McCain in Iraq
posted at 8:39 am on March 16, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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John McCain took some time off of the campaign trail and hit the ground in Iraq this morning. The media calls it a “surprise visit”, but he had given indications that he would visit Iraq after he clinched the nomination in order to get a fresh assessment of the progress being made by General David Petraeus and the troops. He intends to meet with Iraqi leadership, who might get a glimpse of the McCain temper for their foot-dragging on reconciliation:
Republican presidential candidate John McCain arrived in Iraq on Sunday to assess improved security attributed to a build-up of 30,000 extra troops of which he has been a strong supporter.
McCain arrived in Baghdad and was due to meet Iraqi government leaders and U.S. officials in the heavily fortified “Green Zone” diplomatic and government compound, U.S. embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo said. …
Attacks across Iraq have fallen by 60 percent since last June, when extra troops were fully deployed. There has been a fall in violence since January but U.S. commanders in Iraq say this does not represent a trend.
McCain’s visit will have at least one salutary effect — it will force news agencies to cover the drop in violence in Iraq yet again. As the news has gotten better from the effort, it has also become more rare and less prominently placed. For a day or two, newspapers will include the improvements seen from the surge, which McCain had demanded for three years before its eventual implementation.
Iraqi leaders have met with McCain before, but not as a presidential nominee. That may give McCain a little more leverage with Nouri al-Maliki and the other political leaders in the Iraqi central government. Before now, McCain’s criticisms of the Iraqi leadership had been moderated by his status as just another American legislator, albeit one with more clout than some of the other drop-in visitors to the Green Zone. Now that McCain may be the best friend they have left in the upcoming presidential election, they may take his suggestions on speeding up reconciliation efforts closer to heart.
Another point that the American media might make is that this is McCain’s eighth trip to Iraq. He has visited in bad times and while improvements were being made. How many trips has Barack Obama made to Iraq? How many meetings has he had with Iraqi leadership?
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lol.
If he tries that I sure hope he doesn’t wear that silly hat. It makes him look like an old woman.
Besides, McVano’s temper is reserved for nativist Gringos and fellow Republicans, like fellow Republican Senators that he likes to say #uck you to, not Iraqis, whom he wants to give fifty, make it a hundred, years to get their act together.
McCain’s policy is the “surge”, that’s about it, with just the “slightly nuanced” change from “surge till they merge” to now “keep surging because they’re not merging”?.
MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 2:56 PM
CK,
Let’s just wait for Petraeus to testify before Congress next month.
I doubt he’ll be able to make the case that America should keep pumping $200,000,000,000 a year into Iraq with the economy going into the crapper.
alphie on March 16, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Unless Bernanke can manage to put enough spit and duck tape on the financial house of cards that is Debtmerica, the point that the media will be making in another few months is who fiddle-fracked around making trips to Iraq while the economy burned.
It’s
Iraqthe economy stupid.MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 3:07 PM
MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 3:07 PM
Yeah, economics are such a Liberal issue. Your hatred of War Heroes has really clouded your judgment.
THE CHOSEN ONE on March 16, 2008 at 3:11 PM
UBS puts the banks’ total losses from the subprime fiasco at $600 billion. If that’s true, (and we expect it is) then the Fed is out of luck because, at some point, Bernanke will have to throw in the towel and let some of the bigger banks fail. And when that happens, the stock market will start lurching downward in 400 and 500 point increments. But what else can be done? Solvency can only be feigned for so long. Eventually, losses have to be accounted for and businesses have to fail. It’s that simple.
So far, the Fed’s actions have had only a marginal affect. The system is grinding to a standstill. The country’s two largest GSEs, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which are presently carrying $4.5 trillion of loans on their books, are teetering towards bankruptcy. Both are gravely under-capitalized and (as a recent article in Barron’s shows) Fannies equity is mostly smoke and mirrors. No wonder investors are shunning their bonds. Additionally, the cost of corporate bond insurance is now higher than anytime in history, which makes funding for business expansion or new projects nearly impossible. The wheels have come of the cart. The debt markets are upside-down, consumer confidence is drooping and, as the Financial Times states, “A palpable sense of crisis pervades global trading floors.” It’s all pretty grim.
The banks are facing a “systemic margin call” which is leaving them capital-depleted and unwilling to lend. Thus, the credit markets are shutting down and there’s a stampede for the exits by the big players. Bernanke’s chances of reversing the trend are nil. The cash-strapped banks are calling in loans from the hedge funds which is causing massive deleveraging. That, in turn, is triggering a disorderly unwind of trillions of dollars of credit default swaps and other leveraged bets. Its a disaster.
- Global Research
Got
Milk a FiddleGold?MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 3:12 PM
If a pathetical response like that is the best response you can make, you should not make one at all.
It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt.
- Abraham Lincoln.
MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Not according to ABC News Radio…they’ve been reporting it as him “campaigning” in Iraq.
Miss_Anthrope on March 16, 2008 at 3:17 PM
MB4,
And who got everyone into those loans and hence all that debt? People have noone to blame but themselves, and the Democrats (and specific Republicans between 2004 & 2006), who determined that entitlements & domestic programs unrelated to our Constitution, like the Departments of Education, Labor, Health & Human Services, etc., were more important than focusing on those that are related, like Defense, Immigration, etc.
To which I say, Boo Frickin’ Hoo.
Miss_Anthrope on March 16, 2008 at 3:23 PM
What ever happened to that jerk CNN reporter Michael Ware (pronounced, Waahahahahaha-re).
Richard Romano on March 16, 2008 at 3:30 PM
What ever happened to that jerk CNN reporter Michael Ware (pronounced, Waahahahahaha-re).
Richard Romano on March 16, 2008 at 3:30 PM
I bet I know how that guy’s nose got put sideways.
THE CHOSEN ONE on March 16, 2008 at 3:35 PM
Both the gamblers who can’t pay their loans and the gamblers who loaned them the money are to blame as far as I am concerned, but you don’t really think that they will blame themselves do you?
Actually that is not the main problem. It is the leveraged house of cards that is coming unglued.
MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 3:36 PM
I’d agree with most of your report except one part of the opening line.
“took some time off of the campaign trail”
Actually, I’d say this was an attempt at one of the most high profile campaign trails stops he’s tried in a while. And I applaud him for it. I hope he keeps talking about Iraq and keeping it in the face of the press every day from now until November.
Jazz Shaw on March 16, 2008 at 4:04 PM
McCain in Iraq
What post am I reading?
Seven Percent Solution on March 16, 2008 at 4:36 PM
I recall that as a Mark Twain quote. It seems very cynical for Lincoln, but it’s perfect Twain.
njcommuter on March 16, 2008 at 4:59 PM
“Let’s just wait for Petraeus to testify before Congress next month.
I doubt he’ll be able to make the case that America should keep pumping $200,000,000,000 a year into Iraq with the economy going into the crapper.
alphie on March 16, 2008 at 3:03 PM”
Actually “alphie” it’s considerably worse than what you’ve surmised… How about…
12 billion a week [that’s with a Bee] spent in Iraq.
When you do the arithmetic it comes to…
640 billion that’s 60 percent of a trillion [that’s with a Tee] per year to be spent in Iraq!
Like Senator Dirksen from Illinois used to say… “A million here and a billion there and pretty soon you’re talking about real money”
Have you checked your 401K or your IRA, year to date losses?
What’s it down… 11 to 14 percent? In would appear we maybe in for more than just a little rock and roll with these financial geniuses’ leading the band…!
Bernanke Discards Monetary History with Bear Stearns Bailout
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aY2RvFA.yO_Q&refer=worldwide
Avoid Overcorrecting Economy, Bush Warns
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080315/bush.html?.v=2
J_Gocht on March 16, 2008 at 5:20 PM
What the heck is this…?
Tweedle dee and Tweedle dumbe…?
Let’s get on both sides of this issue up front to cover our sorry asses, so the ignorant masses can’t blame us if we’re both wrong…?
“High fivers…!” Ben
“H&K’s…!” GW
J_Gocht on March 16, 2008 at 5:44 PM
I disagree. At the end of the day it is national/self security. Who will keep me and my family safe overrides anything else.
dustoffmom on March 16, 2008 at 5:48 PM
Hey dfdeport All us AF pilots wives are gonna really thank you when President Obama and his generals and Sec Def Tony shudder McPeak put our husbands on trial for murder after they take out “civilians” like just happened in Pakistan.
Really, it’s gonna be great getting to visit our men in Leavenworth, and we will remember that it’s folks like you who helped make it happen.
funky chicken on March 16, 2008 at 1:15 PM
Thank me for what? I’m not voting for Barack Obama, and have no intention on doing so!
DfDeportation on March 16, 2008 at 6:09 PM
Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean are STILL in prison, thanks to OPEN BORDER ZEALOTS like Juan “Z-Visa” McCain! And BTW….”Z-Visa” wants to give enemy combatants DUE PROCESS, on American soil, in American courts, after said combatants are TORTURED by waterboarding???? Geeeezzz…
STAY HOME ‘08
DfDeportation on March 16, 2008 at 6:13 PM
Long term military strength depends on long term economic strength, DO Mom.
The Chinese aren’t going to give the Pentagon a limitless credit line to buy expensive toys forever…especially now that the PLA is on the move in Asia themselves.
alphie on March 16, 2008 at 6:13 PM
Amen - Security first and always, everything else can wait.
