Well stated. As a military man, McCain more so than either of the Democratic possibilities and even more so than Bush, understands the effect war has on the military and our young men and women in uniform. His one son is in the Marines and the other is at the Naval Academy I believe. I seriously doubt that McCain will be quick to pull the trigger.

 

Its kind of funny to me that a lot more people haven't jumped on board the McCain wagon. For years we say that we don't want our elected officials to be from the extreme wings of the parties. McCain is clearly a moderate Republican and all we hear is grief about it. We say we want our elected officials to be able to work with the party across the aisle to move our country forward. McCain has a proven record of doing so and all we hear is that he has abandoned his ideals and become a traitor to the Republican Party. For years we have heard that Bush wasn't qualified to make military decisions because he wasn't in the military and he callously made decisions affecting young Americans. McCain obviously served admirably in Viet Nam and refused early release from capture because he didn't want favoritism. For years we have heard rich wealthy politicians criticized about sending the poor people in the military to fight battles for rich Americans. Two of McCain's sons have placed themselves in harm's way to fight America's battles and yet little is made of that point. At times when I hear people criticized McCain, I just want to throw my arms up in the air and say "just what do you want?"

 

Good Lord, he is against pork barrel spending, has vast experience in foreign affairs and policy at a time when such experience is more needed than perhaps any other time in our country's history, has fought for campaign funding reform, has opposed big business when it has crossed the line, has advocated diplomacy and the use of military only as a last resort, is against increasing taxes and for looking at wasteful spending to cut the deficit, is not a party idealogue, and works with Democrats to find compromises where compromise is possible. Other than his age (which is an issue to some, not me), he is what a lot of Americans have been clamoring for. I'm not voting for McCain because he is the least evil. I'm voting for him because he is extremely qualified to lead our country, much more so than Bush or the two Democratic possibilities. Vote McCain.

 

Agreed fully.

 

McCain's one challenge is the mindset of the voters in November regarding Iraq. He's clearly the most qualified from a military leadership background. Also, I think the people you hear complaining are the extemists on both sides instead of the majority in between.

I don't think McCain would conduct military operations in Iraq as incompetently as Bush did. But I would argue that most Americans want our involvement in Iraq to end as soon as possible. John McCain has strongly suggested (with his support of Bush's surge strategy and his comments about U.S. forces being in Iraq for 100 years) that he will not yield to the wishes of the American people. McCain serves up platitudes about refusing to surrender, but offers precious little substance to give confidence that a solid plan exists for a satisfactory resolution in Iraq.

 

George Stephanopulaisjdjdfpoas(sp??) had two polls on Sunday and both were around a 53/46 split on the war. While that is technically most, it is not the impression that all of this country wants us out of the war.

 

Especially when you consider the margin of error could move that close to a 51-48 split. I guess the other 1% was undecided.

The CNN poll I saw last night suggests that there's been a huge swing in public opinion in recent months. Now, the number who are in favor of a reckless retreat from Iraq has fallen to under 50%. This would seem to indicate that people are starting to realize that the plan is working and that it needs to continue until such time as it is no longer necessary.

 

Guess I should have read on. You said it better than me.

Well stated. As a military man, McCain more so than either of the Democratic possibilities and even more so than Bush, understands the effect war has on the military and our young men and women in uniform. His one son is in the Marines and the other is at the Naval Academy I believe. I seriously doubt that McCain will be quick to pull the trigger.

 

Its kind of funny to me that a lot more people haven't jumped on board the McCain wagon. For years we say that we don't want our elected officials to be from the extreme wings of the parties. McCain is clearly a moderate Republican and all we hear is grief about it. We say we want our elected officials to be able to work with the party across the aisle to move our country forward. McCain has a proven record of doing so and all we hear is that he has abandoned his ideals and become a traitor to the Republican Party. For years we have heard that Bush wasn't qualified to make military decisions because he wasn't in the military and he callously made decisions affecting young Americans. McCain obviously served admirably in Viet Nam and refused early release from capture because he didn't want favoritism. For years we have heard rich wealthy politicians criticized about sending the poor people in the military to fight battles for rich Americans. Two of McCain's sons have placed themselves in harm's way to fight America's battles and yet little is made of that point. At times when I hear people criticized McCain, I just want to throw my arms up in the air and say "just what do you want?"

