McCain Campaign Needs A Clue About ANWR

Need proof that the McCain campaign is misleading their candidate? The place where the drilling would be looks nothing like the Grand Canyon or the Everglades as even John McCain himself would see, if he had a clue. Here he is making a complete fool of himself at a town hall-style meeting Wednesday at Missouri State University in Springfield. McCain said . . .

I’ll be glad to review over time in light of changing world events on any issue. But I also believe that the ANWR is a pristine place and if they found oil in the Grand Canyon, I don’t think I’d drill in the Grand Canyon.

McCain says that if the people in Louisiana want to drill off of their shore, that’s fine. And if the people of Florida want to do that too, that’s also fine. Well, the people in Alaska want to drill in ANWR. OOPS! Now it’s not fine?

Some things are worth repeating, and debunking the myths about ANWR is one of them. The media and the environmentalists will show you the prettiest pictures of the reserve, then actually tell you that this is where BIG OIL wants to drill.

This is the coastal plain, the place designated for oil exploration. ANWR Coastal Plain

And this is the coastal plain in the spring.

Coastal Plain in ANWR

And this is representative of pictures that the media and environmentalists will show you and why we need to save the planet. This also appears to be Sen. McCain’s view as well.

ANWR protected wilderness

Somebody ought to physically take John McCain to ANWR. Then I’d be interested to see if the added information would be enough for him re-consider his position on not drilling there.

So what does that say for Sen. McCain’s, I don’t know, judgement?, inquisitiveness?, malleability?

related links: NYT blog | McCain on YouTube video | What ANWR Really Looks Like video

Iraq's Timetable Is More Table Than Time

Good news. Iraq is finally in the position to look toward taking over complete control of their country, and us out.

In politics, nothing happens by accident. Although the last of the five Army brigades that made up the surge will be leaving this month, political solutions still need to happen. 15 of 18 goals set forth last year have been met.

The widely publicized, and misrepresented, ‘timetable’ is a lesson in political maneuvering. PM al-Maliki has some coalition building of his own to undertake. Bringing together all the political parts to unify the country is required. Talk of a timetable, it is hoped, will facilitate that. The real timetable isn’t based on the calendar. According to his national security adviser, Mouwaffak al-Rubaie, it is based on the ability of Iraqi forces to provide security, which is in agreement with the Bush administration, not against it.

It is the media’s interpretation of a TIMEtable that the administration is against. Not Iraq’s.

related links:Iraqi security better; governance falling short | Iraq raises idea of timetable for US withdrawal