McCain Embraces 16-Month Withdrawal: ‘I Think It’s A Pretty Good Timetable’
McCain Embraces 16-Month Withdrawal: ‘I Think It’s A Pretty Good Timetable’
Following Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s declaration of support for a 16-month withdrawal timeline from Iraq, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has been struggling to respond. He spent most of this week railing against any “artificial timetable” for withdrawal from Iraq, vaguely insisting that the U.S. will withdraw only “with victory”:
“[Obama showed] ‘a remarkable failure to understand the facts on the ground’ by continuing to call for a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq on a fixed timetable.” [Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/24/08]
“An artificial timetable based on political expediency would have led to disaster and could still turn success into defeat,” Mr. McCain said. [New York Times, 7/19/08]
McCAIN: So the fact is that we have succeeded. We are winning. They’ll come home with honor. And it won’t be just at a set timetable. [CBS interview, 7/22/08]
But in an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer today, McCain seemed to endorse the idea of a timetable. When asked if Maliki would “persist” in requesting a 16-month withdrawal timetable from Iraq, McCain responded, “He won’t. … I know him.” McCain then praised Maliki’s 16-month timetable:
BLITZER: So why do you think he said that 16 months is basically a pretty good timetable?
McCAIN: He said it’s a pretty good timetable based on conditions on the ground. I think it’s a pretty good timetable, as we should — or horizons for withdrawal. But they have to be based on conditions on the ground.
Watch it:
Indeed, as McCain told former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney during a presidential debate in January: “Timetables was the buzzword for those that wanted to get out.”
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Doublespeak:
July 25th, 2008 at 6:00 pmUp is down.
Right is wrong.
Timetables bad; timetables good.
Oceania was always at war with Eurasia.
A little McGeography twist on an ancient Roman’s speech, “We have come not to honor the 16-month Iraq withdrawal plan, but to bury it…”
July 25th, 2008 at 6:01 pmI thought McCain=Bush does not speak for the McCain=Bush campaign. Very confusing…..
July 25th, 2008 at 6:01 pmanyone catch cspan today? im kind of surprised TP didnt have anything on it.
hmm…
July 25th, 2008 at 6:01 pm“McCain Embraces 16-Month Withdrawal: ‘I Think It’s A Pretty Good Timetable’”
- - That’s it. McThuselah’s certifiable.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:02 pmThe only reason this guy is still in the race is because of the innate racism of half of the electorate.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:02 pmSo is he going to agree that it’s a ‘timetable’, not a blue sky ‘horizon’?
July 25th, 2008 at 6:03 pmHow do you deal with people who are as irrational as this?
Obama’s plan, to McSame is “a fixed timetable” or it’s a “set timetable” or it’s an “artificial timetable”.
Yet when McSame is asked about Maliki’s plan, he says “it’s a pretty good timetable:. He adds the qualifier “based on conditions of the ground” as if Obama never said that.
These people pretend Obama says, “We’re getting out by this date, because I said so.” They pretend that Obama talks like we’re facing an eviction notice.
I just pray the American people is sharp enough to see all this bullsh!t.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:03 pmI would guess that the observation that a “horizon” is something that will constantly recede in the distance was starting to stick, so they had to get away from it quickly.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:04 pmralph the wonder llama Says:
How do you deal with people who are as irrational as this?
- - Johnny Mac keeps this up and you might just remove that “presumptive nominee” label from his name. The Paulestinians are gonna go nuts in Minneapolis.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:10 pmRalph, I could provide you with a link to some people who would make you tear your hair out over the stupidity of the Amurkin electorate…
But being the nice person I am, I won’t. I wouldn’t want to inflict that on you.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:14 pmPresident Obama will be pleased to know you approve.
Thank you, Senator McCain!!
July 25th, 2008 at 6:15 pmIn the same interview McCain implied al-Maliki might say something for domestic electoral consumption, wink wink, that he really didn’t mean. So what are saying that’s similar Mr. McCain?
