McCain's Maximalism

It's striking the extent to which John McCain remains an advocate of a wildly unrealistic, maximalist vision of the mission in Iraq. He says that not just some modest improvements are possible if we stick around, but that a "peaceful, stable, democratic Iraq is within reach" and that it will become "a force for stability and freedom."

Meanwhile, he's saying all kinds of crazy stuff. For some reason he thinks that if we leave that would "almost certainly require us to return to Iraq or draw us into a wider war." He's also now claiming he doesn't want our troops to stay in Iraq for a minute longer than is necessary, when the Bush administration is already moving toward a permanent presence -- a goal he's specifically endorsed in the past. McCain said the Maliki government is moving to disarm all militias, which isn't true. And he keeps portraying backing Maliki as some kind of anti-Iranian measure when there's just no reason to see it that way.

Obviously, though, since McCain's a straight-talker, he should be allowed to get away with a fundamentally dishonest presentation of the issues.

Comments

And he keeps portraying backing Maliki as some kind of anti-Iranian measure when there's just no reason to see it that way.

Fine. Then we'll see it as a pro-Iranian measure and soon start talking -- with no preconditions -- with the mullah regime we're doing such favors for. Good 'nuff?

Posted by MarkG | April 8, 2008 10:16 AM

This is a cyclical thing. As long as there isn't a definitive link between Iran and Maliki, the US press isn't going to push the idea of it. After all, pushing the idea of Iraqi links to nefarious sources is what got us in this mess in the first place, right? Just ignore that they keep pushing the line that Iran is backing the insurgent militias... which they get from US politicians.

And as long as the press keeps that storyline valid - that Maliki is our man in Iraq, and he's fighting off the Iranian-backed insurgents - McCain's going to be able to go around and say things like this.

You can sneer all you want, Yglesias, but that's the version of the truth being propogated until something linking Iran with Maliki gets exposed and shows our hypocrisy. But I don't think you'll see anyone talking about it on Capitol Hill any time soon; it would be too embarassing giving all the tough-talk we've been giving Iran.

Posted by socctty | April 8, 2008 10:22 AM

A "peaceful, stable, democratic" Iraq will be anti-Israel, Iran-friendly and conservative Islamic to match the wishes of the majority of Iraqis. Who could have predicted this was what we were fighting for?

Posted by Th | April 8, 2008 10:25 AM

I kinda think the pictures on the new American Conservative blog of Maliki and his two suitors are so cute.

Posted by Th | April 8, 2008 10:36 AM

The striking difference between McCain's and Levin's comments were tha Levin's comments were mostly based on fact, like Iraq has over $60 billion in US banks. While McCains testimony was based entirely on fantasy and had no factual basis at all. He talked vaguely about success and defeat. He talked about al Qaeda taking over if we leave and declaring victory. He was just making stuff up and I did not hear him present a single fact about the situation on the ground in Iraq right now. Something will happen if we do something, blah, blah, blah.

Posted by Bubba | April 8, 2008 10:50 AM

Just in case you didn't catch it:
McCain: "So al Qaeda is not just some obscure sect of shiites... or sunnis or whatever".
(or words to that effect)

He seems to sincerely have no clue.

Posted by ob | April 8, 2008 11:18 AM

Just in case you didn't catch it:
McCain: "So al Qaeda is not just some obscure sect of shiites... or sunnis or whatever".
(or words to that effect)

He seems to sincerely have no clue.

Posted by ob | April 8, 2008 11:19 AM

Contrast candidate McCain to candidate GWB ca 1999 an 2000. Bush presented himself as a moderate compassionate conservative who wanted to heal the partisan divide and avoid nation building. It was after the election that he got instantly batshizzle crazy maximalist about literally everything. McCain seems to be doing the opposite. Opposite Jerry! Opposite!

-j

Posted by john i | April 8, 2008 11:27 AM

McCain's flub on Al Qaeda being Shia might well have been just a verbal flub, if you read the whole thing, but he DID sound confused about who was who.

Given the rest of his delusional notions, we have to assume that he really doesn't have a clue - and worse, doesn't care.

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | April 8, 2008 6:36 PM