McCain gets wasted

Appearing on The Late Show with David Letterman (or Daaaavid Leeeetterman) AZ Senator and Presidential hopeful John McCain did his best Joe "Stumble out of the Gate" Biden impression and said,

"Americans are very frustrated, and they have every right to be. We've wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives."

And the frenzy began. First Karen Finney of the DNC said "you take that back," then IL Senator and Presidential hopeful smelled cover for his earlier use of "wasted" and drew a quick analogy,

"As somebody who had the same phrase in a speech, I think nobody would question Senator McCain's dedication to our veterans. We have a duty to make sure that we are honoring their sacrifice by giving them missions in which they can succeed ... I'm positive that was the intent in which he meant it. It was the same intent I had when I made my statement."

And then let out a long sigh and said, "Well at least that's behind me."

And then McCain restated, subbed in "sacrifice," let out a long sigh and said, "Well at least that's behind me."

Personally, I think the "wasted" ruckus, whenever it occurs, typifies the emotional nature of the war. We can't "quit" or the lives of all those soldiers will be "wasted." But here's my thing, only in the rarest of circumstances is a soldiers life actually "wasted," and I honestly don't see that scenario in Iraq, yet. I just don't buy that the definition of "wasted" is dying without "victory." Taken down to the battle level, if your platoon fails to take a hill does it mean that all those who died in the effort had their lives "wasted?" If the next platoon succeeds, did those who died give their lives "heroically?" It doesn't make sense. If we pull out of Iraq tomorrow, I will never accept or tolerate the notion that any soldier's life was "wasted." However, if we stay just because we can't stomach leaving, then that creates a scenario where lives are "wasted."

Look, I disagree with W on most points, but I do believe that he thinks he's right. To me that supersedes the concept of "waste." Being innocently wrong cannot be the determining factor anymore than winning or losing. If that's the case then all leaders would be paralyzed by the fear of being wrong and "wasting" lives. Soldiers are expected to give their lives when their country calls them to action. There's no "if the country is correct and we win" clause. However, accepting the responsibility of calling US soldiers into action also entails the responsibility to bring them back when the call is over. Being unwilling to admit that a goal is unreachable, no longer "correct," politically damaging, whatever is a violation of that responsibility. Dying for political cover is not part of the call.

I'm not saying that's the case here, but it is certainly possible. What I don't see is any discussion about what's going on, what the goal is, what the cost is likely to be, etc. The war is just too emotional. Take the surge. What's the goal of the surge? Is it to decrease violence? If so, what are the parameters? Is it to have a stable democracy? Again, what does that mean? Is it to stay until the Iraqi's can police and defend themselves? OK, show me a goal, not a philosophical one, but a real one. What crime rate does that mean, for example. is the goal of the surge just to calm things down enough that we can begin a safe and orderly withdrawal then let's discuss it. Is the surge meant to bring in enough troops to enforce partition? Keep that one secret. Is the surge meant as a staging ground to attack Iran. Definitely keep that one a secret. Bottom line, I'm cool with a surge, but if the purpose is as vague and moving as the reason for the war in the first place, then I have serious reservations. As it stands, I'm not sure what the reason is beyond "Just do something."

If the decision is that building a stable Iraq is just too much, then bring the troops home. I won't hold it against anyone and I'll never accept that lives were "wasted." Leaders have to have the ability to try noble actions, but they must also have the nobility to end them. Courage to start, courage to stop.

PS. I get that this is a fairly rambling post, but whatever...