By LIZ SIDOTI Associated Press Writer
CHULA VISTA, Calif.
Fresh off his eighth Iraq visit, Sen. John McCain declared Monday that "we are succeeding" and said he wouldn't change course _ even as the U.S. death toll rose to 4,000 and the war entered its sixth year.
To underscore his view of the stakes in Iraq, the certain Republican presidential nominee twice referenced a recent audio tape from Osama bin Laden in which the al-Qaida leader urged followers to join the al-Qaida fight in Iraq and called the country "the greatest opportunity and the biggest task."
"For the first time, I have seen Osama bin Laden and General (David) Petraeus in agreement, and, that is, a central battleground in the battle against al-Qaida is in Iraq today. And that's what bin Laden was saying and that's what General Petraeus is saying and that's what I'm saying, my friends," McCain said.
"And my Democrat opponents who want to pull out of Iraq refuse to understand what's being said and what's happening _ and that is the central battleground is Iraq in this struggle against radical Islamic extremism," he added. McCain also said Democratic rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton were naive and "dead wrong" to want to withdraw troops.
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"We're succeeding. I don't care what anybody says. I've seen the facts on the ground," the Arizona senator insisted a day after a roadside bomb in Baghdad killed four U.S. soldiers and rockets pounded the U.S.-protected Green Zone there, and a wave of attacks left at least 61 Iraqis dead nationwide. The events transpired as bin Laden called on the people of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Saudi Arabia to "help in support of their mujahedeen brothers in Iraq, which is the greatest opportunity and the biggest task."
Despite all that, McCain told reporters: "I don't think I would change the strategy now unless General Petraeus recommended it. I think he's trusted by the American people, the president and by me. And General Petraeus again showed me facts on the ground where the surge is succeeding."
Democrats took issue with his remarks and cast his candidacy as a repeat of President Bush's tenure.
"As Americans mark another somber milestone in the war in Iraq, John McCain continues his pattern of parroting the Bush administration's misleading rhetoric on the war," Democratic Party spokeswoman Karen Finney said in a statement.
In the midst of a western fundraising swing after a week abroad, including visits to Iraq, the Middle East and Europe, the Arizona senator didn't mention the grim casualty milestone or the last weeks fifth anniversary of the conflict as he spoke to veterans and others at a stuffy Veterans of Foreign Wars building during a town-hall style campaign event outside of San Diego.
"I've commented on hundreds of occasions of the sacrifice the great and brave young Americans have made in Iraq and elsewhere in the world in the struggle against radical Islamic extremism," McCain told reporters afterward. He said a bracelet he always wears with the name of Matthew Stanley, who was killed in Iraq, is a symbol not just of his sacrifice but also of Stanley's 4,000 fallen comrades.
"My thoughts and my prayers go out to those families every day," McCain added.
Also left unsaid during the event was the fact that 2007 was the war's deadliest year with 901 American troop deaths. That was when Bush took McCain's advice and sent thousands more U.S. troops to Iraq to quell violence in Baghdad. McCain long had called for such a strategy shift, and he effectively linked his presidential candidacy to the war last year even as public support for it plummeted.
"I'm not painting to you the most rosy scenario but I am telling you, compared to a year ago, before we started this surge, and with this great general, one of the great generals in American history, General David Petraeus, that we are succeeding in Iraq," McCain told his audience.
Asked later if he was offering the war-weary public any different path forward in Iraq than Bush, McCain reached back to the past.
"I'm offering them the record of having objected strenuously to a failed strategy for nearly four years. That I argued against and fought against and said that the secretary of defense of my own party, and my own president, I had no confidence in. That's how far I went in advocating the new strategy that is succeeding," McCain told reporters.

Ok! Let me start off by adding my credentials, that way nobody is confused and thinks that I have no sense of history. My Family has been military for 7 generations back. General John C. Fremont is in my immediate family tree. I grew up in and on San Diego base called Miramar. My Father was 30 year military man in VFW-121 better know as "Top Gun!" or referred to as "Navy Fighter Weapons School!" I am ex-Airborne Infantry and served in Combat in "Just Cause" in Panama in 1989! I was awarded the CIB and My Unit the Unit Citation. I was in Charlie company 5th/87th. You can find me on the roster at military.com.
I have read over 100 books on the war in Vietnam and took a college class on it. I wrote a 29 page paper and read 12 books just for that paper. I have studied counterinsurgency and all arts of war. Enuff!
THis is Vietnam all over. John McCain is a fool. General George C. Patton was the greatest General in history anyway. Pastreus is a joke and McCain is too. "WE WILL BE FOOLS IF WE ELECT HIM!" He will not get us out of there ever and it shall be the beginning of the end for the world. The Storyline reads just like "Vietnam!" Slowly building up our troops over there. Death toll increases as our troops morale steadily decreases. War is actually suppose to stimulate the home economy. It did during World War II, but we had job's in fn America then. HEck, they are all overseas now. McCain and the rich stand to gain from this war not us. Not the American people. We will suffer as we suffered in Vietnam.
You will not change what has been going on for thousand's of years anytime soon. We will lose our people and McCain said he didn't care how many son's and daughter's died. He stay as long as he had to. So, that means 6 years this year plus possibly 8, because the jerk-off Demorcrat's can't find a decent candidate to run. No offense to no race or sex, but America won't elect Obama or Hilary. It won't happen and a Independant candidate doesn't get enough exposure in 1 year to do much. Heck, I voted for Ross Perot and he was Independant and he would of made a hell of a President. He was great for American business. We need someone like Bill Gates as president. Bring business back home and bring our damn troops back home.
This is just gone to far. The Incoherent Babble that both Bush and McCain are spouting is the same damn rhetoric that was used to justify the war in Vietnam. Escalation and change the people. Those people don't want change they want freedom. Hence, freedom fighters and Mujahedeen! The very people we backed against Russia and who sent them reeling and running back to Russia with thier tails between thier leg's. We can't win this war and we don't seek to. We are there to pad the rich with fortune and the Bushes with more money than they know what to do with.
If we vote McCain it will be the beginning of the end for us. We are in trouble and something needs to break. We need something to happen in this country and I have no solution. Niether does any of our Politicians. Hilary saying she would have the troops withdrawn withing 2 months. Yea, and Moses would have to part the Atlantic this time for that to happen. Obama says he isn't Muslim, but everything points that he is an I think he is a liar.
I have said my piece on this speech by McCain. He will bring many deaths to our people. HOW. White Man cometh to middle-east and no peace-pipe. Please I urge everyone to stay clear of McCain. Heck, don't vote if you have to or vote Independant. Nothing could really be more worse then the three we have running now. IT is a festival of laughs!

