To return to John McCain’s 100 years’ war remarks, it’s worth considering what this says about him as a potential commander in chief:
George W. Bush, I think most people can agree, has a tendency toward the cavalier and irresponsible. Liberal critics such as myself also tend to view his strategy in Iraq as aimed at a perpetual occupation of that country. Nevertheless, not even George W. Bush is nearly so cavalier and irresponsible as to make the kind of remarks McCain is saying here. Bush, it seems, has advisors who know something about the diplomatic situation. Bush has even spoken personally with heads of state and other officials throughout the Arab world. Bush, in short, recklessless and immature though he may be still knows that it plays very very very poorly in the Arab world for American leaders to run around talking about 100 year occupations of Iraq.