photo credit: nukeit1

While Clinton and Obama were discussing Iraq during the debate last night I looked over at my wife and said “well, McCain is going to hammer one or both of them really hard tomorrow.” Looking at Mark Halperin’s page today, I learned I was right!

Last night Tim Russert asked both candidates what they would do if leaving in Iraq meant allowing al Qaeda to create a refortify and take over the country. Specifically he wanted to know if they would reserve the right to send troops to reinvade Iraq later. Obama said the US would have to return if that occurred.

Today in Tyler, Texas McCain had this to say:

“I have some news,” McCain told voters at a rally here Wednesday morning. “Al-Qaeda is in Iraq. Al-Qaeda is called al-Qaeda in Iraq. My friends, if we left, they wouldn’t be establishing a base…they would be taking a country. I will not allow that to happen my friends. I will not surrender. I will not surrender to al-Qaeda.”

McCain went on to say: “When you examine that statement, it’s pretty remarkable.”

The McCain camp also released this statement to the press:

“Where is the audacity of hope when it comes to backing the success of our troops all the way to victory in Iraq?” — John McCain

ARLINGTON, VA — U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign today issued the following statement by John McCain on Senator Barack Obama’s remarks in last night’s debate:

“In last night’s Democratic debate, the American people saw two candidates arguing over how fast to retreat from Iraq at a time when military and political progress are undeniable to any objective observer. Today, thanks to the troop surge that Senators Clinton and Obama opposed, our soldiers have Al Qaeda in Iraq on the run. If Senators Clinton and Obama have their way, Al Qaeda in Iraq will be resurgent and given a new lease on life, putting U.S. forces back on the defensive.
“Last night, we also heard Senator Obama say that once he withdrew US forces from Iraq he would ‘reserve the right’ to act ‘if Al Qaeda is forming a base in Iraq.’ Is Senator Obama unaware that Al Qaeda is still present in Iraq, that our forces are successfully fighting them every day, and that his Iraq policy of withdrawal would embolden Al Qaeda and weaken our security?

“Senator Obama talks about the costs of the war in Iraq — despite our increasing success — but refuses to address the catastrophic costs that would result from precipitous withdrawal and defeat in Iraq. Surrender and defeat in Iraq will ultimately cost far more in lives and treasure than will continued success and achieving victory with honor.

“Thanks to the sacrifices of the brave men and women of our armed forces, sectarian violence is down, civilian and military casualties are down, and long-delayed political compromises are being reached. Yet, the Democratic presidential contenders deny progress and see only gloom and doom. Where is the audacity of hope when it comes to backing the success of our troops all the way to victory in Iraq? What we heard last night was the timidity of despair. Our allies deserve better, our soldiers deserve better, and so do the American people.”

Obama responded:

“John McCain may like to say he wants to follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell, but so far all he’s done is follow George Bush into a misguided war in Iraq that has cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars and that I intend to bring to an end…. That’s the news, John McCain.”

The Obama campaign also released this ‘fact check’.