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In Their Own Words: McCain and Obama on national security

In a U.S. presidential campaign that began as a referendum on the war in Iraq and is ending as a ballot on the economy, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain have spoken and written volumes about what they plan to do with and for the U.S. military.

Here are their plans in their own words:

Iraq

McCain: “The lessons of Iraq are very clear, that you cannot have a failed strategy that will then cause you to nearly lose a conflict. ... Finally, we came up with a great general and a strategy that has succeeded ... and we are winning in Iraq. And we will come home with victory and with honor.”

— Presidential debate, Sept. 26

Obama: “Well, this is an area where Senator McCain and I have a fundamental difference because I think the first question is whether we should have gone into the war in the first place. Six years ago, I stood up and opposed this war ... because we hadn’t finished the job in Afghanistan. We hadn’t caught bin Laden. We hadn’t put al-Qaida to rest, and as a consequence, I thought that it was going to be a distraction.”

— Presidential debate, Sept. 26

McCain: “We have incurred a moral responsibility in Iraq. It would be an unconscionable act of betrayal, a stain on our character as a great nation, if we were to walk away from the Iraqi people and consign them to the horrendous violence, ethnic cleansing and possibly genocide that would follow a reckless, irresponsible and premature withdrawal.”

— Speech to the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles, March 26

Obama: “When I am commander in chief, I will set a new goal on day one: I will end this war. ... It is the right thing to do for our national security, and it will ultimately make us safer.”

— Speech in Fayetteville, N.C., March 19

Iraq: Timetable

McCain: “Maybe 100 [years]. As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, it’s fine with me, and I hope it would be fine with you if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaida is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day.”

— New Hampshire town hall meeting, January

Obama: “I will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. We can responsibly remove one to two combat brigades each month. If we start with the number of brigades we have in Iraq today, we can remove all of them in 16 months. After this redeployment, we will leave enough troops in Iraq to guard our embassy and diplomats, and a counterterrorism force to strike al-Qaida if it forms a base that the Iraqis cannot destroy.”

— Fayetteville, March 19

Iraq: Political Solution

McCain: “We all agree a military solution alone will not solve the problems of Iraq. There must be a political agreement among Iraqis that allows all groups to participate in the building of their nation, to share in its resources and to live in peace with each other. But without greater security imposed by the United States military and the Iraqi Army, there can be no political solution.”

— Speech at Virginia Military Institute, April 11, 2007

Obama: “In the 18 months since the surge began, as I warned at the outset, Iraq’s leaders have not made the political progress that was the purpose of the surge. They have not invested tens of billions of dollars in oil revenues to rebuild their country. They have not resolved their differences or shaped a new political compact. That’s why I strongly stand by my plan to end this war.”

— Speech in Washington, July 15

Iraq: War Strategy

McCain: “I disagreed strongly with the Bush administration’s mismanagement of the war in Iraq. I called for the change in strategy that is now, at last, succeeding where the previous strategy had failed miserably. I was criticized for doing so by Republicans. I was criticized by Democrats. I was criticized by the press.”

— Speech in Kenner, La., June 3

Obama: “George Bush and John McCain don’t have a strategy for success in Iraq — they have a strategy for staying in Iraq. They said we couldn’t leave when violence was up, they say we can’t leave when violence is down. They refuse to press the Iraqis to make tough choices, and they label any timetable to redeploy our troops ‘surrender.’”

— Washington, July 15

Afghanistan

McCain: “The status quo is not acceptable. Security in Afghanistan has deteriorated, and our enemies are on the offensive. From the moment the next president walks into the Oval Office, he will face critical decisions about Afghanistan. … The success of the surge in Iraq shows us the way to succeed in Afghanistan. It is by applying the tried and true principles of counterinsurgency used in the surge — which Senator Obama opposed — that we will win in Afghanistan. … I know how to win wars. And if I’m elected president, I will turn around the war in Afghanistan, just as we have turned around the war in Iraq, with a comprehensive strategy for victory.”

— Speech in New Mexico, July 16

Obama: “The central front in the war against terror is not Iraq, and it never was. ... That is why my presidency will shift our focus. Rather than fight a war that does not need to be fought, we need to start fighting the battles that need to be won on the central front of the war against al-Qaida in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

— Fayetteville, March 19

Afghanistan: More Troops

McCain: “Our commanders on the ground in Afghanistan say that they need at least three additional brigades. Thanks to the success of the surge, these forces are becoming available. ... But sending more forces, by itself, is not enough to prevail. What we need in Afghanistan is exactly what General Petraeus brought to Iraq: a nationwide civil-military campaign plan that is focused on providing security for the population.”

— New Mexico, July 16

Obama: “It is not too late to prevail in Afghanistan. But we cannot prevail until we reduce our commitment in Iraq, which will allow us to do what I called for last August — providing at least two additional combat brigades to support our efforts in Afghanistan. …

“A stepped-up military commitment must be backed by a long-term investment in the Afghan people. We will start with an additional $1 billion in nonmilitary assistance each year. ... We need to improve daily life by supporting education, basic infrastructure and human services.”

