Comments on: Fisking McCain http://thecrossedpond.com/2007/04/12/fisking-mccain/ "A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master, and deserves one." Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:14:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Brad http://thecrossedpond.com/2007/04/12/fisking-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-1107 Brad Fri, 13 Apr 2007 14:58:11 +0000 http://thecrossedpond.com/?p=327#comment-1107 By McCain's own reckoning, the people primarily responsible for the heretofore abysmal failures of the most important foreign policy initiative of our times are the people he vigorously supports, enables, and is taking up the mantle of. I'm not sure how he squares that, myself, save the obvious naked politicking, which frankly doesn't make me feel good about him, and I'm not sure why it should (never mind why I would take that as a sign of principle). By McCain’s own reckoning, the people primarily responsible for the heretofore abysmal failures of the most important foreign policy initiative of our times are the people he vigorously supports, enables, and is taking up the mantle of. I’m not sure how he squares that, myself, save the obvious naked politicking, which frankly doesn’t make me feel good about him, and I’m not sure why it should (never mind why I would take that as a sign of principle).

]]> By: Rojas http://thecrossedpond.com/2007/04/12/fisking-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-1102 Rojas Thu, 12 Apr 2007 22:21:59 +0000 http://thecrossedpond.com/?p=327#comment-1102 I'm with Adam on this. McCain's advocacy from the very beginning has been that Iraq ought to be occupied by as many troops as is politically possible. He has consistently criticized the administration for doing less than is necessary; to the extent that he has endorsed their proposals, it has been as an alternative to proposals that we occupy with even fewer troops. I don't see much in McCain's speech at VMI that I'd consider arguable. Withdrawl from Iraq at this stage would indeed do significantly more harm than good. What we have here is a politician making a principled stand despite the fact that it's politically damaging to him. I appreciate that, and I'd like to think I'd appreciate it even if I disagreed with the stand itself. I’m with Adam on this.

McCain’s advocacy from the very beginning has been that Iraq ought to be occupied by as many troops as is politically possible. He has consistently criticized the administration for doing less than is necessary; to the extent that he has endorsed their proposals, it has been as an alternative to proposals that we occupy with even fewer troops.

I don’t see much in McCain’s speech at VMI that I’d consider arguable. Withdrawl from Iraq at this stage would indeed do significantly more harm than good.

What we have here is a politician making a principled stand despite the fact that it’s politically damaging to him. I appreciate that, and I’d like to think I’d appreciate it even if I disagreed with the stand itself.

]]> By: Adam http://thecrossedpond.com/2007/04/12/fisking-mccain/comment-page-1/#comment-1094 Adam Thu, 12 Apr 2007 15:48:02 +0000 http://thecrossedpond.com/?p=327#comment-1094 Myself, I broadly agree with McCain. The surge may be too little and too late, but he is right that he has an obligation to continue to try and spread the word because of previosly calling for more troops (a call with which I wholeheartedly agreed). As for the incompetence issue (on which he has been eloquent), to paraphrase Rumsfeld, you have to continue the war with the administration you have, not the one that you want. It's not as if we can wait until January 2009 before increasing the troops and changing strategy. In criticising Democrats, he's right, they are opposed to him (not just the Democrats, of course; Chuck Hagel and others, within the GOP, are also down on McCain's opinions). Myself, I broadly agree with McCain. The surge may be too little and too late, but he is right that he has an obligation to continue to try and spread the word because of previosly calling for more troops (a call with which I wholeheartedly agreed). As for the incompetence issue (on which he has been eloquent), to paraphrase Rumsfeld, you have to continue the war with the administration you have, not the one that you want. It’s not as if we can wait until January 2009 before increasing the troops and changing strategy.

In criticising Democrats, he’s right, they are opposed to him (not just the Democrats, of course; Chuck Hagel and others, within the GOP, are also down on McCain’s opinions).

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