Breaking News: McCain sees Iraq combat over, U.S. troops home before 2013

(UPDATE: Sen. McCain did give the speech indicated here. A complete text of his prepared remarks has been added at the end of this item, as has a photo correction below.)

In a speech he's about to give shortly at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Ohio, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, will for the first time talk about a specific date for when he envisions direct American military involvement to be over in Iraq.

It's January 2013. By then, he says, American combat involvement will be over and most U.S. troops back home.

A staunch defender of the war in Iraq and an ardent advocate for last year's military surge, even before the Bush administration decided on it, McCain's surprising remarks this morning are an early indicator of a significant shift in the former fighter pilot and POW's stance on the controversial and unpopular war.

And it's a theme he's likely to hit hard, and perhaps even modify further, as the general election campaign unfolds, contrasting it with the Democrat's sharper plan for withdrawal.

Maybe you remember during their most heated debate exchange of the Republican primary season, McCain going right after former Gov. Mitt Romney for even hinting at a vague timetable for U.S. troop withdrawals because the Arizona senator alleged it would be taken by the enemy as a sign of surrender and a date they need only await.

How times change, now that McCain has the GOP nomination sewed up and confronts an unpopular war, an unpopular president of his own unpopular party, a string of Democratic successes in....

...special House elections, perceptions of a struggling economy and early Democratic attacks from both Sen. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton that a McCain administration would only be a Bush III.

According to excerpts obtained by The Times' Maeve Reston, McCain uses an imaginative speech construction today not to announce any dramatic change in his proposed policies regarding Iraq and what he once described as a possible 100-year deployment of U.S. troops. Instead, he describes "what I would hope to have achieved at the end of my first term as president."

(UPDATE: Early this morning some idiot blogger placed the incorrect soldier with a cat photo in this item. Several loyal Ticket readers alerted us. That wrong photo showed an Israeli soldier with a cat. They also like cats. But we intended to show an American soldier liking a cat. So here they are.)

Here's the optimistic scenario McCain will describe:

"By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much reduced. 

"Civil war has been prevented; militias disbanded; the Iraqi Security Force is professional and competent; Al Qaeda in Iraq has been defeated; and the government of Iraq is capable of imposing its authority in every province of Iraq and defending the integrity of its borders. 

"The United States maintains a military presence there, but a much smaller one, and it does not play a direct combat role.

"The threat from a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan has been greatly reduced but not eliminated.  U.S. and NATO forces remain there to help finish the job, and continue operations against the remnants of Al Qaeda. 

"The government of Pakistan has cooperated with the U.S. in successfully adapting the counterinsurgency tactics that worked so well in Iraq and Afghanistan to its lawless tribal areas where Al Qaeda fighters are based.  The increase in actionable intelligence that the counterinsurgency produced led to the capture or death of Osama bin Laden, and his chief lieutenants. 

"There is no longer any place in the world Al Qaeda can consider a safe haven. Increased cooperation between the United States and its allies in the concerted use of military, diplomatic, and economic power and reforms in the intelligence capabilities of the United States has disrupted terrorist networks and exposed plots around the world.  There still has not been a major terrorist attack in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001."

Of course, all this is also premised on McCain not only imagining but actually pulling off a general election victory on Nov. 4.

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo Credit: Associated Press, Reuters

Remarks By John McCain in Columbus, Ohio, May 15, 2008

ARLINGTON, VA -- U.S. Senator John McCain delivered the following remarks as prepared for delivery at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, in Columbus, OH, today at 10:00 a.m. EDT:

Thank you. The hectic but repetitive routine of presidential campaigns often seems to consist entirely of back and forth charges between candidates, punctuated by photo ops, debates and the occasional policy speech, followed by another barrage of accusations and counter accusations, formulated into the soundbites preferred by cable news producers. It is a little hypocritical for candidates or reporters to criticize these deficiencies. They are our creation. Campaigns and the media collaborated as architects of the modern presidential campaign, and we deserve equal blame for the regret we feel from time to time over its less than inspirational features.

Voters, however, even in this revolutionary communications age, with its 24 hour news cycle, can be forgiven their uncertainty about what the candidates actually hope to achieve if they have the extraordinary privilege of being elected President of the United States. We spend too little time and offer too few specifics on that most important of questions. We make promises, of course, about what kind of policies we would pursue in office. But they often are obscured, mischaracterized and forgotten in the heat and fog of political battle.

Next January, the political leadership of the United States will change significantly. It is important that the candidates who seek to lead the country after the Bush Administration define their objectives and what they plan to achieve not with vague language but with clarity.

So, what I want to do today is take a little time to describe what I would hope to have achieved at the end of my first term as President. I cannot guarantee I will have achieved these things. I am presumptuous enough to think I would be a good President, but not so much that I believe I can govern by command. Should I forget that, Congress will, of course, hasten to remind me. The following are conditions I intend to achieve. And toward that end, I will focus all the powers of the office; every skill and strength I possess; and seize every opportunity to work with members of Congress who put the national interest ahead of partisanship, and any country in the world that shares our hopes for a more peaceful and prosperous world.

By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much reduced. Civil war has been prevented; militias disbanded; the Iraqi Security Force is professional and competent; al Qaeda in Iraq has been defeated; and the Government of Iraq is capable of imposing its authority in every province of Iraq and defending the integrity of its borders. The United States maintains a military presence there, but a much smaller one, and it does not play a direct combat role.

The threat from a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan has been greatly reduced but not eliminated. U.S. and NATO forces remain there to help finish the job, and continue operations against the remnants of al Qaeda. The Government of Pakistan has cooperated with the U.S. in successfully adapting the counterinsurgency tactics that worked so well in Iraq and Afghanistan to its lawless tribal areas where al Qaeda fighters are based.

