Elections 2008:
Reality v. Conventional Wisdom
#1
Can you guess which candidate made these
statements just under 1 year ago?
“Our men and women in uniform are performing heroically around
the world in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. But the
war in Afghanistan and the ill-advised invasion of Iraq have clearly
demonstrated the consequences of underestimating the number of troops
required to fight two wars and defend our homeland. That’s why I strongly
support the expansion of our ground forces by adding 65,000 soldiers
to the Army and 27,000 Marines.”
“Former Secretary Rumsfeld said,
“You go to war with the Army you have, not the one you want.”
I say that if the need arises when I’m President, the Army we have will
be the Army we need.”
“No President should ever hesitate to use force – unilaterally
if necessary – to protect ourselves and our vital interests when we
are attacked or imminently threatened. But when we use force in situations
other than self-defense, we should make every effort to garner the clear
support and participation of others – the kind of burden-sharing and
support President George H.W. Bush mustered before he launched Operation
Desert Storm.”