MOTHER JONES BY E-MAIL

«--Previous Post | Blog Index | Next Post--»

Sunni/Shiite Mix Up: Did John McCain Just Do It Again?

Questioning General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker in an on-going Senate Armed Forces Committee hearing, John McCain just tried to reaffirm al Qaeda's importance by asking if it was "a minor Shiite group... or minor Sunni group, or anybody else." He was clearly trying to draw out a "no," but that's not the point. The point is that McCain still doesn't seem to understand al Qaeda is a Sunni group.

Most foreign policy experts have known this since the '90s. Those that didn't, found out on 9/12/01. How is McCain doing this over and over and over?

I'm stunned. I'm going to have to check the video when it's available to see if I have this right.

Update: I was close. Here's the transcript:

MCCAIN: Do you still view al Qaeda in Iraq as a major threat?

PETRAEUS: It is still a major threat, though it is certainly not as major a threat as it was say 15 months ago.

MCCAIN: Certainly not an obscure sect of the Shi'ites overall?

PETREAUS: No.

MCCAIN: Or Sunnis or anybody else.

Video after the jump.

Comments

McSame is a maverick - he doesn't have to actually know things.

Reagan said facts are stupid things, the GOP politicians have convinced me they aren't kidding.

Posted by: capt - Hussein on 04/08/08 at 8:07 AM Respond

Unfortunately I think McCain is going to be the best man running.

Posted by: search engine placement on 04/08/08 at 8:33 AM Respond

Either you are kidding or you are just about as nuts as McNuts.

All kidding aside, the choices do suck. The media has seen to that when they began to dismiss candidates that they deemed not "viable". I felt Kucinich was the ONLY candidate that represented real progressive change but the media has a fancy for delusional neocon warmongers.
The media should be holding McCain accountable for all the double talk and flip flopping he does but that's not likely to happen.

Posted by: elemental jim on 04/08/08 at 9:15 AM Respond

I might actually cut McCain a break here- he is smirking a bit when he asks the question and his question is not really about whether or not Al-Qaeda is sunni or shiite, it's whether or not they can be marginalized, whether or not they are "obscure." He clearly wants to get that question in so he can go back on the campaign trail and say

"I talked to General Patreaus (sp?) last week and he said that the al-qaeda in Iraq threat is still significant and cannot be marginalized!" or something to that extent. He may have messed up before, but I think he's been set straight by now.

Posted by: eh on 04/08/08 at 9:26 AM Respond

I saw this live and thought that I miss heard it. Goes to show you his capacity to learn. I can sort of dig the first time. He’s old, been traveling, both “s” words. We all f-up. But to do it twice?
I was glad McCain won the Republican primary because I liked him over the others (best of a poor lot). I was behind him in 2000, but can not get behind him now. Not even if he runs against Hillary (who I do not think is any different from McCain – except she is less sincere).

Posted by: KIRKBREW on 04/08/08 at 9:28 AM Respond

McCain is clueless

Posted by: Frank on 04/08/08 at 9:29 AM Respond

McCain is going to held hostage to events in Iraq over the next few months. But now I wonder if that is good or bad? I mean, can he actually lecture enough of our fellow citizens into disregarding our domestic economic woes as the selfish whining of pampered civilians while our brave troops are protecting our freedom?

Posted by: Egalitare on 04/08/08 at 11:25 AM Respond

So, this is the same McCain that Hillary (disingenuously) said would be ready on day 1 for national security. Doesn't give me much faith either in McCain or in Hillary.

Posted by: out of the loop on 04/10/08 at 1:05 PM Respond