DNC: John McCain's Iraq Blame Game Can't Hide His Record

May 1, 2008 -- Asked today about President Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech, John McCain said the President should not be held accountable for the banner, but should be blamed for "comments by members of his administration that exaggerated the prospects for success in Iraq in contradiction to the facts on the ground."

John McCain protest sign: Photo by EphusBailey (CC)

Not only did the White House accept responsibility for the banner yesterday, but John McCain himself was one of the key voices echoing the misleading rhetoric coming from President Bush and the Bush Administration. [Associated Press, 5/1/08]

In fact, days after President Bush's speech, McCain himself declared "massive victory" in Iraq. And, as the Democratic National Committee pointed out in its "Day at the Beach" video, McCain echoed the Bush Administration's rhetoric that "the success would be fairly easy," that our troops will be "welcomed as liberators," and that we can "win an overwhelming victory in a short period of time. Now, McCain is talking about keeping our troops in Iraq for 100 years instead of outlining a plan for victory and an exit strategy in Iraq. McCain is calling for a long-term troop presence in Iraq similar to our presence in Germany and South Korea, an approach that he himself admits won't work. [See the DNC's Day at the Beach video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-a5T0HsJpw]

"John McCain's blame games can't hide his own record of echoing President Bush's efforts to mislead us into war and his rosy rhetoric as our troops were stuck policing a civil war in Iraq," said DNC Communications Director Karen Finney. "John McCain can't walk away from his misleading rhetoric supporting President Bush's failed Iraq strategy any more than he can walk away from his comments about keeping our troops in Iraq for 100 years. This November the choice will be very clear: if you want to get out of Iraq responsibly, save lives and invest in America, vote for a Democrat."

BUSH & MCCAIN:
In Lockstep on Iraq

May 1, 2003: Bush Declares War Over. "Major combat operations in Iraq have ended." [Speech by President Bush, 5/1/03]

McCain Proclaimed "Massive Victory" in Iraq. "Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom demonstrated to the world what we saw just 12 years ago. We went to war as the most combat-ready force in the world. The value of that readiness is clear. We won a massive victory in a few weeks, and we did so with very limited loss of American and allied lives. We were able to end aggression with minimum overall loss of life, and we were even able to greatly reduce the civilian casualties of Afghani and Iraqi citizens. . . . Our technology edge in Afghanistan and Iraq would have been meaningless if we did not have men and women trained to use it. Having the best weapons system platforms in the world would not have given us our victory if we had not had the right command and control facilities, maintenance capabilities, and munitions." [Congressional Record, 5/22/03]

Bush: Surge is Working, Al Qaeda on the Run. "Ladies and gentlemen, some may deny the surge is working, but among the terrorists there is no doubt," Bush declared in his 2008 State of the Union address. "Al Qaeda is on the run in Iraq, and this enemy will be defeated." [2008 State of the Union, 1/28/08]

McCain: Strategy Succeeding, Al Qaeda on the Run. "We are succeeding," in Iraq, McCain told Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. "I've said many times, Al Qaida is on the run," he continued. "This [surge] strategy is succeeding." [Fox News Sunday, 2/3/08]

White House Advocated Long Term Troops Presence in Iraq Like South Korean Model. "President Bush envisions a long-term U.S. troop presence in Iraq similar to the one in South Korea where American forces have helped keep an uneasy peace for more than 50 years, the White House said Wednesday." [Associated Press, 5/31/07]

McCain Cited South Korean Model as Defense for Staying in Iraq 100 Years. When McCain was asked a question about George Bush's belief that we will stay in Iraq for fifty years McCain responded, "Make it a hundred… We've been in Japan for 60 years. We've been in South Korea 50 years or so. That would be fine with me." [McCain Town hall in Derry, NH, 1/3/2008; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf7HYoh9YMM]

Source: DNC

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