The increase in actionable intelligence that the counterinsurgency produced led to the capture or death of Osama bin Laden, and his chief lieutenants. There is no longer any place in the world al Qaeda can consider a safe haven. Increased cooperation between the United States and its allies in the concerted use of military, diplomatic, and economic power and reforms in the intelligence capabilities of the United States has disrupted terrorist networks and exposed plots around the world. There still has not been a major terrorist attack in the United States since September 11, 2001.

The United States and its allies have made great progress in advancing nuclear security. Concerted action by the great democracies of the world has persuaded a reluctant Russia and China to cooperate in pressuring Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions, and North Korea to discontinue its own. The single greatest threat facing the West -- the prospect of nuclear materials in the hands of terrorists -- has been vastly diminished.

The size of the Army and Marine Corps has been significantly increased, and are now better equipped and trained to defend us. Long overdue reforms to the way we acquire weapons programs, including fixed price contracts, have created sufficient savings to pay for a larger military. A substantial increase in veterans educational benefits and improvements in their health care has aided recruitment and retention. The strain on the National Guard and reserve forces has been relieved.

After efforts to pressure the Government in Sudan over Darfur failed again in the U.N. Security Council, the United States, acting in concert with a newly formed League of Democracies, applied stiff diplomatic and economic pressure that caused the government of Sudan to agree to a multinational peacekeeping force, with NATO countries providing logistical and air support, to stop the genocide that had made a mockery of the world's repeated declaration that we would "never again" tolerant such inhumanity.

Encouraged by the success, the League is now occupied with using the economic power and prestige of its member states to end other gross abuses of human rights such as the despicable crime of human trafficking.

The United States has experienced several years of robust economic growth, and Americans again have confidence in their economic future. A reduction in the corporate tax rate from the second highest in the world to one on par with our trading partners; the low rate on capital gains; allowing business to deduct in a single year investments in equipment and technology, while eliminating tax loopholes and ending corporate welfare, have spurred innovation and productivity, and encouraged companies to keep their operations and jobs in the United States.

The Alternate Minimum Tax is being phased out, with relief provided first to middle income families. Doubling the size of the child exemption has put more disposable income in the hands of taxpayers, further stimulating growth.

Congress has just passed by a single up or down vote a tax reform proposal that offers Americans a choice of continuing to file under the rules of the current complicated and burdensome tax code or use a new, simpler, fairer and flatter tax, with two rates and a generous deduction. Millions of taxpayers are expected to file under the flat tax, and save billions in the cost of preparing their returns.

After exercising my veto several times in my first year in office, Congress has not sent me an appropriations bill containing earmarks for the last three years. A top to bottom review of every federal bureaucracy has yielded great reductions in government spending by identifying programs that serve no important purpose; and instigating far reaching reforms of procurement and operating policies that have for too long extravagantly wasted money for no better purpose than to increase federal payrolls.

New free trade agreements have been ratified and led to substantial increases in both exports and imports. The resulting growth in prosperity in countries from South America to Asia to Africa has greatly strengthened America's security and the global progress of our political ideals.

U.S. tariffs on agricultural imports have been eliminated and unneeded farm subsidies are being phased out. The world food crisis has ended, inflation is low, and the quality of life not only in our country, but in some of the most impoverished countries around the world is much improved.

Americans, who through no fault of their own, lost jobs in the global economy they once believed were theirs for life, are assisted by reformed unemployment insurance and worker retraining programs. Older workers who accept lower paying jobs while they acquire new skills are provided assistance to make up a good part of the income they have lost. Community colleges and technical schools all over the country have developed worker retraining programs suited to the specific economic opportunities available in their communities and are helping millions of workers who have lost a job that won't come back find a new one that won't go away.

Public education in the United States is much improved thanks to the competition provided by charter and private schools; the increase of quality teachers through incentives like merit pay and terrific programs that attract to the classroom enthusiastic and innovative teachers from many disciplines, like Teach for America and Troops to Teachers.

Educational software and online teaching programs endorsed by qualified non profits are much more widely in use, bringing to the smallest classrooms in America some of the greatest math, English, and science teachers in the country. This revolution in teaching methods has especially benefited rural America. Test scores and graduation rates are rising everywhere in the country.

Health care has become more accessible to more Americans than at any other time in history. Reforms of the insurance market; putting the choice of health care into the hands of American families rather than exclusively with the government or employers; walk in clinics as alternatives to emergency room care; paying for outcome in the treatment of disease rather than individual procedures; and competition in the prescription drug market have begun to wring out the runaway inflation once endemic in our health care system. More small businesses offer their employees health plans.

Schools have greatly improved their emphasis on physical education and nutritional content of meals offered in school cafeterias. Obesity rates among the young and the disease they engender are stabilized and beginning to decline. The federal government and states have cooperated in establishing backstop insurance pools that provide coverage to people hard pressed to find insurance elsewhere because of pre-existing illness.

The reduction in the growth of health care costs has begun to relieve some of the pressure on Medicare; encouraging Congress to act in a bipartisan way to extend its solvency for twenty-five years without increasing taxes and raising premiums only for upper income seniors. Their success encouraged a group of congressional leaders from both parties to work with my administration to fix Social Security as well, without reducing benefits to those near retirement.

The reforms include some form of personal retirement accounts in safe and reliable index funds, such as have been available to government employees since their retirement plans were made solvent a quarter century ago.

