John McCain Back Pedals From His "Iraq Was About Oil" Comment, But Makes Little Sense
By Nicole Belle Sunday May 04, 2008 7:00pm
Silent Patriot posted about this last week, as did many other outlets, a rare moment of candor out from an unexpected source. Whodathunk a Republican cheerleader for "liberating" Iraq from Saddam Hussein would admit that it has always been all about the oil? Whoops! Honesty is clearly NOT a Republican value, because McSame had to backtrack and claim that he didn't mean this Gulf War.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) clarified his comments Friday after suggesting the Iraq war was motivated by U.S. reliance on foreign oil.
His explanation: He was talking about the 1991 Persian Gulf War, not the current conflict.
It was the second time in as many days that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee had to clear up his comments. On Thursday, he backed off his assertion that pork-barrel spending led to last year's deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis.[..]
He sought to clarify his comments after his campaign plane landed in Phoenix. He said he didn't mean the U.S. went to war in Iraq five years ago over oil.
"No, no, I was talking about that we had fought the Gulf War for several reasons," McCain told reporters.
One reason was Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, he said.
"But also we didn't want him to have control over the oil, and that part of the world is critical to us because of our dependency on foreign oil, and it's more important than any other part of the world," he said.
"I want us to remove our dependency on foreign oil for national security reasons, and that's all I mean," McCain said.
Regarding the current conflict, he said, "The Congressional Record is very clear: I said we went to war in Iraq because of weapons of mass destruction."
You have the video. Does it sound like he's talking about the first Gulf War?
Senator Obama and Senator Clinton want to set a date for withdraw. That's what they want to do is get everybody out. I believe that would lead to catastrophe and chaos and that we would have the whole region including the whole region and the country in such turmoil that we would be required to come back to the region. And I just want to promise you this. My friends, I will have an energy policy that we will be talking about, which will eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East that will - that will then prevent us - that will prevent us from having ever to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East.
Anybody in the media think to remind McCain that neither Clinton nor Obama was in the Senate during the first Gulf War? They're looking to withdraw from a conflict that ended 17 years ago? Huh? Is this another McCain Moment? C'mon media, if Clinton or Obama had something this patently false, you'd be covering it for days.
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Oh my god I’m first. This is the happiest day of my life!!!!!!
McShame is a lying sack of shit.
He was talking about the war that we are dealing with NOW. This makes me very bitter.
For a detailed history of John McCain's predictions of a short war and claims U.S. troops would be greeted as liberators to his casual attitude towards casualties and his ongoing confusion over friend and foe in Iraq, see:
"John McCain on the Mission Accomplished in Iraq."
How many times does this guy have to explain that what he just said is not what he really meant?
Media makes John Jump
It's always been about money (oil)!
With McCain’s well documented quandry with truth and reality, over time, his obvious disgust towards existence (check his facial expression!) forces him into near-insanity and self-hatred. He embodies Sartre's theories of existential angst, and he searches anxiously for significance in all the things that had filled and fulfilled his sorry life up to that point, excluding his capture and rape in prison. But finally he comes to a revelation into the temperament of his being - the troublesomely provisional and limited nature of existence itself, and on top of that his notorious bad temper.
In his solemn oath to kiss the ass of Boosh and any of his criminally morality-deficient lackeys, he accepts, yea revels, in the indifference of the physical world to man's aspirations. He is barely able to see that realization not only as a regret but also as an opportunity, just like Boosh and pin-dick Cheney. People are free to make their own meaning: a freedom that is also a responsibility, because without that commitment there will be no meaning, not that that ever bothered anybody in the current admin in the least.
McCain is just one of many examples of people whose behavior shows bad faith, who are inauthentic: members of the butthole bourgeoisie who believe their social standing or social skills give them a "right" to exist, or others who embrace the banality of life and attempt to flee from freedom by repeating empty gestures, others who live by perpetuating past versions of themselves as they were or who live for the expectations of others, or those who claim to have found meaning in politics, morality, or ideology.
