John McCain

i here todai to discuss with you sever issu that worri you and most american __PUNCT__ our slump economi __PUNCT__ job_loss __PUNCT__ rise ga and food_price __PUNCT__ and what we need to do to get our economi_grow again __PUNCT__ creat_job and reduc our danger depend on foreign_oil __PUNCT__

but there is anoth urgent issu i want to address befor i take your question __PUNCT__ which i know concern you becaus brave american ar risk their live right now to deal with it __PUNCT__

over the last year __PUNCT__ senat_obama and i were part of a great debat about the war in iraq __PUNCT__

both of us agre the bush_administr had pursu a fail strategi there and that we had to chang cours __PUNCT__

where senat_obama and i disagre __PUNCT__ fundament __PUNCT__ wa what cours we should take __PUNCT__

i call for a comprehens new strategi __PUNCT__ a surg of troop and counterinsurg to win the war __PUNCT__

senat obama disagre __PUNCT__

he oppos the surg __PUNCT__ predict it would increas sectarian_violenc __PUNCT__ and call for our troop to retreat as quickli as possibl __PUNCT__

todai we know senat_obama wa wrong __PUNCT__

the surg ha succeed __PUNCT__

and becaus of it success __PUNCT__ the next presid will inherit a situat in iraq in which america enemi ar on the run __PUNCT__ and our soldier ar begin to come home __PUNCT__

senat obama is depart soon on a trip abroad that will includ a fact __PUNCT__ find mission to iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__

and i note that he is speak todai about hi plan for iraq and afghanistan befor he ha even left __PUNCT__ befor he ha talk to gener_petraeu __PUNCT__ befor he ha seen the progress in iraq __PUNCT__ and befor he ha set_foot in afghanistan for the first time __PUNCT__

in my experi __PUNCT__ fact __PUNCT__ find mission usual work best the other wai around __PUNCT__ first you assess the fact on the ground __PUNCT__ then you present a new strategi __PUNCT__

although the situat in iraq is much improv __PUNCT__ anoth test await whoever win thi elect __PUNCT__ the war in afghanistan __PUNCT__

the statu_quo is not accept __PUNCT__

secur in afghanistan ha deterior __PUNCT__ and our enemi ar on the offens __PUNCT__

from the moment the next presid walk into the oval_offic __PUNCT__ he will face critic decis about afghanistan __PUNCT__

senat_obama will tell you we can't win in afghanistan without lose in iraq __PUNCT__

in fact __PUNCT__ he ha it exactli backward __PUNCT__

it is precis the success of the surg in iraq that show us the wai to succe in afghanistan __PUNCT__

it is by appli the tri and true principl of counter __PUNCT__ insurg us in the surg __PUNCT__ which senat obama oppos __PUNCT__ that we will win in afghanistan __PUNCT__

with the right strategi and the right forc __PUNCT__ we can succe in both iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__

i know how to win_war __PUNCT__

and if i elect_presid __PUNCT__ i will turn around the war in afghanistan __PUNCT__ just as we have turn around the war in iraq __PUNCT__ with a comprehens strategi for victori __PUNCT__

that strategi will have sever compon __PUNCT__

our command on the ground in afghanistan sai that thei need at least three addit brigad __PUNCT__

thank to the success of the surg __PUNCT__ these forc ar becom avail __PUNCT__ and our command in afghanistan must get them __PUNCT__

but send more forc __PUNCT__ by itself __PUNCT__ is not enough to prevail __PUNCT__

in the __NUM___month that senat_obama ha been campaign for the presid __PUNCT__ the number of nato_forc in afghanistan ha alreadi almost doubl __PUNCT__ from __NUM__ in __DATE__ to about __NUM___todai __PUNCT__

yet secur ha still deterior __PUNCT__

what we need in afghanistan is exactli what gen __PUNCT__ petraeu brought to iraq __PUNCT__ a nationwid civil __PUNCT__ militari_campaign plan that is focus on provid secur for the popul __PUNCT__

todai no such integr plan exist __PUNCT__

when i am command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ it will __PUNCT__

there ar __PUNCT__ of cours __PUNCT__ mani differ between afghanistan and iraq __PUNCT__ which ani plan must account for __PUNCT__

but __PUNCT__ as in iraq __PUNCT__ the center of graviti is the secur of the popul __PUNCT__

the good new is that our soldier have begun to appli the lesson of iraq to afghanistan __PUNCT__ especi in eastern afghanistan __PUNCT__ where u. __PUNCT__ forc ar concentr __PUNCT__

these effort __PUNCT__ howev __PUNCT__ ar too piecem __PUNCT__ the work of innov local command __PUNCT__ rather than a strategi for the entir countri __PUNCT__

in particular __PUNCT__ the u. __PUNCT__ need to reengag deeper in southern afghanistan __PUNCT__ the taliban heartland __PUNCT__

on of the reason there is no comprehens campaign plan for afghanistan is becaus we have violat on of the cardin rule of ani militari_oper __PUNCT__ uniti of command __PUNCT__

todai there ar no less than three differ american_militari combat command oper in afghanistan __PUNCT__ as well as nato __PUNCT__ some of whose member have nation restrict on where their troop can go and what thei can do __PUNCT__

thi is no wai to run a war __PUNCT__

the top command in afghanistan need to be just that __PUNCT__ the suprem command of all coalit_forc __PUNCT__

as command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ i will work with our alli to ensur uniti of command __PUNCT__