Blowing smoke, not that’s hardly open, transparent, or democratic.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:17 pmAnd don’t tell me…McSame is going to take credit for this “NEW” idea…right…the idea that they are trying to steal from Obama…you know the guy who actually said this in the first place..the one that Iraq’s prime minister approved of.
What happened to that “100 years in Iraq” idea John? Wasn’t it playing well with the American and Iraqi public?
July 25th, 2008 at 6:18 pm.
So,
If McTimetableforwithdrwal isn’t teleprompting to the terrorists to hold tight and that America will be gone in 16 months, then what IS he doing?
.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:18 pm.
Q U E S T I O N:
What’s a McFlip without the McFlop?
.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:19 pmMcCAIN: He said it’s a pretty good timetable based on conditions on the ground. I think it’s a pretty good timetable, as we should — or horizons for withdrawal.
“Time Horizon”….the new and improved Friedman Unit.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:23 pmRalph, that reminds me of the desert mirage, it looks like water, but you just never can quite reach it…
July 25th, 2008 at 6:25 pmOh lord.
We need new trolls. These are just beyond stupid.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:27 pmGod all McCain has done the past two weeks is attack Obama’s Iraq position, now McCain decides to flip-flop to Obama’s Iraq position… God he thinks the American public is completely stupid… I hope we are not that stupid.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:31 pmDoes anyone watch Cable news much (Fox, NBC, CNN etc)? Have those news stations been showing on TV McCain’s constant attacks on Obama’s Iraq position?
I wonder if the “Obama lovin’” media is going to even mention that McCain flip-flopped and is now taking Obama’s position. Or if they will just not mention it. If the media doesn’t mention this I’m going to be pissed considering they went whole weeks talking about fake Obama flip-flops that never happened, including NAFTA, Iraq, and Public financing.
I think it’s a pretty good timetable, as we should — or horizons for withdrawal.
OOOOO — I just love it when Grampy McPantsload catches himself straying off the republicant talking points, saying “timetable” instead of the Bushco-approved “withdrawal horizon”…
Obviously, Grampy’s due for a little reprogramming at the Rove Memorial Horizon Institute or something…
July 25th, 2008 at 6:34 pmTracesofInsanity
from the Obama web site, see if you can find it here:
“Barack Obama believes we must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in. Immediately upon taking office, Obama will give his Secretary of Defense and military commanders a new mission in Iraq: ending the war. The removal of our troops will be responsible and phased, directed by military commanders on the ground and done in consultation with the Iraqi government. Military experts believe we can safely redeploy combat brigades from Iraq at a pace of 1 to 2 brigades a month that would remove them in 16 months. That would be the summer of 2010 – more than 7 years after the war began.”
July 25th, 2008 at 6:35 pmhe is losing it…
McCain Increasingly More Unhinged In Denver Speech
http://www.crooksandliars.com/ 2008/ 07/ 25/ mccain-increasingly-more-unhinged-in-denver-speech/
July 25th, 2008 at 6:42 pmI would pay for admission to the McCain v. McCain debates. The only debate ever that have an outcome of two losers.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:46 pmJesus this man is definitely first trimester Alzeimers. This ain’t Bush 3. This is Reagan 3. God save us.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:47 pmThis guy is all over the place.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:47 pmWhat up, Tracy5? Your Google doesn’t work?
Okay, I’ll do your homework this once.
The Democratic presidential candidate, on a tour of the Middle East with two other senators before heading to Europe, said he wants a “steady, deliberate” pullout from Iraq. The plan would be flexible enough to respond to surges in violence that might occur during the withdrawal, he said.
http://www.bloomberg.com/ apps/ news?pid=20601087&sid=a28HspzfpP1A&refer=home
“My 16-month timeline, if you examine everything that I’ve said, was always premised on making sure that our troops were safe. I said that based on the information that we had received from our commanders that one to two brigades a month could be pulled out safely, from a logistical perspective. My guiding approach continues to be that we’ve got to make sure that our troops are safe and that Iraq is stable. I’m going to continue to gather information to find out whether those conditions still hold.”
