McCain Calls for Additional 20,000 Troops in Iraq

Strategic Insights -

Senator John McCain, a prominent Republican voice on the Iraq war, said on Friday that the United States should deploy an additional 20,000 troops to the country. This proposal comes as McCain, a possible 2008 presidential candidate, continues to weigh in on the ongoing conflict. A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, McCain emphasized the need for a more robust military presence in Iraq, warning that a hasty withdrawal could lead to chaos. His statement was met with mixed reactions from a gathering of local Republicans and veterans, some of whom expressed skepticism about the wisdom of escalating the U.S. commitment in Iraq.

Key Takeaways:

  • Senator John McCain, a possible 2008 presidential candidate, called for an additional 20,000 troops to be deployed to Iraq.
  • McCain, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued that expanding the Army and Marine Corps would be necessary to accomplish this goal.
  • He reiterated his opposition to a hasty U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, citing concerns about the potential for chaos if the military presence is reduced too quickly.
  • McCain's proposal drew a mixed reaction from local Republicans and veterans, with some expressing skepticism about the wisdom of escalating the U.S. commitment in Iraq.
  • World War II veteran Jean Belanger, 85, questioned the effectiveness of deploying more troops, saying "We don't help people, we're getting killed."
  • Rodney Legendre, a 59-year-old Navy veteran, expressed support for McCain's stay-the-course message, saying "It has to be done... As much as we hate to put troops in harm's way, we have to do it."

Statistics:

  • 20,000: The number of additional troops that McCain called for in Iraq.
  • 3 years: The length of time that McCain has been saying that more U.S. troops are needed in Iraq.
  • 70: The approximate number of people who gathered at a VFW hall to hear McCain speak.
  • 2: The number of early voting states that McCain's itinerary has included, Iowa and New Hampshire.

Sources:

  • Associated Press, captioned photograph of McCain speaking in Lancaster, N.H., Friday.
  • Associated Press, article titled "McCain calls for more troops in Iraq."
  • Associated Press, article titled "McCain's Iraq views draw mixed response in N.H."