Those who bitch about the economy are to dang lazy to get off their lard butts and do something about it. I have been working for 34 years - started at eight years old driving a fuel truck on the family farm and worked my way through college and am now an experienced engineer. Now the economy has a little burp and people friggin panic - go back to 1976-1980 days folks - that was real pain. I worked day and night with my father patching together tractors so we could get a few more years out of our equipment - anybody else but McCain promises a return to those crappy days. All those Rinos out there who are threatening to stay home this election have to have their brain examined - God help us if Hillary or Obama get in.
Colonel_prop on March 16, 2008 at 6:14 PM
This war is peanuts.
Call us when the Congressfolk decide to attack the entitlement fiasco.
SS Medicare, Medicaid.
The Big Stuff…
Everything else is kid stuff.
mylegsareswollen on March 16, 2008 at 6:21 PM
Most of us private sector workers don’t think of Social Security as a “problem” swollen.
We think of it as our retirement that we’ve been paying for our entire adult lives.
Remember that when McCain starts talking about 100 years of elective war in Iraq…we can’t all marry rich when we reach retirement age like he did.
alphie on March 16, 2008 at 6:35 PM
I view it as a problem that in the future I’m going to have to put a lot more money into Social Security than my parents did in order to support the swelling number of retirees coming off the Baby Boom. If the government left the Social Security money alone, it wouldn’t be as much of a problem, but they spend it more irresponsibly than the private sector would, which means that you aren’t really paying for yourself, but rather the generation older than you. And it would have been cheaper, for us and them, to let them pay for themselves.
Math_Mage on March 16, 2008 at 6:55 PM
——————————————————————————————————-
alphie’s…exactly right!
————————————————————————————————————Amen - Security first and always, everything else can wait….Colonel_prop on March 16, 2008 at 6:14 PM
————————————————————
Colonel, You Sir can wait…!
—————————————————————
This war is peanuts….
mylegsareswollen on March 16, 2008 at 6:21 PM
—————————————————————
Your brain is swollen, Olde man!
Gentlemen, alphie’s presentation makes the only sense, here. Without the means there are no jeans [blue that is].
Do you olde dumbe’s get it yet…?
HoooAaah…!
Olde soldier sends…!
J_Gocht on March 16, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Alphie has a point. You, sir, on the other hand, are merely blowing spittle. Please cease and desist.
Math_Mage on March 16, 2008 at 7:56 PM
oooooh! fight’n words!…you’re a lightweight. i wouldnt waste my time with you.
HunnyWaggin on March 16, 2008 at 7:59 PM
It was Lincoln.
MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 8:04 PM
No tiki, no laundry.
MB4 on March 16, 2008 at 8:07 PM
others? geez, was “dustoffMom” your mother Wade? you’re mad Wade because i disagreed with your Mommy? Grow up Wade…its time to be a man.
So, what i said about McCain making a mistake wearing the hat (and it is a well known “hat rule” in politics, i didnt make it up, im just commenting on it) why does the meaning of what i said about that (or anything else)change, when YOU hear “who im backing”? how immature is that? why cant you take my word, as my opinion? do you need ammunition to combat me? do you need to see my post count? to compare it to yours and THEN make a decision on my credibility? the only people on chat groups that call out others as “trolls” are ones that are lost for words, hiding behind their monitors trying to act tough where otherwise in real life…they cant. they like to feel they are superior for a moment in their lives. Ive seen it for decades Wade, you’re not a “new species” as “a crapolla” says (see i can be childish and make fun of your name too huh? isnt it silly? oh no, its only silly when i do it…right?). Be a man Wade…have some balls and talk to me about the topic instead of calling me school yard names, or shut the hell up.
HunnyWaggin on March 16, 2008 at 8:13 PM
Actually, it’s most often attributed to Twain, although it is attributed to Lincoln as well.
Typhoon on March 16, 2008 at 8:16 PM
…and if you dont mind Wading in my Honey bucket for a moment…Wade!, I wouldnt put my support behind any one of these clowns. i just may, come crunch time, find an industrial size clothes pin big enough to help me to vote for the Republican ( as i always do) this time, but if El Presidente Juan McCain doesnt come through in his first 100 days, proving he made major league mistakes his last 8 years, i will regret i did so. These…so called “republicans” haven’t any balls anymore. YOU DONT LET Chris Dodd (and that creep of a human being Chuck E. Schumer- who should be selling used cars)say what he said today on Fox (regarding Obamas Pastor of 20 years) and let him get away with it! YOU DONT!. You fight it until you lose your job and GET HIM!. Now I love Chris Wallace, he’s the best, and he did the best job HE could do, i applaud him. But the Republicans have simply lost their backbones, they gave them up for power, to keep their jobs. and this…THIS! is why i say…we will LOSE in 08.And “we” deserve it.
HunnyWaggin on March 16, 2008 at 8:35 PM
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