Booman Tribune

What John McCain Didn't Tell You

by Larry Johnson
Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 03:50:14 PM EST

While John McCain was excoriating the press in Baghdad yesterday for not presenting the "full story" about how swell things are in Iraq he neglected to mention the pre-visit security sweep that made that neighborhood stroll so safe. I am sure you have already heard about the 100 soldiers, the three Blackhawk helicopters and two Apache gunships that accompanied his entourage, but did you hear about the soldiers who swept the area before the American legislators and their security team showed up? Who cares about those mooks? They are expendable.

John McCain and Lindsey Graham put American soldiers' lives at risk just so they could have a photo op. That's the bottomline. Why didn't they do a ride along on a real patrol? Perhaps they could have joined the U.S. team that responded to an ambush of an American patrol yesterday? Of course a total of six U.S. soldiers died in that operation. Shit! You can't take real risks. No sir. Instead, U.S. military resources are devoted to making propaganda. U.S. soldiers were ordered into harms way just to ensure a congressional delegation could walk around, look serious, and perpetuate the lie that more U.S. soldiers must come to Iraq and die. That was a propaganda event and fucking General Petraeus ought to be ashamed.

U.S. soldiers entered the neighborhood before the delegation arrived for its stroll. They searched for explosives, sent informants into the crowd, set up a perimeter, and secured the area before the Senators showed up with their 100 armed guards. And for what? To keep McCain, Graham and others safe. What happened to the Iraqi utopia John McCain so confidently insisted was there for eveyone to see? If the "true" picutre of Iraq was simply a matter of getting the news cameras pointed in the right direction then why did he need a security detail? If the peace and prosperity the Iraqi people are celebrating in safe neighborhoods is genuine then why wear body armor?

You know why? Because John McCain is completely full of shit. He may be delusional but his survival instinct is still intact. When he goes into a war zone he wants to be protected. And U.S. soldiers carried out that mission yesterday so John McCain could try to hoodwink the American people into backing the surge and sending more troops into harms way. I don't know about you, but that pisses me off.



Display:
Just when you think that McCain can't possibly step in one more pile of steaming dung, he fools us.

I really think that he has been so swept up the Republican fantasy of creating their own reality that he truly does not see how insane his conduct appears out here in the "real world".

The Republican house is severely cracking.  After Bush's Saturday radio rant and Lindsey Grahams version of Supermarket Sweep in Baghdad, they are all in serious need of medication.

I got an e-mail last night from my neighbor who is in Baghdad and he said the preparation for this visit by McCain and his entourage was definitely a major production.  A lot of it he couldn't really talk about, but in his words "there was a whole lot of shit going on".

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity"

by MikeInOhio on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 04:02:39 PM EST
au contraire...he ought to be brought in front of a congressional committee, under oath, and given the opportunity to defend this little exercise in whore mongering.

the man should be relieved of duty and sent to Gitmo, along with all his enablers...up to and including Chimpy and Shooter...waterboarding might loosen some lips....ya think?

and it's now an acceptable means of interrogation, according to AG Abu.

Bah!

the mind boggles at the astounding hypocrisy exhibited here...party, and self interest above principle.



the revolution will not be televised...

by dada on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 04:19:30 PM EST
Well said, I was thinking the same thing when I saw the video of his visit. What a waste of money to stage a little photo-op for McCain. It seems that the leadership of the military is actively working with Republicans for political gain, which is dangerous. The military is like any other government agency, it should be non-partisan.

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own. ----- George Carlin
by Poeschek (n_poeschek@yahoo.com) on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 04:30:06 PM EST


Land of the watched, because of the cowed.
by hens teeth on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 04:39:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Maybe I'm too cynical, but I don't think that he would actually risk his own life for a photo op. I'm guessing that the neighbourhood he took his walk in was probably safer than the usual areas those guys have to patrol. Granted, his profile might have made them a target, but I think he loves himself too much to head to put himself in a tough spot.

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own. ----- George Carlin
by Poeschek (n_poeschek@yahoo.com) on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 05:52:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Or maybe I'm not cynical enough to underestimate how much McCain wants to be president...It's hard to keep track these days.

Regardless, if he did put people at risk, it's inexcusable.

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own. ----- George Carlin

by Poeschek (n_poeschek@yahoo.com) on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 05:55:32 PM EST
[ Parent ]
McCain's dystopia wherein Paris Hilton rides a bicycle scantily clad in a bikini.  Perhaps McCain views Baghdad as the new Daytona Beach, Florida.

Learn more about Bobby Jindal.
by louisianagirl (fantastic [dot] reality -at- hotmail [dot] com) on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 05:58:16 PM EST
They also didn't tell you nuking Iran starts this Friday at 4AM Tehran time, that's Thursday 9:30PM EDT.
by Lasthorseman (Lasthorseman@comcast.net) on Mon Apr 2nd, 2007 at 07:08:58 PM EST


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