 

Good Lord, he is against pork barrel spending, has vast experience in foreign affairs and policy at a time when such experience is more needed than perhaps any other time in our country's history, has fought for campaign funding reform, has opposed big business when it has crossed the line, has advocated diplomacy and the use of military only as a last resort, is against increasing taxes and for looking at wasteful spending to cut the deficit, is not a party idealogue, and works with Democrats to find compromises where compromise is possible. Other than his age (which is an issue to some, not me), he is what a lot of Americans have been clamoring for. I'm not voting for McCain because he is the least evil. I'm voting for him because he is extremely qualified to lead our country, much more so than Bush or the two Democratic possibilities. Vote McCain.

 

I have a hard time finding fault with anything (other than the idea that Pres. Bush has much idea what military service is like) that you have said here. Additionally, I find myself liking and respecting McCain very much. This is what will make my decision so difficult.

Or in the alternative, if you like what Carter did in the White House and to our country, you can vote for either Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton.

 

One thing Carter did do for the country:

8 years of "Ronnie":thumb:

Well stated. As a military man, McCain more so than either of the Democratic possibilities and even more so than Bush, understands the effect war has on the military and our young men and women in uniform. His one son is in the Marines and the other is at the Naval Academy I believe. I seriously doubt that McCain will be quick to pull the trigger.

 

Its kind of funny to me that a lot more people haven't jumped on board the McCain wagon. For years we say that we don't want our elected officials to be from the extreme wings of the parties. McCain is clearly a moderate Republican and all we hear is grief about it. We say we want our elected officials to be able to work with the party across the aisle to move our country forward. McCain has a proven record of doing so and all we hear is that he has abandoned his ideals and become a traitor to the Republican Party. For years we have heard that Bush wasn't qualified to make military decisions because he wasn't in the military and he callously made decisions affecting young Americans. McCain obviously served admirably in Viet Nam and refused early release from capture because he didn't want favoritism. For years we have heard rich wealthy politicians criticized about sending the poor people in the military to fight battles for rich Americans. Two of McCain's sons have placed themselves in harm's way to fight America's battles and yet little is made of that point. At times when I hear people criticized McCain, I just want to throw my arms up in the air and say "just what do you want?"

 

Good Lord, he is against pork barrel spending, has vast experience in foreign affairs and policy at a time when such experience is more needed than perhaps any other time in our country's history, has fought for campaign funding reform, has opposed big business when it has crossed the line, has advocated diplomacy and the use of military only as a last resort, is against increasing taxes and for looking at wasteful spending to cut the deficit, is not a party idealogue, and works with Democrats to find compromises where compromise is possible. Other than his age (which is an issue to some, not me), he is what a lot of Americans have been clamoring for. I'm not voting for McCain because he is the least evil. I'm voting for him because he is extremely qualified to lead our country, much more so than Bush or the two Democratic possibilities. Vote McCain.

 

:thumb: :thumb:It is hard to add any more to what you have stated. all great reasons to Vote McCain.

The CNN poll I saw last night suggests that there's been a huge swing in public opinion in recent months. Now, the number who are in favor of a reckless retreat from Iraq has fallen to under 50%. This would seem to indicate that people are starting to realize that the plan is working and that it needs to continue until such time as it is no longer necessary.

 

Until such time as no longer necessary. Hmmm. That would be five ears ago. I have no doubt that McCain would have handled Iraq better than Bush has, but he has consistently maintained that Iraq was a good thing to do. That implies that faced with the Iraq decision again he would take us down that same road. That is the sort of person we absolutely cannot afford to put in the White House. How to extricate ourselves from Iraq will be a tough problem for the next president. It won't be easy. The American people must make sure that we have a President that will not repeat the problem.

Until such time as no longer necessary. Hmmm. That would be five ears ago. I have no doubt that McCain would have handled Iraq better than Bush has, but he has consistently maintained that Iraq was a good thing to do. That implies that faced with the Iraq decision again he would take us down that same road. That is the sort of person we absolutely cannot afford to put in the White House. How to extricate ourselves from Iraq will be a tough problem for the next president. It won't be easy. The American people must make sure that we have a President that will not repeat the problem.

I've never understood how people can look at a situation with such a narrow gaze. Just because one of the reasons given didn't happen to pan out -- though it easily could have -- does not mean that this was the wrong thing to do. It does not mean that the American losses in this fight against terrorism have been in vain. I really get angry when I hear things like this suggested. :irked: We need to be there and we need to stay until such time as it's no longer necessary. It's that simple. And that's why we need John McCain.