The United States is well on the way to independence from foreign sources of oil; progress that has not only begun to alleviate the environmental threat posed from climate change, but has greatly improved our security as well. A cap and trade system has been implemented, spurring great innovation in the development of green technologies and alternative energy sources. Clean coal technology has advanced considerably with federal assistance. Construction has begun on twenty new nuclear reactors thanks to improved incentives and a streamlined regulatory process.

Scores of judges have been confirmed to the federal district and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, who understand that they were not sent there to write our laws but to enforce them and make sure they are consistent with the Constitution. They are judges of exceptional character and quality, who enforce and do not make laws, and who respect the values of the people whose rights, laws and property they are sworn to defend.

Border state governors have certified and the American people recognize that after tremendous improvements to border security infrastructure and increases in the border patrol, and vigorous prosecution of companies that employ illegal aliens, our southern border is now secure. Illegal immigrants who broke our laws after they came here have been arrested and deported. Illegal immigration has been finally brought under control, and the American people accepted the practical necessity to institute a temporary worker program and deal humanely with the millions of immigrants who have been in this country illegally.

Voluntary national service has grown in popularity in part because of the educational benefits used as incentives, as well as frequent appeals from the bully pulpit of the White House, but mostly because the young Americans, no less than earlier generations, understand that true happiness is much greater than the pursuit of pleasure, and can only be found by serving causes greater than self-interest.

Scores of accomplished private sector leaders have joined the ranks of my administration for a dollar a year and have instituted some of the most innovative reforms of government programs ever known, often in partnership with willing private sector partners. A sense of community, a kinship of ideals, has invigorated public service again.

This is the progress I want us to achieve during my presidency. These are the changes I am running for President to make. I want to leave office knowing that America is safer, freer, and wealthier than when I was elected; that more Americans have more opportunities to pursue their dreams than at any other time in our history; that the world has become less threatening to our interests and more hospitable to our values; and that America has again, as she always has, chosen not to hide from history but to make history.

I am well aware I cannot make any of these changes alone. The powers of the presidency are rightly checked by the other branches of government, and I will not attempt to acquire powers our founders saw fit to grant Congress. I will exercise my veto if I believe legislation passed by Congress is not in the nation's best interests, but I will not subvert the purpose of legislation I have signed by making statements that indicate I will enforce only the parts of it I like. I will respect the responsibilities the Constitution and the American people have granted Congress, and will, as I often have in the past, work with anyone of either party to get things done for our country.

For too long, now, Washington has been consumed by a hyper-partisanship that treats every serious challenge facing us as an opportunity to trade insults; disparage each other's motives; and fight about the next election. For all the problems we face, if you ask Americans what frustrates them most about Washington, they will tell you they don't think we're capable of serving the public interest before our personal and partisan ambitions; that we fight for ourselves and not for them. Americans are sick of it, and they have every right to be.

They are sick of the politics of selfishness, stalemate and delay. They despair when every election -- no matter who wins -- always seems to produce four more years of unkept promises and a government that is just a battleground for the next election. Their patience is at an end for politicians who value ambition over principle, and for partisanship that is less a contest of ide as than an uncivil brawl over the spoils of power.

They want to change not only the policies and institutions that have failed the American people, but the political culture that produced them. They want to move this country forward and stake our claim on this century as we did in the last. And they want their government to care more about them than preserving the privileges of the powerful.

There are serious issues at stake in this election, and serious differences between the candidates. And we will argue about them, as we should. But it should remain an argument among friends; each of us struggling to hear our conscience, and heed its demands; each of us, despite our differences, united in our great cause, and respectful of the goodness in each other. That is how most Americans treat each other. And it is how they want the people they elect to office to treat each other.

If I am elected President, I will work with anyone who sincerely wants to get this country moving again. I will listen to any idea that is offered in good faith and intended to help solve our problems, not make them worse. I will seek the counsel of members of Congress from both parties in forming government policy before I ask them to support it. I will ask Democrats to serve in my administration. My administration will set a new standard for transparency and accountability. I will hold weekly press conferences.

I will regularly brief the American people on the progress our policies have made and the setbacks we have encountered. When we make errors, I will confess them readily, and explain what we intend to do to correct them. I will ask Congress to grant me the privilege of coming before both houses to take questions, and address criticism, much the same as the Prime Minister of Great Britain appears regularly before the House of Commons.

We cannot again leave our problems for another unluckier generation of Americans to fix after they have become even harder to solve. I'm not interested in partisanship that serves no other purpose than to gain a temporary advantage over our opponents.

This mindless, paralyzing rancor must come to an end. We belong to different parties, not different countries. We are rivals for the same power. But we are also compatriots. We are fellow Americans, and that shared distinction means more to me than any other association. I intend to prove myself worthy of the office; of our country; and of your respect. I won't judge myself by how many elections I've won.

I won't spend one hour of my presidency worrying more about my re-election than keeping my promises to the American people. There is a time to campaign, and a time to govern. If I'm elected President, the era of the permanent campaign will end. The era of problem solving will begin. I promise you, from the day I am sworn into office until the last hour of my presidency, I will work with anyone, of either party, to make this country safe, prosperous and proud. And I won't care who gets the credit.

Thank you.

###

Comments

[Stanislas Kalinowski]

ZONE L'Exceptions

TERRORISME – usage systematique de la violence auquel recourent certains organisations politiques pour favoriserr leurs desseins, ou le Terrorisme d'Etet c'est le recours systematique a des mesures d'exceptions.

