McCain visits Brown and Cameron

Senator John McCain is in London today and has met Prime Minister Gordon Brown (above) and Tory leader David Cameron.

Speaking outside Downing Street, Senator McCain praised the "unique relationship" between Britain and America and thanked the British armed forces for their long and dedicated service in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He said that he was a "great admirer" of Gordon Brown and singled out what he said was the Prime Minister's leadership on climate change and Africa.  The US Senator said that he was "confident" that, as President, he could persuade China and India to join a comprehensive agreement that would tackle global warming.

He told British reporters that the surge of troops into Iraq was working and that America must finish the job of creating a "functioning democracy" in the nation even if that functioning wasn't very effective.  Withdrawal now, he warned, would mean victory for al-Qaeda, chaos in Iraq and further sacrifice for Americans in years to come.

Gordon Brown presented Senator McCain with a signed copy of historian Martin Gilbert's Second World War.

Senator McCain then went on to a meeting with David Cameron.  David Cameron and John McCain have much in common - both emphasising a greener, more civil libertarian and more fiscally conservative politics.  They differ on the war in Iraq.  Mr Cameron has never spoken up in favour of the surge of troops into Iraq - preferring the Baker-Hamilton approach.  After their meeting Mr Cameron issued the following statement:

“It was a fascinating and very productive meeting which covered a wide range of subjects including Iran, Iraq, the global economy and climate change.  Our conversation centred on Afghanistan where the Senator praised the incredible work being carried out by British troops.  We also discussed the need for greater co-ordination among the military and various authorities there.  The Senator and I also spent time discussing our shared interests and how we can broaden the appeal of moderate Conservatism.”

***
From left to right below: Dr Liam Fox, Shadow Defence Secretary; Senator Lindsey Graham; Senator Joe Lieberman; Senator John McCain; David Cameron; William Hague, Shadow Foreign Secretary; George Osborne, Shadow Chancellor; Michael Howard, previous Tory leader.

Comments

[David (One of many)]

Anyone else struck by the obvious unease and strain in the first photo, compared with the more relaxed (if still annoyingly stage-managed) mood of the second?

[Sammy Finn]

Good point David. The bottom photo does look much happier.

[Donal Blaney]

Liberman in a McCain cabinet..?

[Baskerville]

Lieberman as his running mate?

[bexie]

I am sure a Fiscally Conservative, Socially Libertarian would be very uneasy in the company of a peculiar marxist like "Trouser's" Brown

I am pleased that he is reengaging the Republicans with the Conservatives here.

[Edison Smith]

I am pleased that he is reengaging the Republicans with the Conservatives here.

It's because he knows from 2010 it'll be Cameron he'll be dealing with, not Brown.

[Tony Makara]

It is unfair for McCain and Bush to equate the US presence in Iraq as being vital in defeating Al-Qaeda when it was the US presence in Iraq that brought the Al-Qaeda prsence in Iraq in the first place.

I hope Mr Cameron and Mr Hague will show exhibit a healthy degree of independent thinking over future policy towards Iran. As we know from the Bush/Blair years its all too easy for a British prime minister to be too deferential to a US president.

[Dontmakemelaugh]

We must hope that McCain becomes the next president. He understands that the Western civilization has to be defended vigorously if it is to survive. Anyone fancy leaving it to the BBC?

[blooming obvious]

McCain look bored on the the photo on the main CH page. Keep in mind that Tim has chosen these screen shots with care.

Obbourne looks like a teenage gilr meeting a pop star.

[Jim Mcleod]

Anyone else struck by the obvious unease and strain in the first photo, compared with the more relaxed (if still annoyingly stage-managed) mood of the second?
David (One of many) | March 20, 2008 at 11:58

Stage managed that is for sure and probably airbrushed.

He said that he was a "great admirer" of Gordon Brown and singled out what he said was the Prime Minister's leadership on climate change and Africa.

Notice he did not say the same about "Sunshine Davey"
How much airbrushing was done on the bottom picture?
Do you actually all believe Mc Cain takes the Tory PR man serious?

[Andrew Woodman]

Jim Mcleod, He must think something of Cameron to come to the Tory conference a couple of years ago. He obviously got the worse trip over first to come and meet his conservative partners who he will be dealing with in a couple of years.

Interesting how Brown deals with him alone and we have several senior people to meet him. Shows again what a one man band he is. And he needs a haircut.

[submandave]

It is my impression that the "obvious unease and strain in the first photo" is due in no small part to the fact that it is apparently a screen capture of a video (i.e. poor quality) and also that the Sen. and PM appear to be focussed toward a different camera.

