No straight talker today

Senator John McCain was on This Week today. He was asked about Iraq and a major subject of the interview was if we should get out now or wait and if we wait, what are we waiting for. As McCain has consistently said, he believes that we need more American troops on the ground in Iraq. The question then becomes, if the administration doesn't think we need more troops then why is he not for getting out now and not wait if the situation doesn't change or improve.

It is as was pointed out by George S., that if no more troops and no change in the conditions on the ground happen, doesn't it become a moral question of why are we going to continue sacrificing more American men and women with no difference in outcome if we stay another day or another year. McCain continued to stick to his position that we cannot afford to leave, that would be a failure. But what would staying accomplish if we stayed and nothing changed. When do we decide enough is enough and take our licks and leave.

This is where the straight talk stopped. What McCain refused to acknowledge is he doesn't want us to leave whether things change or not. Why? If McCain were to be honest he would state the obvious truth. He thinks he will be elected president and he doesn't want us out of Iraq before he gets his chance at it. That's straight talk but it is not politically prudent to say it. So I guess straight talk is relative. My problem is McCain's ambition clouds his judgment and his opinion about leaving Iraq.

If McCain makes this grand bargain and fails to see his ambitions come true then what will he say to the last mother to loose her son in this war. I see the Senate chamber and see the witness table and hear a young returning vet ask the same question a vet did 35+ years ago.