John McCain's comment that Barack Obama "would rather lose a war" in Iraq not only demonstrates his lack of respect and lack of class.
It also demonstrates that McCain still doesn't understand what was wrong with the invasion and occupation in the first place.
The fact is, it's five years too late to be talking about winning or losing in Iraq.
It's five years, two months and twenty-two days since President Bush declared victory from the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln.
This is no longer a war to be won or lost. This is a peacekeeping mission, a policing action, an occupation and a nation-building exercise rolled into one. Success and failure cannot be measured in military victory or defeat, but in Iraq's ability to govern itself and maintain its own security.
By definition, the continued presence of US troops in Iraq after victory has been declared means failure, UNLESS you have a plan for withdrawal.
America is faced with three choices in Iraq:
- We stay for ever
- We stay until we get kicked out
- We leave
John McCain is in favor of the first choice, with an option on number two.
Barack Obama is in favor of a responsible withdrawal of troops over an agreed timetable, to allow the Iraqi state to take charge of its own affairs. This is a bold decision, one not without its risks. However, a successful withdrawal is the closest thing to victory that's on the table.
Bush never got it, Cheney never got it, Rumsfeld never got it, Feith never got it, Perle never got it, Wolfowitz never got it, Friedman never got it, Kristol never got it, Kaufman never got it, Krugman never got it and McCain still doesn't get it either.
His comments show that he still believes that a military victory is possible. He still believes that military victory is the only way to measure success. He still believes that American military might is the always the first answer, right the way through to the last question.
He still has a pre-Iraq outlook on a post-Iraq world.
The choice between winning or losing is meaningless, and has been for five years. He hasn't learned a goddamn thing.