Not true. McCain been all over the board on Iraq. 1st he wanted 250,000 US troops to Americanize the war. Then he wanted the Baker Commission plan to cut a deal with the Iranians and run away. McCain is the father of the Baker Commission.
Then when he was dead in the water politically last year, McCain jumped onto the Petraus's Surge as a Hail Mary play. He had nothing left to lose.
We are succeeding in Iraq despite all the DC crowd, like McCain, could do to politically undercut the Iraq effort.
The only reason the Surge worked was Rumsfield/Bush paid the political price in 2004-2005-2006 to buy the Iraqi forces the time they needed to get up to speed.
All the Surge does is link 1 American Battalion to each Iraqi brigade to serve as on the job trainers. With out those Iraqi forces being there, the Surge would of failed.
Where Rummy screwed up was underestimating the amount of time the Iraqis would need to get it together. Where Bush screwed up was not making any serious effort to communicate to the people what was going on and letting a clown like McCain claim credit for things that took place despite him and the rest of the DC armchair generals.
Absolutely right.
Aren't you a cutie? What wars have you fought in? What public office have you held? Or are you just another one of those "armchair generals" that have all the answers without having to actually exert anything, risk anything, lose anything?
John McCain's the real article, unlike you. He took a major political chance backing the surge in support of President Bush and our fighting men and women - and he was absolutely right.
What have you done besides sweat all over a comfortable computer keyboard?
I have grown so tired of Conventional Wisdom kicking Bush and Rumsfeld for their work on the war.
If I recall correctly, excepting the start of the war, there was never broad Congressional support. Bush and Rumsfeld did all they could do to put as much force into Iraq as possible.
If they could have sent in more strength, I am sure they would have done so. As it was, they showed great political skill in walking a very narrow tightrope on the issue.
And when Bush “threw” Rumsfeld under the bus, I expect that it was Rumsfeld who wanted it done, seeing the act as a way to keep our effort going forward.
PS: I have no position on McCain's actions.
Regards,