"C’mon media, if Clinton or Obama had something this patently false, you’d be covering it for days."
Actually, no.
The McCain Stream Media would still be covering Rev. Wright.
McCain enters the No Spin Zone next week. I hope Billo nails him on the "war for oil" issue. O'Reilly drew 10 million viewers for his interview of Hillary last week. Let's see how McCain holds up under similar intense public scrutiny. I bet Keith Olbermann defecated in his designer underwear when he saw the TV ratings for Billo's chat with Senator Hilton. Olbermann interviewed Hillary the week before and nobody watched. Latest Neilsen ratings show MSNBC mired in 30th place among cable networks. FOX News finished in the top 5. Nuff said.
To McBush, 1991 seems like it WAS yesterday.
O'Reillys gonna be throwing McCain balls so soft that he'll have to resort to ripping off his own pair.
He's backpedaling like Hillary is backpedaling her "obliterate" Iran comments; she went from
Iran could nuke Israel rhetoric (even though Iran doesn't
have nukes, Israel, however does) to what if Al-Qaeda or some other shadow Iranian group takes over the nukes?
Now, where have I heard that before?......Oh yeah....from BushCo.
Anon Amos @ 13:
And the media gave her a pass and is now ganging up on Obama.
Come on Boy Say it! I'll nuke em! I'll nuke em for Israel!
They need to ask Bush Sr. if that first war was about oil or about "liberating Kuwait"
The first Gulf War was about preserving the free flow of crude oil at market prices. Any 5th grader were an IQ above double digits understands that.
To paraphrase The Usual Suspects: "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist."
The greatest trick the repuglicans ever pulled was convincing this country that there was a 'liberal' media. The lack of 'news' coverage over this gaffe/admission/inconsistency/lie is sickening.
Gary @ 12:
Is that a No Soap Radio joke?
Well, of course Gone InSane was talking about the current war.
But what does it matter which war he was talking about? He admitted that our dependence on Middle Eastern oil leads to Middle Eastern wars. He admitted that we actually do fight wars in the Middle East because of our dependence on oil.
Shouldn't he be crucified as a left-wing, conspiracy-theory nut?
Adam Franklin @ 17:
The next one "was" convincing other countries to keep buying our debt. Now were just going for the grab the black gold since no one is going to be buying our debt much longer.
drago @ 10:
Please. Have you ever watched Bill O'rally? He doesn't do "intense scrutiny" and certainly not with a republican. His treatment of Clinton shows you exactly who the reich-wing wants to see in this election.
Why do you have a hard-on for Fox?
Firstly, that a bold plan. I hope he presents it soon. Unless it's a 'you don't see the plan unless you elect me President'. plan. No doubt the mainstream 'liberal' press will give him a pass on such a broad statement.
No reason to send our young men to die in the Middle East?
No other dictators to overthrow? What if another country there got WMDs?
First time he tells the truth in almost 8 years, and then he takes it back. Oh, well.
Karen @ 19:
He'd have to get in line.
Thom Hartman was playing clips of Eisenhower last week; the Republican president sounded like Dennis Kucinich. Its hard to believe how far adrift this country is.
Mccrazy is like the weather it will change at any given time can you see him in the oval office he won't know what door to leave the room is.
He'll put the same no brain hacks in office as we have now and the country will circle the drain that much faster.
Of course after he kicks russia out of the G8 another mission will be accomplished that of a more profitable arms race with the russians and getting china miffed will mean the whole country will have a very big garage sale to cover the loan.
Those in power do not want a beacon of hope ( the usa no longer has that role we have too much blood on it's hands)
Superman no longer has the motto truth justice and the american way how many of these are an oxymoron?
