John McCain's Displaced Ardor For War

[kentuck]

My question is: Who are all these people that are voting for this war monger??
=========================


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/bush-and-mccains-displac_b_83870.html

<snip>
Then there was the president's reelection chart topper, "Al Qaida is on the run in Iraq" -- a moldy oldie that nonetheless had the crowd roaring its approval and holding up metaphorical disposable lighters. Indeed, the line led to one of the most telling moments of the night, with Hillary Clinton springing to her feet in applause while Barack Obama chose to stay seated. Perhaps she was having an '04 flashback.

Then there is John McCain, the resurgent GOP front-runner, who has spent the last few days attacking Mitt Romney using the same shopworn cudgels that Republicans have often wielded to cow Democratic opposition to the war. McCain accused Romney of once saying (in 2007) that he "wanted to set a date for withdrawal similar to what the Democrats are seeking." Heaven forbid. McCain acted like Chris Hansen, popping out to nab yet another pedophile. "I was there," said McCain at a town hall meeting held in a Florida retirement community, "he said he wanted a timetable for withdrawal." Heat up the tar! Pluck the feathers!!

<snip>

A Romney spokesperson called McCain "unhinged" -- a claim McCain helped bolster with a bizarre campaign rant this weekend in which he promised a crowd of supporters, "There's going to be other wars... We will never surrender but there will be other wars."

And, shockingly, the idea did not seem to fill him with unbearable sadness. In fact, he seemed like a grizzled football coach at the tail end of long career, finally about to get a shot at coaching in the Super Bowl.

<snip>
It's a speech that could easily have been delivered by Gen. Buck Turgidson, George C. Scott's war-loving character in Dr. Strangelove. "I'm not saying we wouldn't get our hair mussed, but I do say no more than 10 to 20 million killed - tops!"

McCain, like Turgidson, has a disturbing displaced ardor for war. Although he'd be the oldest person ever elected president, he doesn't need Viagra -- he's got Iraq. Call your doctor if your erection lasts longer than four hours -- or your war lasts longer than 100 years.

[spanone]

1. they are themselves warmongers...they are the 29 or whatever percent that loves bu$h*

i reckon

[zabet]

2. I didn't think McCain had

always been a warmonger.
Wasn't he the one that stood
before Congress and said the
18 soldiers lost in Somalia
were 18 too many, and that
put blood on Congress' hands?

I think McCain is a very, very
serious threat due to this and
his bipartisanship friendship with
Liebermann. Now we know Liebermann
is not a true Dem but, the majority
of Americans do not.

Add to this mix that many may think
that he is due the presidency. He
was a POW and has served his country
in more ways than one.

Yes, I can see McCain being the worse
threat the Repubs have, if they will
accept him and quit trying to show Mitt
down the Repukes throats.

[Poiuyt]

5. McCain goes to Senate floor and demands that America withdraw its troops now

...from Haiti

McCain 1994
One of the reasons why people are convinced, why many of these experts are convinced, that this situation is one which is increasingly difficult to solve, is because of the fact that we were there once before. The right course of action is to make preparations as quickly as possible to bring our people home. It does not mean as soon as order is restored to Haiti, it doesn't mean as soon as Democracy is flourishing in Haiti, it doesn't mean as soon as we've established a viable nation in Haiti, as soon as possible means as soon as we can get out of Haiti without losing any American lives. Now there may be different interpretations of this Resolution on the other side but it is my view and I want to make it clear and I think the majority of the American people's view that as soon as possible means as soon as possible. Exactly what those words state. The Haitians were to police themselves but the cooperation that was to prevent mission creep has not materialized and U.S. troops have assumed a greater and greater responsibility for policing Haiti. We all see on CNN what they are doing. Day by day their mission expands. American military personnel have been tasked with preventing looting, stopping Haitian on Haitian violence, protecting private property and arresting attaches.

-

...from Somalia

McCain 1993
Mr. President, there is no reason for the United States of America to remain in Somalia. The American people want them home, I believe that the majority of Congress wants them home, and to set an artificial date of March 31 or even February 1st, in my view, is not acceptable. The criteria should be to bring them home as rapidly and safely as possible. An evolution, which I think could be completed in a matter of weeks. Mr. President, our continued military presence in Somalia allows another situation to arise which could then lead to the wounding, killing, or capture of the of American fighting men and women. We should do all in our power to avoid that. Date certain, Mr. President, are not the criteria here. What's the criteria and what should be the criteria is our immediate, orderly withdrawal from Somalia. And if we don't do that, and other Americans die, other Americans are wounded, other Americans are captured, because we stayed too long, longer than necessary, then I would say that the responsibilities for that lie with the Congress of the United States who did not excercise their authority under the Constitution of the United States and mandate that they be brought home as quickly and safely as possible. But the mission which the American people supported and this Congress supported, in an overwhelming resolution, has been accomplished. The American people did not support the goals of nation-building, peacemaking, law and order and certainly not warlord funding. For us to get into nation-building, law and order, etc, I think is a tragic and terrible mistake. But the argument that somehow the United States would suffer a loss to our prestige and our viability, as far as the No. 1 superpower in the world, I think, is baloney. The fact is, what can hurt our prestige, Mr. President, I'll tell you what can hurt our viability, as the world's superpower, and that is, if we inmesh ourselves in a drawn-out situation, which entails the loss of American lives, more debaucles like the one we saw with the failed mission to capture Aidid's lieutenants, using American forces, and that then will be what hurts our prestige. Look at the tragedy in Beirut, Mr. President, 240 young Marines lost their lives, but we got out. Now is the time for us to get out of Somalia, as rapidly and as promptly and as safely as possible.

http://www.americablog.com/2007/04/mccain-goes-to-senate-floor-and-demands.html

[zabet]

7. Thanks!!

I knew he had stood
up against some wars,
just couldn't remember
which ones for sure.
:hi:

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

3. With turgid McCain glowing at the prospect of "other wars" in our future

and with Mitt today calling Asia a country, I would say they're in great shape on the other side. Great shape.

Maybe it's time to bring out that old political ad that Lyndon Johnson ran against Goldwater, with the little girl plucking a daisy: "10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6...

[TwilightGardener]

4. Believe me when I say, McCain's been fantasizing about commanding

his own war probably all his life. He'll have more than one--Iraq, Afghanistan, and either Iran or Pakistan. He couldn't be more clear on what he intends to do--he will NOT allow peace.

[rhiannon55]

6. If it comes down to Obama vs McCain

it's gonna get scary in this country.