McCain reveals confusion over Petraeus role

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Army Times

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona may not have been paying the closest of attention last week during hearings on the Bush administration’s Iraq policy.

Speaking Monday at the annual meeting of the Associated Press, McCain was asked whether he, if elected, would shift combat troops from Iraq to Afghanistan to intensify the search for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

“I would not do that unless Gen. Petraeus said that he felt that the situation called for that,” McCain said, referring to the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Petraeus, however, made clear last week that he has nothing to do with the decision. Testifying last week before four congressional committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee on which McCain is the ranking Republican, Petraeus said the decision about whether troops could be shifted from Iraq to Afghanistan was not his responsibility because his portfolio is limited to the multi-national force in Iraq.

Decisions about Afghanistan would be made by others, he said.



Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/04/military_mccain_petraeus_041408w

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Sometimes links from Army Times are funky. Try this if not working. http://www.armytimes.com/

Amazing, our military/foreign policy blunder by McCain. He's more like Sgt Schultz in Hogan's Heroes.

[grytpype]

1. Looks like McLame wants to hide behind Petreus, JUST LIKE BUSH!

[Supersedeas]

21. Cowards of a similar color

[Muttocracy]

2. Good catch - can someone tell me who is the higher up in the military

(I think your link wants the final / mark.)

I'm pretty ignorant of who the upper commanders are between Petraeus and the top - is there a link somewhere explaining that?

[JaneQPublic]

6. I believe it WAS Admiral Fallon, head of CENTCOM

...but then, Fallon was retired, reportedly because he was pushing for more troops in Afghanistan.

I don't know who's taken Fallon's place, but no doubt he won't be taking the same stand.

[KSinTX]

9. It's an empty slot that's not been filled

Fallon had some interesting comments to make about Petraeus that I noted here:

http://mksinsa.blogspot.com/2008/04/senate-hearings-right-moves-wrong-guy.html

[MidwestTransplant]

13. He also didn't want to attach Iran.

[Nickster]

20. The problem is about what the purpose of the military is and how that's defined. The military is an

extension of the political will of the US Government. So it's irrelevant who is higher up on the military chain. Gen'l Petraeus doesn't make foreign policy, he simply carries it out. If Grampa McCain wants to go to war and he gets Congress to declare the war, then they go to war. Grampa McCain would need to ask the military advisors about what the best course of action to execute his plans would be, since they are the experts in the area of execution, but they don't come to him and say, hey Prez Baby, we need to Bomb, Bomb,Bomb Iran....

McCain's answer was cowardly.

[Muttocracy]

25. I realize he's not the policy-maker, I'm just wondering who McCain should have named instead

I'm not sure if there's a commander for Iraq + south Asia, or Middle East overall, or the whole world or what.

[mcctatas]

3. Another senior moment?

or is he just like bush...only dumber?

[ShockediSay]

7. Senile on top of being a Bush

kisser

[saigon68]

17. You said it

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. I thought McCain said he would go to gates of hell to find Osama Bin Laden?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-campaign_thumar20,1,3764345.story

[againes654]

5. OMG

That is funny in a sad sort of way!

[Zambero]

8. Where was Prompter-in-Chief Lieberman when McCain said that?

Looks like Joe's been slacking off a bit.

[saigon68]

18. No Joementum is still around crafting his best Zell Miller Impression

To give the keynote address at the Repuke, McLame Coronation

[KSinTX]

10. We're stuck in Iraq because of this very confusion

Crocker is the man who has the answers to getting this thing resolved, not Petraeus. A "diplomatic surge" would be a vast overstatement. A little diplomacy, however, would be a huge improvement.

[Bonobo]

11. I am thinking this is one way Obama is going to DESTROY McCain. Listen...

Obama has been talking quite straightly about how Bush has been using Petraeus as an excuse to hide behind. ("I listen to my commanders on the ground.")

But all along, Obama has been drawing a clear division between "Strategic" and "Tactical" issues. In other words, a "Strategy" would be the decision of which country to put troops in, whereas a "Tactical" issue would be one which described HOW the troops were placed in the country.

So...for McCain to say that he would leave the decision of whether or not to move troops from Iraq to Afghanistan up to Ge. Petraeus is the HEIGHT OF IRRESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THAT IS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF'S RESPONSIBILITY AND HIS DECISION.

I think Obama is ready to stick a fork in that cowardly Bomber-pilot's high-flying ass.

[struggle4progress]

12. Aw, stop pickin on the old guy. He means well. It's not his fault he can't remember all this stuff

[heliarc]

14. Wow... why isn't THIS cycling nonstop on the Cable networks...

Oh I forgot... His press junket is the chosen one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp0iHOk0mEQ

[FrenchieCat]

15. Maybe we can help it along....like talk about this a lot,

I'm gonna Kick and Recommend.

[DeeDeeNY]

16. Maybe he was having trouble staying awake again

[fascisthunter]

19. Duh......

Somebody give McCain a couch.

[Javaman]

22. first we have francis the talking mule*, now we have the absentminded professor. nt

[Life Long Dem]

23. McSame is behaving like he doesn't need to be on the ball.

Like someone who doesn't take the responsibility of Presidency as being important - toward the Iraq war. I'd like to know who is?

[Infinite Hope]

24. There's no confusion there. McCain's simply expressing desire to have input from his general.

That's not a gaffe. Nor is there reason to jump on the "gaffe" bandwagon simply because he from the opposing party. We've seen too much of that in recent years. Let's have a dose of reality.