 3:06PM by Ana Kasparian
Filed under: Iraq, Politics, Elections, George Bush, Young Turks, John McCain
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Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 4)
31. And BOB, I said,
You mentioned various things they get out of it.
it being the war.
Michelle at 12:27AM on Feb 26th 2008
32. How can you attest that conditions in Mosul are worse? I thought military personal are not allowed to pass that information onto civilians, like you, a wife, or they get in an awful amount of trouble. I also thought military mail is examined before mailing? I thought the first troop surge did not include Mosul.
robert okane at 11:50PM on Feb 25th 2008
The Mosul Offensive which was to begin Jan 26, is intended to drive AQ from its northern haven. This city is not under control of the Kurds, but there is a vote for Mosul to end up in control of the Kurds and in their region of Iraq. The Iraq forces had begun to arrive which will include elements of the Iraq 9th Army Division which also has an armoured component. Helicopters and additional armourand other Infantry elements are also being deployed from Baghdad along with a National Police Brigade, an Iraqi Special Operations Unit and up to 2 additional US Battalions. Iraq operations using mostly Iraq troops have been successful recently in Basrah, Diwaniyah, and Diyala.
robert okane at 11:51PM on Feb 25th 2008
Wow Robert, how can you criticize a poster for her statement on Mosul from her husband and you give ongoing operational information about current military efforts?
As I have said before, you must be someone that has an awful lot of free time and probably hired to be a Republican blog-hitman on this blog. How did you get such specific details above if a soldier can not even tell his wife that things are going bad in his combat zone?
Tommy at 12:35AM on Feb 26th 2008
33. Oh boy, Tommy you said,
I need to go back to my University and demand my money back since my education sure has not helped me understand conservative logic in regards to Iraq success!
Ha ha. If you went to a "liberal" college, yeah, you cant expecet an equalized oppinion, like you probably couldnt expect an equal oppinion from many Christian colleges.
And you said we should go over to Iraq. Why dont you go over? I went to a Christian high school, and whenever the teacher would ask for a student to pray, one kid would sometimes volunteer another. A smart teacher would retort to the one who volunteered the other, "Well thanks for volunteering to pray (insert name here), everyone should learn from your character."
Michelle at 12:35AM on Feb 26th 2008
34. Ha ha. If you went to a "liberal" college, yeah, you cant expecet an equalized oppinion, like you probably couldnt expect an equal oppinion from many Christian colleges.
Michelle at 12:35AM on Feb 26th 2008
I left off my University name intentionally to see what a conservative would say and you took the bait!. I graduated from one of the most conservative Universities in the U.S.; Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas( Home of the first Bush Library)!.
Also, I already know what a war is like, I served my country during the Vietnam era in the Army! I know a little about what progress is in combat and what it is not! All of the same messages of progress would come from Vietnam when the reality was different and the same appears to be happenning with the progress in the Iraq Civil War.
Have you ever served in the military and if not,then why not?
Tommy at 12:55AM on Feb 26th 2008
35. peace is never attained through war...
and since when did imperialism become cool...?
why do we look down at germany for their aggressor mentality towards poland (circa 1939) when we're doing the same exact thing
King Ra at 5:14AM on Feb 26th 2008
36. Cant say Ive been in the military, Tommy. Females have more options. And it was never enough of an issue to actually serve myself. My dad didnt, I'm not sure why. My mom didnt. Im also not sure why. You know, I guess we're just one lazy bunch, although dear old dad probably had an old injury or something which meant he couldnt be drafted...
Michelle at 1:42AM on Feb 26th 2008
37. Tommy
Forgot my source on Mosul-The Long War journal.org
Tommy it sounds like total BS that you were in the military and much less in Vietnam. Sort of a Phoney Soldier.Anyone in military knows what and what not you can write home about and would not even question what I said about it=Phoney Soldier
robert okane at 3:16AM on Feb 26th 2008
38. CENK
You are so full of hot air.
Conditions in Northern Iraq worsen, as compared to when? Turkey going after Kurds has nothing to do with Iraq War, that is old history.
You should at least check the death toll rather than a couple of random stories.Try to get your stories to relate to something you are pointing out-that condition in Northern Iraq has worsened.
Bombing in Baghdad is not Northern Iraq. Turkey Kurd problem old history, nothing to do with USA-Iraq.