As for the conventional wisdom that "it was the US presence in Iraq that brought the Al-Qaeda prsence (sic) in Iraq in the first place," it would probably be more accurate to say that it was the power vacuum created by the removal of Saddam that actually drew al-Qaeda. It is also, in its soundbite simplicity, tends to ignore the pre-existing support and presence of groups like Ansar al-Islam that had already been aligned in common cause. The fact is that Saddam's Iraq was a cancer in the region that would have continuially been a factor and potential threat in any anti-terrorism efforts (diplomatic, economic or military) that may have been called for and the world is well rid of the Ba'athist blight.

[Jim Mcleod]

And he needs a haircut.
He does not dye it though, does Dave and what about the bald patch Davey keeps altering his parting to cover up?

As for the Conservative party conference, Cameron et-al invited him so it was not of his own volition.
Clinton came to the Labour party conference and he was a President elected twice over not a would be.
Mc Cain is not going to win the Presidency he is too old and past his sell by date!
They have had one senile President in Reagan I do not think they will vote another in.

[David (One of many)]

Jim Mcleod - bored at Labour HQ are you?

McCain has praised Cameron on many, many occasions and as Andrew rightly said, attended the Conservative conference.

And I'm pretty darn sure those are live TV pictures, so they can't be airbrushed. Shame, they could have done something about Gordon's pasty face and saggy jaw.

[section9]

Well, Gordon does appear to want to kick us to the curb, doesn't he?

He'll be out on his keister if present polling trends hold true. Britain appears to be ready to give the Young Lad a turn at the helm.

Cameron and McCain appear to get on well.

[Tony Makara]

"The fact is that Saddam's Iraq was a cancer in the region that would have continuially(sic) been a factor and potential threat in any anti-terrorism efforts"

Submandave, according to a pentagon report:

"is based on the analysis of some 600,000 official Iraqi documents seized by US forces after the invasion. It is also based on thousands of hours of interrogations of former top officials in Saddam's government who are now in U.S. custody. The headline: "This study found no 'smoking gun', direct connection, between Saddam's Iraq and al Qaeda."

[Rachel Joyce]

Whilst McCain was being frosty with Mr Brown, I was warm as toast waiting outside with Syed Kamall MEP, waiting to hand in our Referendum petitions which had a very warm response from the public -
http://racheljoyce.blogspot.com/2008/03/trip-to-number-10.html

[Rob]

This may explain some perceived physical stiffness in John McCain's demeanor.

[willis]

"It is unfair for McCain and Bush to equate the US presence in Iraq as being vital in defeating Al-Qaeda when it was the US presence in Iraq that brought the Al-Qaeda prsence in Iraq in the first place.

I hope Mr Cameron and Mr Hague will show exhibit a healthy degree of independent thinking over future policy towards Iran. As we know from the Bush/Blair years its all too easy for a British prime minister to be too deferential to a US president."

And what US presence brought the bastards over her to murder 3,000 of us in our own land. As for being too deferential, you are so concerned about that when your're under attack. Unless of course, you belong to the Neville Chamberlain crowd.

[Buckinghamshire Tory]

Indeed, John McCain is the best possible presidential candidate at this point. He is a principled Conservative, and knows how to deal with the enemies confronting us.
Good of Cameron to renew the vital relationship between Britain and the US, and the relationship between the Tories and the Republicans.

[ke_future]

section9, that is a simplist assessment of the situation in Saddam's Iraq. You know, the Iraq where senior members of terrorist organizations were able to get medical care in state hospitals? where the families of suicide bombers were paid US$25,000, and where Saddam had initiated 2 wars with his neighbors from? was there a direct operational link between Saddam and Al'Quaida? No, and I don't think any is arguing that there was. Was there contact between the two, and some tacit level of support? I think it would be hard to argue that there wasn't.

[Tony Makara]

Willis, The NeoCon's have to admit openly that they were completely wrong over Iraq, look at they mess their adventurism has created. You mock Neville Chamberlain but at least he tried to avoid a major conflict which he knew would cost millions of lives, Mr Bush and Mr Blair on the otherhand were only too quick to start the killing. The people who carried out the 9/11 atrocity were tiny in number, and did not hail from Iraq. Any well organized terrorist cell could carry out a 9/11 type attack, or an even more lethal mass-killing. As such They wouldn't need to be based in Iraq or Iran etc to do it.

[Jim Mcleod]

And I'm pretty darn sure those are live TV pictures, so they can't be airbrushed.

You'll believe anything.
Wake up smell the roses at the moment your nose is too near your rear end.

[Astor P]

McCain will be the next president. People are finally realizing that Obama is total fraud, and he is falling like a rock in the latest polls. Of course Hillary is despised by most Americans. So expect a landslide of Reaganesque proportions.

[China]

Why would China care about "global warming"? With record cold spells this year across China, we prefer a little bit warmer climate and love our economic growth rate!

[Ray]

Don't read too much into the first photograph. McCain has a wartime injury that restricts the range of movement on his arms, which means that his body language can look more awkward than he feels in certain shots.