Notre quotidien est rempli par le „soit”, par le „choix”, par les „exceptions”. On nous prive ou on s'efforce constamment de nouspriver de nos „cjoix” en ne nous imposent que les „soit” et les „exceptions”, La derniere election et la polemique considerant l'election legislative le confirme, la situation dans laquelle se trouvent les Etats membres de l'Union Europeenne est catastrophique, et malgre cela, les pertis politiques qui ont les pretentions de nous gouverner ou les leders de nos Etats n'arrivent pas a comprendre d'ou vient le terrorisme et ils cachent leurs faibles derrier „L'Institutionalisme”.
Pour cette raison ils nous imposent les „exceptions”, „soit” les „exceptions”, on nous forcant de nous priver de nos „choix”. Tous les peuples de l'Europe veulent l'UNION, mais, refusent le Nebuleux, donc, I\l'Union Europeenne et ses institutions, aujourd'hui, ne suffisent plus pour cacher cette contradictions remarcables. En nous imposant constamment leurs „soit” et les „exceptions” par l'intermediaire du Conseil de l'Europe – donc par la Convention considerer seulement en l'Exceptions.

Terrorisme, mais, aujourd'hui, on ne comprend pas d'ou viennet le constant danger du terrorisme?
Pourquoi!

Les choix des considerations confirment en SOULUGNANT avec (!), que le Conseil de l'Europe ce n'est pas une Institution democratique (!), mais une Institution du „recul du progres” (!) le fait, qu'il est cree sur la base de la Declaration Universelle des Droits de l'Homme, posa une doute certain:
- soit, la Declaration : c'est la source de la non democratie;
- soit, la friluse caricaturisation de la Declaration par les createurs du Conseil est la non democratie et du recul!

Quelque soit la solution de l'alternative, les prestations de l'equite judiciaire de la Cour Europeenne des Droits de l'Homme, donc sois-produit du Conseil l'Europe ou par leurs intermediairs, et, de leurs observateurs, souligne avec (!) cette cocasse remarcable.

Est-ce que les lois fondamentales povent etre plus faurts que des l'exceptions? Lois fondamentales c'est la Convention donc le Conseil de l'Europe donc l'Etat! Est-ce que c'est normale, que les lois administratives de l'Etat soit plus fort que les lois fondamentales et pour cet raison la Cour est oblige les considererais seulement par des l'exceptions?!
L'exceptions definitives, donc Que ce que la Cour Europeenne des Droits de l'Homme et des Libertes Fondamentales du Conseil de l'Europe?

SOIT – marquant une supposition, une hypothese – donc l'alternative.

L'alternative – situation dans laquelle on na peut choisir qu'entre deux solutions possibles. Mais, si nous sommes prives de nos „choix”, nous ne pouvent\s pas „choisirs”, „choix” releve de la „LIBERTE” et en nous privant de nos „choix” ils nous privent de notre Liberte!

SUPPOSITION – opinion reposant sur de simples probabilites, mais simple – qui n'est pas compose et qui ne peut donc pas etre analyse, donc indivisible.

HYPOTHESE – point de depart d'une demonstration logique, pose dans l'enonce et a partire du quel on se propose d'aboutir a la conclusion de la demonstration, donc une proposition nouvelle dogicement deduite – nous presentee toujours comme „L'Exceptions”

EXCEPTION – ce qui n'est soumis a la regle – pourtat les 'regles” sont bien definies et par la Constitution et par la Declaration et par la Convention! Donc, la Constitution, la Declaration et la Convention c'est l'exceptions!

Des lois fondamentales et des exceptions.
En nous privant de nos 'choix” ils nous privent de notre Liberte! „Soit” et en nous privent de nos liberte ils nous imposent une alternative sans solution ex.: „tous c'est quu-t-a vous Nous Nous se donnons”.
Les resultats de cette absurdite, aujourd'hui' nous les voyons tous.

Le Parlement a vote plusieurs propositions, dont le Parlement Euripeen souhaite que la diplomatie des pays membres releve de l'Union. La, quel type de diplomatie peut-on attendre d'un (?organisme?) ou d'une (?institution?) qui est incapable de definir ses bases representatives sauf en exceptions!?

Depui le 11 septembre le Monde a beaucoup cgange et change constamment. Les Valeurs Universelles reyonnant des Etats-Unis d'Amerique penetrent et rayonnent de plus en plus partout sauf en Union Europeenne? Effectivement, la difference majeure entre les Etats-Unies d'Amerique et l'Europe est definie dans l'article premier de la Declaration Universelle des Droits de l'Homme et la Convention de sauvegarde des Droits de l'Homme et des Libertes fondamentales:
- „Tous les etres humains naissent libres et egaux en dignite et en droits”
- „Les Hautes Parties contractant a toute personne relevant de sa jouridiction les droits et libertes definis au Titre 1 de la Presente Convention”.

Cette position est forte remarquable: l'Union Europeenne et reunit dans la „guerre contre le terroriseme” et mantient la „base du terrorisme”.
C'est un remarque\able exemple des Droits et des NON DROITS !!!

Tout le Monde a accepte de reunir ses efforts dans l'eradication de la gangrene. Pourtant, aujourd'hui, il y a toujours la volonte en Europe de preserver ses base caricatureales sans aucune volonte de les recinnaitre – en les cachant derriere „L'institutionslisme”. Mais. Aujourd'hui, en Europe les gouvernants ont peur de la proclamation d'une dats\e – fete de la Victoire sur l'Obscurantisme?

En septembre 1997, le Parlement Europeen a cle\assee ma petition N427/97 egzactement pareils comme la requete N33594/96, comme irecevable – raison de classement: je ne suis pas citoyen de l'Union Europeenne – donc la raison du classement c'est la violation caraterisee des articles N9 et N15 de la Declaration Universelle des Droits de l'Homme et de l'artice N3,1 du protocole de la Convention.