Civilian Deaths in Iraq 2 month period 1/08 and 2/08 = 2362deaths
Same period 1/07 and 2/07= 3636 deaths
CENK_figure it out-over a 50% drop in Iraq Civilian deaths from 07 to 08
US Military Deaths in Iraq
1/08 and 2/08=68 deaths
1/07 and 2/07=164
That is about a 60% drop in US Troops deaths from 07 to 08
Deaths of US Troops and Iraq civilians are down over 50% from a year ago, not up Bozo
So where you get your hot air from that things are worse in Northern Iraq and Surge is not working?? George Soros feeding you that crap?
robert okane at 3:16AM on Feb 26th 2008
39. reference post#37
Source-Iraq Coalition Casuality Count
robert okane at 3:18AM on Feb 26th 2008
40. We do not need to keep seeing our sons and our daughters dying for a land that had nothing to do with the attack in the United States. I invite comments from readers on here. If it was your son or daughter. You boyfriend or girlfriends. or husband and wife. You tell me that you would welcome then to go right over Irag to fight this war and take the chance to not see them again. For what. to fight terrorism. My God. its already all around the world. Even in this country. but Lets keep shipping our young man and woman for a war that has nothing to do for us right now. But it has destroyed the america respect world wide. It has caused great conflict around the world of how many nations feel about us now. But lets keep shipping them over. We need to be a nation of respect and comunications. We need to some how find ways to create pease than war. And we need that we can be a nation that will join other nations to find solutions of pease. If we go out and hit someone in the eye. its ok for them to hit us in the eye to. The only way this changes and the wheel breaks. Is that we make the change and to create a new way to find solutions and pease and once again to be the example to the world that we are truly a nation of pease and freedom. We need our young man and woman back home to there familys and let them grow and to accomplish there dreams and ambitions. not to die in a soil and seeing there lifes cut short for a war that president bush started. It needs to end. it needs to end. It Needs to end. I may not have a child there. But my god. My heart Beats so badly when I hear more of our americans get killed and to feel the pain that the familys must be going through. To know that they will not have there love one in there lifes anymore. I have lost family members when I was young. And it has destroyed our family. it has never been the same. and that was over 30 years ago. This needs to end. We need this war to end now. I for a american cant stand to hear much longer of how many more of our man and woman will be killed in Irag. Bring them home. Its time for change. And Obama will be the only leader that will get them home. Go Obama. get our boys and girls home.
Parrish at 3:55AM on Feb 26th 2008
41. CENK
Where do you get all your misinformation?
Reuters News item 2/16/08
Since the Surge started-
Attacks down in Baghdad by 80%
Attacks all across Iraq down 60%
robert okane at 4:53AM on Feb 26th 2008
42. Robert, I think you've grown up on World War II movies.
Military personnel are making videos and even blogging.
"Loose lips sink ships," was SOOOOOO 60 years ago.
I know you think people should be silenced when they don't toe the party line, comrade.
Captain Negative at 4:54AM on Feb 26th 2008
43. We can't afford this, "war." We've been printing phony money to pay for it at the rate of a billion dollars a week. A billion dollars a week, this week. A billion a week next week. And McCain wants us to do that for a hundred years.
The Bush-Cheney Junta has bankrupted us. Thanks, red-publicans.
Captain Negative at 5:12AM on Feb 26th 2008
44. Uh, Michele, we've destroyed their country, killed 1.4 million folks, few of which were actually Al qaeda,>>
Translation: Al Qeada has killed the vast majority of Iraqis that have died since the war began. Which is why their brother Sunni are helping us hunt them down and kill them.
2 million displaced and 2 million homeless.>>>
About half have already returned home.
Maybe they don't want us to help anymore?>>
If that were true ... how could we still be in Iraq? Fifty million grandmothers with brooms could sweap us right out of Iraq. All the Iraqis have to do is stand up and tell the world they want us gone ... and we'd be gone. We are acting under a UN resolution ... lest we forget.
Good things are being done?>>
Yes. Good things are happening in Iraq right now. One of our problems is the Iraqis are afraid a new president will pull us out leaving them to the tender mercies of their enemies.
Conditions were stable before we went in.>>>
Saddam killed over three hundred thousand Iraqis ... since the end of the first Gulf War. Saddam is responsible for the murder of at least a million Muslims ... some think it's as high as two million. And you call that stable?
Now it's a mess. What have you been reading (or drinking)? >>>
What I read tells me things in Iraq are a lot better without Saddam. Apparently, the vast majority of Iraqis agree with me ... not you.
Thomas J Gassett at 8:28AM on Feb 26th 2008
45. peace is never attained through war...>>>
Really? Are you really that stupid?
and since when did imperialism become cool...?>>
Seems to me, that we imperialist aren't doing much of a job. I mean, where is the Empire? This is really a stupid accustation.
why do we look down at germany for their aggressor mentality towards poland (circa 1939) when we're doing the same exact thing>>>>
Yeah, are we making Iraq greater USA ... I don't think so. If you can't tell the difference between Nazi Germany and the USA you're a moron ... I.E. a good little Leftist.
Thomas J Gassett at 8:34AM on Feb 26th 2008