I know--this is old news to us, but it's really important news when you put all the pieces together.
John McCain, senator for something like a quarter of a century, who ran for president in 2000 and is doing it again this very minute, does not know what he is talking about. See, I was mulling over his Al-Qaeda/Iran "notagaffe", which he repeated many times, and I connected it with his dumb statements regarding Al-Maliki's looking stronger because Sadr called the ceasefire. (Uh, he was the shot-caller because he was calling the shots. Al-Maliki had to send some of his guys tight with SCIRI into Iran to have Qods guys talk to Sadr's guys (it is very like
The Godfather, isn't it?). McCain totally misread it, just like he's been misreading the Iran/Iraq relationship, and then...
A chill ran through me. He does not know what he's talking about! He was just in Iraq--like just!
And he was even told one time by Lieberman (that we know of--he may be being corrected all the time) that Al-Qaeda (a name he had to have at least learned by Thursday after 9/11--right?) was Sunni (Wahabbists--like the Taliban!) and Iran is Shi'a. These divergent sects within Islam parted ways about 1300 years ago, and the conflict between them has sometimes been bloody. He's had five years of the war in Iraq to find this thing out, but he didn't. 4025 American servicemembers have died. Many, many more have lost limbs, functionality, short-term memory, been disfigured. He backed this war, and he backed the surge, but there were details he did not know.
It's not like, being in Congress, you can't get hold of this kind of information:
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RL32217.pdfIt's not like it wasn't all in the ISG report before. So why, having backed this war, and backed the surge, doesn't he know this? And why can't he interpret current events?
He was just there. And it's not like it's just the last five years he could have found out. He's had ample opportunity to school himself on the relationships between the different nations, sects, and tribal politicking of the Middle East over his last quarter century in the Senate. Think of it all. 9/11. The incursions to protect the "no fly zones". The first Gulf War. The Iran/Iraq War, and the interesting thing about the Reagan administration brokering arms to both sides...and that's just Iraq! If you add in stuff about dealing with Afghanistan or Palestine, why, it seems like maybe some homework was due! If support of a "successful" strategy in Iraq is what he's after--shouldn't he be really more informed about it? Especially if he wants to be Commander-in-Chief?
Now, I know we don't expect that kind of competency from George W Bush. We can't. He's quite possibly not teachable, and has not had a sincere day since he was a toddler. But John, straight-shooter, former war hero McCain? His experience and competency are what he has to run on. His credibility and his honor. To know that he does not know what he's talking about, is shocking. That means he supported the war, and the surge, not knowing how long and possibly deadly to our servicemen and women it would be. He did not inform himself as to the possible pitfalls. And has not to this day. And very likely won't out of ingrained habit.
And now, to the chilling little "Bomb, bomb, Iran" ditty, and why I am chilled. We will, for the forseeable future, especially if McCain gets in, see between 130K and maybe up to 170K of our troops on the ground. If you are a "US American" with access to a map, you will find that Iraq borders with Iran, which is why Iran could quite possibly have an active interest in Iraqi affairs. If you have the Google, you can visit CIA Factbook to determine how many people, and especially what troop strength, Iran has. If we were to "Bomb, bomb Iran, having telegraphed this order, it could probably send Iranian forces numbering several times more than our present strength into Iraq, where our guys are. You may have read some reports regarding the stresses facing our military--and be aware that they really are strained. It is not necessarily disinfo. If you want to get fancy and consider the unique relationship of Iran with Syria, which on a map is located on the opposite side of Iraq, you can see why ignorance in this case is potentially fatal, especially if any dissenting top military voice who would caution against that kind of dumbassery has been removed.
But it could happen, because Bush doesn't know. Cheney doesn't actually care. Condileeza Rice is actually, although may people do not know this, an alien houseplant from Beta Reticuli acting as an observer only who will not meddle in human affairs, and well, I think they take Gates' helmet off and wipe his chin for photo-ops since the lobotomy. But it could get even worse--really!!!!
Because military hero McCain does not know what he's talking about.
And how is it, you may inquire, that he's visited the region eight times and does not know things?
Well, I will tell you my suspicion. He goes there, and is provided with an astonishly large security team, and has mostly his large entourage to speak with. He will hear mostly the happy horsecrap you would tell a "boss". He will then meet with officials from the Al-Maliki government. They will say things are great too, because they do not want to lose support. It would be like a car salesman claiming his cars have crappy safety rating, and poor gas milage, and actually run like a turd on wheels, but are sort of pretty if you polish them. In other words, smoke is blown up his hinderparts. And he buys it. Because of his vast foreign relations experience.
Cool. :sarcasm:
But of course, the bit about what would happen if we started something in Iran, and the bit about how smoke is blown up Old Man McCain's behind, is all pure speculation on my part. Informed speculation. Because I read newspapers at about $.75 per and Juan Cole's site for free, as opposed to making what is constructively a photo-op to a region where I will eat local food, Tums, and all the b.s. they want to throw at me.
(Was that too snarky?)
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