The McCain campaign, perhaps recognizing that their earlier statement on Maliki’s endorsement of Obama’s withdrawal timetable was a bit whiny, put their heads together and came up with something even worse.

Here’s Randy Scheunemann, McCain’s foreign policy advisor (WAIT — I thought McCain doesn’t have those!):

Last thing I remember, I was running for the door.
I had to find the passage back to the policy we spinned before.
‘Relax,’ said the Senator, ‘we are programmed to deceive.’
‘We can withdraw any time we like,
But we can never leave!’

Oh wait.  That’s not what Scheunemann said.  Here it is, once again via Marc Ambinder:

The difference between John McCain and Barack Obama is that Barack Obama advocates an unconditional withdrawal that ignores the facts on the ground and the advice of our top military commanders. John McCain believes withdrawal must be based on conditions on the ground. Prime Minister Maliki has repeatedly affirmed the same view, and did so again today. Timing is not as important as whether we leave with victory and honor, which is of no apparent concern to Barack Obama. The fundamental truth remains that Senator McCain was right about the surge and Senator Obama was wrong. We would not be in the position to discuss a responsible withdrawal today if Senator Obama’s views had prevailed.

So, my friends, we’re not fighting in Iraq to protect our troops.  Oh no no no!  We’re fighting in Iraq so that we can leave with “victory and honor.”

In other words, we’re staying in Iraq so that we can never leave.

With abject apologies to the Eagles.

Related posts

• Will McCain Stick to His Plan?
• Twenty Questions for the Debate Tonight
• McCain’s Hotel California Doctrine Unravels
• McCain Doesn’t ♥ Maliki (Or Our Troops)
• Maliki Gets Bolder