MINOR HERO
MAJOR HACK

Much is being made about John McCain's call to increase troop levels in Iraq in order to win the war. Yet, I haven't seen him pressed to explain why he takes such a position, or what, exactly qualifies him to assess the situation in terms of military strategy to the point of being able to challenge all the retired and active military who have so thoroughly rejected it.

McCain was a Vietnam era POW who received special treatment due to his Admiral father. Not only was he not significantly tortured, and kept segregated from other POW's in special quarters, a Russian surgeon was flown in to treat his injuries from the crash after he violated Article V of the military code of conduct by promising to provide military information to the enemy after only four days of captivity. Other U. S. captives with injuries were left to die by the Vietnamese. Afterwards, McCain did undergo intense psychological interrogation, but was not transferred to Hanoi Hilton until over 2 years after his capture, and violated the Code of Conduct in numerous instances. His level of torture is not comparable to those of many brave U.S. officers as described here, who never gave in, and never collaborated with the enemy.

I honor and appreciate his service to the country, and acknowledge the torment he endured, I just don't see how being an ex-POW after being shot down as a Naval Lt. Commander and pilot whose total hours of actual combat flight amounted to less than 11 hours over 23 flights qualifies him as a military expert, qualified to make military strategy determinations. McCain, who did return and attend the National War College in Washington, DC, and eventually retired as a Captain, still has more qualifications to make military decisions than those who have been making them. Get a complete rundown here, and here.


I just don't believe that he is making this call for increased troop strength in Iraq based on military judgement. I believe it is a political ploy and a political ploy only. (I know, you're shocked, shocked, right?)

McCain knows full well that the possibility of a massive influx of troops into this whirlpool to hell we find ourselves in is, at best, nil. So, then what? Iraq dives straight through the whirlpool into the depths of hell as soon as we withdraw, which is our only real option even under the best of circumstances, no matter how much we do to try to avoid such an outcome. How does that position McCain for his run for the presidency?

How about "I told you so, I told you so!", "If only the liberal Democrats had taken my advice and backed a massive deployment of additional troops, this wouldn't have happened" (even though it would have, of course, but who would be able to prove it?)

McCain, who was a lousy student at the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating 5th from the bottom of his class, is, nonetheless, no dummy when it comes to being a politician.