Americans’ energy concerns and the Iraq war were discussed by Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain in Virginia. McCain said that the United States must lower its dependence on foreign oil by increasing its domestic production. He also called for continued research on alternative energy sources. McCain restated his support for a gas tax holiday, a measure that would lower gasoline prices by temporarily removing its federal taxes.

To increase domestic production, McCain said that he will soon call for a lifting of a moratorium that prohibits states from exploring for oil and natural gas reserves offshore. He added that states with reserves should be given incentives to produce, saying that increasing the percentage of revenue states receive is one possible motivation. McCain called ANWR “pristine” and said the he opposes drilling for oil in a region that was set aside as a wildlife reserve.

McCain emphatically declared that the United States is winning the war in Iraq, saying that President Bush’s troop increases have brought greater stability to the country, reduced Iranian influence, and allowed for the growth of Iraq’s democracy. McCain said that Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama’s advocacy for a withdrawal date and Obama’s statement that a troop surge would fail were wrong. McCain noted that Obama has not visited Iraq in over two years and, to gain a complete and thorough grasp of the military situation there, suggested that Obama meet with General Petraeus. McCain said that US troops should come home with victory and honor and that a quick exit could lead to chaos and genocide.

McCain repeated his desire to hold weekly town hall meetings with Obama until each party’s convention is held, saying that he will continue to reserve one day a week for such an event. McCain remarked that town hall meetings are the root of democracy and that these discussions would clearly show the differences between the two candidates. In reference to Sen. Obama’s statement that small town Americans are bitter and thus turn to guns and religion, McCain maintained he would never suggest that people in small towns turn to guns and religion out of bitterness, telling those in small towns that his presidency would bring them a safe and prosperous nation.

Today at George Washington University, Former Indonesian President His Excellency Kyai Haji Abdurrahman Wahid, also known as “Gus Dur”, addressed an auditorium of Muslim students, onlookers and media members urging young Muslims to “reclaim authentic Islam.” President Wahid served as Indonesia’s “first democratically-elected president from 1999-2001 and remains the leader of the National Awakening Party (PKB), which he established after the fall of Suharto in 1998.”A highly-regarded and much respected Muslim cleric, he has led the Nahdlatul Ulama, the worlds largest Islamic organization with forty million members. He is a strong advocate for religious tolerance and a proponent of many democratic ideals. “When addressing Muslim audiences, Gus Dur invariably reminds his listeners that it is their sacred duty to respect others’ beliefs, and to avoid any form of discrimination or intolerance towards those who worship differently from themselves.” (continued)

(more…)

On 6 February, I wrote a piece excoriating Al Queda Iraq (”AQI”) for their use of two female homicide bombers, both of whom were believed to have had Down Syndrome. In particular, I took to task Prof. Juan Cole, who several days earlier had expressed his doubts that AQI would use such impaired individuals as its weapons.

It now appears that Prof. Cole was correct. According to recent statements coming from Baghdad CPIC, the women did not have Down Syndrome, although the claim now is that the pair had “had undergone psychiatric treatment.” What this means is unclear but the fact remains that Cole’s doubts were in order and my reliance on earlier official statements was misplaced.

My apologies to Prof. Cole.

—Richard F. Miller, TRNS Military Affairs Correspondent