Op-Ed: First Overseas Gaffe Goes To?

Over the past few years we have come to expect McCain's errors on geography, culture, and history when it doesn't pertain to the United States. Of all the weeks to make a verbal gaffe, this sure wasn't it. McCain has been assailing Barack Obama since he set out on his overseas trip, a tour which includes the Middle East and Afghanistan. McCain has claimed foreign policy and national security are his area of expertise; however, his recent gaffes have become more noticeable. For example, two surrogates have had to correct him mid sentence on subjects concerning terrorism, Middle Eastern culture, and African foreign events. But this one has to sting a little more. McCain has claimed to be the expert on Iraq, despite the fact that he praised the war effort in 2003, 2004, and 2005, and then criticized it as a failed strategy. Apparently, when McCain was corrected he whipped out a special map, link and picture are included, as well as video of his gaffe.

As Barack Obama began his trip to the Middle East and Europe, the media was already speculating about the possibility of a gaffe. Obama's travel "carries political risk," the New York Times reported, "particularly if Mr. Obama makes a mistake."

But the only foreign policy error made in the last few days came this morning on ABC's Good Morning America, when John McCain made ANOTHER geography gaffe while trying to criticize Obama's visit to Iraq. (Just last week, McCain repeatedly referred to Czechoslovakia, a country that hasn't existed since 1993.)

Asked by Diane Sawyer whether the "the situation in Afghanistan in precarious and urgent," McCain responded: "I think it's serious. . . . It's a serious situation, but there's a lot of things we need to do. We have a lot of work to do and I'm afraid it's a very hard struggle, particularly given the situation on the Iraq/Pakistan border."

But as ABC's Rick Klein noted: "Iraq and Pakistan do not share a border. Afghanistan and Pakistan do."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/21/mccain-owns-first-
foreign_n_114013.html
http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/07/the_
iraqpakistan_border.php