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Go All In on Afghan War, McCain, Lieberman Say

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 19, 2009 7:16 AM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama’s strategy for Afghanistan must roundly reject the so-called “minimalist” approach being whispered about in DC, write John McCain and Joe Lieberman in today’s Washington Post. The minimalists want the US to focus on limited, “realistic” counterterrorism goals. But McCain and Lieberman remind Obama that during the campaign he called Afghanistan “the war we must win.”

“Let there be no doubt: The war in Afghanistan can be won,” the Senate buddies write. But to focus on terrorism would be to repeat the mistakes of Iraq. Before 2007, the military killed plenty of terrorists even as terrorism raged. The switch to a counterinsurgency strategy, focused on protecting civilians, turned the tide. That’s the strategy we must adopt again. Minimalism “is a recipe not for winning smarter, but for losing slowly.”

Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, accompanied by Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., point to supporters during a campaign rally in Miami, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008.
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, accompanied by Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., point to supporters during a campaign rally in Miami, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008.   (AP Photo/Alan Diaz)
In this Sunday Feb. 3, 2008 picture, John McCain stands next to Sen. Joe Lieberman during a rally at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn.
In this Sunday Feb. 3, 2008 picture, John McCain stands next to Sen. Joe Lieberman during a rally at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn.   (AP Photo/Douglas Healey)
US soldiers stand guard near the site of an explosion in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, March 15, 2009.
US soldiers stand guard near the site of an explosion in the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, March 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
drlarrymitchell
Mar 28, 2009 6:38 AM CDT
Actually, I believe McCain crashed FOUR planes, prior to the one he crashed when he was captured.
John
Mar 19, 2009 12:59 PM CDT
Those 2 a--holes need to put on the uniform and get their assess over there.
Snowleopard
Mar 19, 2009 6:44 AM CDT
their => they're. damn I need to spellcheck.

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