Malgre ma demarche aupres des Ambassades des Etats membres de l'Union Europeenne accreditees en Frence a Paris et malgre la bonne connaissance de ma nationalite, la violation caracterisee des articles N9 et N15 de la Declaration Universelle des Droits de l'Homme et de l'article N3,1 du Protokole N4 de la Convention restent Mainteniu aujourd'hui compris ma;gre les faites dites nouveaux!
Requete N74217/01, portee contre les Etats membres de l,Union Europeenne le 27.07.2001, est declaree sur la base des plusieurs „SOIT” irresevable par la Cour – donc les elus elus conformement avec les lois electorales de leurs pays ne representent pas leurs electeurs une fois elus!
La Cour est composee des plus eminents juristes des Etats membres! Le fait, que la Cour est composee des plus eminents juristes des Etats membres! Le fait, que la Cour Europeenne des Droits de l'Homme du Conseil de l'Europe n'honnore pas le suffrage universele des Etats membre de l'Union Europeenne impose une alternative:
- soit le Perlement Europeen n'a aucune base legale et legitime;
- soit le suffrage univesel n'a aucune base legale et legitime, donc:
- soit les lois electorales ne sont pas confomes a la Constitution;
- soit npus n'avons pas la Constitution...
Si nous avons la Constitution, et la ressente election le confirme, donc c'est une 'exception”!

La, la violation caracterisee des articles N9 et N15 de la Declaration Universelle des Droits de l'Homme est evidente, pourtant le UNHCR et certains pays signataires de la Declaration et des Chartrs de l'ONU, ont refuse de m'accorder l'asile politique – la, c'est encore une „exception”!

Requete N74217/01 – classee irrecevable par la Cour sur la base de plusieurs „soit” - la, c'est encore une „exception”!
Requete N33594/96 – classee irrecevable par la Commission – c'est encore une „exception”.
Requete N1684/06 classee par une information exceptionnelle sur un jugement d'exception sans jugement, c'est encore une exception, et meme, en soulignent que c'est definitive!

Conformement avec le dispositif de l'article 19 de la Convention de Saovegarde des Droits de l'Homme et des Libertes fondamentales, la Cour des Droits de l'Homme „fonctionne de facon permanents” - „Afin d'assurer le respect des engagements resultant pour les Hautes Parties contractentes de la Convention et de ses protocoles”!
Pourtant, depuis octobre 2001 elle ne fonctionne pas – la, c'est une „exceptions”?

La Cour des Droits de l'Homme en se prononcant sur l'euthanasie:
- a demontes qu'eslle fonctionne!
- a demontre qu'elle prononce des decisions tres difficieles dans une delais rapide!
Pourquoi elle ne travaille pas la, ou ses decisions exigent seulement une bonne volonte de bien vouloir reconnaitre Nos Reperes Fondamentaux – les faits sont bien demontres par les documents etablis et par la Cour, donc n'exigent aucune investigation – la, c'est encore une „exception”!

Prenant les exemples des derniers jours.
Est-ce qu'on peut nomer quelqu'un „Un Homme d'Etat”:
- s'il perd le controle sur lui meme;
- si dans l'histerie il vaoit la solution pour „lui-meme”;
- s'il est preoccupe seulement et seulement par lui-meme.
Est-ce qu'il y a en Europe un Homme d'Etat?
Est-ce que les „exceptions” basees sur les „soit” nous assurent la reponse a cette question?!

En continuant la revue de la presse nous trouvons: sous-performance; sous-ivestissement; monque de savoir-faire renouvees; capacite de decision.
Ces citation, ne sont-elles pas la confirmation de la privation de la population europeenne de la Liberte, cache derriere des „aumones” et argumentee par l'analphabetisation – le seul garanr de l'admiration du Mediocre!?

Effectivement, nous avons deux attitudes differentes. La consideration, que c'est une disposition interns durable qui determine la maniers dont un personne se situe par rapport a une veleur; comportant des aspectes combine avec d'autres parametre comme le statut social, la relation avec les groupes ou aux groupes, du groupe a la societe, nous condui a notre realite d'aujourd'hui:
- des gouvernements coupes du pays reel!
- des Institutions arbitraires qui sont basee sur des soits circonstanciels!
- l'agonoe financiere du systeme educatif!
- le parque qui classe les plaintes sans consideration de la lois!
- la hausse constante de la criminalite!
- l'inefficacite des „nabot” de la classe politique!

La, c'est peut-etre la reponse, pourquoi en Union Europeenne ont ne veut pas voir le constant danger du terrorisme en developpant „L'institutionalisme”.

Le poisson rouge effectue un nombre incalcoulable de tours de bocal par jour. Pourtant, a chaque tour, c'est comme si c'etait la premier, car le poisson rouge a une memoire d'environ 3 secondes”

Est-ce le 10 decembre, c'est l'anniversaire la plus grrand joie pour tous les 'HOMMES”?
OU
L'annivesaire de la plus grande CALAMITE des Hommes ?

Madame, Mademoiselle, Monsieur, en vous remerciant pour votre aimable attention, je vous demande de bien vouloir transmettre cette lettre a toues les Institutions concernees.

Veuillez agreer, Madame, Mademoiselle, Monsieur, mes plus hautes considerations distiquees.

[D.G.]

The picture of the soldier is incorretly identified as a U.S. soldier, when it is clearly an Israeli soldier. Note the uniform, helmet, boots, none of which is U.S. issue.

[la times are dumb]

hey morons - that picture is of an israeli soldier - not an american one! yet another excellent example of stellar journalism from the l.a. times!!

