Redstate

Give me a break. The "unnecessary" part related to the mismanagement of the war (which may have caused unnecessary casualties), which almost everyone agrees on.

My gratitude to your cousin.

Have you lost someone close in Iraq? I don't know, but if you have you will realize the difficulty that the military personnel and their families face. I've been there for military funerals, friends who's sons have died protecting our freedom. They sacrificed themselves. Their families sacrificed a part of themselves: their own flesh and blood. The least we can do is not call their sacrifices "unnecessary". They were necessary. Necessary to protect the U.S. from Islamic radicals that want to cause death to America.

McCain specifically used the word "unnecessary" ... "some of which were unnecessary" ... He COULD have used "could have been prevented" ... "some of which could have been prevented" ...

but no, he chose to demoralize our troops, and more importantly use dead and wounded soldiers as a political ploy (yes, the MSM, Fox News, and Democrats do it to a much greater extent). Imagine if you were told that the loss of your son in Iraq was "unnecessary" and used to score votes. How would that make you feel?

This is coming from the same guy who said when announcing his candidacy:
..."We've wasted a lot of our most precious treasure, which is American lives."...

"Unnecessary" ... "wasted" ... From a war hero!? ... Do you really want words like this from the president? He needs to apologize for his comment last night. He did disservice to our brave men and women protecting the nation, and a disservice to those and the family of those who have been killed or wounded in action in Iraq.

Unnecessary. I don't see how you think there is such a big difference between the two terms. "Could have been prevented" means they didn't have to die, in other words "unnecessary". Now, I don't know how many lives were lost to mismanagement, but that it’s painful to think that a loved one would have not died if not for mismanagement does not make it any less true. Just because something is painful to think does not make it any less true. Also saying that we could have had less causalities with better management does not take anything away from those that died. They still died honorably defending our country, which I believe is also McCain's belief. But if you want a president that doesn't face truth if it is painful than I suppose you can probably find a good candidate.

Very well-said. Thank you.