Sen McCain on foreign policy, defense policy, national security

[nerdgirl 0]

I’ve been hoping that someone would post something on Sen McCain’s policies and recommendations … on *why* one *should* consider supporting him … but since no one has, went out and did it myself.
From an article by Sen McCain in Nov/Dec07 issue of Foreign Affairs “An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom: Securing America's Future.”

“WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR

“Defeating radical Islamist extremists is the national security challenge of our time. Iraq is this war's central front, according to our commander there, General David Petraeus, and according to our enemies, including al Qaeda's leadership.

“The recent years of mismanagement and failure in Iraq demonstrate that America should go to war only with sufficient troop levels and with a realistic and comprehensive plan for success. We did not do so in Iraq, and our country and the people of Iraq have paid a dear price. [emphasis – nerdgirl] Only after four years of conflict did the United States adopt a counterinsurgency strategy, backed by increased force levels, that gives us a realistic chance of success. We cannot get those years back, and now the only responsible action for any presidential candidate is to look forward and outline the strategic posture in Iraq that is most likely to protect U.S. national interests.

“So long as we can succeed in Iraq -- and I believe that we can -- we must succeed. The consequences of failure would be horrific: a historic loss at the hands of Islamist extremists who, after having defeated the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the United States in Iraq, will believe that the world is going their way and that anything is possible; a failed state in the heart of the Middle East providing sanctuary for terrorists; a civil war that could quickly develop into a regional conflict and even genocide [emphasis – nerdgirl]; a decisive end to the prospect of a modern democracy in Iraq, for which large Iraqi majorities have repeatedly voted; and an invitation for Iran to dominate Iraq and the region even more.”

From more recent comments at Boston’s Faneuil Hall: “But McCain made no bones about how badly Team Bush blew the post-invasion reconstruction of Iraq and its failure to contain a multi-headed Islamic and nationalist insurgency, which has killed thousands of U.S. troops since 2003. ‘What Americans are frustrated at and sad and angered by was the mishandling of this war, which caused so much unnecessary sacrifice,’ McCain said.”

It’s not just counterinsurgency strategy and plans, but we desperately need to have plans to execute SSTR, especially the *R* which is arguably the hardest part – and strategic communications, which are critical to Iraq not emerging as the failed state that Sen McCain describes.

Sen McCain does seem to be subtly but forcefully invoking a parallel between President Reagan’s fight against state-based communism and radical Islamic transnational terrorism. It’s not forcing the latter into a model of the former but asserting they are threats to people of the world.

“MODERNIZING THE ARMED SERVICES

“Modernizing American armed forces involves procuring advanced weapons systems that will help rapidly and decisively defeat any adversary and protect American lives. It also requires addressing force protection needs to make sure that America's combat personnel have the best safety and survivability equipment available.

“These asymmetric conflicts require a very different force structure than the one we used to fight and win the Cold War.

“The missions of the 21st century will not center on traditional territorial defense or mass armor engagements. Instead, the men and women of the U.S. armed forces will be engaged in, among other things, counter insurgency,[check] counter terrorism,[check] missile defense,[eeek-no!!!] counter proliferation[check] and information warfare[check]. This calls not just for a larger and more capable military[check], but for a new mix of military forces, including civil affairs,[check] special operations,[check - & no decreasing standards or instructional time], and highly mobile forces capable of fighting and prevailing in the conflicts America faces.”

… which is highly connected to ….

“DEFENDING THE HOMELAND

“In 1947, the Truman administration launched a massive overhaul of the nation's foreign policy, defense, and intelligence agencies to meet the challenges of the Cold War. Today, we must do the same to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Our armed forces are seriously overstretched and underresourced. As president, I will increase the size of the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps from the currently planned level of roughly 750,000 troops to 900,000 troops. Enhancing recruitment will require more resources and will take time, but it must be done as soon as possible. We must also accelerate the transformation of our military, which is still configured to fight enemies that no longer exist.

“Today, understanding foreign cultures is not a luxury but a strategic necessity. As president, I will launch a crash program in civilian and military schools to prepare more experts in critical languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, and Pashto. Students at our service academies should be required to study abroad. I will enlarge the military's Foreign Area Officer program and create a new specialty in strategic interrogation in order to produce more interrogators who can obtain critical knowledge from detainees by using advanced psychological techniques, rather than the kind of abusive tactics properly prohibited by the Geneva Conventions.