Just something that old gentleman, John Sidney McCain. now he presumes to be President of the U.S., tasked with making many life and death decisions affecting millions, perhaps billions, of people, and here he is (many times now) 'clarifying' something he said the first time. now after the mush-mouth that Bush is who often mangled the English language, we Americans should rightly expect, nay demand, that our next President CLEARLY MEAN what he says the FIRST time he says it. not conveniently clean it up later with help from his lapdogs. McCain, the alleged 'straight-talker', of all people should know that words carry weight, esp those the Prez utters. one can make the 'leap' that if he's uncertain of his words the first time (yet he can clarify them later) what about his actions as President? if he decides to bomb Iran, and then it turns out he shouldn't have, he clearly can't 'clarify' his decision to bomb (as the damage would be done by then). there's no changing your mind at that point. in other words, he has to get it right the FIRST TIME. for with being president, there is no SECOND TIME. yes, folks, its scary, to imagine a man not in control of what he's saying also not being in control of his actions. this is enough to make one wonder if he's fit for the job. i say no.
Leaving Iraq would cause such a catastrophe that we'd have to go back in? Like in Vietnam - did we go back in? Like in Darfur - we never went in, we just let the catastrophe happen. Like in New Orleans? We let that catastrophe happen.
Our occupations of Iraq IS a catastrophe. McCain is a bloodthirsty idiot. Our people are dying and killing for nothing. Sure, killing will continue when we leave. But at least WE won't be contributing to the carnage.
Have you no decency, sir?
It's quite funny. InSane wants us to believe that you could paraphrase his speech as follows:
Obama and Clinton want us to pull out of Iraq. But if we do that, there could be chaos. By the way, remember the first Gulf War? I want to avoid another situation like that by reducing our dependence on foreign oil.
Karen @ 28:
There will be chaos. The chaos of the people celebrating the end of Bush Co's 8 year regime of terror.
Cutting to the chase, the (2) biggest advantages the dems have over the reps come Nov. 1) the last (8) years of Bush, the worst president in history & 2) McBush, a Bush clone plus more of a panderer/flip flopper than Bush, if that's possible.
McBush never was a good campaigner, he won the rep nomination by default & his recent memory lapses & gaffes are an indication his age will be a significant factor in the election.
With (6) mos to go, I'm sure Vegas must be setting odds on whether McCain will even make it to the home stretch ...
Old Billy Hussein @ 24:
It could make a person very bitter indead.
indeed
If there is anyone still out there that doesn't realize we went over there for oil, there is little hope for the human race!
Anon Amos @ 13:
You ever think that she made a deal with the Devil?
You use all your right-wing spinsters and election riggers and I will give you a magic pardon.
The John McBush war making America less safe http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080505/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/elite_warriors
Ruthless People @ 35:
They won't have any problem filling those ranks from the ranks of the unemployed.
Maybe these comments are just meant to confuse the simple minded among us. (Helloooo, 29 Percenters!!)
breakspear @ 26:
Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States:
My fellow Americans, today I ordered my generals to strike a Shi'a stronghold in Baghdad. Now, our American generals are terrific, my friends, so they obeyed the orders of the Commander in Chief. Unfortunately, I meant for them to attack an al Qaida stronghold in a different city whose name escapes me right now. So, we have a problem, since we just stirred up more trouble, and 20 of our best soldiers were killed. In any case, I want to assure you that I'm heartbroken over the innocent mistake, and I'm bearing more of the emotional brunt of the incident than anyone. So, I'll be working extra hard in the next few weeks to fix this mess, so that we can get back to fixing the mess my predecessor created. Good night. And may god bless al Qai-- uh--- America.
