Five years ago today, President Bush landed on the deck of the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln and declared that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended” in front of an enormous banner that read, “Mission Accomplished.” Around that same time, John McCain said “it’s clear that the end is very much in sight.” Now — five years, 4,000 lost lives, and at least $500 billion later — John McCain says keeping our troops in Iraq for 100 years would be fine with him. Instead of outlining a plan for victory and an exit strategy in Iraq, McCain is offering 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. [ABC News, “Good Morning America,” 4/9/2003]
Despite John McCain’s campaign rhetoric, Wisconsin voters are not “fine” with troops being in Iraq for 100 years under any circumstances. To date, 87 Wisconsinites have died serving in Iraq. While just 31 percent of Americans approve of President Bush’s handling of the war, McCain continues to be one of the most vocal supporters of the President’s failed strategy in Iraq. As the new ad by the Democratic National Committee this week asks, “If all he offers is more of the same, is John McCain the right choice for America‘s future?” [http://icasualties.org/oif/USCasualtiesByState.aspx; Associated Press, 4/10/08]
See the DNC’s new ad “100” here.
“John McCain is wrong on Iraq and the wrong choice for Wisconsin’s future,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chairman Joe Wineke said. “After standing side-by-side with President Bush as he misled us into war and declared ‘mission accomplished’ long before it was over, John McCain has been the President’s most loyal supporter every step of the way. John McCain doesn’t understand that Wisconsinites are not ‘fine’ with troops staying in Iraq for 100 years under any circumstances. It is time to start using some of the $12 billion a month we spend in Iraq to address the real threats to America‘s security and invest in confronting the challenges we face right here at home. The only way to do that is to put a Democrat in the White House.”