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/ 2008/ 07/ 03/ obama-open-to-refine-iraq-withdrawal-timeline/ index.html?hp
Now see if you can do it.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:49 pm.
So,
Even if the troops come home in 16 months…
… Will their phones get warrantlessly wiretapped too?
.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:49 pm#20 Leftside Annie,
July 25th, 2008 at 6:50 pmYes the trolls here are pretty stupid; or perhaps it is just that the rest of us are just that much more intelligent.
They resort to superficial arguments; we stick to facts = it’s hard to beat that.
(There is a blog set up in my local newspaper; trolls there are not only racist and ignorant, they have a lot of free time on their hands to promote their RNC talking points. In my repugnican territory, the libs are in minority, but their blog arguments are more substantive, as they are here.)
Ralph, you’re being much, much too nice to the icky troll.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:51 pmPeople are going to start talking…
Ralph redux~
Especially since it seems like a shit and run job from the TracingIsTheOnlyArtICanDo troll.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:52 pmWow. While its not rewriting the timeline of the awakening/escalation it is quite the whopper. I guess a need for truth just isn’t there anymore for the codger.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:53 pmRalph and trolly sitting on TP,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
First comes trolly then comes Ralph,
To slap that nonsense out of trolly’s mouth.
lol
July 25th, 2008 at 6:55 pmj/k about the violence.
McCain: “I realized that Time Horizon is not a seller”..
July 25th, 2008 at 6:56 pmI just pray the American people is sharp enough to see all this bullsh!t.
~ralph the wonder llama
Well, clearly Tracy isn’t that sharp. He couldn’t even use “the google” before babbling away.
I really don’t believe Tracy is capable of understanding that “the plan would be flexible enough to respond to surges in violence that might occur during the withdrawal” is another way of saying “based on conditions on the ground”.
You might need to explain to him what flexible, respond, and plan even mean.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:57 pmBad McBush! Bad! You said timeline instead of the approved newspeak “horizon”. You tried to correct yourself but the cat was already out of the bag. Ohhh, you are going to hear about this buddy.
July 25th, 2008 at 6:59 pm“But they have to be based on conditions on the ground. ”
So who sets these condtions? the Iraqis? the US commanders? Or both?
What if you have a situation in the near future where the Iraqi government decides it’s time for the foreign troops in their country to leave, but the US command thinks it’s still too early, then what?
Who gets the last say on this?
July 25th, 2008 at 7:01 pmLeftside Annie
So I looked at your MS page, and damnit, there’s no way I can afford the gas cost to get there, unless I hit the lottery!
July 25th, 2008 at 7:01 pmMax, I NEVER kissed a trolly! Quit it!
July 25th, 2008 at 7:03 pmLet me see if I can figure out the hook.
16 months is a fine timeline, but only if you don’t set a start date.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:09 pmHey, they don’t call it the “Flip Flop Express” for nothing! LOL
July 25th, 2008 at 7:10 pmralph,
July 25th, 2008 at 7:13 pmIsn’t that what a tongue lashing is…
McCain really is showing how nuts he is. He can’t keep anything straight these days, not even his own comments. He’s getting very weird. Not presidential, that’s for sure.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:15 pmHe said it’s a pretty good timetable based on conditions on the ground. I think it’s a pretty good timetable, as we should — or horizons for withdrawal. But they have to be based on conditions on the ground.
Semantic content: Zero
He’s less coherent than the current Idiot in Chief.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:20 pmWait until ole Johnny McTeleprompter sees the reruns of what he said today on the news tonight! LOL I can see him now…
“Hey Cindy! Who’s this guy on the tv spouting off about the 16-month timetable being a good idea? I can’t stand him!!!”
