COLUMBUS, Ohio - Republican presidential candidate John McCain said on Thursday he believes the Iraq war can be won within four years, leaving a functioning democracy there and allowing most U.S. troops to come home.

 

McCain says any decades-long presence of U.S. troops would be aimed at maintaining stability in the region and has likened it to the U.S. military presence in Japan, South Korea and Germany.

 

In particular, he sees a world in which:

 

• The Taliban threat in Afghanistan has been greatly reduced.
• A "League of Democracies" has supplanted a failed United Nations to apply sanctions to the Sudanese government and halt genocide in Darfur.
• The United States has had "several years of robust growth," appropriations bills free of lawmakers' pet projects known as "earmarks," public education improved by charter schools, health care improved by expansion of the private market and an energy crisis stemmed through the start of construction on 20 new nuclear reactors.
  
• Democrats are asked to serve in his administration, he holds weekly news conferences and, like the British prime minister, answers questions publicly from lawmakers.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24641626

Are you all as hopeful about Iraq as John purports to be?

Reading that article and McCain's predictions would make one assume that John was having a really good day.

Are you all as hopeful about Iraq as John purports to be?

No. I think no matter what we do, Iraq gets swallowed up in civil war, only to have one of it's friendly neighbors come in to intervene and never leave.

No. I think no matter what we do, Iraq gets swallowed up in civil war, only to have one of it's friendly neighbors come in to intervene and never leave.

 

I agree. I try to envision a happy ending but I just don't see that environment ever allowing it.

We've heard for the past five years that victory in Iraq is possible, but a coherent plan (including all of the steps for achieving that success) has never been articulated. I'd like to know what is so significant about four years' time--are there a series of concrete steps in mind (with timelines for achieving them) or did McCain just pull that number out of the air because it sounded good? What are the steps to achieve this vision of 'victory' in four years?

 

We are over a year into Bush's "surge" plan and we have yet to see any demonstrable political progress. For example there is still no oil sharing agreement. A successful outcome for the U.S. in Iraq ultimately hinges on political developments inside the country that are fundamentally beyond our control. What makes Mr. McCain think he can put such things on a timeline?

 

Until I see a credible plan, I have to assume the four year remark is a throwaway campaign promise.

I too am not convinced victory is achievable in 4 years time. However, I much prefer an optimist's vision of victory than a pessimst's vision of defeat. Particularly in a region so critical.

I hate to say it, but the only way to rule Iraq and its factions is with an iron fist.

I hate to say it, but the only way to rule Iraq and its factions is with an iron fist.

 

Didnt we just overthrow a government like that?:sssh:

Didnt we just overthrow a government like that?:sssh:

 

We gotta put another one in power, apparently.

I hope so.

I thought we won the war... I am confused

I thought we won the war... I am confused

 

 

M-I-S-S-I-O-N - A-C-C-O-M-P-L-I-S-H-E-D !!!

Personally, I liken the situation in Iraq to China taking us over and telling us how we should live. I don't think we'd like it either. We had no business in Iraq and now we are reaping the disasters from it that are going to last for a long long time.

M-I-S-S-I-O-N - A-C-C-O-M-P-L-I-S-H-E-D !!!

 

I just can't understand why so many people don't realize that the above statement refers to the overthrow and defeat of Saddam Hussein, his government, his military and his system.

 

Three times in the past few days math has referred to those who disagree with him as stupid or silly. I must be at the top of the list.