The thing about McCain, Lieberman and Bush is they will never be able to solve the war because they do not understand it. They do not understand the players. Lieberman says Al Qaeda would be in control of Iraq today? That is just STUPID!!! The Iraqis will kick their sorry butts out (no matter what McCain and his best buddy forever thinks) in a matter of hours after the U.S. leaves. The Iraqis hate Al Qaeda as much as they hate the U.S. for invading. You can bet your bottom $ that no Iraqi will be told what to do by some Al Qaeda nut who all of Iraq hate. McCain (and it looks like Lieberman as well) does not even know who Al Qaeda is. Obviously the same is true with Bush. All you will see of Al Qaeda is the dust they kick up as they run for Afghanistan. Iraq will kick Al Qaeda out just like they will do to the Iranians, "Thanks for the help. Now get the hell out." They don’t get the dynamics of country being invade by foreign powers. What would happen if the U.S. pulled out of Iraq immediately? What would happen next? This is what would happen - The Shia tell Iran "Thanks for the help, now leave. Get out of our country." That is the part the neocon war mongers can't seem to understand. Everybody says that Iran will take over Iraq. Or they will have so much influence that Iraq will essentially become part of Iran. Well that will NOT happen. Iraq is Iraq. They don't want to be told what to do by Iran. Just like they don’t want to be told what to do by the U.S. Remember when Saddam invaded Kuwait, Saudi Arabia let the U.S. stage in their country to throw Saddam out of Kuwait. And Egypt helped the coalition in that war. Both those countries are Sunni. Saddam was Sunni. In fact Egypt harbored an exiled Saddam many years ago but Egypt helped throw Saddam out of Kuwait. Being from the same sect did not help Saddam. Saddam didn't listen to Saudi Arabia when it came to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia is Sunni like Saddam. Saudi Arabia let the coalition stage in Saudi Arabia to attack Saddam, a Sunni. Why would Iraq listen to any other country, i.e. Iran or Syria or anybody else? Why would they let Iran tell them what to do? So you see that just because part of Iraq and Iran are the same sect you cannot assume that Iraqi Shia will let Iranian Shia tell them what to do. The Iraqis are only letting Iran help them because Iraq wants the U.S. out! As far as the Kurds go they have it figured out. They're having BBQ on Saturday nights (probably). And the Sunni? They will have to figure out how to have their own area. Joe Bidden knows how this will work out. Most of them have left the country anyway. It will work out without us. The neocon war profiteers don't get it or they want this war to continue for financial reasons. You know this. I know this. 82% of the U.S. knows this. Getting out is the dilemma. The Republicans think that staying in is the delima. I'm sure the military can figure out how the hell to leave. They don't have to worry about all the junk they brought with them. Most of it is trash at this time anyway. It's worn out. Used up. Just get on a plane and leave. Remember Iraq was better off with Saddam. I've said it many times. Nobody wanted to say it at the time but it is true. Iraq will have to sell their oil to somebody just like Venazuela. So you see there is no problem. pack up and leave. Let's pack it up and leave tomorrow. You are either with me or... um... ah... won't get fooled again.
McCain needs two things:
A script writer.
A complete wilingness and ability to follow a script.
Old Billy Hussein @ 24:
By country adrift you must actually mean the repugnant party. I was one until Ronnie Raygun and his trickle down voodoo economics taught me money trickles up
This headline:
"John McCain Back Pedals From His “Iraq Was About Oil” Comment, But Makes Little Sense"
could easily be edited down to:
"John McCain Makes Little Sense"
McCain is better off saying we started the current war for oil instead of WMD. At least the oil in Iraq really exist. Better to be a warmonger than to believe in fairies.
To All,
We have to stop this name calling and other similar ad hominem attacks. We are better than that. Sen. McCain is a decent and honorable man. We might have disagreements with his policies but we should not attack his character. We should be talking about the policy diffrences between the candidates, not who are they associated with or taking what they say out of context. Let's rise to the occasion and raise this discourse.
V/r,
FB
Three peas in a pod:
McCain: "I believe that would lead to catastrophe and chaos and that we would have the whole region including the whole region and the country in such turmoil that we would be required to come back to the region."