“Um, honey? That’s you earlier today”, responds Cindy as she reaches for the bottle of narcotics in her purse.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:22 pmIt’ll be an interesting debate strategy; insisting Barak goes first every time. At least 25% of the electorate would claim he ‘won’, however. I can’t give the whole electorate much credit after the last two, but maybe they’re just slow learners so we’ll see.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:23 pmKayInMaine Says:
Wait until ole Johnny McTeleprompter sees the reruns of what he said today on the news tonight! LOL I can see him now…
“Hey Cindy! Who’s this guy on the tv spouting off about the 16-month timetable being a good idea? I can’t stand him!!!”
“Um, honey? That’s you earlier today”, responds Cindy as she reaches for the bottle of narcotics in her purse.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Thanx for the spit take.
However, I imagine the transcript would be closer to: “McCindy! Turn that (expletive) off you stupid (expletive)!
July 25th, 2008 at 7:27 pm(ExpletiveX2) You know I can’t stand that surrender (expletive) you stupid trollop!”
America plan for Iraq is a long range one…withdrawal will never be complete with all these military bases built in Iraq and a huge embassy bigger than the Vatican that cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:27 pmSoon, Obama will realize that total military withdrawal is near impossible.
The problem is that Iraqis want total US withdrawal.
At one point there will be a confrontation over this issue.
Yes, Iraq is run by a government,but religion is what moves people in the strees in Iraq.
If the Shiate spiritual leader Ayatolla Sistani said America must leave, the Prime Minister’s word becomes secondary.
The Iraqi Prime Minister is now under pressure from religious leaders of Iraq of both Sunnis and Shiates sects over the withdrawal issue.
He is working on a compromise with Americans,but also he is worried that might not be enough to satisfy religious leaders of Iraq from both sects.
Withdrawal is a big issue for the Iraqis just as it is a big issue for Americans. All other Arab neighbors are watching,so is Iran. The outcome might not be known in long time.
We went to Iraq for declared reasons that are totally different than what we are trying to accomplish now.
Saddam & WMDS, are no longer exist as reasons to stay in Iraq, so the leadership must be honest and open to Americans about what are we trying to accomplish now in Iraq.
A war with Iran will turn the whole area to an erupted volcano.
I guess the trolls can’t find the heart to eeven try to defend this latest BS.
Tracy5 took a drive by shot at it, but even it ran out of energy.
Heh Heh. Gotta be REAL tough to be a Repug troll these days, even with McDepends Posting Points.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:32 pmPERMANENT AMERICAN MILITARY BASES!
That’s ONE Condition on the Ground that needs Clarification.
The Iraqis may not be killing each other to the extent they were a year ago…. but I don’t believe they view America’s occupation of their country fondly. They want us out…they want our bases out. They are biding their time, with the hopes of voting us gone.
If McCain thinks victory will be like in Japan or Korea, with American Bases over the “Horizon”…he should SAY SO, and then let The Iraqi’s react to his position.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:36 pmThis guy flips and flops on almost every issues - every day, and then twists everything that Obama has to say. I am wondering, though - is anyone else here getting worried about this campaign? The old fart seems to have picked up momentum here (Colorado) - if you can believe the polls. I’m getting awfully paranoid about this - somebody please tell me I’m imagining things.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:36 pmYada, Yada, Yada.
No misspeaks here people just move along.
Troubled Texan
July 25th, 2008 at 7:39 pmTracy5, Sometimes it seems you don’t even try.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:40 pmMaybe we should break up.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pmBah hahahahaha Pete! I like your take on it better! Of course he would spouting off at the mouth with that forked tongue of his! No wonder Cindy is always comatose. LOL
July 25th, 2008 at 7:45 pmMcCain lately have been using the word ‘victory’ repeatedly, by saying that soldiers will come back when we achieve ‘total victory and with honor’.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:49 pmMcCain should be asked by the media to describe to Americans what does he have in mind when he says victory..
We already defeated Saddam’s army, but what’s there to achieve to make it victory.
If having military bases in Iraq and oil corporate future plans are on the table, then McCain needs to tell us and the Iraqis in an honest way that’s what he means by victory.
