Finding His Faith

NewsWeek : U.S. Military, Early Withdrawl From Iraq (2009)

http://www.newsweek.com/id/145848

McCain, You are Done !!!


Barack Obama is taking heat for hinting that he might refine his 16-month timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

But a forthcoming Pentagon-sponsored report will recommend an even steeper drawdown in less time, NEWSWEEK has learned.

If adopted, the 300-page report by a defense analysis group at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., could transform the debate about Iraq in the presidential election.

Expected to be completed in about a month, it will recommend that U.S. forces be reduced to as few as 50,000 by the spring of 2009, down from about 150,000 now.


The strategy is based on a major handoff to the increasingly successful Iraqi Army, with platoon-size U.S. detachments backing the Iraqis from small outposts, with air support. The large U.S. forward operating bases that house the bulk of U.S. troops would be mostly abandoned, and the role of Special Forces would increase.

The report's conclusions have been discussed inside Secretary Robert Gates's Defense Policy Board, a body of outside experts. And they've found favor with some former members of the Iraq Study Group, such as former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta. "That's basically the approach we thought made sense--embedding some of our forces at smaller outposts, transferring major combat to the Iraqis," says Panetta.

Like the Study Group, this report also calls for a regional diplomatic effort complementing negotiations with the Iraqi tribes, which echoes the previous recommendations of such analysts as John Arquilla, a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School. "Even with a small leavening of American troops the Iraqis perform quite well," he says.

The biggest problem: Iraq commander Gen. David Petraeus, who oversaw the surge, is said to oppose the recommendations, according to a Defense contractor who is privy to the discussions.

Asked about the report, Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman told NEWSWEEK that Gates "feels the most important military advice he gets is from his commanders on the ground." As the next head of Central Command, Petraeus will soon have responsibility for Afghanistan and Pakistan too, which could change his views on troop deployments and the new report. Spokesman Col. Steve Boylan says Petraeus "is focused on Iraq at this point and will continue to be."

I agree that Mr. Obama would not like to see himself called some of those elevated things people are calling him--he is most certainly NOT another religious figure--if one is to read the article. He is a man of good mral and ethical principals, who takes seriously his responsibilities, which is what all public officials SHOULD be doing, and we DON;T see, so he simply looks different. than they. Let's not go overboard here in exaggerations because we are over-come with relief. His spiritual journey is actually quite "usual" for a man who is thoughtful and responsible--and not a religious sort at all ... he is still on a big learning curve, like the rest of us--and is willing to share it with us, a man of humility. This is what appeals to me the most--he is willing to admit his flaws and shortcomings. Move over, Mr. Bush!

Thank you for this--I hadn't seen anything on this topic, and needed to know for myself. It is reassuring, actually to me, in many ways. Gently written, nicely written--good news coming at a time when America needs good news. There is a crying need for a leader who has values--and humanity. Does he now have the where-with-all to get us out of this mess?

U.S. could step up Iraq pullout in September: report

http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTKM00295920080713

McCain is Done !!!

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Bush administration is considering withdrawing additional troops from Iraq beginning in September, The New York Times reported in Sunday editions, citing administration and military officials.

The withdrawal, which the Times said would constitute a marked reversal from the war's darkest days of 2006-2007, stemmed partly from the need for more U.S. troops in Afghanistan to fight the rising insurgency by the Taliban and other fighters. U.S. and allied casualties there have outpaced those in Iraq in recent months.

No final decisions have been made, but at least one and as many as three of the 15 combat brigades now in Iraq could be withdrawn, or slated for withdrawal, by the end of the administration in January, the Times said, citing officials.

The White House declined to discuss the withdrawals, but spokesman Gordon Johndroe told the newspaper that while the president hoped to bring more troops home, he would await the recommendation in September of Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, the Times said.

"For now," Johndroe said, "we will continue discussions with the Iraqis on our shared goals of a reduced U.S. troop presence," it quoted him as saying.

Despite consensus among officials that fewer forces are needed in Iraq and more in Afghanistan, one senior administration official also cautioned that President George W. Bush would resist deep or rapid reductions if that threatened the prospects for a stable, democratic government in Iraq, the Times said.

"There hasn't really been any discussion of numbers, and it's definitely based on conditions on the ground," the Times quoted a military officer in Baghdad as saying. Conditions "are a lot more favorable than in December or April or even two months ago," he added.

But Petraeus, who leaves Iraq in September to head the U.S. Central Command, which also has oversight over the Afghanistan war, and has already begun the review of security and troop levels, is expected to be more cautious than some administration and Pentagon officials might want, the Times said. Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Petraeus would more likely recommend a smaller reduction.

The most optimistic course would be 120,000 to 130,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, the Times said, which would be down from the peak of 170,000 in 2007 after Bush ordered the troop increase.

ABOARD THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS (CNN) ??? John McCain, who rarely talks about his faith publicly, discussed some of his religious beliefs with reporters Wednesday - including the question of whether he might consider being baptized again.

The presumptive Republican nominee talked with journalists traveling with him from Kentucky to West Virginia about his home congregation, North Phoenix Baptist Church.