— Fayetteville, March 19

Afghanistan: New Strategy

McCain: “I will appoint a highly respected national security leader, based in the White House and reporting directly to the president, whose sole mission will be to ensure we bring the war in Afghanistan to a successful end. …

“We need to at least double the size of the Afghan Army to 160,000 troops. The costs of this increase, however, should not be borne by American taxpayers alone. Insecurity in Afghanistan is the world’s problem, and the world should share the costs.”

— New Mexico, July 16

Obama: “We need a stronger and sustained partnership between Afghanistan, Pakistan and NATO to secure the border, to take out terrorist camps, and to crack down on crossborder insurgents. We need more troops, more helicopters, more satellites, more Predator drones in the Afghan border region.”

— Washington, July 15

Pakistan

McCain: “A special focus of our regional strategy must be Pakistan, where terrorists today enjoy sanctuary. This must end. We must strengthen local tribes in the border areas who are willing to fight the foreign terrorists there — the strategy used successfully in Anbar and elsewhere in Iraq. We must convince Pakistanis that this is their war as much as it is ours. And we must empower the new civilian government of Pakistan to defeat radicalism with greater support for development, health, and education.”

— Town hall meeting in Albuquerque, N.M., July 15

Obama: “We need to fundamentally rethink our Pakistan policy. For years, we have supported stability over democracy in Pakistan, and gotten neither. The core leadership of al-Qaida has a safe-haven in Pakistan .... We cannot tolerate a sanctuary for terrorists who threaten America’s homeland and Pakistan’s stability. If we have actionable intelligence about high-level al-Qaida targets in Pakistan’s border region, we must act if Pakistan will not or cannot.”

— Fayetteville, March 19

“We can’t succeed in Afghanistan or secure our homeland unless we change our Pakistan policy. We must expect more of the Pakistani government.”

— Washington, July 15

U.S. Military Spending

McCain: “I will expand the use of fixed-price contracts to enforce discipline in the procurement process and ensure that clearly defined requirements are fulfilled, realistic schedules are kept, and costs don’t exceed the promised price. Too often, contractors underbid to ‘buy into’ a market with little expectation of delivering on schedule and within budget. At the same time, the government’s cost estimates are often unrealistic.

“The Navy’s new Littoral Combat Ship was supposed to be a model program. In the end, it cost twice its projected price, and the Navy had to cancel purchase of the third ship because of the cost overruns. Fixed-price contracts based on realistic cost estimates with clear, consistent requirements will ensure that the contractor pays for cost overruns, not the taxpayers.”

— Speech to the Oklahoma Legislature, May 2007

“As president, I will order a prompt and thorough review of the budgets of every federal program, department and agency. ... We will institute a one-year pause in discretionary spending increases with the necessary exemption of military spending and veterans benefits.”

— Pittsburgh, April 15

Obama: “When I am president, I will spare no expense to ensure that our troops have the equipment and support they need. There is no higher obligation for a commander in chief. …

“The Army has said it will need $13 billion a year just to replace and repair all the equipment that’s been broken or lost. ... We’ll also have to ensure that our soldiers are trained and equipped to confront the new threats of the 21st century and that our military can meet any challenge around the world. And that is a responsibility I intend to meet as commander in chief.”

— Charleston, W.Va., March 20

“I strongly support the expansion of our ground forces by adding 65,000 soldiers to the Army and 27,000 Marines.”

— Speech to Chicago Council on Global Affairs, April 23, 2007

China

McCain: “Dealing with a rising China will be a central challenge for the next American president. Recent prosperity in China has brought more people out of poverty faster than during any other time in human history. China’s newfound power implies responsibilities. China could bolster its claim that it is ‘peacefully rising’ by being more transparent about its significant military buildup. …

“China and the United States are not destined to be adversaries. We have numerous overlapping interests and hope to see our relationship evolve in a manner that benefits both countries and, in turn, the Asia-Pacific region and the world. But until China moves toward political liberalization, our relationship will be based on periodically shared interests rather than the bedrock of shared values.”

— World Affairs Council in Los Angeles, March 26

Obama: “Obviously, China is rising, and it’s not going away. They’re neither our enemy nor our friend. They’re competitors. But we have to make sure that we have enough military-to-military contact and forge enough of a relationship with them that we can stabilize the region. That’s something I’d like to do as president.”

— Presidential debate, April 27, 2007

Russia

McCain: “Russia has now become a nation fueled by petro-dollars that is basically a KGB apparatchik-run government. I looked into Mr. Putin’s eyes, and I saw three letters — a ‘K,’ a ‘G’ and a ‘B.’ And their aggression in Georgia is not acceptable behavior.

“I don’t believe we’re going to go back to the Cold War. I am sure that that will not happen. But I do believe that we need to bolster our friends and allies. And that wasn’t just about a problem between Georgia and Russia. It had everything to do with energy. There’s a pipeline that runs from the Caspian through Georgia through Turkey.”

