Mccain slips up about Iraq?

[streicher187]

During a town hall event in Colorado today, John McCain "decried the dangers of Americans reliance on foreign oil," but "also seemed to suggest that this reliance caused the current struggle in Iraq."

Here's what he said:

My friends, I will have an energy policy that we will be talking about, which will eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East that will - that will then prevent us - that will prevent us from having ever to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East.

This comment was initially prompted by a compliment from a military veteran who stated that he hoped a group called "Swift Boats for McCain come out and help" the GOP nominee. McCain then launched into an unprompted defense of the DNC campaign against him based on his 100-year statement.

"You have seen an ad campaign that is mounted against me that says I wanted to stay and fight in Iraq for 100 years," McCain said to a crowd at a Jewish Community Center. "My friends, it's a direct falsification, and I'm sorry that political campaigns have to deteriorate in this fashion because there's legitimate differences between myself and Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on what we should do in Iraq. After we win the war in Iraq ... then I'm talking about a security arrangement that may or may not be the same kind of thing we have with South - with Korea."

Of note -- McCain didn't object to the audience member's suggestion that a so-called 'swift boat' group help him win the presidency. Instead, he thanked the man for his good wishes and his military service.

[mikesilvia]

Refreshing to see someone who is for winning in Iraq vice defeat/retreat!

[streicher187]

Refreshing to see someone who is for winning in Iraq vice defeat/retreat!

I think the refreshing people are the ones who didn't believe the lies that got us there and were against the invading of a nation to begin with. Especially since Bush ran on a platform of not being a nation builder.. What do you call winning in Iraq? according to bush in his mission accomplished speech we already won which would make what is going on today a police action..

it looks to me like Mccain is admitting we went for oil not the other 1,000 reasons they have given...

[ensbergcollector]

If we went in for oil, we would be paying a lot less for gas now!!

[haybierman]

I'm no geologist but from what I've heard/read Iraq's oil is pretty crappy to begin with... its like diesel-grade stuff.

[streicher187]

If we went in for oil, we would be paying a lot less for gas now!!

If they wouldn't have screwed up the Iraq war so bad oil probably wouldn't be as high.. The high price of oil is in large part due to our weak dollar which thanks to tax cuts during war time and INSANE debt will take years to recover.. Iraq was only supposed to cost a couple billion dollars then they were supposed to pay for the rest but as usual that was a lie..

[Bonds_25]

Only a small percentage of our oil comes from the Middle East, just thought I would throw that out there.

[ensbergcollector]

striecher - just asking - what made you wake up today and see how many anti-bush threads you could make?

[mikesilvia]

I think the refreshing people are the ones who didn't believe the lies that got us there and were against the invading of a nation to begin with. Especially since Bush ran on a platform of not being a nation builder.. What do you call winning in Iraq?

We invaded in 2003 and Bush was re-elected by 50% at the end of 2004 with the lowest approval rating seen in years, more than any of the Bill Clinton victories. Clinton never got higher than 48% and was considered popular. So, I would say with all the screw ups in Iraq the American people still trusted Bush over any Democrat. You will see the same thing with McCain.

I would like to be a nation that actually wins vice pulling out when victory is still possible. Runnng away no matter what seems like a silly platform to run on. Hillary and Obama are taking us back the LBJ when the President ran the war. Personally, I like my military to run the war.

[streicher187]

It didn't hurt that they turned John Kerry from a war hero to a flip flopping loon by swift boating him...