McCain supported the war, even if I disagree with his stance on Gitmo, tribunals, and other aspects of it. He turned out to be right, and Rumsfeld turned out to be wrong, about the surge and the need for more troops.
I’m not using anyone to accomplish anything. I am imagining the way the world looks under Clinton, Obama, and McCain. I think there are real differences, particularly regarding the war on terror. McCain is committed to winning, the democrats are committed to an immediate withdrawal.
If you’re honest with yourself, you will realize he is the best choice. I’m not happy about it, I’m not a McCain fan, but that is the reality of the situation.
“McCain is committed to winning...”
McCain is committed to McCain. Read about the origins of the surge, and you will find that the idea did not originate with McCain, as the legend is told by the McCain campaign, but with planners at the Pentagon, who had been arguing against the small force strategy all along, and rightly so. If you’re going to war, go with overwhelming force or don’t bother.
McCain jumped on the idea because he had a personal animus toward Rumsfeld and Bush, the war wasn’t going well, and he saw a political opening with the neocons, who could help him in his Presidential bid. And they repaid him, in spades, loudly jumped onboard his bandwagon even before it became popular.
Bottom line is, McCain made a political, not a principled military calculation. If he becomes President, and I don’t think he has a prayer, the political calculus will be much diffferent, and if he wants to stay in office, he will act accordingly.
Thank you and others for courage and sanity on this site - and, yes, specifically for your affirmations of duty, honor and country.