“As we increase our military capacity, we must also enhance our civilian capacity. As president, I will energize and expand our postconflict reconstruction capabilities so that any military campaign would be complemented by a civilian "surge" that would build the political and economic foundations of peace. To better coordinate our disparate military and civilian operations, I will ask Congress for a civilian follow-on to the 1986 Goldwater-Nichols Act, which fostered a culture of joint operations within the military services. The new act would create a framework for civil servants and military forces to train and work together in order to facilitate cooperation in postconflict reconstruction.

“We must also revitalize our public diplomacy. I will work with Congress to create a new independent agency with the sole purpose of getting America's message to the world -- a critical element in combating Islamic extremism and restoring the positive image of our country abroad.

SSTR & Strategic Communications!

Suspect the US will see more OCONUS use of US military, USG, and contractors under a Sen McCain presidency.

To paraphrase TX Hammes (USMC, COL (ret) & former commandant CBIRF) – it’s a 4GW world out there and the 5th is coming.

“PREVENTING NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION

“The nuclear nonproliferation regime is broken for one clear reason: the mistaken assumption behind the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) that nuclear technology can spread without nuclear weapons eventually following. The next U.S. president must convene a summit of the world's leading powers -- none of which have an interest in seeing a world full of nuclear-armed states -- with three agenda items. First, the notion that non-nuclear-weapons states have a right to nuclear technology must be revisited. Second, the burden of proof for suspected violators of the NPT must be reversed. Instead of requiring the International Atomic Energy Agency board to reach unanimous agreement in order to act, as is the case today, there should be an automatic suspension of nuclear assistance to states that the agency cannot guarantee are in full compliance with safeguard agreements. Finally, the IAEA's annual budget of $130 million must be substantially increased so that the agency can meet its monitoring and safeguarding tasks.”

Heartily concur w/the final recommendation.
Largely concur w/2nd to last point – unclear how Sen McCain would propose dealing w/Pakistan, India, & Israel.
Heartily concur w/1st recommendation – summit of nuclear weapons states that are in compliance w/the NPT.

He supports missile defense. From Sen McCain’s website: “As President, John McCain will not trust in the ‘balance of terror’ to protect America, but will work to deploy effective missile defenses to safeguard our people and our homeland.” That statement indicates a lack of understanding of the technical limitations (to put it diplomatically) and specious strategic rhetoric – ballistic missile defense will do *nothing* w/r/t limiting the threat of terrorists and improvised nuclear devices or stolen nuclear warheads.

Anyone got any predictions on who would be SecDef in a McCain presidency?

I’m maintaining my earlier prediction of former SecNAV Richard Danzig for SecDef in an Obama presidency, Joe Cirincione in an Under Secretary of State or Asst Sec State position, and will further expand to Brett Giroir for head of DARPA. Tony Tether, current DARPA Director, has been there longer than any previous DARPA head. DARPA just officially turned 50 earlier this month (7 Feb) and the big celebration is in April. Tether is expected to depart not long after; Giroir (a fabulous Texan, im-ever-ho) is currently his acting deputy. Giroir is close to Danzig.

VR/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[normiss 897]

thanks for the refresher.
He STILL has my vote.

[Gawain 0]

His foreign policy abilities are the only thing I like about him. I'm still concerned about what he'll allow to happen domestically.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[kallend 2,150]

" As president, I will increase the size of the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps from the currently planned level of roughly 750,000 troops to 900,000 troops. Enhancing recruitment will require more resources and will take time, but it must be done as soon as possible. We must also accelerate the transformation of our military, which is still configured to fight enemies that no longer exist.
"
We're already over 46% of the entire world's military expenditures, and he wants even more. There will never be another balanced budget, or even close to it, again in my lifetime.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rushmc 23]

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" As president, I will increase the size of the U.S. Army and the Marine Corps from the currently planned level of roughly 750,000 troops to 900,000 troops. Enhancing recruitment will require more resources and will take time, but it must be done as soon as possible. We must also accelerate the transformation of our military, which is still configured to fight enemies that no longer exist.
"
We're already over 46% of the entire world's military expenditures, and he wants even more. There will never be another balanced budget, or even close to it, again in my lifetime.

Well obviously that is not big enough. It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces. sshhhheeeeshhh.

So the cycle continues.

