by Mark Silva
Sen. John McCain, assisting Don Imus in the kickoff of Imus in the Morning on the FOX Business Network today, called the president's national security adviser, Gen. Jim Jones, wrong about Iraq and complained that delay of a needed new deployment in Afghanistan is putting American troops in harm's way.
"Gen. Jones believed that we needed to send out troops to the borders of Iraq and kill al Qaeda from the outside, which is something I've never really figured out,'' McCain said today. "So Gen. Jones was wrong about Iraq, and the fact is we need to get this decision made and we need to get help to those 68,000 that are over there (in Afghanistan) and more of them are in harm's way the longer we delay."
While President Barack Obama has pledged to withdraw U.S. military forces from Iraq -- with all combat troops supposed to leave by next year and all forces out by 2011 -- he now is weighing recommendations of his commander in Afghanistan to boost the U.S. deployment there. The White House has signaled that a decision may take "weeks.''
"What we have done in Iraq -- Iraq no longer poses a threat to the United States of America,'' said McCain, the Republican from Arizona who represented the GOP in the 2008 election contest with Obama. " Afghanistan the same way. That you have a functioning government. You provide an environment of security for the people so the political and economic normal life can be conducted, and Afghanistan will no longer be a risk of al Qaeda re-establishing a base in Afghanistan to attack the United States of America as happened on 9/11."
"Anybody who believes that you can hand over the country or significant parts of the country to the Taliban to the Taliban and not have to worry about al Qaeda returning and working with them and becoming a base for attacks against the United States of America has no understanding of the region or the nature of the enemy,'' he said.
McCain had this to say about the absence of attacks against the United States since Sept. 11, 2001: "Maybe we might give George Bush a little credit for the fact that we've not had another attack on the United States since 9/11. We blame him for everything else."
And McCain told Imus (pictured above in an AP photo) this about getting over his election loss: "It took me about 48 hours wallowing in self-pity, which is really an enjoyable experience and then I decided the best thing is to get back into the arena."
The return-to-cable of radio provocateur mus, with a simulcast on FOX Business Network that made its debut this morning, came 2 1/2 years after Imus in the Morning was dropped by CBS Radio and MSNBC for the host's untoward comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team ("nappy headed ho's,'' he called them.)
Yet he maintains what he calls "a high-income, high-intelligence audience -- which is difficult to believe because nobody on the program has an education.'' Imus said so in an an appearance last week on FOX's Cavuto as a runup to today's show.
He told Neil Cavuto about that firing: "You have an obligation if you work for News Corp. or G.E. to behave yourself. They shouldn't have [stood by me]... it's irrelevant as to whether I was kidding or not. It starts with the comment. They get put in a position, in this case at CBS. What are they going to do? I fully understand that.
"Probably what I would have done."
Comments
Will some one remind the inept Senator from Arizona that he lost the presidential election. He doesn't tell our Commander-in-Chief, President Obama, what to do ! He, of the inability to keep planes in the air, has the stupidity to tell President Obama what he should or should not be doing in Afghanistan !! How do you like that for denial ?? Next, he will be asking " Quitter " Palin what his next position should be concerning, his political career !! What political career, you might ask !!? You know the one, he hand to the " Quitter from Nowhere !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | October 5, 2009 10:24 AM
There will be no door to door fighting in Iraq.
John McCain
Posted by: bill r. | October 5, 2009 10:43 AM
Yes, Senator Iraq is not a threat to the United States. In fact a 5th rate 3rd World Country was NEVER a threat to the security of the United States of America.
PS Remember when you said the Iraq ware "wouldn't last long" and "we wouldn't be fighting house to house" and "it would be easy". You said these things on Tim Russert's show for those blind supporters who would insist you would never say such foolish things.
Posted by: janet | October 5, 2009 11:06 AM
I feel sorry for McChrystal...he has a war to run in Afghanistan and asked obimbo for more troops months ago. He better not hold his breath, obimbo voted against the surge that turned the Iraq war around. This is what happens when dopey Americans elect a community organizer as president.
Besides, obimbo has more important things to do...like give some more speeches, golf, or go out on date nite while our soldiers are being killed.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | October 5, 2009 11:12 AM
I have never seen someone who lost an election get treated as if he won the way McCain keeps getting on television and radio week after week. Americans didn't want what he was selling in November 2008 and we don't want it today.
Posted by: BC | October 5, 2009 11:26 AM
"Our economy, I think, still the fundamentals of our economy are strong."
John McCain, September 15, 2008.
Posted by: Why listen to McCain? | October 5, 2009 12:38 PM
"McCain had this to say about the absence of attacks against the United States since Sept. 11, 2001: "Maybe we might give George Bush a little credit for the fact that we've not had another attack on the United States since 9/11."
With observations like this, it's no wonder McCain graduated fifth from the bottom of his class. Lest his bitter little mind forget, we were attacked on Bush's watch. Incidentally, Bush was cowering in a classroom--and later a bunker--during the attack while Giuliani's extraordinary leadership pulled the country together. Of course, leadership is something McCain obviously knows nothing about, which might explain why not even his own party has confidence in him.
Posted by: Diane | October 5, 2009 12:49 PM
Hope is new wife doesn't become disabled. McCain has a history of ditching his crippled wives for younger, prettier and wealthier women.
Posted by: Facts are Fun | October 5, 2009 1:30 PM
Here is a great picture of George W golfing,,,,
http://www.donkeydish.com/gallery/george-w-bush-golfing/
Posted by: Gus | October 5, 2009 1:31 PM
BC,
Are you jealous that BO is getting enough air time? Do you remember who AlGore was?
Posted by: Terry | October 5, 2009 2:13 PM
Re. Imus;
I've never seen anyone look so stupid in cowboy hat.
Posted by: C.Morrisā§ | October 5, 2009 8:46 PM
The reason John McCain lost the Presiency is because he mouthed the baloney spewed by George W. Bush.
Regarding the following statement...
Iraq was NEVER a threat to the US:
"What we have done in Iraq -- Iraq no longer poses a threat to the United States of America,'' said McCain, the Republican from Arizona who represented the GOP in the 2008 election contest with Obama.
Posted by: Jan | October 6, 2009 5:51 AM
Imus is nothing but a worn out blowhard..Retire and take your trash mouth with you..
Posted by: kaye c. | October 6, 2009 4:52 PM
Mark any comments on the vitriol here?...Didn't think so.
Posted by: Gary | October 7, 2009 4:48 AM