Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2008

John McCain on War & Peace

• In Afghanistan, employ same winning strategy as in Iraq. (Sep 2008)
• Don't threaten Pakistan; it's part of Afghan strategy. (Sep 2008)

Global War on Terror

• We face transcendent evil of radical Islamic extremism. (Sep 2008)
• 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

• FactCheck: Obama did declare Republican Guard terrorists. (Sep 2008)
• 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

• FactCheck: Bush vetoed troop bill that Obama voted against. (Sep 2008)
• We now have a great strategy & are winning in Iraq. (Sep 2008)
• The next president has to decide how and when to leave Iraq. (Sep 2008)
• FactCheck: Admiral did not call Obama's plan dangerous. (Sep 2008)
• Obama would lose a war to win a political campaign. (Sep 2008)
• 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)
• Staying for 100 years OK, if US casualties are low. (Jan 2008)
• The Iraq war was worth the price in blood and treasure. (Jan 2008)
• Ok with American presence in Iraq for 100 years. (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)
• Surge is working; let it continue until it succeeds. (Sep 2007)
• Tragic mistake of Iraq: no plan to deal with success. (Aug 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)

Click here for 96 full quotes on War & Peace OR 9 older headlines OR other candidates on War & Peace OR background on War & Peace.