Oh, and the budget can be balanced, the roads can be rebuilt and the true poor can be taken care even though we might have to eliminate some of your pet programs

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[normiss 897]

I think he wants campus gun control.
Maybe that's what the extra troops are for?

[rushmc 23]

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I think he wants campus gun control.
Maybe that's what the extra troops are for?

Maybe, think that will fly?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[jakee 1,596]

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Well obviously that is not big enough. It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces. sshhhheeeeshhh.

Yeah, the dems have been doing a lot of that for the last 8 years.

Oh, wait...

Do you want to have an ideagasm?

[rushmc 23]

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Well obviously that is not big enough. It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces. sshhhheeeeshhh.

Yeah, the dems have been doing a lot of that for the last 8 years.

Oh, wait...

The Dems have been making the military smaller in the last 8 years???

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[kallend 2,150]

Quote

Quote

Well obviously that is not big enough. It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces. sshhhheeeeshhh.

Yeah, the dems have been doing a lot of that for the last 8 years.

Oh, wait...

Maybe his mirror mirror on the wall also reverses time.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rushmc 23]

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Quote

Quote

Well obviously that is not big enough. It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces. sshhhheeeeshhh.

Yeah, the dems have been doing a lot of that for the last 8 years.

Oh, wait...

Maybe his mirror mirror on the wall also reverses time.

You really love to find sly ways to insult dont you

Such a shame

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[GQ_jumper 4]

Awesome references nerdgirl, thanks.

I agree with others though, he seems to be the man in terms of national defense and taking care of the military along with shedding a better light on the US in the international community, but I haven't seen enough on his domestic policies to make up my mind yet.

I'm having a tough time pickin a candidate in this election, I'm in the hurt locker financially thanks to the housing market, and all my retirement investments are way down, so I want someone who can turn it around. At the same time I know I'll be heading back to a deployable unit in 2-3 years so I want someone that is going to keep me fighting a worthy cause and taking care of us when we're deployed. There seems to be no middle ground with these candidates, Hillary doesn't give a shit about the military, she'll cut my pay before she lifts a finger to help me, Obama seems to have his heart in the right place but doesn't really seem to konw what it takes to take care of the military, and McCain is all over taking care of us but doesn't seem to have enough focus on domestic issues. I'm going to go with Arnold as a right in candidate..

History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

[GQ_jumper 4]

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Well obviously that is not big enough. It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces. sshhhheeeeshhh.

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Yeah, the dems have been doing a lot of that for the last 8 years.

Oh, wait...

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Maybe his mirror mirror on the wall also reverses time.

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I hate to break it to the peace and love squad over here but it takes more than a snap of the fingers to undo the damage that the Clinton admin dealt to the military. We wouldn't have to go so far over budget in recent years to be where we are if Clinton had kept developing our capabilities instead of chopping us down.

History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.
--Dwight D. Eisenhower

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[rushmc 23]

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Well obviously that is not big enough. It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces. sshhhheeeeshhh.

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Yeah, the dems have been doing a lot of that for the last 8 years.

Oh, wait...

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Maybe his mirror mirror on the wall also reverses time.

Quote

I hate to break it to the peace and love squad over here but it takes more than a snap of the fingers to undo the damage that the Clinton admin dealt to the military. We wouldn't have to go so far over budget in recent years to be where we are if Clinton had kept developing our capabilities instead of chopping us down.

Please break in any time

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[PLFXpert 0]

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Obama seems to have his heart in the right place but doesn't really seem to konw what it takes

Yes, this is how I feel about him.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[kallend 2,150]

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I hate to break it to the peace and love squad over here but it takes more than a snap of the fingers to undo the damage that the Clinton admin dealt to the military. We wouldn't have to go so far over budget in recent years to be where we are if Clinton had kept developing our capabilities instead of chopping us down.

Oh dear, were we down to only 43% of the entire world's military spending under Clinton? I'm surprised Haiti didn't invade and occupy us.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[rushmc 23]

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I hate to break it to the peace and love squad over here but it takes more than a snap of the fingers to undo the damage that the Clinton admin dealt to the military. We wouldn't have to go so far over budget in recent years to be where we are if Clinton had kept developing our capabilities instead of chopping us down.

Oh dear, were we down to only 43% of the entire world's military spending under Clinton? I'm surprised Haiti didn't invade and occupy us.

