McCain triangulates and accepts a timeline for troop withdrawals from Iraq

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

John McCain has spent the last year and a half of his campaign attacking the patriotism and loyalty of anyone who dared to suggest a "timeline" for troop withdrawals from Iraq, falsely accusing them of "embracing the policy of surrender" and "waving a white flag to al Qaeda."  John McCain 2008 – John McCain for President 

But now that President Bush has adopted an "aspirational time horizon" for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq, and Iraq Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki all but endorsed Barack Obama’s phased withdrawal plan, McCain found himself the odd man out, boxed in by his own refusal to accept even the "aspirational time horizon" of President Bush.

McCain earlier was forced to triangulate his position on Afghanistan and to essentially endorse Barack Obama’s position.  And now, most remarkably, McCain has been forced to triangulate his position on Iraq and give a qualified endorsement to the Obama-Maliki position on a timeline for troop withdrawals from Iraq.

“I think it’s a pretty good timetable,” Mr. McCain said Friday in an interview on “The Situation Room” on CNN, before adding that it should be based “on the conditions on the ground.” McCain Gives Qualified Endorsement to Iraq Timetable – NYTimes.com  Watch it here:

The central premise of McCain’s campaign has been his steadfast opposition to any timeline for troop withdrawals from Iraq.  Now he has been forced to triangulate his position to support the Obama-Maliki position, thereby conceding Obama’s position is now the framework of discussion of Iraq.  The very foundation for his campaign has been blown away.

For all of McCain’s bluster about his alleged knowledge and experience in foreign policy, it is now Barack Obama who is framing and driving the foreign policy debate on Iraq.  McCain has been reduced to following his lead.  An amazing turn of events.

Update July 27, 2008:  McCain told George Stephanopolous on ABC’s This Week that he didn’t mean to endorse a "timeline" (flipping again) but meant that he is focused on "conditions on the ground."  I do not believe that either George Bush or John McCain are genuine or serious about withdrawing troops from Iraq.  They are Neoconservatives who define "victory" in Iraq as staying in Iraq, with permanent military bases to project American military power in the region to protect vital resources of oil.  McCain’s world view is defined by militarism and imperialism.