Tarazan, I wonder what a victory in an illegal occupation looks like? I doubt Johnny McTeleprompter knows. Hell, he gets Germany and Russia confused, so he’s the last person I would ask to answer the question.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:53 pmKayInMaine Says:
July 25th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
We owe it to ourselves, if not our opponents, to be as accurate as possible. I wouldn’t want to be accused of miss… characterizing Sen. McSpin.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:56 pm“Victory”, Newspeak: Anything which can be construed to mean Flip-flop McSpin was EVER right about ANYTHING.
July 25th, 2008 at 7:59 pmWhen Sen. Obama was questioning Gen. Petraeus, during recent Senate Hearings….he perceptively probed the General as to what “Conditions” were realistic and acceptable to the Military, for withdrawal to begin.
Gen. Petraeus agreed that a Violence free Iraq was not possible.
Conrast this with McCain’s Victory vs. Surrender Rhetoric.
I truly hope the voters are “grown up” enough to discern the difference.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:02 pmOh wait, I have to go back…I left my FLIP FLOPS on the beach!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:02 pmAny time now McCain’s going to give a very Reaganesque “Well,” followed by an uncomfortable pause that should make for a collective shudder. Maybe it’s just the sharp contrast in age and vitality, but I’m thinking he’s just too old.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:07 pmBob, it’s pretty apparent Johnny McTeleprompter is starting where Reagan left off. Scary. ;-)
LMAO Thomthum!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:28 pmOh wait, I have to go back…I left my FLIP FLOPS on the beach!
July 25th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Are you kidding? He has two, or three, suitcases full of them at all times. He got into the habit when he started thinking about what a “trollop” of a wife might bring to his shower.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:40 pmMy friends, I was against it before I was for it.
July 25th, 2008 at 8:42 pmI have talked to my friends in Iraq and they say that it would be an absolute insane to think that Obama would order another invasion of Iraq or that this “quick response force” would have any effect on controling the violence, other that getting our troops slaughtered like in Mogadishu.
More “but my friends in Iraq, say…” baloney.
You have no proof that this wouldn’t work, except for some unnamed friends that think it’s a bad idea? forgive me, if I think you’re making it up, to prove a point. You guys have a terrible track record on telling the truth, so this is more bunk.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:50 pmWe have a winner for Most Strawmen in One Paragraph Award!
I’ll stick with a single counter example.
What if the President has to beat the Emperor of the Evil, Intergalactic, Invaders in a footrace? Are you willing to bet the future of the planet on McSpin’s ability to win a footrace?
On a more serious note, for those who haven’t been paying attention or are just plain stupid, Sen. Obama has, to the best of my knowledge, been consistent about giving his Generals a target of 16 months and would expect them to do their duty and try to make it happen.
To the best of my knowledge he has never said he would overrule a commander who made a legit case for changing the target date. I think I would have noticed such a foolish statement. To the best of my knowledge he has never made any statements that he would ignore real time events for political expediency.
To the best of my knowledge he has never said the “16 months” is anything but a proposal. One would assume that, should the Generals make a strong case that, or the Iraqis say, it will take 22 months or 6 months I’m sure he would accept the best proposals.
To the best of my knowledge, any sane soldier would want, and expect, to hear his Commander in Chief say he intends to bring them home before more of them die a needless death. Sane soldiers know a “righteous kill” from wanton murder. And they know if there was a purpose behind the deaths of their comrades. I didn’t see crowds of cheering soldiers the last time Johnny went marching in Baghdad.
July 25th, 2008 at 10:59 pmAccording to polls how can mcchimpy be on par with Sen. Obama? Oh I get it, it’s the repugs’ polls. Because it doesn’t make sense otherwise.
July 25th, 2008 at 11:33 pmWhat else should one expect from people who called anyone who suggested they make plans for a hypothetical withdrawal “anti American” and “Surrender Monkeys”.
10 effing days ago! McSpin claimed talk of time lines was “unrealistic” and “surrendering on the brink of victory”!! 10 effing days ago!!!
