Republican Presidential hopeful John McCain has traveled to the Middle East to endorse his foreign policy expertise. But while speaking to reporters in the Jordanian capital of Amman, he displayed a shocking level of ignorance.
McCain told reporters several times that al-Qeada, a predominantly Sunni militant group, has been receiving aide and training from Iran. Keep in mind Iran is mainly a Shiite country, and past reports have shown Sunnis and Shiites simply do not get along. They are even less likely to aide one another.
Despite the fact that McCain's statements were extremely false, he continued to say that it is "common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well known. And it's unfortunate."
Senator Joseph Lieberman was standing by McCain while he was speaking to reporters, and actually pulled McCain aside to whisper the correction in his ear. After Lieberman spoke to him, McCain said, "I'm sorry, the Iranians are training extremists, not al-Qaeda."
Aside from being somewhat comical, McCain's statements were scary. When comparisons are drawn between George Bush and McCain, the similarities are striking. But McCain's recent comments further confirm if he gets elected as president, he will serve as a continuation of Bush's idiocy.
McCain has mentioned his readiness to invade Iran. But how credible is his foreign policy experience when he isn't aware of the important issues in the Middle East? I would argue that someone who aspires to be the president of the United States should know everything possible about the situation in Middle East, and especially militant groups such as al-Qeada. But apparently not.
What's even more disappointing is the fact that people will continue to vote for McCain despite his ignorance.
Here's what Cenk had to say about it today on The Young Turks:
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And He Wants To Be President?
Posted Mar 18th 2008 3:44PM by Ana Kasparian
Filed under: Politics, George Bush, Media, Young Turks, John McCain, Iran
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. It's also unfortunate that a former Vietnam vet and former POW would continue to push staying in the Iraq war despite its amazing linearity with that war. The Iraq war is quickly becoming this generations "Vietnam" and no one can definitively say when the end is near. I'd imagine someone with his personal experience would want to end the war and pull out as many of our troops as soon as possible. I see that some Presidents in history have relied on their cabinet members and close counterparts for information and it seems the Bush administration has done the same. With his lack of distinct knowledge about various sects and religions, and more importantly, their history, I see McCain going down the same path as Bush with relying on the people around him for guidance. That's too scary for some, myself included.
Bob at 5:42PM on Mar 18th 2008
2. Is "an shoking level of ignorance" supposed to read, "a shocking level of ignorance"(from the first paragraph)?
Try proofreading before you post next time, otherwise you look like an idiot.
helas at 5:42PM on Mar 18th 2008
3. Yes, that is very scary. McCain is stupid. But Obama is even scarier. Did you hear what Wright said?
AJ at 6:00PM on Mar 18th 2008
4. Well, McCain is almost 72...he is entitled to a "senior moment" I suppose.
As to McCain being a continuation of Bush's policies, that is not exactly news. There is little that differentiates him from Bush. All the "maverick" talk about McCain? Forget it. McCain wants the presidency so bad, he will do whatever the neocons tell him.
David S. at 6:26PM on Mar 18th 2008
5. AJ:
What's the problem, the truth hurts? The US, indeed, "set the table" for the Islamic extremists first by training and arming them against the Soviets in the 1980's, then occupying Saudi Arabia in the 1990's. Add to this America's other foreign policy blunders in the Middle East, and it's very understandable why the average Middle Easterner hates us.
Where Wright goes wrong is in implying that these circumstances somehow justified the 911 attacks. The attacks weren't justified under any circumstances, no matter how the Arab peoples try to justify them.
In this respect, Wright is not too different from that little right wing turd Dinesh D'Souza, who argues that America's "liberal" and supposedly decadent culture justified the 911 attacks since the attacks were righteous responses to the "affront" Islamic extremists supposedly have for American culture. (Interesting, isn't it, a right winger who is siding with bin Laden.)
In any event, I believe Obama's response to the reverend was the proper balance between rejection for the reverend's views, and Obama's undeniable experience as a black American.
David at 6:53PM on Mar 18th 2008
6. Cenk - Are you advancing the notion that Iran, led by Mr. Fruitcake himself - President I'm-in-a-Jihad , is not deeply involved in Iraq and is not contributing to the murder and mayhem there? If you really do believe that, you are dangerously naive and far more uniformed than McCain ever thought of being.
Dave at 7:04PM on Mar 18th 2008
7. “Obama is scarier because of what his former pastor said.”
Wow… I must be too naïve or too stupid, because, I honestly do not understand this statement. If my Rabi insults my Catholic friend, does it make me scary? When my friend is Priest told me I could not take communion with her, was it her fault? You know what I think….. I think we are pissed off because there is an incredibly articulate, intelligent man who understands the needs of this nation and has the will to do something about it. However, this man has the audacity to be black….