I've never understood how people can look at a situation with such a narrow gaze. Just because one of the reasons given didn't happen to pan out -- though it easily could have -- does not mean that this was the wrong thing to do. It does not mean that the American losses in this fight against terrorism have been in vain. I really get angry when I hear things like this suggested. :irked: We need to be there and we need to stay until such time as it's no longer necessary. It's that simple. And that's why we need John McCain.

 

That is exactly the point. Iraq was never about terrorism. Iraq was not a threat to the United States and by invading Iraq the Bush administration has made this country less safe. That is why we can't afford John McCain. There is no doubt that his knowledge of the tactical use of the military is outstanding. It is his strategic judgement that is lacking.

That is exactly the point. Iraq was never about terrorism. Iraq was not a threat to the United States and by invading Iraq the Bush administration has made this country less safe.

Iraq, like Afghanistan, was completely about terrorism. We're fighting Al-Qaeda there, so that we don't have to fight them here. John McCain, and an increasing number of Americans understand that.

McCain is in a tight spot on Iraq. He can't very well say it was a mistake, even if he believes it was, because it undermines his declared policy position that the U.S. needs to stay and "finish the job" (whatever that means). If he were to advocate a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, his Republican primary candidacy would have been a non-starter.

Iraq, like Afghanistan, was completely about terrorism. We're fighting Al-Qaeda there, so that we don't have to fight them here. John McCain, and an increasing number of Americans understand that.

 

I'm not buying this tired old line of, "we're fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here." Al Qaeda in Iraq's significance has always been overstated by the Bush Administration, in their desperate attempt to justify the failed invasion. If we had 500,000 men in Iraq, we could probably totally rid the place of Al Qaeda sympathizers. Only problem is, they would just move to another poorly-policed country and set up shop there. Do we then invade another country? If we had just focused on fighting Al Qaeda where they were in 2001 (Afghanistan) they wouldn't even be in Iraq now and the better part of 4,000 Americans servicemen and women would still be alive today. If the neocons got such a simple concept so horribly wrong in 2003, why should their current recommendations for dealing with the Iraq mess garner any credibility?

I'm not buying this tired old line of, "we're fighting them there so we don't have to fight them here." Al Qaeda in Iraq's significance has always been overstated by the Bush Administration, in their desperate attempt to justify the failed invasion.

:sleep:

 

Same old same old...and still wrong.

Iraq, like Afghanistan, was completely about terrorism. We're fighting Al-Qaeda there, so that we don't have to fight them here. John McCain, and an increasing number of Americans understand that.

 

We are fighting Al-Qaeda there NOW...but that is not why we invaded Iraq.

Well stated. As a military man, McCain more so than either of the Democratic possibilities and even more so than Bush, understands the effect war has on the military and our young men and women in uniform. His one son is in the Marines and the other is at the Naval Academy I believe. I seriously doubt that McCain will be quick to pull the trigger.

 

Its kind of funny to me that a lot more people haven't jumped on board the McCain wagon. For years we say that we don't want our elected officials to be from the extreme wings of the parties. McCain is clearly a moderate Republican and all we hear is grief about it. We say we want our elected officials to be able to work with the party across the aisle to move our country forward. McCain has a proven record of doing so and all we hear is that he has abandoned his ideals and become a traitor to the Republican Party. For years we have heard that Bush wasn't qualified to make military decisions because he wasn't in the military and he callously made decisions affecting young Americans. McCain obviously served admirably in Viet Nam and refused early release from capture because he didn't want favoritism. For years we have heard rich wealthy politicians criticized about sending the poor people in the military to fight battles for rich Americans. Two of McCain's sons have placed themselves in harm's way to fight America's battles and yet little is made of that point. At times when I hear people criticized McCain, I just want to throw my arms up in the air and say "just what do you want?"

 

Good Lord, he is against pork barrel spending, has vast experience in foreign affairs and policy at a time when such experience is more needed than perhaps any other time in our country's history, has fought for campaign funding reform, has opposed big business when it has crossed the line, has advocated diplomacy and the use of military only as a last resort, is against increasing taxes and for looking at wasteful spending to cut the deficit, is not a party idealogue, and works with Democrats to find compromises where compromise is possible. Other than his age (which is an issue to some, not me), he is what a lot of Americans have been clamoring for. I'm not voting for McCain because he is the least evil. I'm voting for him because he is extremely qualified to lead our country, much more so than Bush or the two Democratic possibilities. Vote McCain.

 

 

This fellow Americans, is a GREAT post! :thumb: