McCain/Obuma: On War and Peace

[Warph]

Barry Obuma

Iraq War
--President sets Iraq mission; Generals then implement tactics. (Apr 2008)
--President sets Iraq mission; give generals a new mission. (Apr 2008)
--$2.7 billion each week of Iraq spending is unsustainable. (Feb 2008)
--Humanitarian aid now for displaced Iraqis. (Feb 2008)
--FactCheck: Overstated displaced Iraqis; actually 4.2 million. (Feb 2008)
--The Iraq war has undermined our security. (Jan 2008)
--Iraq is distracting us from a host of global threats. (Jan 2008)
--End the war, and end the mindset that got us into war. (Jan 2008)
--The Iraq war was conceptually flawed from the start. (Jan 2008)
--Title of Iraq war authorization bill stated its intent. (Jan 2008)
--Get our troops out by the end of 2009. (Jan 2008)
--No permanent bases in Iraq. (Jan 2008)
--FactCheck: No, violence in Iraq is LOWER than 2 years ago. (Jan 2008)
--Congress decides deployment level & duration, not president. (Dec 2007)
--Surge strategy has made a difference in Iraq but failed. (Nov 2007)
--Leave troops for protection of Americans & counterterrorism. (Sep 2007)
--Hopes to remove all troops from Iraq by 2013, but no pledge. (Sep 2007)
--Tell people the truth: quickest is 1-2 brigades per month. (Sep 2007)
--No good options in Iraq--just bad options & worse options. (Aug 2007)
--Be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in. (Jul 2007)
--We live in a more dangerous world because of Bush's actions. (Jun 2007)
--Case for war was weak, but people voted their best judgment. (Jun 2007)
--War in Iraq is "dumb" but troops still need equipment. (Apr 2007)
--Open-ended Iraq occupation must end: no military solution. (Apr 2007)
--Saddam is a tyrant but not a national security threat. (Mar 2007)
--Iraq 2002: ill-conceived venture; 2007: waste of resources. (Feb 2007)
--Saddam did not own and was not providing WMD to terrorists. (Oct 2004)
--Iraq War has made US less safe from terrorism. (Oct 2004)
--Democratizing Iraq will be more difficult than Afghanistan. (Oct 2004)
--Never fudge numbers or shade the truth about war. (Jul 2004)
--war was sincere but misguided, ideologically driven. (Jul 2004)
--Not opposed to all wars, but opposed to the war in Iraq. (Jul 2004)
--International voice in Iraq in exchange for debt forgiveness. (Jul 2004)

Trouble Spots
--Iran is biggest strategic beneficiary of invasion of Iraq. (May 2008)
--Military surge in Afghanistan to eliminate the Taliban. (May 2008)
--Take no options off the table if Iran attacks Israel. (Apr 2008)
--Two-state solution: Israel & Palestine side-by-side in peace. (Feb 2008)
--Al Qaida is based in northwest Pakistan; strike if needed. (Jan 2008)
--No action against Iran without Congressional authorization. (Dec 2007)
--Iran: Bush does not let facts get in the way of ideology. (Dec 2007)
--Meet directly for diplomacy with the leadership in Iran. (Nov 2007)
--Committed to Iran not having nuclear weapons. (Oct 2007)
--Iran military resolution sends the region a wrong signal. (Oct 2007)
--Deal with al Qaeda on Pakistan border, but not with nukes. (Aug 2007)
--Military action in Pakistan if we have actionable intel. (Aug 2007)
--FactCheck: Yes, Obama said invade Pakistan to get al Qaeda. (Aug 2007)
--Focus on battle in Afghanistan and root out al Qaeda. (Jun 2007)
--Bush cracked down on some terrorists' financial networks. (Jun 2007)
--Iraq has distracted us from Taliban in Afghanistan. (Apr 2007)
--Iran with nuclear weapons is a profound security threat. (Apr 2007)
--We did the right thing in Afghanistan. (Mar 2007)
--We are playing to Osama's plan for winning a war from a cave. (Oct 2006)
--Al Qaida is stronger than before thanks to the Bush doctrine. (Jan 2006)
--Terrorists are in Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran. (Oct 2004)
--Problems with current Israeli policy. (Jul 2004)
--Engage North Korea in 6-party talks. (Jul 2004)
--Use moral authority to work towards Middle East peace. (Jul 2004)

Voting Record
--Voted to fund war until 2006; now wants no blank check. (Nov 2007)
--Late to vote against war is not late to oppose war. (Jun 2007)
--Spending on the Cold War relics should be for the veterans. (Jun 2007)
--Would have voted no to authorize the President to go to war. (Jul 2004)
--Voted YES on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008. (Mar 2007)
--Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)
--Voted YES on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Nov 2005)


John McCain

Global War on Terror
--Since 1998, championed policy of "rogue-state rollback". (Oct 2007)
--Follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell. (May 2007)
--Prefers not to take troops out of Afghanistan. (Jan 2007)
--The War on Terror is the overriding and transcendent issue. (Oct 2004)
--The War on Terror is a fight between good and evil. (Aug 2004)
--The War on Terror a war we must fight. (Aug 2004)
--Avoiding the War on Terror has cost us dearly. (Aug 2004)
--Bush promised enemies would soon hear from us and they did. (Aug 2004)
--Our adversaries express a hatred for all good in humanity. (Aug 2004)
--2000: Warned against radical Islamic terrorism. (May 2002)
--2001: No pinprick responses to 9/11; it's a long haul. (May 2002)
--2001: Nuclear weapons unnecessary against terrorists. (May 2002)
--Palestine: Against declaration of statehood. (Feb 1999)

Iran
--Strategic bombing of Iran OK only if imminent threat. (Dec 2007)
--Congress can only declare war; not micromanage wars. (Dec 2007)
--Keep military option open against Iran, even if no nukes. (Dec 2007)
--No direct talk with Iran; talk is over-rated. (Dec 2007)
--Iran & Syria must not get nukes; they'll exterminate Israel. (Nov 2007)
--Iran is state sponsor of terrorism; no more evidence needed. (Nov 2007)
--Congressional consultation before attacking Iran's nukes. (Oct 2007)
--Sanctions to prevent Iranian nukes; but don't count on UN. (Sep 2007)
--Iran is sponsor of terrorism; US strike if they get nukes. (May 2007)

Iraq War
--Quoting "100 years in Iraq" is out-of-context. (Apr 2008)
--Despite deserters & Basra loss, Iraqi military doing better. (Apr 2008)
--Costs will be far greater should we fail in Iraq. (Feb 2008)
--Not a matter of how long in Iraq, but a matter of casualties. (Feb 2008)
--Don't let enemy lay in the weeds until we leave. (Jan 2008)
--Support the surge and bring troops home with honor. (Jan 2008)
--Timetable for withdrawal is a white flag of surrender. (Jan 2008)
--FactCheck: Yes, criticized Rumsfeld, but not before invasion. (Jan 2008)
--Help Maliki government move forward as rapidly as possible. (Nov 2007)
--I would much rather lose a campaign than lose a war. (Oct 2007)
--Stategy in Iraq: defeat al-Qaeda; limit Iran's influence. (Sep 2007)
--Iraq is now the central front in the war against al-Qaeda. (Sep 2007)
--Americans want to win; bin Laden thinks he's winning now. (Sep 2007)
--Democrats proposing failure in Iraq by withdrawing. (Sep 2007)
--Reducing military presence has never in history won a war. (Sep 2007)
--Bring troops home the right way: home with honor. (Sep 2007)
--Tragic mistake of Iraq: no plan to deal with success. (Aug 2007)
--Surge is working; let it continue until it succeeds. (Sep 2007)
--Support the surge even if benchmarks are not met. (Aug 2007)
--Did not read NIE before war vote, but was fully briefed. (Jun 2007)
--If new strategy not working by Sept., we still must succeed. (Jun 2007)
--Willing to be last man standing for US involvement in Iraq. (May 2007)
--Consequences of failure: regional chaos & we must come back. (May 2007)
--In hindsight, Iraq invasion was still justified. (May 2007)
--Timetable would be catastrophe, even if Iraq wants it. (May 2007)
--Advocated leaving Somalia, but no comparison to Iraq. (May 2007)
--War has been mismanaged, but we are now on the right track. (May 2007)
--War in Iraq has not gone well: dire but not hopeless. (Mar 2007)
--Al Qaeda may take over Iraqi oilwells. (Mar 2007)
--Prefers more troops for surge, but 20,000 is sufficient. (Jan 2007)
--Bush now has the right strategy, and it's our last chance. (Jan 2007)
--Generals advising "no more troops" was a failed policy. (Jan 2007)
--McCain Principle: Committing troops means completing mission. (Jan 2007)
--If we leave Iraq, terrorists will follow us home. (Jan 2007)
--Send in a heavy wave of troops to Iraq to establish order. (Nov 2006)
--Looting, terrorism in Iraq a result of US mistakes. (Sep 2004)
--The Iraqi war was necessary after years of failed diplomacy. (Aug 2004)
--Saddam would have acquired terrible weapons again. (Aug 2004)
--The Iraqi war was necessary, achievable and noble. (Aug 2004)
--The cause of the Iraqi war was just. (Apr 2004)
--1991: Urged formally declaring war on Iraq over Kuwait. (Jan 2004)

Voting Record
--Congress has no authority to cut off funds for Iraqi use. (Jan 2007)
--Voted NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months. (Dec 2007)
--Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)
--Voted NO on investigating contract awards in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Nov 2005)
--Voted YES on requiring on-budget funding for Iraq, not emergency funding. (Apr 2005)
--Voted YES on $86 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003)
--Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)
--Voted NO on allowing all necessary force in Kosovo. (May 1999)
--Voted YES on authorizing air strikes in Kosovo. (Mar 1999)
--Voted YES on ending the Bosnian arms embargo. (Jul 1995)
--Supports $48 billion in new spending for anti-terrorism. (Jan 2002)
--CIA assessments ib Iraqi WMDs were all wrong. (Mar 2005)
--Belief in Iraqi nukes was poor analysis of aluminum tubes. (Mar 2005)
--Belief in Iraqi BWs was based on one unreliable person. (Mar 2005)
--Belief in Iraqi CWs was based on flawed imagery. (Mar 2005)
--Iraq never had delivery systems to attack US mainland. (Mar 2005)
--CIA never questioned assumption that Saddam had WMDs. (Mar 2005)
--Conclusions on Iran and North Korea are all classified. (Mar 2005)
--Support the completion of the US mission in Iraq. (Feb 2007)
--Move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. (Nov 1995)