no one reads that....too long of a post.....

nice post.. i SO read that ......um.. not.. lol

real readers will read it. I am only interested in the ones that care about our country and take the time to mitigate our circumstance. You don't like it then go somewhere else please!

Have a Nice Day.

I agree and thank you so much for your service! I know you don't want to hear it, but you are a real war hero!

What I don't get is how come in the 60s and 70s millions protested against the Vietnam war and today we can't even get a few thousand to protest this war??

I don't get it. Is it lack of education? Is it comfortable lifestyle. Is it fear? Is it maybe that the people just want to wait it out for the new president who will probably not do major changes anyhow?

I just don't understand this?

john mccain is a decorated p.o.w. he may not be the best bet for president, but he still is a national hero and no one with a brain can deny that..... all of the soldiers, and marines that have ever served in any kind of combat situation are. anyone who puts themselves on the line to fight for our freedoms is deserving of respect... NO ONE should speak ill of mccain other than that he is the lesser of three evils..... he is a decorated war vet and i say about him as i sayt about veterans of foreign wars... he deserves respect... and welcome home

or perhaps because in the vietnam war we lost more then 50,000 and it affected more families then to gather people to protest, whereas we have only 4000 now.

Maybe because people were outside more because the technology wasn't there like it is today with text message, computers, etc.

Here I am answering my own question! lol

cheers

Easy answer. We are a much more passive country as in community. We are divided by racial lines more than ever. Look at the split for Mississippi for Hilary and Obama. All the whites voted Hillary and most all the blacks voted Obama. We are an obese country and we are more a police state than ever. We have more incarciarated people than any country. Russia is like the closest and we have triple them. We are an lazy country. That is why our jobs are leaving people are satisfied with fast-food jobs. Plus, our jobs are scarce and the economy sucks. Revolution would never happen here.

My friend if we use Nucs it will be far beyond 4000. This will embroil the whole world before it is over.

Thank you for answering this for me! It looks like I will be leaving the country to New Zealand to be a sheep herder soon! lol

cheers

On no I hope nukes will never be used! I have been against the war from the beginning! It is too bad that this country has put itself in such a mess! I know one thing for certain my children will not be living here trying to pay back the deficit the Bush administration created through the war and weak economy.

No Draft!!!

Most Americans aren't affected, so they remain complacent!
Start the draft and expect everyone to sacrifice, EQUALLY,
Then you'll see the protests!

Veitnam had a draft.
I remember it was a lottery, on TV.
A guy would pick a number from a circular cage.
Every man turning 18 on that date was required to report!

You've never seen that if you were born after 1970!

I seen on T.V. us leaving Saigon with our tails between our legs in 75. I was 6! Remember like yesterday. My Dad did three tours in the Nam

mine came up #3 the year of my 18th birthday

the only time i even came close to winning the lottery

The question I answered was why people dont protest to day, like they did during Vietnam.

I stand on my statement!

There is no draft!
Terrain and technology were alot different.
There were alot more casualies from Veitnam!

There are many reasons you dont see the protest now as then!

I seen on T.V. us leaving Saigon with our tails between our legs in 75.

I dont see it like that,

I saw an America that got tired of financing.
in blood and money, a gov
that wouldnt contribute seriously to its own protection!

There is no comparison to the
cost in lives between Veitnam and Iraq!

By keeping this war
confined to a patriotic, volunteer few.
They have kept the true sacrifices made,
isolated away from the public!

They created a bunch of arm-chair generals
without a real dog in the fight!

<<<---into the barrel

If they left Iraq tomorrow
I wouldnt consider it a defeat

Hell, The 3rd ID rolled to Bagdad in
what 42 days!!
No, we kicked their ass!!

The only thing different in leaving today
are the additional lives lost!
We could have left,
job done,
mission completed,
at 48!!!

amen to that