[Freddie]

McCain the flip flopper will do anyting to become President before he's eighty years old. He has said that anyone who sets a date certain for withdrawal is surrendering. What happened Senator? Are you finally listening to the people or counting the recent votes in Mississippi!

[tlsmith1963]

2013? Too late, our economy will be destroyed by this war by then. Sorry, McCain. I won't vote for you.

[Wm Tate]

"...what he once described as a possible 100 year deployment of U.S. troops"
This reconstruction of McCain's comments has consistently been discredited as misleading, yet you use it. Interesting, n'est pas? (To continue the theme of the earlier comment.)
-Wm Tate
http://www.atimelikethis.us/

[dale]

Come on guys. Not even John McCain can be dumb enough to believe we have already killed or captured Osama bin Laden or that he has no place to hide. But yet you claim to have quoted him as saying, "The increase in actionable intelligence that the counterinsurgency produced led to the capture or death of Osama bin Laden, and his chief lieutenants. There is no longer any place in the world al Qaeda can consider a safe haven."

[holman]

The Simple Truth vs the Noble Lie: As the founding father of neoconservatism Irving Kristol remarked: "Viewed in this way, one can say that the historical task and political purpose of neoconservatism would seem to be this: to convert the Republican party, and American conservatism in general, against their respective wills, into a new kind of conservative politics suitable to governing a modern democracy... " McCain embraces the Welfare State and Global Warming, nation-building, deficit spending, amnesty . . . all are neoconservative give-aways for power. They are pragmatists. McCain is neoconservative. Conservatism has been cut adrift.

In politics a Noble lie is a myth or untruth, knowingly told by an 'elite' to maintain social harmony, particularly the social position of that elite. The noble lie is a concept originated by Plato as described in The Republic.

Irving Kristol - "There are different kinds of truths for different kinds of people. There are truths appropriate for children; truths that are appropriate for students; truths that are appropriate for educated adults; and truths that are appropriate for highly educated adults, and the notion that there should be one set of truths available to everyone is a modern democratic fallacy. It doesn't work."

we are being lied to for our own good

[andrew taylor]

I like the story but why did you put a picture of an israeli soldier petting a cat.....There are no Israeli troops in iraq despite what certain arab conspiracy theorists say

[Ted]

Why is their a picture of an Israeli soldier petting a kitten?

McCain is the worst of both parties, pro-War and pro-massive government.

[puciret]

2013?? Why not 2009??? By 2013 our military bases will have grown to an extent that we will have, approx. 100,000 or better, permanently stationed troops in a country where we have never been wanted. Between allies in Saudi and bases in Iraq we'll be strategically set up to take Iran and eventually Afghanistan. Thank you Gen. McCain.

[Rob]

Hmm, guess what? I don't believe McCain when he says he sees the US out of Iraq by 2013. Not one bit. He's been adamant in his support of this war and it continuing as long as it needs to. He even used 100 years in one statement. No, I don't believe him one bit. This has got to be the usual political maneuvering into the moderate middle, and it does not fly.

[susan]

He is no different then all the other Pres. we have had recently and will continue to put our country in the hole and will continue to allow our children and our loved ones to die from a senseless war in which we had NO BUSINESS starting and that was started under false pretenses. Our so called gov. has done NOTHING to help our ecomony and the people on the hill as well as the oil industry continues to make high profits and money while us citizens continue to fall each day. We can barely pay our bills, most can not, we have to choose between food and medicines or medical help.
Pres. Bush has LET DOWN THE AMERICAN PEOPLE and SO WILL McCAIN, and I have no confindence in Obama I think that is a mistake, and Hillary who knows.
They say we have made progress in IRAQ BULL HOCKEY! I have a son in IRAQ I know how hard they are running our soliders and with very little to no sleep daily and equipment that barely meets standards if it does.
STOP LIEING to the American public!
You SCREWED UP its time to right the worng and get our soldiers home, release some of the reserve and help get a country back on its feet that you took down. Stop making money and sacarficing our men and women and the people of this country for your own personal gain !
You only care about one thing and it is sad when you hurt and destroy the very people who trusted you and trusted you to do the right thing!
You will have a judgement day one day and I just pray I am there to see it.
The American people really NEED to STAND UP and do something about this and you, for you will contimue to push our nation and our country to the ground until there is nothing left to destroy. Not only do we fear our enemy abroad, but we live in fear of our OWN GOVERMENT each and every day and that is so sad!

[Photo Larry]

2013? Ok if this does not show the american public that we need serious changes to our broken country, this is it. The war over oil should have never began at all. Hillary will stop the war when she becomes president. It is time to focus on problems within america and let other nations fix their own issues. Our dependancy on oil is a major problem which is only going to worsen by prices probably reaching close to 5 dollars a gallon. We have the resources to power vehicles with non-carbon based products such as grain, or natural gas. The entire LA bus system uses CNG. Imagine if the whole country were to use that instead of oil? Possible, YES!

[Monsieur McCon]

This old man is a well-documented Keating five criminal with absolutely no integrity - just a typical life-long, gravy-train-feeding senator. He should be sitting in a prison but he had some strings pulled since of course he's a "war hero"?? He's simply a "hero" for the corporate fascists and the neocon/Zionists/Israelis who've taken over our country.
The United States of Israel.

