The Associated Press reported that he actually went on to say:
"As long as Americans are not being injured or harmed or wounded or killed, it's fine with me, and I hope it would be fine with you, if we maintain a presence in a very volatile part of the world where al-Qaida is training, recruiting, equipping and motivating people every single day."
The ad makes no distinction between sustained combat and other operations that require a much smaller US force footprint -- a training and advisory role comes to mind here. Here is the ad - you be the judge:
I agree with the RNC on this one.
Comments
The RNC is correct, this ad completely distorts what Senator McCain said. And, it's doubly false because neither Democratic candidate (as Abu Muqawama pointed out the other day), if elected, is going to immediately pull the plug on the war.
However, I have to say this is hardly the only distortion (from either side) that will come out of the campaign - a war during an election cycle means politics with wartime, and that's what's going to happen. To characterize every time either party lies through its teeth about Iraq, Afghanistan, or foreign policy in general would require a blog of its own; I don't feel this is SWJ noteworthy. My two cents.
Regards,
Matt