|
Congressman Perlmutter, Chair Waak: McCain Promises Four More Years of Bush’s Failed Foreign Policy |
|
|
|
DENVER – Joined by University of Denver students, Congressman Ed
Perlmutter and Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak expressed
disappointment today after John McCain offered empty rhetoric during a
foreign policy speech in Denver, while continuing to promise another
four years of Bush’s failed policies.
McCain attempted to distance himself at his speech today from the
unpopular President, focusing on nuclear proliferation. But in a joint
op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Asia edition today, McCain outlined a
strategy for dealing with North Korea’s nuclear ambitions that the
Washington Post described as “remarkably similar to President Bush's
first-term rhetoric, which the White House has largely dropped in
recent months." In fact the Bush Administration dropped that policy
after six years because it wasn’t working. [Wall Street Journal Asia,
5/27/08; Washington Post, 5/27/08]
The speech itself is contradictory to McCain’s own policies. While in
his speech McCain called for greater cooperation with Russia, the same
John McCain has pushed to isolate Russia by kicking them out of the
G-8. McCain’s problems go beyond today’s speech.
On the War in Iraq, perhaps the single greatest foreign policy issue
for the American people, John McCain repeatedly gets key facts wrong
and confuses Sunni and Shiite extremists in Iraq. And, while leading
officials continue to say that the United States military is being
stretched thin and needs to refocus its efforts on al Qaeda in
Afghanistan and Pakistan, McCain has said he is fine keeping American
troops in Iraq for 100 years.
"We already knew that George W. Bush and John McCain's idea of foreign
policy is an endless war in Iraq that has made America less safe," said
Congressman Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) who serves on the House Committee on
Homeland Security. "Today’s speech and the Senator’s op-ed raise
serious questions about what John McCain actually believes, and how
anyone can trust him on foreign policy to do anything but revive the
worst of the Bush Administration’s failed policies. And despite having
the chance this morning, John McCain failed to offer Coloradans any
real plans to end the war in Iraq, focus on al Qaeda in Afghanistan and
Pakistan or bring our National Guard troops home to protect our local
communities."
John McCain’s empty foreign policy speech came only five days after he
skipped a U.S. Senate vote that would support Colorado’s veterans and
military families for a campaign fundraiser in California.
McCain skipped the vote on the 21st Century GI Bill that would help
fund educational opportunities for all post-9/11 service members
similar to the benefits provided to veterans returning from World War
I. McCain opposed the bill – that would help nearly 20,000 Colorado
veterans – because he doesn’t want to encourage individuals to leave
the military.
The bill – supported by nearly every veterans advocacy organization – passed in a bi-partisan vote.
“It is unconscionable that John McCain would not support the 21st
Century GI Bill and would not support our troops. 20,000 brave
Coloradans have put their lives on the line since 2001 to protect our
freedom,” said Colorado Democratic Party Chair Pat Waak. “The least
John McCain can do is make sure the brave men and women who serve in
the armed services get a good education so they can become successful
and provide for their families.”
McCain’s Rhetoric Today
McCain Today: “...we should be prepared to enter into a new arms
control agreement with Russia reflecting the nuclear reductions I will
seek. Further, we should be able to agree with Russia on binding
verification measures based on those currently in effect under the
START Agreement, to enhance confidence and transparency.” [John McCain
speech, 5/27/08]
But McCain Proposed Kicking Russia Out of G-8 in March Foreign Policy
Speech. “John McCain dropped a little-noticed bombshell into his
Marchforeign-policy address: Boot Russia from the G-8, the elite club
of leading industrial democracies whose leaders try to coordinate
economic policies...But the fact that he's proposing to try, risking a
return to Cold War tensions with the world's second-largest nuclear
power after 20 years of prickly partnership, raises questions about
McCain's judgment. It also underscores that many of his top
foreign-policy advisers are of the same neo-conservative school that
promoted the war in Iraq , argue for a tougher stance toward Iran and
are skeptical of negotiating with North Korea over its nuclear
program.” [McClatchy Newspapers, May 1, 2008]
