https://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2008/07/15/john-mccain-on-afghanistan/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usThu, 11 Jun 2026 07:50:02 -0400<![CDATA[John McCain laid out his strategic thinking in the War on Terror in an integrated way, examining in particular the link between the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. In describing the situation McCain extends the logic of the Iraq counterinsurgency effort and employs the framework of the &#8220;lessons learned&#8221; to the global campaign against Islamic extremism. One of the lessons of the Surge has been the need to create lasting security in one place before haring off in pursuit of mobile enemy forces. This was sometimes referred to in the media as the &#8220;ink spot&#8221; theory of counterinsurgency. McCain, in addressing overall strategy, warns that Obama&#8217;s plan to evacuate in Iraq in order to &#8220;get&#8221; Osama Bin Laden is precisely a repetition of the cardinal mistake of leaving an operation half-finished in order to begin a new one.]]>Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:01:51 -0400<![CDATA[Richard Fernandez]]>https://pjmedia.com/richard-fernandez/2008/07/15/john-mccain-on-afghanistan-n185757