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John McCain: Complete Iraq Pullout Not 'Way Far Off'
2008 GOP presidential frontrunner, Sen. John McCain, said Wednesday that a complete U.S. pullout from Iraq is not "way far off," as long as Iraqi security forces continue to make progress in stabilizing their own country. Asked if he envisioned a day when there would be absolutely no American soldiers in Iraq, McCain told radio host Don Imus: "Sure. When [the Iraqis] are able to govern themselves and to take care of their own security responsibilities - which I don't think that's way far off." McCain's comments seemed to be at odds with President Bush's recent prediction that the decision to remove all troops from Iraq would be up to his successor - which would mean a U.S. military presence in Iraq till at least 2009. Last week the Associated Press reported that the U.S. military is building several elaborate bases in Iraq for possible long-term use, with the Pentagon leaving the option open for a much-downsized but permanent U.S. presence in the country.
Story Continues Below Moments after predicting a complete U.S. pullout, McCain himself noted that "we've had troops in South Korea for 50 years. Americans are not concerned about that because they aren't being wounded or killed." McCain made his pullout prediction during the following exchange: MCCAIN: We have to win. Failure has catastrophic consequences - not just in Iraq but all throughout the Middle East. And success has enormous benefits. Whether to . . . IMUS: And success, again, you define as what, now? MCCAIN: Is the Iraqi government functioning, flawed but functioning. The Iraqi military increasing to take over their own responsibilities. And a stable government, a stable society and our ability to withdraw our troops. But it should be dictated by events on the ground, which do not justify it at this time, rather than by some calendar. Everybody says, that's not a formula for success. It's a formula for success in any conflict when you're fighting an insurgency. When the British put down an insurgency in Malaysia, that's what they did. They trained the government forces to be able to take over the responsibility so that they didn't have to carry them out. Everybody says, that's not a formula. It is exactly the formula for success when you're combating an insurgency and that's what we're facing here - somewhat fueled from outside the country. But the primary problem is not from Iran and Syria. The primary problem is from within Iraq. IMUS: What happens when we have no troops there? Then what happens? MCCAIN: Then they are . . . . IMUS: Or will we ever have no troops there? MCCAIN: Sure. When they are able to govern themselves and to take care of their own security responsibilities - which I don't think that's way far off. But I want to emphasize again, Americans are not concerned about the fact that our troops are over there. They're concerned about the fact that they're fighting and dying and being wounded. We've had troops in South Korea for 50 years. Americans are not concerned about that because they aren't being wounded or killed. Editor's note:
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