And today he’s taking the position that “16 months matches his thinking”?
WTF? Did he have a secret meeting with the Generals? Has he been briefed on some momentous change in the last 10 days? Did someone in his campaign finally realize that “I don’t care it it’s 100 years” is an anchor around his neck and he had to risk more political damage by pulling a 180 from an untenable position?
July 26th, 2008 at 12:00 amMcCain endorses Obamas plan for withdrawal. Hilarious..
July 26th, 2008 at 3:37 amOld Boy first wanted a 100 yr. war. Now a 16 month withdrawl. The rest of the world is lost in his ability to be senile.
July 26th, 2008 at 6:22 amExactly what is the HONOR we are supposedly coming home with?
July 26th, 2008 at 9:05 amWow. I didn’t really think T5 was that stupid to come back and argue the links we offered him. I notice, though, that he only offered an argument for one of the pull quotes I posted.
The other one, quoted in the NYT blog, seems to have passed T5’s muster.
Since his intial challenge was essentially “Where did Obama say conditions on the ground?” It would seem that the question was answered, since at least one of the sources drew no objections.
Yet he still makes inane arguments about the others.
This tells me that T5 was not here to become better informed, but just to mix it up on Friday night, cause trouble, annoy people.
Mission Accomplished, Trace.
July 26th, 2008 at 10:30 amHussein McCain Says:
Tracy5, Sometimes it seems you don’t even try.
Tracist never has anything, other than a vague opposition to Obama. I suspect he has a secret reason for his opposition to Barack Obama sitting in the oval office.
July 26th, 2008 at 12:47 pmI don’t think he was “shifting”. So there few important points to note here. First, I think it was a simple case of “anchoring” buzzwords when getting caught off-guard. Remember he is pretty old. So in many case he is simply going to forget to not repeat words as he hears them. Second, he had to agree that Maliki’s calls for timetable is pretty important. Saying otherwise would make him look like he is openly undermining decisions made by this puppet leadership in Iraq.
Finally, discrediting the current leaders or voices of people of Iraq can create problems for our men and women fighting the war on terror and weapons of mass destruction, so we can give iraqis freedom, and since 9/11 we should remember our enemies hate us and our freedom….sweet response
July 26th, 2008 at 3:02 pmAh Tracist, like most racists these days, you are very careful to thinly veil your racism in supposed conservative “principles”. Ask “one of your best friends who is black” if he or she picks up on it. Oh, I forgot, you can’t find “one of your best friends who is black”, because you “don’t see color”.
July 26th, 2008 at 4:14 pmThat is so cute, tRacist.
How do you know that “one of your best friends is black”, considering that you can’t see color?
Did you ask all of your “best friends” what color they were until one of them said, “I’m black”?
July 27th, 2008 at 2:57 amThere seems to be way too much focus on the word “timetable”. Just because Maliki stated he was in favor of a timetable does not automatically make Obama “right” on this issue. Obamas call for a timetable was without regard to the security situation. The focus needs to be on the security and stability, not on political expedience. If the security situation has improved to the point where Maliki is confident that his troops can handle the violence without our assistance, then that is a good thing. Is this not what we all want. Do we not want our troops to succeed and come out of Iraq knowing they accomplished their mission?
August 7th, 2008 at 4:01 pmflip flopper! what a joke he is.
August 7th, 2008 at 7:02 pmThe only reason a timeline is even on the table is because the surge that McCain supported has gained results that not even an optimist would have predicted. One can credit the tribes and the Anbar Sunnis as much as they like (it obviously helped), but McCain’s role in the surge can’t be minimized. Pre-surge, Bush lost the support of such Republican stalwarts as Lugar and Domenici. All the news outlets were clamoring to speak to Jack Murtha and Cindy Sheehan. McCain, poll numbers in the dirt, could only say, “I’d rather lose an election than win a war”. Now he’s going to win both the election and the war while Sheehan and Murtha limp off into the dustbins of history
August 14th, 2008 at 12:39 pm