Obama: “There’s no doubt there are risks of increased bloodshed in Iraq without a continuing U.S. presence there.” (July 21, 2007)
Clinton: "We don't want to send a signal to the insurgents, to the terrorists that we are going to be out of here at some, you know, date certain." (Sept. 2005)
I will attack his character on the beaches!
I will attack his character in the jungles!
I will attack his character on the floor of the Senate!
I will attack his character in the cracker jack factory he ends up in!
The man has no charecter!
He is a charlatan and a scum bag who would pander to Ossama Bin Laden if he thought it would win him the White House!
Begging your pardon, but when did John MCcain ever make sense?
lying sack of shit.
FrenkenBeens @ 44:
What exactly are you talking about? What was taken out of context? Where in this thread is discourse lowered?
Thanks to posters #8 and #39 for some useful details.
Senility? If you have not seen a person going senile in your life (a sad and depressing sight), just watch Senator McCain has he loses his grip on "reality" more each day. He is so out of it, that by the summer, the Republican honchos will have decided that he will have to be replaced if the GOP is to have any possible chance to avoid being totally crushed in the November election. Of course, maybe they don't really care at this point and have already given up, so they will just limp along and lick their wounds until 2012...
50 james k. sayre Says: Thanks to posters #8 and #39 for some useful details.
Senility? If you have not seen a person going senile in your life (a sad and depressing sight), just watch Senator McCain has he loses his grip on “reality” more each day. He is so out of it, that by the summer, the Republican honchos will have decided that he will have to be replaced if the GOP is to have any possible chance to avoid being totally crushed in the November election. Of course, maybe they don’t really care at this point and have already given up, so they will just limp along and lick their wounds until 2012…
======================================
If i was a Republican i would not want to follow Bush into office. The mess he has made stinks to high heaven and the next President will regret winning. A Republican will regret it more. Maybe the GOP have it in for McCain and hope he wins. Keep your eye on who his running mate ends up being. If he wins i doubt he will survive his first term.
james k. sayre @ 50:
Did you live through the 80s? An increasingly senile president won two terms.
They're not surrendering this election. If they have to prop InSane up on a wooden board, they'll do it, saying with a straight face how virile he looks.
McCain is just too old. When one gets as old as McCain one starts to get places names and events mixed up.
BaScOmBe against Bitter Elitist Bullshit @ 48:
Captain Bitter Elitist Hussein Kangaroo @ 2:
Fuck McSenile and the rich wife he rode in on.
abarts @ 33:
drago @ 16:
And the second Gulf War was for the opposite. Stop the flow. Rig the market.
You're watching the largest rigging of the markets EVER in the history of mankind.
1.1 Million Purged from Indiana Voter Registration Rolls According to State Data, Says BBV
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=5955
Who cares if he denies it? Hammer him on it until election day.
Act of State @ 58:
ONE-QUARTER of all registered Indiana voters purged? Is this legit?
Jay Severin Has A Small Pen1s @ 57:
Its a cluster f*ck of $$ and lies that has everyone's head spinning. Hard to tell who's on the take? Nope. They all are.
-"I don't take money from oil companies." Sen. Obama.
-"Two of Obama's bundlers are top executives at oil companies and are listed on his Web site as raising between $50,000 and $100,000 for the presidential hopeful." -factcheck.org
MF'ers.
This headline:
“John McCain Back Pedals From His “Iraq Was About Oil” Comment, But Makes Little Sense”
could easily be edited down to:
“John McCain Makes Little Sense”
Or "John McCain Pedals Little Sense"
Any way ya slice it, McCain is losing it. He's either lying through his teeth or he's losing his mental faculities.
I wish i had said that...
xoites (Bitter before Country was Cool) defends Constitution @ 63:
Pretty sure you did.
Alan Greenspan famously mentioned the oil/Iraq connection in his book, as did Richard Clarke in his book early on. And now John McCain. We all know that among the various reasons for going to war, oil was a primary one. So why don't the democrats ever talk about the oil? Why isn't Hillary forthcoming about Iraq's oil? How does Obama feel about it? How come the only people talking about "oil for blood" are republicans with loose lips? Where are the democrats?
