McCain Gaffe: No clue as to military command structure in ME, didn't listen to Petraeus testimony

HuffPost:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona may not have been paying the closest of attention last week during hearings on the Bush administration's Iraq policy.

Speaking Monday at the annual meeting of the Associated Press, McCain was asked whether he, if elected, would shift combat troops from Iraq to Afghanistan to intensify the search for al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

"I would not do that unless Gen. [David] Petraeus said that he felt that the situation called for that," McCain said, referring to the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

Petraeus, however, made clear last week that he has nothing to do with the decision. Testifying last week before four congressional committees, including the Senate Armed Services Committee on which McCain is the ranking Republican, Petraeus said the decision about whether troops could be shifted from Iraq to Afghanistan was not his responsibility because his portfolio is limited to the multi-national force in Iraq.

Decisions about Afghanistan would be made by others, he said.

Well, McCain, the guy who is the expert on the commandery in chief stuff a) punts an issue to the military commander Petraeus without having any particular opinion of his own and b) sorta missed that the under the current command structure, the military commander doesn't have jurisdiction over the question and c) missed the big testimony where Petraeus said JUST THAT.

Of course, Petraeus's refusal to say whether it would be better to move troops out of Iraq to Afghanistan was huge news among democrats.  McCain doesn't think it's a decision for the president to make in the first place.

Addendum:

Bush hides behind Petraeus's skirts and ensures bad strategic decision, by which I mean, continuing Bush's bad strategic decisions.

By not letting Petraues weigh between afghanistan and Iraq, and giving him the power to decide what Iraq needs, it games the decision making.  Nobody is noting what Petraeus's demands COSTS us in being unable to act in other areas.  Petraeus isn't able to weigh what it costs us, Bush won't.
Petraus decides what IRAQ needs, and that's all that counts in the final decision.  Afghanistan, and other costs, are simply not in the mix.

•  McCain didn't listen to Petraeus's testimony

  and thought Bush had punted the ENTIRE ME strategic command to Petraeus, instend of merely punting the entire IRAQ strategy to Petraeus.

  by Inland on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 06:58:16 AM PDT

  •  He Was Just Swooning....

    mentally indulging his man-love fantasy for Petraeus as he spoke...I heard Georgie is getting super-jealous...

    by serrano on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:02:52 AM PDT

    •  Republicans don't have a coherent ME plan

      They play whack a mole with Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and  Pakistan, don't have a clue about the factions that are fighting within Iraq, and have strengthened Iran by propping up Maliki in Iraq.

      by FishOutofWater on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:08:16 AM PDT

  •  Well this won't

    stick any more than his Shia-Shiite mistake, because the press has decided he's an expert on foreign affairs and matters military. It can't be true that he's no expert, because it's not true. The tautology of narrative. Nothing's important unless it fits into the story the press has already deemed important.

    by david mizner on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:22:56 AM PDT

    •  Oh, and didn't

      we used to have a civilian-run military where pols always didn't outsource their decisions to generals?

      by david mizner on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:24:11 AM PDT

•  So he -is- breaking with the Bush legacy

  by not claiming the mantle of "The Decider."

  by jbelac on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:00:40 AM PDT

  •  Bush hides behind Petraeus's skirts

    By not letting Petraues weigh between afghanistan and Iraq, and giving him the power to decide what Iraq needs, it games the decision making system.  Nobody is noting what Petraeus's demands COSTS us in being unable to act in other areas.  Petraeus isn't able to weight what it costs us, Bush won't.

    by Inland on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:03:17 AM PDT

•  Defense is s'posed to be McCain's strength

  He should know that Petraeus has no say over Afghanistan.

  McCain doesn't seem to know much of anything about anything....but that's ok because he throws great parties at his ranch.

  by FishOutofWater on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:02:59 AM PDT

•  Can't Wait

  till the media picks up on this gaffe.   Ha Ha.

  by rlharry on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:06:05 AM PDT

  •  It won't, any more than it will pick up the

    entire fraud of the exercise as noted in my addendum.  Of course, DEMS noticed it.

    by Inland on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:07:40 AM PDT

    •  Too subtle for the media

      And there's no missing young blonde co-eds in the story

      by exlrrp on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:11:10 AM PDT

•  Another example of McCain as 3rd GWB term.

  Bush is constantly claiming that the decision rests "with the commanders on the ground".  Another BS way of punting the ball!   McSame is doing the exact mcsame thing here.

  by Its the Supreme Court Stupid on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:14:56 AM PDT

•  This is HUGE...

  And needs to be recommended - although I fear with all the polls coming out for Obama, it will drown this out.

  This is the Republican game of passing the buck.  The civilian leadership says, "It is up to the general."  Their puppet general says, "It's not my area of responsibility."  And the question never gets answered because the media doesn't pursue it after that.  

  by RichM on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:37:54 AM PDT

  •  Oh and...

    And example 2352 of why this long campaign season is hurting the Democrats.  If we had a nominee right now, they could be hounding McSame on this during the next news cycle.

    by RichM on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:39:13 AM PDT

    •  Thanks for the referral...

      I missed this one.  Tipped and Rec'd.

      "Help!!! I'm being Enlightened!" - TCFKNCS's avatar

      I always wanted to quote an avatar.

      by RhymesWithUrple on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 07:55:55 AM PDT