— Presidential debate, April 27, 2007

“Russia’s leaders, rich with oil wealth and corrupt with power, have rejected democratic ideals and the obligations of a responsible power. They invaded a small, democratic neighbor to gain more control over the world’s oil supply, intimidate other neighbors and further their ambitions of reassembling the Russian empire. ... As president, I will work to establish good relations with Russia so we need not fear a return of the Cold War. But we can’t turn a blind eye to aggression and international lawlessness.”

— Nomination acceptance speech, Sept. 4

“G-8, the group of eight highly industrialized states, ... should include Brazil and India but exclude Russia. Rather than tolerate Russia’s nuclear blackmail or cyberattacks, Western nations should make clear that the solidarity of NATO, from the Baltic to the Black Sea, is indivisible, and that the organization’s doors remain open to all democracies committed to the defense of freedom.”

— World Affairs Council, March 26

Obama: “I think that, given what’s happened over the last several weeks and months, our entire Russian approach has to be evaluated, because a resurgent and very aggressive Russia is a threat to the peace and stability of the region. Their actions in Georgia were unacceptable. ... Now, we also can’t return to a Cold War posture with respect to Russia.”

— Presidential debate, Sept. 26

“The situation in Georgia continues to deteriorate. … No matter how this conflict started, Russia has escalated it well beyond the dispute over South Ossetia and invaded another country. … There is no possible justification for these attacks.

“I reiterate my call for Russia to stop its bombing campaign, to stop flights of Russian aircraft in Georgian airspace and to withdraw its ground forces from Georgia.”

— Statement released Aug. 11

“Russia is neither our enemy nor close ally right now, and we shouldn’t shy away from pushing for more democracy, transparency and accountability in that country. But we also know that we can and must work with Russia to make sure every one of its nuclear weapons and every cache of nuclear material is secured.”

— Chicago Council on Global Affairs, April 23, 2007

Iran

McCain: “You know that old Beach Boys song, ‘Bomb Iran’? ‘Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.’”

— Town hall meeting, South Carolina, April 2007

“Tehran’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons poses an unacceptable risk, a danger we cannot allow. ... The world would have to live, indefinitely, with the possibility that Tehran might pass nuclear materials or weapons to one of its allied terrorist networks. …

“Rather than sitting down unconditionally with the Iranian president or supreme leader in the hope that we can talk sense into them, we must create the real-world pressures that will peacefully but decisively change the path they are on. Essential to this strategy is the U.N. Security Council, which should impose progressively tougher political and economic sanctions.”

— Speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, June 2

“I have proposed a league of democracies, a group of people, a group of countries that share common interests, common values, common ideals; they also control a lot of the world’s economic power. We could impose significant, meaningful, painful sanctions on the Iranians that I think could have a beneficial effect.”

— Presidential debate, Sept. 26

Obama: “We are going to have to, I believe, engage in tough direct diplomacy with Iran, and this is a major difference I have with Senator McCain, this notion [that] by not talking to people we are punishing them has not worked. It has not worked in Iran, it has not worked in North Korea. In each instance, our efforts of isolation have actually accelerated their efforts to get nuclear weapons. That will change when I’m president of the United States.”

— Presidential debate, Sept. 26

“Preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons is a vital national security interest of the United States. No tool of statecraft should be taken off the table.”

— Washington, July 15

“I will always keep the threat of military action on the table to defend our security and our ally Israel. Sometimes there are no alternatives to confrontation. But that only makes diplomacy more important.”

— Speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, June 4

North Korea

McCain: “The United States and the international community must work together and do all in our power to contain and reverse North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.”

— World Affairs Council, March 26

Obama: “The war in Iraq has emboldened North Korea, which built new nuclear weapons and even tested one before the administration finally went against its own rhetoric, and pursued diplomacy.”

— Fayetteville, March 19

“The world must ... work to eliminate North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. ... Our first line of offense here must be sustained, direct and aggressive diplomacy. [But] we must never take the military option off the table.”

— Chicago Council on Global Affairs, April 23, 2007

Alliances

McCain: “We cannot build an enduring peace based on freedom by ourselves, and we do not want to. We have to strengthen our global alliances as the core of a new global compact, a league of democracies, that can harness the vast influence of the more than one hundred democratic nations around the world to advance our values and defend our shared interests.”

— World Affairs Council, March 26

Obama: “It’s time to strengthen NATO by asking more of our allies, while always approaching them with the respect owed a partner. It’s time to reform the United Nations, so that this imperfect institution can become a more perfect forum to share burdens, strengthen our leverage and promote our values. It’s time to deepen our engagement to help resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, so that we help our ally Israel achieve true and lasting security, while helping Palestinians achieve their legitimate aspirations for statehood. …

“I’ll create a Shared Security Partnership Program — a new alliance of nations to strengthen cooperative efforts to take down global terrorist networks, while standing up against torture and brutality.”

— Washington, July 15

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