Photo Op
April 5th, 2007 |TPM reader regarding McCain’s stroll through Baghdad:
Is it still justified to use our military, both men and machines, in such an overwhelming way to simply provide McCain with what amounts to a political ad for a presidential campaign? McCain’s intent was to demonstrate the wisdom of a surge he fully supported and provide the electorate proof of his good judgment. Unfortunately, the only way to fulfill this illusion was with the use of heavy military cover. Since all military operations involve some risk, I ask: Was it reasonable to risk the lives of our soldiers for a staged photo-opportunity?
Answer: no. Furthermore:
The latest massacre of Iraqi children came as 21 Shia market workers were ambushed, bound and shot dead north of the capital. The victims came from the Baghdad market visited the previous day by John McCain, the US presidential candidate, who said that an American security plan in the capital was starting to show signs of progress.
Conservatives have their panties all wadded up regarding House Speaker Pelosi’s trip to Syria but apparently care nothing for the fact that McCain used U.S. troops for cover while making PR swing through a war zone. His stunt ended up getting a lot of Iraqi’s massacred.
Iraq is not a campaign stop. Stay the hell out.
