Where's proof McCain's a war winner?

George Stone |

7/20/2008 - 7/20/08

It is apparently politically incorrect and unpatriotic to attack Republican presidential candidate John McCain's credentials to be commander in chief. However, one cannot help but wonder about the vitriolic reaction to Ret. Gen. Wesley Clark's comments questioning whether John McCain's five years of imprisonment in Vietnam is a qualification that certifies his "bonafides" to be president.

Sen. McCain said in Albuquerque on July 15 that "I know how to win wars." OK, he was a fighter pilot who was shot down and imprisoned in the "mother of all" fiascoes, Vietnam.

His bravery is beyond question. However, this was a war that we lost, that cost us almost 60,000 American lives, that was worldwide embarrassment for the United States, and in the end, solved absolutely nothing. Now, McCain is a strong supporter of the war in Iraq, and one of those who said when we attacked Iraq that we would be greeted as liberators in spite of lies, badly flawed intelligence, skewed and shaded evidence and five-plus years of death and destruction for the Iraqi people.

After all the years of frustration, he claims that his vision of the so-called surge has given us the reality of victory. It is true that the surge has reduced violence, but this cannot shield the fact that it was an ill-conceived, poorly planned and absolutely stupid venture that had nothing to do with national security and will undoubtedly cost several trillion dollars, when and if it is resolved.

If these facts substantiate his claim that "I know how to win wars," then perhaps we need to look beyond his vision. What wars has he won? Do the facts surrounding the Vietnam and Iraq wars justify his claim that he knows how to win wars?

Barack Obama has no military experience. Neither did Abraham Lincoln, who saw us through the Civil War, but was a one term, inexperienced congressman. We went through the last eight years enjoying the experience of George Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Douglas Feith, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle and the rest of the neocons.

Is this the kind of experience and vision that Sen. McCain will use to lead us to peace and prosperity?

George Stone is a retired management consultant who has lived in Santa Fe for 18 years.