[Roy Mustang]

Posted by: David "Anyone else struck by the obvious unease and strain in the first photo"

It's just the sexual tension. Don't read too much into it.

Posted by: Edison Smith "It is unfair for McCain and Bush to equate the US presence in Iraq as being vital in defeating Al-Qaeda when it was the US presence in Iraq that brought the Al-Qaeda prsence in Iraq in the first place."

While it is certainly true Al-Qaeda the Democracy Party in Iraq, you phrase it like the US invited Al-Qaeda into Iraq.
In any case, Zarqawi was in Iraq before the invasion. Saddam offered sanctury to Osama Bin Laden and gave sanctury to a major Al-Qaeda agent named Ramzi Yousef.

[David (One of many)]

For the record - I meant the half-grins, not the body language. I'm aware of McCain's war injuries.

And Jim, if someone is into airbrushing, it's the PM who needs it - not Cameron.

[Northernhousewife]

Jim Mcleod
Have you any idea how sad and desperate your 'musings' on here look?
I wouldn't dream of 'investing' so much time barracking on Labourhome, especially with such infantile comments. It's just not worth it.
Don't mistake me. We like abit of quality banter on here, but you need to raise your game from the 'back of the class' commentary.

Ray, I see, its disability that makes his jaw clamp with Gordon. Clearly the 'laughing' with the Tories is actually grimacing with pain.

[Peregine]

IRONY

From an article in the 2/25 issue of The New Yorker entitled "Big Foot" that discusses carbon footprints.

"The best known climate-change bill now before the Congress, which would manage capping carbon limits, was written by Senator Joseph Lieberman.
Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama and John McCain are co-sponsors.

[peter jackson]

What never seems to mentioned in all the naysaying about the Iraq war concerning past ties between Iraq and Al Queda is what Hitchens referred to as "the Uday and Qasay Show," which had already commenced in 2003, and, given their ages, would have easily lasted 30 years or so. An honest reading the AUMF passed by Congress reveals that this war was never about the past, but was rather about avoiding a particular future. Is there any rational person who believes that a future cooperation between AQ and Uday and Qasay was so unlikely as to justify indifference? When one faces a proven weapons developer and a proven weapons delivery system from the same neighborhood whose potential future cooperation would prove utterly devastating, prudence dictates the attempted elimination of both, because the price and likelihood of failure in any effort to remove only one is too high.

[Kevin O'Brien]

Don't read too much into the presence of Lieberman. It is a peculiarity of US Congressional travel regulations that, for the government and not the political party to pick up the cost of travel, both parties have to be represented.

So, when liberal Democrats travel abroad they bring, sometimes, the least conservative Republican they can find, such as Chuck Hagel; and conservative Republicans seek out their least liberal opposite numbers.

Of course, office holders of both parties generally get along very well, without regard to political labels. They have more in common with each other than with the rank and file of their respective parties.

[Math_Mage]

"is based on the analysis of some 600,000 official Iraqi documents seized by US forces after the invasion. It is also based on thousands of hours of interrogations of former top officials in Saddam's government who are now in U.S. custody. The headline: "This study found no 'smoking gun', direct connection, between Saddam's Iraq and al Qaeda."

Tony, this is from before the report was actually released. Here is an analysis from AFTER the report was released. Saddam had multiple ties with AQ and the terrorist pool it worked with.

As for your comment about Neville Chamberlain's good intentions, we know where that road goes, and Hitler himself admitted that any resistance to the Rhineland remilitarization would have owned his face. So I really don't see what your point is there.

[Steve R]

Why is Jimmy Carter standing beside McCain?

[Anon]

I agree with Tony Makara. The world would be in much better shape if Saddam were still in power; he brought stability to the region and his secular regime was a bullwark against an islamist Iran.

Also, we have created more terrorists.

Also, AQ never had any operational relationship with Saddam Hussein and they hated each other.

Also, this democracy thing in the Middle East is a waste of time and energy.

*Did I hit all

[Dontmakemelaugh]

Did I hit all

Posted by: Anon | March 21, 2008 at 15:34

Answer: NO only your foot.

[mamapajamas]

Tony, re: "It is unfair for McCain and Bush to equate the US presence in Iraq as being vital in defeating Al-Qaeda when it was the US presence in Iraq that brought the Al-Qaeda prsence in Iraq in the first place. "

Al Qaeda has been in Iraq since the '90s. Zarqawi brought them there under the name "Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad", and in 2004 simply took off his mask and changed the group name to Al Qaeda in Iraq. He did this with a great deal of news media noise about "joining Al Qaeda" when he had already been traced back as a cohort of bin Laden years back.

Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad was ALWAYS Al Qaeda, and was ALWAYS more than 80% foreigners in Iraq. A rose by any other name...