Experience vs. opportunism

The contrast between Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama on Middle Eastern policy could not be starker. On one hand, we have a candidate who visited the region only twice in his brief senatorial career-spent mostly running for president-and who is notorious for suggesting a foreign policy strategy to invade our allies and having direct presidential-level talks with our adversaries. On the other, we have a distinguished war hero who visited Iraq eight times since 2003 and stood up against failed policies of the Bush Administration-with the intent to improve American foreign policy, not to simply have his comments serve as politically-advantageous criticism.

In fact, McCain has challenged his own party on the mishandling of the Iraq war, the need for a new strategy and an issue of personal importance to McCain: torture. McCain supported Gen. David Petraeus's successful "surge" strategy at a time when it was politically unpopular and risky to do so. He took these actions because he knew they were right, regardless of their political implications. Isn't that what we want when we talk about "change" in Washington politics-someone who has the judgment and experience to fight his own party and the partisanship that plagues government, not to score political points but to protect the interests of the American people?

McCain knows about fighting for the American people. He knows about the damage caused by a lost war on our troops and on our security. McCain will end the Iraq war, but he will do it on our terms, with honor and with victory. McCain will pressure Iran and Syria to end their dangerous support for insurgent violence in Iraq. He will protect our allies in the region, including Israel, by ensuring Iran does not develop the nuclear technology needed to acquire weapons. McCain will employ the successful "surge" strategy with necessary modifications in Afghanistan to respond to the changing front on the War on Terror due to incredible strides in securing Iraq.

Even after visiting Iraq and witnessing these tremendous security gains, Obama will not admit that the strategy was a success. He's more concerned about criticizing the past than leading the country. Maybe it was this utter lack of understanding that prompted his own vice presidential choice Sen.Joe Biden in an August 2007 debate to declare Obama unready for the presidency.

Jake Bullock is a Trinity sophomore. He is a vice chair of the Duke College Republicans.