a success counterinsurg requir more than militari_forc __PUNCT__

it requir all instrument of our nation power __PUNCT__ and that militari and civilian leader work togeth __PUNCT__ at all level __PUNCT__ under a joint plan __PUNCT__

too often in afghanistan thi is not happen __PUNCT__

and we need to build the same_kind of civil __PUNCT__ militari partnership that gen __PUNCT__ petraeu and amb __PUNCT__

crocker have forg in iraq __PUNCT__ support by the best talent in the u. __PUNCT__ govern and the resourc necessari to prevail __PUNCT__

uniti of command is also a principl i will bring to washington __PUNCT__

too often __PUNCT__ even as american_soldier and diplomat cooper in the field __PUNCT__ their superior back_home have been squabbl __PUNCT__

last year __PUNCT__ the bush_administr appoint a war czar __PUNCT__ respons for both iraq and afghanistan __PUNCT__

thi wa a step in the right direct __PUNCT__

but afghanistan is suffici import that a separ afghanistan czar is need __PUNCT__

i will appoint a highli __PUNCT__ respect nation_secur lea der __PUNCT__ base in the white_hous and report directli to the presid __PUNCT__ whose sole mission will be to ensur we bring the war in afghanistan to a success end __PUNCT__

everyon know the unit_state increas the number of it soldier in iraq last year __PUNCT__

what less well known is that the iraqi surg with us __PUNCT__ ad over __NUM__ secur_forc to their rank __PUNCT__

it time for the afghan to do the same __PUNCT__

the afghan armi is alreadi a great_success success_stori __PUNCT__ a multiethn __PUNCT__ battl __PUNCT__ test fight forc __PUNCT__

the problem is __PUNCT__ it too small __PUNCT__ with a project strength of onli __NUM___troop __PUNCT__

for year __PUNCT__ the afghan have been tell us thei need a bigger armi __PUNCT__ and thei ar right __PUNCT__

we need to at least doubl the size of the afghan armi to __NUM__ troop __PUNCT__

the cost of thi increas __PUNCT__ howev __PUNCT__ should not be born by american_taxpay alon __PUNCT__

insecur in afghanistan is the world problem __PUNCT__ and the world should share the cost __PUNCT__

we must work with our alli to establish an intern trust_fund to provid long __PUNCT__ term financ for the afghan armi __PUNCT__

we also need to increas our non __PUNCT__ militari assist to the afghan_govern __PUNCT__ with a multi __PUNCT__ front plan for strengthen it institut __PUNCT__ the rule of law __PUNCT__ and the economi in order to provid a sustain altern to the drug_trade __PUNCT__

get control of narcot traffick is central to our effort in afghanistan __PUNCT__

altern crop must be abl to get to market and traffick must be arrest and prosecut by enhanc special court __PUNCT__

we should agre on specif govern and develop benchmark with the afghan_govern __PUNCT__ then work with them close to ensur thei ar met __PUNCT__

just as we have work over the past___NUM__ __NUM___month to stabil iraq by bring togeth it neighbor __PUNCT__ thi kind of diplomaci is just as import for afghanistan __PUNCT__

the violenc there ha mani caus __PUNCT__ but chief among them is the fact that afghanistan is treat by some region power a chessboard on which to pursu their own ambit __PUNCT__

i will appoint a special presidenti envoi to address disput between afghanistan and it neighbor __PUNCT__

our goal must be to turn afghanistan from a theater for region rivalri into a common for region cooper __PUNCT__

a special focu of our region strategi must be pakistan __PUNCT__ where terrorist todai enjoi sanctuari __PUNCT__

thi must end __PUNCT__

we must strengthen local tribe in the border area who ar will to fight the foreign terrorist there __PUNCT__ the strategi us successfulli in anbar and elsewher in iraq __PUNCT__

we must convinc pakistani that thi is their war as much as it is our __PUNCT__

and we must empow the new civilian_govern of pakistan to defeat radic with greater support for develop __PUNCT__ health __PUNCT__ and educ __PUNCT__

senat_obama ha spoken in public about take unilater militari_action in pakistan __PUNCT__

in try to sound tough __PUNCT__ he ha made it harder for the peopl whose support we most need to provid it __PUNCT__

i will not bluster __PUNCT__ and i will not make idl threat __PUNCT__

but understand thi __PUNCT__ when i am command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief __PUNCT__ there will be nowher the terrorist can run __PUNCT__ and nowher thei can hide __PUNCT__

in wartim __PUNCT__ judgment and experi matter __PUNCT__

in a time of war __PUNCT__ the command __PUNCT__ in __PUNCT__ chief doesn't get a learn curv __PUNCT__

if i have that privileg __PUNCT__ i will bring to the job mani year of militari and polit_experi __PUNCT__ experi that gave me the judgment necessari to make the right call in iraq a year and half ago __PUNCT__

i support the surg becaus i believ it wa our onli realist chanc to revers the disast our previou strategi had caus __PUNCT__ and the right thing to do for our countri __PUNCT__

and although event have proven me right __PUNCT__ my posit wasn't popular at the time __PUNCT__ and i risk my own polit ambit when i took it __PUNCT__

when i tell you __PUNCT__ i will put our countri interest __PUNCT__ your interest __PUNCT__ befor parti __PUNCT__ befor ani special_interest __PUNCT__ befor my own interest __PUNCT__ everi hour of everi dai i in offic __PUNCT__ you can believ me __PUNCT__

becaus for my entir adult_life __PUNCT__ in war and peac __PUNCT__ noth ha ever been more import to me than the se curiti and well __PUNCT__ be of the countri i love __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__