In Op-Ed, McCain Promises Bush-Era Foreign Policy on North Korean
Nuclear Ambitions. In a joint op-ed in the Wall Street Journal Asia
edition today, McCain outlined a strategy for dealing with North
Korea’s nuclear ambitions that the Washington Post described as
“remarkably similar to President Bush's first-term rhetoric, which the
White House has largely dropped in recent months." In fact the Bush
Administration dropped that policy after six years because it wasn’t
working. [Wall Street Journal Asia, 5/27/08; Washington Post, 5/27/08]
Bush Dropped Old Policy Afer Failure. “Commendably, the Bush
administration is working to undo one of its worst blunders - the
abandonment of a 1994 Clinton administration deal that kept North Korea
from producing plutonium for nuclear weapons. In a clear step back from
its past confrontational rhetoric, the administration agreed to a
February 2007 deal that could lead to the dismantling of all of North
Korea's nuclear weapons and programs. That deal stalled, but recent
talks with Pyongyang promise to put it back on track.” [Editorial,
Boston Globe, 4/26/08]
John McCain Does Not Support our Troops
McCain Gets Score of 30 Percent On Veterans Issues. According to Time,
"This is not the first time McCain, who has a proud history of opposing
what he views as excessive government spending, has found himself at
odds with his fellow veterans on legislation. He's voted for veterans
funding bills only 30% of the time, according to a scorecard of
roll-call votes put out by the nonpartisan Disabled Americans for
America." [time.com; 5/20/08]
McCain Refused To Support Bipartisan Legislation To Reform GI Bill. "On
his campaign plane this afternoon, McCain said he and allies in the
Senate are working on an alternative to the bill, but would only
support something that included incentives to stay in the military. 'We
are working on proposals of our own. I'm a consistent supporter of
educational benefits for the men and women of the military,' McCain
said. 'I want to make sure that we have incentives for people to remain
in the military as well as for people to join the military.'" [ABC
News, 4/14/2008]
McCain's Proposal Would Only Cover The Average Cost Of Tuition, Room,
And Board, Leaving Some Vets Without Adequate Funding. "For active-duty
members, monthly GI Bill benefits would rise Oct. 1 to $1,500, up from
the current $1,101, enough to cover the average cost of a four-year
public college including room, board, tuition and fees, said Sen.
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, ranking Republican on the Senate
Armed Services personnel subcommittee." [Army Times, 4/22/08]
McCain Admits His Plan Is Designed To Keep Troops Serving Longer. "My
proposal and others, Senator Graham, Senator Burn, is we'll place
incentives for people to stay in the military." When O'Reilly said, "So
the longer you stay, the more you get" McCain responded, "Yes, the more
you get, because we want people to stay in. We have to increase the
benefits for the men and women who are serving and motivate those to
serve." [Fox News Transcript, "The O'Reilly Factor," 5/8/08]
Real Threat is al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Centcom Chief Admiral Fallon Resigns, Reportedly Argued Iraq Troop
Levels "Hurting Operations" in Afghanistan. "It was often reported that
he and Gen. David Petraeus butted heads about troop levels in Iraq,
which the two denied, but was an ongoing dispute that simmered below
the surface within the Pentagon. Fallon is responsible for not only
Iraq and Afghanistan. The article noted that the troop numbers were so
taxed in Iraq that it was hurting operations in Afghanistan."
[Foxnews.com, 3/11/08]
Senate Democrats: Iraq War Has Permitted al Qaeda and the Taliban to
"Regenerate," Now Pose Greatest Threat to U.S. Security Since 9/11. "We
write out of deep concern over the deteriorating situation in both
Afghanistan and Pakistan: the negligent policies of the last
half-decade have permitted al Qaeda and the Taliban to regenerate, and
to pose a greater threat to the national security of the United States
than at any point since September 11, 2001. In order to protect our
homeland from attacks which may well be developing in the border areas
of Pakistan and Afghanistan at this very moment, we urge you to refocus
the U.S. counter-terrorism strategy and our national security resources
on this region and implement a comprehensive new strategy to keep
America safe." [Press Release, Senate Majority Leader, 4/6/08]
Amb. Crocker: al Qaeda in Afghanistan/Pakistan bigger threat than al
Qaeda in Iraq. "Following a recital by Petraeus and Crocker of the same
statements they gave to the Armed Services Committee this morning, Sen.
