McCain praises Iraqi president

Posted: Saturday, June 28, 2008 2:16 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: 2008, 2008 McCain

From NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- McCain praised Iraq’s president Saturday for “significant but fragile progress” and said he is committed to continuing the work that needs to be done in the country.

The Arizona senator met for 45 minutes with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in the morning, calling him an “old friend” and discussing plans for elections.

"I have the greatest respect and affection for the president," McCain said. "It's a great pleasure to get updated on the situation in Iraq.”

Talabani said the two spoke of “national unity and reconciliation, and also having this year good economy and good budgets.” He said the length of American presence in Iraq “depends on the United States” but said Iraq needs their presence.

“How much they will remain there in my personal opinion, we need to have some at least some military bases as a symbol for preventing others in interfering [with] internal affairs of Iraq,” Talabani said. “Now, with the presence of United States of America, some neighbors interfering in our internal affairs, what will happen if they leave before preparing Iraqi Army and the Iraqi police forces?”

McCain said a certain date of withdrawal would lead to increased Iranian influence and described current success as “fragile.” At one point, according to the pool report, McCain winked at the soft-spoken Iraqi leader.

“The point is, again, it seems to be missed, unfortunately, is that we are winning in Iraq, and we will withdraw,” McCain said. “But we will withdraw with victory and honor.”

He held a briefer meeting with Philippines President Gloria Arroyo after his speech to the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. McCain said the two spoke of oil interests, as well as trade and the current situation in Burma.

“We have a longstanding friendship and it's one that we all appreciate very much, including the fact that there are four million Filippino-Americans who are in the United States of America who are our most valued citizens as well as allies,” McCain said. “So it's a great opportunity to have the chance to discuss issues of mutual interest."

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Comments

Did anyone hear that large sucking sound...?
Did someone just
kiss President Jalal Talabani...in the buttocks...

BJ, CA (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 2:48 PM)

McCain has all the solutions that he sees as neccessary for what ails the Iraqis, economically, and otherwise.

Yet, he goes to Michigan, Ohio, and Americans loosing their homes, and tells them, "sorry, your jobs aren't coming back, and we'll bail out the irresponsible Bear Sterns, but the rest of you irresponsible peon borrowers are on your own".

McCain is a mean, dotarding fool.

donna (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 3:14 PM)

McCain seems more concerned with appeasing other countries (Canada (NAFTA), Colombia (CAFTA), Iraq (we provide security for their country indefinitely), Mexico (immigration and NAFTA)) than caring about the American peoples interest. When is he going to do what is right for America, instead of what is right for these other countries? It's like he's running for head of the UN!

Sean, Boston MA (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 4:11 PM)

Senator McCain, you have the audacity to say that the point is that "we are winning"? How do you define a situation that will ultimately cost thousands of American lives, tens of thousands of Iraqi lives, the displacement of 2 million more Iraqis, and over $1 trillion that will come out of our pockets, the pockets of our children and grandchildren?

Nobody is winning in Iraq.

D. Cheah, Santa Monica, CA (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 4:16 PM)

I am so tired of the way the media treats McCain. Yes, he is a POW but that does not excuse him from the same microscope that you view ever action and word of the Obama campaign. McCain's campaign makes racial slurs and inneundos. McCain made a joke the other day to a newspaper about just giving up being a wife beater. McCain flip flops and panders on every issue instead of giving real substitive answers. It is not covered that McCain has received over a million dollars from the gas and oil industry and has many of their higher ups on his fundraising campaign team. If you call yourselves journalists and have any kind of integrity, you will cover McCain's mistakes, missteps, and ethical blunders with the same intensity as you do Obama. He may be a POW but he is running for the highest office of this great nation. No one gets a free pass.

I am waiting for media to stop focusing on the gossip and entertainment and talk about real issues and the different stands the candidates have without having to hear thousands of panelists opinions on the matter. The media should not pick our president. The American voter could be more informed IF the media did a better job. You have 24 hour a day opportunity. Make better use of it.

American Voter (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 4:20 PM)

I see McCain's pal, the warden at the POW camp in Nam, is voting for his old buddy.

(BTW, Hillary won the Vietnam primary in a landslide, but the misogynist DNC won't count her votes. Seems too many old folks and women voted so the DNC will have a non-binding re-vote in December>))

Seems the warden and the fly-boy have a difference of opinion though: Instead of his evil torturer, the warden claims to have been young Johnny's BFF.

The only torture to which McCain's commie comrade will attest is having to listen to McCain's political opinions.

We feel your pain, Warden.

We feel your pain.

Mark (Swift Boat) Thieme (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 4:55 PM)

With so many people jeering Obama for this "rhymes with Osama" and "middle name" rhetoric, I am surprised that so few of the same people even care that Iraq's president has "Taliban" in his name.

Hypocricy, not ignorance.

