Iraq,  Iraq War,  John McCain,  President 2008

John McCain Watch: The 100 Year Iraq War?

John McCain would stay in Iraq for a hundred years – the context explained on Meet the Press

Barack Obama misstates John McCain’s position on the Iraq War again.

In a back and forth at today’s press conference, Obama insisted he was not taking out of context McCain’s comments about keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years. Asked if his attack was disingenous, Obama had the following to say:

“I don’t think it’s unfair at all,” Obama said. “John McCain, I mean, we can run the YouTube spot, has said that we will stay there as long as it takes. And if it takes another 100 years, he’s up for that commitment and that implies that there is some criteria by which we would understand how long it takes.

“John McCain has not been clear about what exactly would lead him to decide it’s time to pull out. And so, you know, the problem that we’ve had both with John McCain and George Bush is that there’s no clear definition of success. There never was, and that’s why this has been such a profound strategic error. And you know, I think it is entirely fair to suggest that unless he’s got some criteria where by, at some point, we would be able to pull out our troops. For him to argue that, which he has repeatedly, that any suggestion that we withdraw troops is surrender. That implies that we will be there as long as he thinks it’s necessary for us to be there.”

Here is the Obama video:

In obvious DNC talking points here are Obama’s and Hillary’s disingenuous spins on McCain’s statements:

“He (McCain) says that he is willing to send our troops into another 100 years of war in Iraq” (Barack Obama, Feb. 19).

“We are bogged down in a war that John McCain now suggests might go on for another 100 years” (Obama, Feb. 26).

“He’s (McCain) willing to keep this war going for 100 years” (Hillary Clinton, March 17).

“What date between now and the election in November will he (McCain) drop this promise of a 100-year war in Iraq?” (Chris Matthews, March 4).

Why, even a CNN anchor (Rick Sanchez) buys it: “John McCain is telling us … that we need to win even if it takes 100 years” (March 16).

Ok, now that these misstatements have been exposed, maybe Obama can tell us what his measure for success in Iraq is?


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