Thanks, fastfeat. :)
This is why McCain won't win the presidency (and I say that assuming that either Dem. will have to account for 70% of the vote thanks to Diebold). He doesn't know what he's talking about and no matter how much the media covers for him, they won't be able to do a thing to stop the Democratic candidate, whoever it is, from absolutely destroying him in the debates.
It will border on elderly abuse.
Xoites,
"I will attack his character on the beaches!
I will attack his character in the jungles!
I will attack his character on the floor of the Senate!
I will attack his character in the cracker jack factory he ends up in!"
But will you attack him while eating green eggs and ham? ;-)
justcurious @ 65:
Those are good questions. Probably because they are afraid to be seen as Anti-war Liberals, which I hope they are at heart.
Nobody in the media is going to mention this - yet another mental lapse by St John of McCain. Besides, even if some Liberal commentator such as Keith O or Rachel Maddow does force the issue, there will be plenty of McCain asskissers in the MSM who will be more than willing to go before the cameras and say "Well, what Senator McCain meant to say was this...yada yada yada"
geneHUSSEIN214 @ 70:
Actually, Tweety mentioned it. Even talked about how the media would have run it on a continuous loop had a Democrat muttered the comments.
But, I actually see that as yet another sign of how bad the media is. Tweety has always seen the war as his pet issue. He's against it. So, he runs with this story. What the hell kind of journalism is that? Oh, how I long for a time when objective journalists uncover, and report facts.
68 Tim in Japan Says: Xoites,
“I will attack his character on the beaches!
I will attack his character in the jungles!
I will attack his character on the floor of the Senate!
I will attack his character in the cracker jack factory he ends up in!”
But will you attack him while eating green eggs and ham? ;-)
I think i have been properly Suessed. :)
hey msm! where's the loopy vid for mccain's give-backs? mccain can't take back war like he does his words. Maybe a pic will help mccain's greedy ass to understand what he's saying; superimpose people dying on gushing oil rigs in Iraq.
Why isn't the msm investigating mccain's claims about death for oil? Does the MSM have to hear it from
hageeRev. Wright before it's news worthy? mccain knew the lies that were told to start chimpy's invasion. It's doesn't matter to him.I would like to know where mccain will sit on hagee's 3 headed flying beast?
tell us something we don't know you confused old fart.
As I read his bullshit, in my head I'm hearing it in the voice of that Saturday Night Live character Jon Lovitz created. "No, I meant the first gulf war. Yeah, that's the ticket."
eh, i thought guld war 1 was because saddam was throwing babies from incubators ?
Yes, lets all make fun again of how stupid and corrupt McCain is. Just like we love to do with George Bush. It makes us feel right and
warm inside to be better than them. Better get your minds wrapped around president McCain.!!!!!!
Underground Pirate I hope you're wrong. No matter who the Democratic candidate is, I'll do whatever I can to make sure that he or she defeats McSame. He really needs to be pounded relentlessly on this issue.
The U.S. is drowning in the Iraqi people's blood. The whole world knows it!
Of course McBush is backpedaling. He accidentally told the truth. (See also "agents of intolerance.")
fastfeat @ 60:
Hmmm. So only one quarter of Indiana residents are low income ...?
observer @ 69:
So McCain finally states the obvious, huh?
Well, anybody who knows anything about Iraq and Darfur could've said this months ago.
“I want us to remove our dependency on foreign oil for national security reasons, and that’s all I mean,” McCain said.
Really? What could the billions wasted in Iraq have done to make that a reality? Not to mention that on a national security level, we are less safe than we were. Remind me again how many of the 9/11 hijackers were from Iraq.
If he can't keep his straight talk straight during the campaign, when the Dems are still fighting and he doesn't have any real competition yet, how is going to straighten out America?
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