John McCain: Town Hall Meeting 05/07/08

John McCain
Town Hall
Rochester, MI 05/07/08

TRANSCRIPT:
QUESTIONER: "Senator, the Iraq War has gone on for five years, as we all know. It's estimated that the cost will be $3,000,000,000,000, as you like it, if we stay in Iraq for a hundred years, what do you estimate the cost will be?" [applause]

JOHN MCCAIN: "Um, my statement was made at a town hall meeting, much like this one, only it was in New Hampshire and an individual asked me how long American troops would be in Iraq. And of course, what I was saying was after we succeed in Iraq, and by the way, we are succeeding in Iraq, at great cost [applause] and frustration. Those are facts on the ground but it's long and it's hard and it's tough and a great sacrifice has been made and it was mishandled for nearly for nearly four years. Badly mishandled. And we made great sacrifice. So, after the war we may have a security arrangement with Iraq like we have with the government of South Korea. After the Korean war ended, we had a security arrangment which served to buffer, I think important, having an American military there to prevent further aggression from North Korea. We have a security arrangement with Kuwait, we have a base there. We have, um, troops in Germany, we've had troops in Japan. We've had troops all over the world. My point is that it's American casualties, it's American casualties and as the Iraqi military takes on more and more of the responsibilities and Americans withdraw, then I'll bring 'em home, I'll bring 'em home but I'll bring 'em home with honor and I won't bring 'em home in defeat. [applause] And this'll be a great debate. This'll be a great debate in this presidential campaign and if you want to surrender, if you want to set a date for withdrawal and surrender, the way that Sen. Obama and Sen. Clinton want to do, that'll be a decision that the American people will make. And my friends, I said a year ago. I said I'd rather lose a political campaign than lose a war. We've got a great general and we've got a s- a strategy that's succeeding in and I will and I will find it far, far more important. Far. Far more important in the future security of this country than my political ambitions and I will not set a date for surrender." [applause]

LABEL: JM MI 5-7 (EW#8) CHIPR -- Clip J

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Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• TRACKING
• john
• mccain
• iraq
• hundred
• hundred-years
• year
• 100
• 100-year
• 100-years
• war

[RunOasis]

Fancy military talk from a old, old, old bullshiter who think Iraq is another Vietnam. Lying asshole.

[spencethemence]

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[cocotroll]

The man who has let thousands die because he wouldn't tell Bush how to "win the war" like he claims to know how to do. He is "the man" who will continue the death and destruction until he "wins the war" at the expense of the world. Yeah, "he's the man alright!"

[tillerylakelady]

Gosh Senator McCaine, it's ashame Obama will not debate you in an town hall meeting!!! The American people sure would love to see that. Without a teleprompter, there would be a lot of uh uh uh uhs but maybe he'd make it. hahahaha

[goblue0021]

An American hero in the flesh! We love you John, you are the man!