McCain's Impotence on the Global War on Terror.

A good preface to this is to read my earlier posts on the global war on terror (see this, this, and this too!)

This past week's dust=up between Senator Barack Obama (D - Illinois), Senator John McCain (R - Arizona), and President George Bush has brought to the forefront the main issue in the 2008 campaign for the Office of the President of the United States: the global war on terror. In an earlier post, I argued that Senator Obama was not an appeaser, but that his policies would produce dire consequences for the United States, including a probable loss in the global was on terror. But what of Senator McCain's plans should he become President? Let's go straight to his website's verbiage:

John McCain believes that economic progress is essential to sustaining security gains in Iraq.... The Iraqi government can jump-start this process by using a portion of its budget surplus to employ Iraqis in infrastructure projects and in restoring basic services.... The international community should bolster proven microfinance programs to spur local-level entrepreneurship throughout the country. Iraq's Arab neighbors, in particular, should promote regional stability by directly investing the fruits of their oil exports in Iraq. ...

Call for international pressure on Syria and Iran

Syria and Iran have aided and abetted the violence in Iraq for too long. Syria has refused to crack down on Iraqi insurgents and foreign terrorists operating within its territory. Iran has been providing the most extreme and violent Shia militias with training, weapons, and technology that kill American and Iraqi troops. American military spokesmen have also said there is evidence that Iran has provided aid to Sunni insurgents. The answer is not unconditional dialogue with these two dictatorships from a position of weakness. The answer is for the international community to apply real pressure to Syria and Iran to change their behavior. The United States must also bolster its regional military posture to make clear to Iran our determination to protect our forces and deter Iranian intervention.

Level with the American people

John McCain believes it is essential to be honest with the American people about the opportunities and risks that lie ahead. The American people deserve the truth from their leaders. They deserve a candid assessment of the progress made in the last year, of the serious difficulties that remain, and of the grave consequences of a reckless and irresponsible withdrawal.

Senator McCain's position is more helpful, but still short sighted. As principle and policy has argued previously, Iran and Syria must be treated like the petulant children they seem to be. When Iran misbehaves, it must be immediately and directly punished. A full engagement on every level, international organizations, diplomatic channels, covert action against the Iranian intelligence services, overt action against Iranian military assets, and a continual information campaign to inform, remind, and persuade the World to the dastardly acts of these two sponsors of terror.

But, the over-arching goal must be to end all state sponsorship of terror. And this is where the senior Senator from Arizona falls short. His main goal isn't to win the global war on terror by eliminating state sponsorship, it is to achieve a stable Iraq by holding Iran in check. If the Senator cannot lead us to the end of Iranian and Syrian support for Hezbollah, Hamas, etc. Then the war on terror will have severely damaged Sunni-based Islamic terror, leaving Shia sponsored terror unchecked, undisciplined, and a very real threat.

Come on Senator McCain, give us the straight talk on this one...