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Being There (Obama and Iraq)
So John McCain has for once in the campaign done something clever. If Obama goes to Iraq at McCain's behest, he looks like the follower rather than the leader. If he doesn't, McCain and the Republicans can pound Obama for "not wanting to face the troops" or some such nonsense. I have to hand it to McCain, it is good theater. It even surprised me given that his only other effective strategy during the campaign so far was to just go ahead and let Giuliani not run against him.
But once again, it leaves us on the left having to defend the more nuanced point of view.
Presidents should go see our troops in war zones. We can all agree on that. The Commander in Chief, even under the tighest security and secrecy, should at least show up. He has sent our people to war, after all. Fine. But Obama isn't president right now and he has already gone once anyway.
McCain will argue that a future President should go and see, and hear from the troops, in order to learn. I say that's BS. There's way more that can be learned about Iraq from here. A two hour briefing from the Pentagon or CIA is going to be far more valuable than a flak-jacket walk through a secured Baghdad open market with ideologically vetted soldiers for company and we all know that.
And yes, these situations are fraught with political traps. Remember 2004 -- there was a phony controversey that John Kerry, visiting the war zone, couldn't get the troops to sit near him in the mess hall.
Still, I do think it's valuable for a president, or future president, to talk to soldiers on the ground. That can be easily accomplished though. Stateside. Just go visit a soldier who just got home on leave. It's easy.
The president needs to articulate a broad strategy for the combat efforts. In Obama's case, he'll need to articulate a broad way out of Bush's mess. That's best orchestrated from here. The people who need, and benefit from, "on the ground" experience are the people who make moment by moment, on the ground, strategic decisions.
Obama should agree to go to Iraq. When he's president. That's a president's responsibility. In the meantime he needs to tell McCain that he's simply too busy analyzing all of the relevant information that's available here to indulge in what will amount to nothing more than a photo op.
Comments (10)
From what I hear, a large number of our troops support Obama. I'd like to see polls.
May 28, 2008 8:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why wouldn't they? You'd expect most of our troops to support their own reasonable deployment.
Problem is, the military isn't a free for all. If the commanders don't support Obama, then they won't assign Obama supporters to have access to Obama. I kind of think that's what McCain is counting on.
This could be an ambush.
May 28, 2008 9:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Obama might be headed down the right path here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080528/ap_on_el_pr/obama_iraq;_ylt=Ah8HcLtnYqSQbaTy0VBC6vFsnwcF
By suggesting that McCain's challenge is a political stunt, but saying he might go under different circumstances, he maybe can get as close as possible to both not taking McCain's bait and still visiting.
And I agree there can be more to gain in terms of policy perspective by analyzing from home. McCain's argument seems to be that you will better understand the forest by looking at the trees. But it's not like a high-profile political visit can actually result in a view of "reality on the ground." Commander-in-chief visits can help morale, but not so much visits from a candidate. Probably just makes the troops feel politicized in many cases.
May 28, 2008 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
I also wondered when McCain did this if he hadn't gotten wind of plans by Obama to visit Iraq, and is trying to contaminate the perception of his motivation.
Alright, done hogging the thread.
May 28, 2008 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hog away. Your idea that McCain might be covering his own planned visit, that would be seen as campaign motivated no matter what, is right on.
Remember... just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
May 28, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama should invite McCain on a "stroll" around the communities destroyed by the last 8 years of Bush. Perhaps a little amble around New Orleans? McCain could meet some people who can't afford healthcare? Maybe he could explain to people facing foreclosure why he thinks that they should just quit whining?
McCain wants to visit the troops to increase his own personal profile. He should give consideration to the people who he's trying to win over.
May 28, 2008 10:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
These congressional trips to Iraq are, let's not mince words here, bullhonky.
Tightly controlled, huge security, controlled access to troops, same briefings you get stateside from leaders, formal meetings with Iraqi leaders who say nothing new.
Then they come back thinking they know Iraq.
It is a publicity ploy and Obama should call McCain on that.
"Despite Senator McCain's repeated trips to Iraq he still confuses Sunni and Shiia, thinks a stroll through a market with 100 soldiers and blackhawks overhead means stability has returned, and believes that the leaders of Iraq are working for a solution because they tell him so in a photo-op meeting? This is what is wrong with the Bush presidency and what will be wrong with a McCain presidency."
May 29, 2008 12:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
When you say "But once again," which other time(s) are you referring to? It sounds like you have something specific in mind when you put it like that.
May 29, 2008 2:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
There are any number of more nuanced stances we've had to take while debating the right. Defending same sex marriage, for example. Or not wearing a flag lapel pin...
May 29, 2008 8:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm just seeking clarification, destor.
You mean the left gets put into a position of having to defend nuanced positions, both as a general posture (as with issues like same-sex marriage) and specific to this campaign (like the flag pin issue).
Maybe it's the right's genius to frame all debate in this country? If the left has to "defend," then the right must put us into defensive mode, yes?
In that case, I notice that McCain is moving in two directions simultaneously: making Obama defend his nuanced positions (which do not lend themselves to sound-bite, consumable answers) and stealing Obama's thunder (examples might include global warming and nonproliferation).
May 29, 2008 9:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
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