I love that irrelevant stat you keep spiting out

We all know you would like more money spent on what, education??

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 3,120]

>It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces.

Actually, a republican has been in charge of the military for the last 8 years, and a republican-controlled house and senate have been running things for the great majority of that time. If you have any complaints about military funding in that time, they rest squarely on the shoulders of the republicans.

(Cue the shrieking tires and billowing smoke as Rush executes a swift 180.)

[rushmc 23]

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>It cost money to rebuild the military once a Dem gets done ripping it to pieces.

Actually, a republican has been in charge of the military for the last 8 years, and a republican-controlled house and senate have been running things for the great majority of that time. If you have any complaints about military funding in that time, they rest squarely on the shoulders of the republicans.

(Cue the shrieking tires and billowing smoke as Rush executes a swift 180.)

Exactly!! And it cost money to fix what Clinton broke.

Not too hard to understand now is it?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[billvon 3,120]

>Exactly!! And it cost money to fix what Clinton . . .

Bravo sir! A masterfully executed 180, with a Clinton slam to boot! All you need now is a slam on the "drive by MSM" and you have the RushMC trifecta.

[Amazon 7]

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Exactly!! And it cost money to fix what Clinton broke.

Not too hard to understand now is it?

PSSST


Hate to bust Ya'lls bubble once again.... BUT he was presiding over the END OF THE COLD WAR.. remember the PEACE DIVIDEND....we did not have a major enemy any longer. and ALMOST everyone saw or did not see the threats aof a bunch of pissants in the mountains of Afghanistan or in Sudan as a minor irritant.

I seem to recall a HELL of a lot of Republicans were on that bandwagon so they could get tax cuts.

Some seem to only remember what they want to remember.

[rushmc 23]

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Exactly!! And it cost money to fix what Clinton broke.

Not too hard to understand now is it?

PSSST


Hate to bust Ya'lls bubble once again.... BUT he was presiding over the END OF THE COLD WAR.. remember the PEACE DIVIDEND....we did not have a major enemy any longer. and ALMOST everyone saw or did not see the threats aof a bunch of pissants in the mountains of Afghanistan or in Sudan as a minor irritant.

I seem to recall a HELL of a lot of Republicans were on that bandwagon so they could get tax cuts.

Some seem to only remember what they want to remember.

LOFL

Irony SCORE 199 out of 10

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[Amazon 7]

For those with memory problems of the 90's

I got your Irony score right here Bubba

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/309/


But they are selectively choosing numbers that make it appear that the military cuts were Clinton’s alone. In fact, the cuts were prompted by the end of the Cold War during the presidency of President George H.W. Bush, a Republican.

During Bush's presidency, he and Congress agreed to a sharp drop in military personnel. Active-duty military declined from 2.2-million to 1.8-million. Total defense forces also shrank, from 3.3-million to 2.9-million.

The Republicans are trying to portray Clinton and the Democrats as weak on defense and to make the peace dividend look like a partisan effort. But contrary to the Republicans' claims, the post-Cold War shrinkage of the U.S. military was very much a bipartisan effort. It began under a Republican president and a Democratic Congress and continued under a Democratic president and a Republican Congress.

That mirror of yours is lookin mighty..............

[ryoder 1,590]

I used to really admire McCain because he had principles and was often at odds with the Dubya administration. Then about 18-24 months ago he apparently had an overnight conversion and became Dubya's puppet. (Did he wake up to find a horse head in his bed?) So now I must decide between:

a) He really did sell out his principles to become just another Republican hack.

b) He is just saying what he thinks the power-that-be want to hear so he can become POTUS, then do what he thinks is right.

At this point I don't know if he would be a good president or not, and I don't know whether to believe anything he says.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[kallend 2,150]

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Exactly!! And it cost money to fix what Clinton broke.

Not too hard to understand now is it?

PSSST


Hate to bust Ya'lls bubble once again.... BUT he was presiding over the END OF THE COLD WAR.. remember the PEACE DIVIDEND....we did not have a major enemy any longer. and ALMOST everyone saw or did not see the threats aof a bunch of pissants in the mountains of Afghanistan or in Sudan as a minor irritant.

I seem to recall a HELL of a lot of Republicans were on that bandwagon so they could get tax cuts.

Some seem to only remember what they want to remember.

LOFL

Irony SCORE 199 out of 10

Suggest you look up the definition of "irony".

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.