[W.M. Dix]

One slight observation. It would at least behoove you to make sure you have verified that the photo of the soldier with the cat was of a U.S. Military serviceman. and as a matter of fact the photo in question is not of a U.S. Army or Marine corp serviceman. the Photo in question is of a an Israeli soldier. Given the amount of photo's that have been snapped of U.S. military it is beyond belief that the fact that the photo is not that of U.S. Serviceman

A few very starkly clear clues point to that fact. Uniform and kit is not U.S. Military issue. Helmet is not standard U.S. military. Color and pattern of Uniform does not match any U.S. military issue for the last 2 decades at the least.

There ar eplenty of photos of U.S. military srevicemen available out there that could have been used so why use a photo of a serviceman from a foreign country.

Another observation I would call the 2013 date as a far more realistic timefram for a gradual withdrawal target via which we at least ensure that we the U.S. is leaving a country with a good chance at being a succesful rather than the cut and run and let it burn approach that is being advocated by varius antiwar groups which will result in far more deaths in the long term.

[John]

Subtle references do not hide the fact that you consider this a 'change' in stance by McCain. Other liberal websites haven't been so subtle, calling this statement a 'timeline' that he's setting.

This is a 'vision' - not concrete. His own words state that this is what he 'hopes' for. Not what he will do. What he will do is what he should do - decide strategy based on conditions on the ground.

Envisioning a positive outcome is not the same as 'telegraphing' our intent.

Is your spin on 45 or 78 speed? Hard to tell.

[Robert Doogie]

Funny thing is that I understand this Frenchies rant, since I wasted 3 years taking French.

But what is really important is that John McCain will get us out of Iraq by 2013. Of course, it will quickly become a violent civil war at that time. But what about my friend, the bartender? Her oldest son will have been in Iraq several times by then until he is killed. Then the goofs in uniforms will come to her house, give her a flag, and say "Sorry". Maybe they'll have bagpipes, too. "Amazing Grace" to "What a disgrace".

[jjcomet]

It's pretty clear that McCain just pulled the date 2013 out of his nether regions, since he offers absolutely no explanation for how all these wonderful developments he describes are going to come about. If this load of crap doesn't convince Americans that McCain is totally delusional about the war in Iraq, I don't know what could...

[Rob Petrie]

McCain was refreshingly honest with his statement that we might have to have troops in Iraq for 100 years.

Now he says (and the next election is 2012) - um - yeah - really - the troops will be home by - by - by 2013 - yeah that's the ticket - right after the start of his second term.

What a crock - how stupid does he think we are.

[Mark DeVoe]

John McCain just might have access to a high performance OUIJA board......

McCain & McAble

[Nina]

Andrew - - you might want to run a tiny little fact check before another story with accompanying photos is run. See - the soldier petting the kitten??

Not an American Soldier, but an Israeli Soldier!

Thus, in a story about the US and Iraq - might want to utilize correct photos next time!

[Nina]

Andrew - - you might want to run a tiny little fact check before another story with accompanying photos is run. See - the soldier petting the kitten??

Not an American Soldier, but an Israeli Soldier!

Thus, in a story about the US and Iraq - might want to utilize correct photos next time!

[Mark DeVoe]

John McCain just might have access to a high performance OUIJA board......

McCain & McAble

[captnnq]

The photo included that is titled "US Soldier Makes a Friend" is not genuine.

He cannot be a US soldier because:
- He is wearing a relatively modern British military helmet
- Olive drab fatigues (not issued since the 1980)
- Nylon flak vest ( 60s - 70s issue)
- Brown leather hiking boots (Civilian) with laces not secured
- A BATTERY PACK attached to the back of his rifle
- Duct tap all over his weapon like in the movies

Look at his face, this is a kid probably not even out of highschool, playing army with an airsoft rifle (a battery powered rifle that shoots small white BBs, popular among adolescents).

[widollar]

John McCain is a dangerous and unbalanced old war monger who believes life is about winning wars, period! He is an old fool with foolish old idea's. The thought of this old fool sitting in the oval office planning wars to win is not a pleasant thought! He knows squat about ecomonics and his rich wife has had a book keeper pay all of John's bills! He just flies around the country in his wifes private jet smiling and saying stupid things. My god we have had almost eight painful years of a moronic fool ruining America, lets not let this old tired fool continue Chimpy's wars.

[jy2008]

If you truely love America, it is time to seriously discuss ideas how to make this country better.

[Dan]

Isn't McCain saying that our military will be out of Iraq by 2013 technically a timetable?

Isn't it also true that McCain was against "timetables" like this one at the beginning of the Republican primary season?

I voted for McCain in 2000 but I will not be making the same mistake this year.

McCain's frenzy for power has caused him to abandon his principles and "flip flop" more than a fish out of water.

I can't wait to watch him try to explain his way out of this one (and many others). Its going to be painfully awesome!

~d.

[Steve Terrill]

McCain is simply shifting language to match what Americans want to hear. On the surface, it sounds so noble and compelling, yet anyone who has ever watched television recognizes that this is nothing more than John McCain's changing colors. Cameleon McCain told us not but 180 days ago that this will be a 100-year presence in Iraq and now he's telling us "hey, it'll all be wrapped up lickity-split in four short years. Be sure to turn out the light, will ya?" Who's intelligence is he trying to insult? His or the American peoples'?

Cameleon McCain will say anything to get elected. He recognizes his party, led by 'his best friend forever' George Bush, is so unpopular with Americans. He recognizes his party started a terrible war. He recognizes he is an unwinnable position. Thus, he starts with hollow rhetoric about getting out of Iraq. What's next? Cameleon McCain promising to get America out of debt by July 2010? McCain is nothing more than a bitter used car salesman of a Senator.

[patrick]

"As careful getting out as we were careless getting in" Sen McCain, if you need any additional policy position advice please call Sen Obama.

