I don't agree with issues like abortion and gay marriage being something people on this board don't (or shouldn't) care about. You're already undermining civil rights issues. But anyway...
...The first topic I'll talk about is the Iraq war, one all of you manly men can appreciate. I'll try to keep it to 300 words, though I think it's an arbitrary limit that forces us to oversimplify things.
Ahem.
The war began in 2003, supported by McCain, even though it was, and continues to be, illegal. Obama opposed it from the start.
Approximately $474 billion has been spent as of 12/07. The CBO (congressional budget office) has estimated the total cost of the war in Iraq to U.S. taxpayers will be around $1.9 trillion. It is a financial black hole that is greatly contributing to bankrupting our country. This money could be much better spent on education and health care.
McCain claims the surge is working, but that's because he and the Republican party keep moving the metaphorical goal post. McCain, like Bush, is stubborn and rigid when it comes to the war. He refuses to entertain alternatives, going on record as to say he's prepared to stay in Iraq for 100 years (however long it takes) to achieve "victory".
The toll on the Iraq people is staggering. Civilian causalities are in the tens of thousands, health care has deteriorated to pre-1950's levels, and
35% of children in Iraq are orphans. And the use of white phosphorus is devastating the country as well. Learn about phosphorus here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_phosphorus
Our international reputation, and as a result some of our clout, has weakened. Our allies were reluctant to join and anxious to leave. Almost 70% of American's don't support the war, and even less in most foreign countries.
And why? Why did McCain vote to go in in the first place? And why are we still there? It can be strongly argued that Al Qaeda is stronger than ever. Our military is stretched too thin and we should focus on Afghanistan, like we originally were.
The Iraqi prime minster recently asked us for a timetable to withdraw, but does McCain care? No.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4288108.ece
My questions for UB:
How many years, how much money, and how many American and Iraqi deaths are you willing to accept in order to achieve McCain's elusive goals?
Why do you support an illegal war, and a candidate whose view on it goes against what the the large majority of the very citizens he is suppose to serve, wants?