Neither should be part of our system, but we know which side is throwing all of the BS. That is a huge reason that I am voting Democratic these days.

Matt, Idaho (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 5:14 PM)

Obama says updated? I dont need that.McCain and his wife meet with so many dignataries and so many leaders of great nations. Obama goes to see his friends Khalidi,Auchi,Rezko and so many more. The contrast is one to make a person think.His wife only goes to Hillary women to gloat. McCain for me. Its getting easier by the day.

Mox (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 5:16 PM)

McButt kisser..
they don't even want us there..except our money and trusted influence...(to stay in power)...

Time to cut the cord and let them seek their own sovereignty...or are we nation building again....
The Brit's did it and failed why are we doing it?
OIL....for blood..."mutual interest" hidden agenda..
codes..secrets...is Al Haig in here somewhere?

BJ, CA (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 5:35 PM)

The Iraqi's have had a least 5 years to do training. How long does it take to get a unit trained? Not 5 years I'm sure. This is just another excuse presented to the Americans to swallow. I'm not swallowing it. It is time to pull-out and force the Iraqi's to assume responsibility for themselves. They can do this if they have to do it. We have to do alot of things we don't want to do, like put up with these gas prices and go without buying clothes and shoes. We can't go on vacation because everything has gotten so expensive. Most families live on a tight budget and now it's hard to even buy the basics. I have two college degrees and work hard all the time. We only get cost of living raises and they sure aren't keeping up with the costs now. No more money to Iraq. No more dead soldiers. No more loans from China. It is time to end this war now my friend!

No more War (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 6:35 PM)

Praise President for WHAT? He has cleverly used American Taxpayer Money for his own person greed! Iraq has oil revenues which are being BANKED! I realize that the BUSH-IDIOTIC destroyed Iraq, but they still shoud be forced to use some of their money.

Why is McBag-of-Bones over there anyway? This is his second trip this year -- WHY? He should try visiting the troops in Walter Reed Hospital!!!!

Willis, TX (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 6:36 PM)

of course mccain has praise for iraqi president but I'M looking to elect a president of the United States of America not a president of iraq.

iraq has all but destroyed the middle class in America with gas prices and bankruptcy reform and healthcare for only the very wealthy. 12 billion a month for iraq and NOTHING for the middle class.

my insurance just paid 437 dollars on a colonoscopy(without cutting any of the bad stuff out) while I'm stuck with 4000 dollars( that's right 4 grand) as my responsibility.welcome to middle class America. Any one still supporting republicans I wish my problems on you. it's not just the pain(even though that is bad) it's the uncontrollable bowel movements and the urinating blood that freaks you out!

mccain wants to tax health benefits if you company supplies them even though in cases such as mine, I would have better without insurance and on medicaid.
my Dr. has told me he can probably prolong my life for 500,000 grand. welcome to American middle class.

so yea mccain, if you're a senator with free health care I guess America is still all right for you.All I ask is for the same health care for myself and my daughter that you have mccain.

leon houston (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 6:45 PM)

Victory and honor?
What is honorable about a war based on lies?
When did victory depend on destroying an entire country for profit(oil)?
The terrorists were and still are in Afghanistan.
Now they are everywhere. Where is the glory in the deaths of over 4000 of our children and hundreds of thousand innocent Iraquis? And who are the terrorists now? Hubris and greed=GOP

Never McSame (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 7:22 PM)

Can't you see it now - McMayday on an aircraft carrier, with the giant banner behind him:

MISSION RE-ACCOMPLISHED

Oh, won't happen, there's no way the Navy will ever let this guy get anywhere near another jet.

McDo-over (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 7:34 PM)

So McCain praises the Iraqi president but calls a former U.S president "Lousy". He calls him an "old friend" and calls the rest of U.S people "friends". I guess McCain when he said that he learned how to love U.S when his fellow soldiers where fighting in Vietnam did not teach him the leason of "loving his fellow Americans" and hating the enemy. I guess he loves the Iraqi President more than Carter and that's rediculus. Shame on you McCain for betraying you fellow Americans and praising people from other countries. You are a joke.

BA (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 9:50 PM)

One simple ques: Is this guy competing for the presidency of Irak or the presidency of the USA?
When will he get involved with American issues?

Mark Webb (Sent Saturday, June 28, 2008 11:49 PM)

I think McCain has involuntary winking (tic) in his left eye probably from the cancer surgery. He does this often and should address it publicly. Otherwise, McCain is old and old fashion. We need new ideas not old ones.

Doreen Augusta Maine (Sent Sunday, June 29, 2008 6:29 AM)

This is yet another indication that McCain will follow the catastrophic Bush policies in the Middle East. But we all already knew that, did we not?

Steven G. Randolph, Tampa, FL (Sent Sunday, June 29, 2008 8:28 AM)

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