Next admit the foolishness of refusing to have diplomatic conversations with our enemies. You are getting closer and closer to a winning position.

[BooBoo]

Since the world is ending in 2012, McCain is just throwing out a Date he knows can't come back on him because we'll all be wiped out by quetzelqwatl.

[Charles]

Like we'd buy anything the LA Times says when their journalists don't even know what an American soldier looks like. LIterally, they wouldn't know a US Troop if they bumped into one.

[NoMoreBushes]

In McCain years it is actually 2108

[TM Lutas]

The fact is that half the provinces have been turned over to local Iraqi rule and they can maintain a decent level of security there. We have yet to have to reverse this process. The shakiest of the province handovers had been Basra, and continuing military operations demonstrate that even there, the Iraqi elected government has gained the upper hand.

It is very likely that by the end of 2009, we will have handed over militarily the security profile for the whole country. At that point we will be in Iraq mostly to be Iraq's security guarantor against foreign invasion so that they do not feel the need to gain a first rate tank force and fighter/bomber air force and scare the living daylights out of their neighbors.

In that role, securing Iraqis from foreign invasion so they don't need to secure themselves and thus start a Middle East arms race, we're likely to stay there a long time. It's an honorable role and in our national interest. It's also an aspect of things that no major Democrat is addressing.

[Realist]

This coming from a man who doesn't have the first clue about the region and has no idea what the difference between a Sunni and a Shia is. This is the man who stated that Iran was training Al Qaida to carry out terrorist attacks in Iraq. (For those of you who are equally uneducated, Iran and Al Qaida hate each other)

Anybody remember the movie Animal House? John Belushi says, "Did we give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?"

Thats John McCain for you.

[jlflowers]

2013? Anybody else notice that January 2013 is when he will either be sworn in office again or a new president will be sworn in? How convenient that he picks a time after the general election of 2012. Saying anything to become president the first time in order to assure a second term.

[montoya]

He should have provided more specifics about what is really happening in Iraq, e.g. Mercedes Benz is opening a dealership in Baghdad, Marriott is opening a hotel in Baghdad, there are now USD 44 billion in reserves at the Fed (grown from USD10 billion a year ago), big oil companies are moving in as production has surpassed pre-war levels, etc., etc. This is the news that has to get out about what is really going on with the economy. If Mercedes and Marriott make the move then surely that says something about the security improvements. The war is over.

[Durden]

If anyone would read what he is saying instead of being blind, when he said the US would be in Iraq for 100 years, he was saying we would keep a base there to maintain a presence, much like the bases we put in Germany and Japan after WW2. is anyone calling for us to remove troops from Japan? I'm not so sure. McCain is saying that he expects the majority of actual conflict (and thus American casualties) will be over by 2013, not that the US will give up. He is saying that the Iraqi Government and Military should be competent enough by 2013 to tie up the loose ends, be we will be there just in case a major conflict erupts. Unlike Obama, McCain will assess the situation instead of blindly removing troops to appease voters.

[Tom]

Obama will get us out by 2010, saving untold lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. Funny how McNasty has modified his 100 years to 5, I guess he realized his100 year prophesy was politically unpalatable.

[DefendThyself]

I plan on writing in Ron Paul... McCain is a McJoke and I will never vote for a Socialistic Democrat.

Go Ron Paul!

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

OK, Somwhere between 2013 and 2108. Got it.

[jerry]

"Come on guys. Not even John McCain can be dumb enough to believe we have already killed or captured Osama bin Laden ..."

Perhaps if you read more carefully you would see that the entire discourse is what McCain wants to see accomplished at the END of his first term.

As far as Obama is concerned, he is a smooth talker. I think he would be most valuable as the press secretary but not president!

[MsSwin]

“And I believe that the success will be fairly easy” and “There's no doubt in my mind that... we will be welcomed as liberators.” [CNN, Larry King Live, 9/24/02. MSNBC, Hardball, 3/24/03]

“I think we could go in with much smaller numbers than we had to do in the past... I don't believe it's going to be nearly the size and scope that it was in 1991.” [Face the Nation, 9/15/02]

“There's not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shias. So I think they can probably get along.” [MSNBC Hardball, 4/23/03]
When McCain was asked “at what point will America be able to say the war was won?” He responded, “...it’s clear that the end is, is, is very much in sight.” [ABC, “Good Morning America,” 4/9/03]

“Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course.” [The Hill, 12/8/05 (Exactly one year before violence in Iraq peaked)]

[MsSwin]

McCain:

“And I believe that the success will be fairly easy” and “There's no doubt in my mind that... we will be welcomed as liberators.” [CNN, Larry King Live, 9/24/02. MSNBC, Hardball, 3/24/03]

“I think we could go in with much smaller numbers than we had to do in the past... I don't believe it's going to be nearly the size and scope that it was in 1991.” [Face the Nation, 9/15/02]

“There's not a history of clashes that are violent between Sunnis and Shias. So I think they can probably get along.” [MSNBC Hardball, 4/23/03]

When McCain was asked “at what point will America be able to say the war was won?” He responded, “...it’s clear that the end is, is, is very much in sight.” [ABC, “Good Morning America,” 4/9/03]

“Overall, I think a year from now, we will have made a fair amount of progress if we stay the course.” [The Hill, 12/8/05 (Exactly one year before violence in Iraq peaked)]

McDENIAL

[gorefan]

Oh my god! McCain is as delusional as George Bush.

Did you read the rest of his predictions, all thats missing is that we'll all be driving rocket cars and taking weekend vactions on the moon.

[Tominellay]

Well, you forgot to mention that McCain got more votes than Paul, who is older than McCain.