"Pastor Dan Yeary has a message I enjoy and appreciate," he said, adding that he and his family have "grown close to [Yeary] over the years" and that he tried to attend services at the church whenever he was home in Arizona.

"The message that Dan Yeary conveys of Christian love and redemption is one that I welcome," said McCain. "And I'm always spiritually helped and assisted when I attend those church services, as I think most Americans are when they attend church services."

The Arizona senator, who was raised an Episcopalian, has attended North Phoenix for nearly two decades, but is not a member because he has not been baptized into the church.


On Wednesday, he told reporters that he had been baptized in Panama, where he was born, and talked about a photo in his memoirs of himself as a baby in a baptismal gown, with his father and grandfather.

"It's like a dress," he chuckled.

But he was more guarded about his current plans with regard to baptism, calling them "a private thing."

ABOARD THE STRAIGHT TALK EXPRESS (CNN) ??? John McCain, who rarely talks about his faith publicly, discussed some of his religious beliefs with reporters Wednesday - including the question of whether he might consider being baptized again.

The presumptive Republican nominee talked with journalists traveling with him from Kentucky to West Virginia about his home congregation, North Phoenix Baptist Church.

"Pastor Dan Yeary has a message I enjoy and appreciate," he said, adding that he and his family have "grown close to [Yeary] over the years" and that he tried to attend services at the church whenever he was home in Arizona.

"The message that Dan Yeary conveys of Christian love and redemption is one that I welcome," said McCain. "And I'm always spiritually helped and assisted when I attend those church services, as I think most Americans are when they attend church services."

The Arizona senator, who was raised an Episcopalian, has attended North Phoenix for nearly two decades, but is not a member because he has not been baptized into the church.


On Wednesday, he told reporters that he had been baptized in Panama, where he was born, and talked about a photo in his memoirs of himself as a baby in a baptismal gown, with his father and grandfather.

"It's like a dress," he chuckled.

But he was more guarded about his current plans with regard to baptism, calling them "a private thing."

Shared News: John McCain will say Anything !!!

http://sayanythingblog.com/entry/john_mccain_is_suddenly_a_baptist_after_claiming_to_be_episcopalian_for_yea/

Sunday, September 16, 2007

John McCain Is Suddenly A Baptist After Claiming To Be Episcopalian For Years

By Rob on September 16, 2007 at 10:24 pm

This, of course, happens in the predominantly Baptist state of South Carolina.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. - Republican presidential candidate John McCain, who has long identified himself as an Episcopalian, said this weekend that he is a Baptist and has been for years.

Campaigning in this conservative, predominantly Baptist state, McCain called himself a Baptist when speaking to reporters Sunday and noted that he and his family have been members of the North Phoenix Baptist Church in his home state of Arizona for more than 15 years.

???It???s well known because I???m an active member of the church,??? the Arizona senator said.

While McCain has long talked about his family???s and his own attendance at the Arizona church, he appears to have consistently referred to himself as Episcopalian in media reports.

In a June interview with McClatchy Newspapers, the senator said his wife and two of their children have been baptized in the Arizona Baptist church, but he had not. ???I didn???t find it necessary to do so for my spiritual needs,??? he said.

He told McClatchy he found the Baptist church more fulfilling than the Episcopalian church, but still referred to himself as an Episcopalian.

I can???t imagine there???s a lot of Baptist voters out there saying to themselves, ???Gee, I really hate the fact that John McCain is Episcopalian.??? I???m not even really sure why he???d make an issue out of something like this, other than the fact that he???s at the bitter end of a sad-sack campaign that was doomed from the get-go and is now grasping desperately at any bit of pandering he can muster no matter how absurd.

But whatever. McCain is a non-entity at this point.

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It is hard to imagine, how Mr. Obama can truly distance himself from Mr. Wright.... the Christianity that Mr. Obama adopted at Trinity has infused not only his life, but also his campaign."

Jodi Kantor. 4/30/07 New York Times after writing story about Pastor Wrights radical views

Seperation of Church & State: I`ll be glad, when No Candidate Attends a Church, or Endorsed by Any Church, Mosque, Temple Or Synagouge.

I`ll be Glad when All Candidates say, in Debates `I`m Implementing the Seperation of Church & State Rule` ...

My Religion is the Constitution.

My Religion, is to the (Republic) For which It Stands.

My Religions are the Senate, Congress, The State, This Nation and Its People.

You Hypocrites can Have Your Religion, I have Enough on My Plate, as You can See.

John McCain has Hagee & Parsley to Denounce, and You give McCain the Pass & Accept Every Excuse, but when its Obama...You all just Pile On.

Seperation of Chuch & State...For ALL Candidates.

They should not Attend Church...Anywhere.

Because the Pastor-Preacher can say Anything Controversial, at Any Time and this can Only Hurt the Politician, who may or may not have been in the Church, when the Pastor- Preacher says what he says.

All Politicians should use this Election as a sign...Seperate, Church & State...Permamently.

PS: Politicians & Most People don`t Attend Church Religously, Devoutly..Anyway, Just Like YOU...

HYPOCRITES.

I`d Love to See Your Church and its Members.

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