Joe Biden asked Crocker if 'God came down into this room' and said
Crocker could take out al Qaeda in Iraq or al Qaeda in Afghanistan and
Pakistan, which would he choose, Crocker said, 'I'd pick al qaeda in
the Afghanistan/Pakistan region.' An interesting admission from the top
U.S. diplomat in Iraq." [Politico.com, The Crypt blog, 4/8/08:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0408/Crocker_Al_Qaeda_in_AfghanistanPakistan_bigger_threat_than_al_Qaeda_in_Iraq.html]
Afghanistan
Will Require More Brigades in the Future. "Beyond the surge at best we
can only sustain somewhere between 13, 15 brigades without the Army
unraveling. Afghanistan will require at least three brigades and I
suspect gentlemen as time goes on that number may grow sadly. So, that
leaves us with no more than 12 brigades for continued service in. Iraq
over the long term." [General Scales, Hearing of Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, 4/2/08]
Because Afghanistan Will Likely Require More Troops, Troops This Summer
Will Begin to Come Home "Almost Independent of Conditions on the
Ground." "Almost independent of conditions on the ground by this summer
the troops will begin to come home." [General Scales, Hearing of Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, 4/2/08]
· Major General Robert Scales (retired), Former Commandant. "General
Robert Scales, he is a former commander of the U.S. Army War College,
and he is the president and co-founder of the - pronounced Colgen, the
Colgen defense consulting firm. And again, we welcome all of you and
look forward to your testimony." [Senator Biden, Hearing of Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, 4/2/08]
McCain Gets Basic Facts Wrong Time and Again
McCain Referred To Al Qaeda As A "Sect Of Shi'ites." During Gen.
Petraeus's testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain
asked Petraeus about the threat of al Qaeda in Iraq. "It is still a
major threat," said Petraeus, "though it is certainly not as major a
threat as it was, say, 15 months ago." "Certainly not an obscure sect
of the Shi'ites overall?" McCain asked, to which Petraeus swiftly
replied, "No." "Or Sunnis or anybody else," McCain added. [Fox News Raw
Data Transcript, 4/8/08]
· McCain Campaign: McCain Simply "Stumbled on His Words." "In the
course of having a serious dialogue with our military leadership in
Iraq about how Americans can formulate success going forward," said a
McCain spokesman, "John McCain stumbled on his words and corrected them
immediately." [First Read, msnbc.com, 4/8/08]
March 18: McCain Repeats False Iran-al Qaeda Link "Several Times."
While speaking with reporters in Jordan, McCain expressed concern that
Iranian operatives were "taking al-Qaeda into Iran, training them and
sending them back." Even when "pressed to elaborate," McCain continued
with his erroneous assertion, saying it was, "common knowledge and has
been reported in the media that al-Qaeda is going back into Iran and
receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that's well
known. And it's unfortunate." McCain was finally corrected by Senator
Joe Lieberman, who "stepped forward and whispered in the presidential
candidate's ear," prompting McCain to revise his statement. According
to the Washington Post, during the entire course of the press
conference McCain "said several times that Iran, a predominately Shiite
country, was supplying the mostly Sunni militant group, al-Qaeda."
[Washington Post, "The Trail," 3/18/08]
· McCain Campaign: McCain Misspoke & Immediately Corrected Himself.
"In a press conference today, John McCain misspoke and immediately
corrected himself by stating that Iran is in fact supporting radical
Islamic extremists in Iraq, not Al Qaeda -- as the transcript shows,"
said a McCain spokesman in a statement. [TheAtlantic.com, Marc
Ambinder, 3/18/08]
· .But McCain Made Same Mistake One Day Earlier. McCain said on the
Hugh Hewitt radio show "As you know, there are al-Qaeda operatives that
are taken back into Iran, given training as leaders, and they're moving
back into Iraq." [New York Times, 3/19/08; Entire Transcript at
http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/talkradio/transcripts/Transcript.aspx?ContentGuid=ae522a49-6c82-4791-a76e-44ebb718bf32]
· .And One Day Later: The next day however, in a press release on
the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, McCain said "Al
Qaeda and Shia extremists -- with support from external powers such as
Iran -- are on the run but not defeated." [McCain Presidential Campaign
Press Release via Targeted News Service, 3/19/08]
November 2007: McCain Said that Al Qaeda Is Getting "Supplies and
Equipment" From Iran. "Al Qaeda is not defeated," McCain told George
Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week. "They're on the run, but they are
not defeated, and they continue to get supplies and equipment through
Iran, and they continue to get suicide bombers through Syria." [ABC,
This Week with George Stephanopoulos, 11/25/07]
|
|
|
