Why does John McCain say America is not receiving casualties in war?

Question

Responding to a student who criticized his remark about our staying in Iraq for 100 years, McCain quipped, "No American argues against our military presence in Korea or Japan or Germany or Kuwait or other places, or Turkey, because America is not receiving casualties."

Why did he make this mistake?

Answer 1

I guess it's another misspoken mistake. Mistakenly misunderstood.

Answer 2

I'm not sure what he meant?  That there are no casualties from the long standing bases, I suppose.  I'm not sure what that has to do with a very active theater of war where we are obviously receiving casualties.  

He's right in that people would be more patient over Iraq were it not for the deaths, injuries and incredible monthly costs of $12B. But that's not the situation we have.

Answer 3

In response to the statement by an answerer that no one has said troops should leave Germany as well as Iraq the first statement is false there was a book called The Military Assault on The Environment written by William Thomas which talked about the damage U.S. military excercises and military waste did to Germany  and of the damage N.A.T.O. excercises did. There would be a call to remove troops but if German Environmentalists had said the troops should leave they would either have been called Communists at the time or people would ignore them like they do today. There were casulties in Kuwait during  The Gulf War. The current casulties are in Afghanistan and Iraq though. Mcain does not appear to care about dead Iraqis not in volved in fighting. The strange thing is that even when people who are not fighting U.S. Forces they might face arrest,torture ,and demands they devulge the location of terrrorist cells and such.

Answer 4

He didn't.  You need to check your facts.  You are probably just a fem-n**i hating american.

Answer 5

I think your reading is the problem.

Answer 6

Here, read this if you can read properly. Otherwise go back to school.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/14/m...

Answer 7

he never said that

Answer 8

Maybe he was just up from a nap?

Answer 9

Can it be that he is an idiot?  That's my take.

Answer 10

It appears the only mistake here is your reading comprehension skills.

Answer 11

Yours is a loaded question.  It assumes a fact not in evidence.  He did not make any mistakes.

The US has had military in Germany since WWII.  No one is calling for troop removal from Germany.  There is no war in Germany.  Therefore, there are no war casualties in Germany.  The same applies to Japan, South Korea, Kuwait...  

The only place where left wing liberal loonies are calling for troop withdrawal is Iraq.  To my knowledge, the cowards in the US are not even calling for troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Answer 12

He did not, he mean USA is OK with occupying other countries as long is no USA dieing.

Answer 13

because he is keeping his eyes closed..his mind is closed to only what he believes..yo regerugg... we should have more troops in Afghanistan.. that's where 9/11 originated.. 9/11 came out of Afghanistan.. whats wrong with you people.. Iraq is about oil.. our priorities should be to get osama bin laden.. Saddam is dead...9/11 is not about iraq.. this whole thing started with the planes flying into 2 buildings killing thousands.. OSAMA BINLADEN!!!!!!!!  no one from IRAQ!!!!!!!

Answer 14

HE SIMPLY STATED THAT THOSE WHO ARE CLAMORING FOR US TO GET OUT OF IRAQ NOW DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM BECAUSE WE MAINTAIN BASES IN KOREA, GERMANY, JAPAN AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD!  LISTEN HE DID NO  SAID WE ARE NO RECEIVING CASUALTIES.  PERHAPS I SHOULD ALSO SAID THAT PERSONALLY DID NO HEAR WHAT HE SAID BUT JUDGING BY WHAT YOU WROTE THAT IS WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN

Answer 15

You are in the first grade. Right?

Answer 16

What he actually is saying is that Americans aren't opposed to having troops stationed overseas when they are not involved in combat.  There is no opposition to the overseas presence of US service members except in Iraq.