While many of us are too damn ignorant or too damn stupid not to see that we can do better.
Senator McCain had two Christian Clergymen indorse him in the past two weeks. One called the Catholic Church “The biggest Whore”, the other Minister stated that is nation was created to destroy the “Phony Muslim Religion “.
Disgusting statements made from all three men of the cloth. How is this Obama or McCain’s fault? Furthermore, if Obama has come out and rejected and denounce the statements made by his former Pastor, why has McCain not spoken out against the other two whack jobs? In fact, the so call “liberal Media” has not even covered the stories on the two Christian Clergymen for McCain; they only seem to care about covering Senator Obama’s former Christian Clergyman.
Patty at 7:11PM on Mar 18th 2008
8. Yeah. I guess it is better to have a president that agrees with al-qaeda and God d--- america. And also is the Al-qeada "al key ada" a branch of the al-qaeda "al kay da"? This is "Shoking"!!!! You could be Bush junior.
kcoryms at 7:14PM on Mar 18th 2008
9. Ridiculous. He accidentally used the word Al-Queda instead of Shiah extremists then corrected himself. (Yes Lieberman pointed out he used Al-Queda) How ignorant! He used the wrong word, but extremists are being trained by Iran. Fine, if you don't like him, but use real policy issues not garbage.
Mel at 7:45PM on Mar 18th 2008
10. Al-Qeada? And she wants to be a serious political commentator? Ana, you so silly.
Jay at 8:29PM on Mar 18th 2008
11. Patty - So two of the pastors who endorsed McCain have theological differences with Catholicism and Islam? Is that some kind of newsflash? The idea of being a member of a particular church is that you subscribe or adhere to a particular set of beliefs and you don't agree with others.
Neither of the preachers you're talking about has gone on a hate-filled, half-crazed, race-baiting, anti-American, conspiratorial tirade as Pastor Wright has done. And John McCain didn't sit under their teaching for 20 years like Obama did with Pastor Wright. There is no comparison here. But, nice try.
Dave at 9:03PM on Mar 18th 2008
12. 6. Cenk - Are you advancing the notion that Iran, led by Mr. Fruitcake himself - President I'm-in-a-Jihad , is not deeply involved in Iraq and is not contributing to the murder and mayhem there? If you really do believe that, you are dangerously naive and far more uniformed than McCain ever thought of being.
Dave at 7:04PM on Mar 18th 2008
Looks like you are the one who is uniformed, Dave.You didn't even check to see who had actually written this blog, so how are you so sure the sources that you are getting your information from are not war mongering, right wing, oil crooks who are trying to dupe the American public into getting behind another invasion of a country to gain control of their oil resources and leave the American people to deal with the loss of lives and the debt for a resource that will be depleted beyond any economically viable amount by the time we finally get out of there! (Yes, I know that was a long, run-on sentence, but it was an informal rant so don't degrade me for a simple grammatical error on a blog.)We can't throw stones when we live in a class house...How did these countries get their weapons of terror? Who supports terrorists and who has contributed to "the murder and mayhem" there?
Pamela at 9:13PM on Mar 18th 2008
13. McCain simply made a mistake. Considering the word "shocking" is spelled incorrectly in this article (first paragraph) who are you to judge?
Mark at 9:59PM on Mar 18th 2008
14. And you really think that Sunnis and Shites do not aide each other? What a bunch of bull!!! Remember that first Gulf War??? Well, Iran agreed to let Iraqi pilots land their planes on their soil to escapes having our guys blow rockets up their @#&*.
Even more to the point-- Iran and Iraq had been bitter enemies in an 8- year long war between them. Goes to prove that Islam believers stick together, no matter which faction they belong to.
Joanie at 10:06PM on Mar 18th 2008
15.
Silly me, I was trying some sort of reasoning. I guess I should have known better than to reason.
I no more blame Senator McCain for the despicable, hateful and divisiveness crap the two Ministers made than I blame Senator Obama for the ignorant and hateful remarks his former Pastor made.
I have to wonder about one small thing, where was the outrage from the right, when Jerry Farwell and Pat Robertson came out and blamed us the USA for 9/11and Katrina. They blamed the gay community and those suffering fro aids. OH…. Right, I get it. Gays, blacks, sure it was perfectly okay for them to blame the USA after all, they were referring to homosexuals and black citizens.
I leave that for those who would still rather be racist and ignorant. I do however, wonder why Senator McCain did not come out and speak against the despicable comments made by those two Ministers. Senator Obama rejected and denounced the comments made by Wright. Of course, I am not so naïve as to actually think that those who persist on calling him Bark Hussein Obama will even pretend to understand. After all, according to those people he is a Muslim plant to destroy us. Is that not right Dave?
Patty at 10:18PM on Mar 18th 2008