Clark: McCain a hero, but lacks command experience
I'm curious, if our current state of war is the reason we "must" elect McCain, what does it say about him that he plans for us to be in Iraq for the next hundred years?
Why not elect the person that, while not overly knowledgable about war, wants to stop that war.
Bush doesn't know jack about war, but people have been following him for 8 long years. Why follow someone that is just going to be continuing those flawed policies.
As for McCains war record, while nice, war experiences have never been a requirment for presidency, and no matter how brave, it doesn't mean jack when it comes to his ability lead a country.
Clark: McCain a hero, but lacks command experience
I think that the thing I objected to most in this thread and in some of the news coverage is the idea that Clark was wrong for even asking about the relevance of McCain's war experience and stating his judgement that it was not very relevant. The criticism twisted that into an attack on McCain's war record, which it was not. If McCain and his people want to point to his war record and say that it is a relevant piece of the presidential puzzle, then they have to be willing to defend that idea. Why is it relevant? They do not have a sacred issue just because it is a war record.
I don't personally like Clark very much, and as I stated before, I don't think he made a very storng point with this. But as far as I can tell, no one has made a very strong argumment for why it IS relevant --- the response is mostly in the form of, "You can't ask why it's relevant ---- It's a WAR RECORD for Christ's sake! You are only allowed to talk about it in positive terms! Otherwise it's blasphemy!" That's just weak.
If you want to make a case that his experience in Vietnam gave him some practical understanding that can be applied in Iraq, then that is a reasonable way to go about the debate. And people can argue whether that is true or not. But mostly McCain's record is not argued in those terms --- mostly they point to the POW experience to show how princlipled and devoted he is. But apparently if you try to question the relevance of that experience, you get treated like you just pissed on the cross. It's OK to bring up the POW experience, but only if you are going to say nice things about it.
I've never heard anyone ask this before, probably because of the sacred cow problem, but was McCain's decision to stay in the POW camp really a good decision? He was offered a chance to leave, but he stayed out of principle because the other prisoners were not offered a chance to leave. That's certainly brave and principled, but was it a good choice? If you are going to say that his experience in Vietnam qualifies him best for how he will handle Iraq, then how does his decision to stay in the camp reflect how he will conduct the war in Iraq? Maybe that's where his "100 years" thing comes from --- it's not practical, but it's a matter of principle. It seems to me that the most practical thing to have done would have been to leave the POW camp and come back dropping 1000 pound bombs. It makes more sense to me to leave and get back in the fight, and then maybe there'd be a chance to get everyone else out too eventually. What good does it do to stay except to give moral support to the others? I don't really know what would have been best, but it seems like if McCain's supporters want to bring it up, there are a few ways to look at it, if you can do it without getting your head bit off.
Clark: McCain a hero, but lacks command experience
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonrider
I think that the thing I objected to most in this thread and in some of the news coverage is the idea that Clark was wrong for even asking about the relevance of McCain's war experience and stating his judgement that it was not very relevant. The criticism twisted that into an attack on McCain's war record, which it was not.
Separately, in a statement, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said, "As he's said many times before, Sen. Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by Gen. Clark."
I guess I'll just have to agree with your candidate, Obama.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonrider
He was offered a chance to leave, but he stayed out of principle because the other prisoners were not offered a chance to leave. That's certainly brave and principled.
What good does it do to stay except to give moral support to the others?
He was offered a chance because of his dads position in the military. Kind of shoots that ol' saying about the privilaged ones when he denied the release.
I'm sure that a few of his fellow soldiers appreciated what he did; and I'm also sure that his captors didn't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dragonrider
but it seems like if McCain's supporters want to bring it up, there are a few ways to look at it, if you can do it without getting your head bit off.
Hey, it wasn't McCain supporters that brought this issue up...it was an Obama supporter. Now if the Obama supporters want to try to belittle his time in Nam, why can't the McCain supporters defend his actions?
Have a good one!:s4:
Clark: McCain a hero, but lacks command experience
Go after obama not his supporters...
and there are so many texans here that just praise McCain in the coffee shop every morning that can't have any more mis-information.... should i make 10 threads a day about that? no cause its not news and neither is this....
Clark: McCain a hero, but lacks command experience
Quote:
Originally Posted by Psycho4Bud
Might be in Obama's best interest to tell Clark to STFU!!
:D sounds like thats pretty much exactly what he did :D too bad for the General but its gotta give Bill Richardson a bit more of an edge now at that vp slot :pimp:
