The news that John McCain will finally address the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan indicates a major change in policy. While progressives have led on Afghanistan for the past six years, McCain has been absent. Despite declaring his candidacy in April 2007, John McCain has, to this point in the campaign, failed to lay out any strategy for Afghanistan, and has barely mentioned it in any of his major foreign policy addresses, his Foreign Affairs article, or even on his campaign website. In fact McCain was one of the most prominent advocates for shifting the focus from Afghanistan to Iraq and has said repeatedly that he believed the U.S. had already “succeeded” in Afghanistan.

MCCAIN HAS IGNORED AFGHANISTAN THROUGHOUT HIS CAMPAIGN

McCain’s national security policy platform does not include a strategy for Afghanistan. As of July 15, 2008, John McCain’s website contained no mention of a strategy for Afghanistan in either his national security policy section or his Iraq policy section. [John McCain.com, 7/15/08]

In McCain’s three major foreign policy speeches, he mentioned Afghanistan only seven times. John McCain has delivered three broad foreign policy speeches. In his speech at the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, McCain mentioned Afghanistan only 5 times, while commenting on Iraq 23 times. While outlining his hopes for his first administration, McCain mentioned Afghanistan twice, but referred to Iraq seven times. Finally, in his speech before AIPAC, John McCain referred to Iraq 12 times. He did not mention Afghanistan once. [John McCain, 3/26/08. John McCain, 4/15/08. John McCain, 6/02/08.]

McCain’s Iraq policy will not allow for the robust commitment needed for victory in Afghanistan. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Admiral Mullen, noted that more U.S. troops are needed in Afghanistan to help control an increasingly active insurgency but, due to the war in Iraq, insufficient forces are available for such action. "I don't have troops I can reach for, brigades I can reach to send into Afghanistan until I have a reduced requirement in Iraq," Mullen said. "Afghanistan remains an economy of force campaign, which by definition means we need more forces there. We have the ability in almost every single case to win from the combat standpoint, but we don't have enough troops there to hold. That is key to the future of being able to succeed in Afghanistan." But McCain has called for a long-term commitment to Iraq that would not allow us to have the necessary troops for Afghanistan. [Washington Post 7/2/08. NY Times, 7/02/08]

MCCAIN HAS A LONG HISTORY OF NEGLECTING AFGHANISTAN

McCain: “Nobody in Afghanistan threatens the United States of America.” During an appearance on Fox News Network’s “Hannity & Colmes,” McCain said, “But nobody in Afghanistan threatens the United States of America and nobody is running terrorist training camps to orchestrate attacks on the United States of America.” [Fox News, “Hannity & Colmes,” 4/10/03]

McCain: “We may muddle through in Afghanistan.” After a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington D.C., McCain was asked about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. He said, “There has been a rise in al Qaeda activity along the border. There has been some increase in U.S. casualties. I am concerned about it, but I'm not as concerned as I am about Iraq today, obviously, or I'd be talking about Afghanistan. But I believe that if Karzai can make the progress that he is making, that -- in the long term, we may muddle through in Afghanistan.” [John McCain speech before the Council on Foreign Relations, 11/5/03]

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11 McCain called for attacking Iraq. “That's where the tough part of this whole scenario is going to begin. And that is that, after the Taliban are overthrown -- which I believe they will be -- I have very little doubt in my mind -- after bin Laden is either taken prisoner or killed and his network is destroyed, then what's next? Obviously, Iraq is still bent on -- Saddam Hussein is still bent on developing weapons of mass destruction. Obviously, the Iranians are still supporting terrorist organizations, as are the Syrians. That's where the tough choices and decisions are going to be made.” [MSNBC, Hardball, 10/3/01]

MCCAIN THOUGHT WAR IN AFGHANISTAN WAS WON, DISMISSED AL QAEDA THREAT

McCain said Afghanistan was a “remarkable success.” During an appearance on CNN, John McCain said, “[C]ould I add, it was in Afghanistan, as well, there were many people who predicted that Afghanistan would not be a success. So far, it's a remarkable success.” [CNN, 3/2/05]

McCain: “Afghanistan, we don’t read about anymore, because it’s succeeded.” During an appearance on PBS’s “The Charlie Rose Show,” John McCain said, “Afghanistan, we don’t read about anymore, because it’s succeeded. And by the way, there’s several reasons, including NATO participation and other reasons, why Afghanistan is doing as well as it is.” [PBS, “The Charlie Rose Show,” 10/31/05]

McCain: “the facts on the ground are we went to Afghanistan and we prevailed there.” During a McCain appearance on CNN’s “Wolf Blitzer Reports,” Blitzer asked, “[W]hat do you say to those critics who argue that the whole Iraq war was simply a distraction, it distracted the U.S. from the real national security threat, the war on terror, Osama bin Laden, and al Qaeda?” McCain said, “I’d say, first of all, the facts on the ground are we went to Afghanistan and we prevailed there. Second, Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, he used weapons of mass destruction, and there’s no doubt in my mind, if he were still in power, he’d be still trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction.” [CNN, “Wolf Blitzer Reports,” 4/1/04]