McCain will not mock or belittle President Bush because he, unlike so many others, has repect for the OFFICE of President. Perhaps not the person in the office, but the office itself. President of the United States of America is an office, not a person. And I think McCain would be good for the country, maybe not the best, but good. It will be an interesting race on both sides in the coming years.

A. Young, Sheppard AFB, TX

McCain restates the obvious only now by speaking out against Rumsfeld when Rumsfeld is out of a Job, it does little good for our troops, and when McCain has Presidential aspirations. Too bad for our troops McCain could not find his voice and speak out against Rumsfeld 600 or 700 US Soldier deaths ago.

Arthur Adams, new York, NY

Senator McCain is right, of course. Early in the Iraq war Rummy threatened to fire anyone, including the most senior generals, who advocated planning for an extended occupation. Rummy thought US troops would be out in 6 months or so. Right until his departure he refused to employ the Army's established counter-insurgency tactics.

The real question for McCain is: Why did you wait so long to voice the truth openly.

William Bowen, SLC, UT

I'm struggling to reconcile the desire to overturn the abortion ruling with the desire to send even more troops to Iraq. Pro life unless you're over eighteen?

Nick, Wilmslow, Cheshire

Mc Cain has flip-flopped on many issues including abortion and illegal immigration. Washington needs more men who are outsiders to politics, who can demonstrate the need for a strong military and assertive foreign policy, yet sensitive to social problems at home such as immigration reform, health-care reform, NAFTA and our national debt. Why must we always choose between one or the other? Is there anybody who can address ALL these concerns at the same time?

Eric Thomson, Green Bay, Wisconsin

re: Mark
I agree with most of your assessment. I understand what you are saying about the lack of strategy. However, I am 100% sure the fault here lies with Bush Jr. and his sidekick Rummie. They had a complete lack of strategy from the get go and the results are what we have today.

Because things are so ugly and a complete mess, I think the majority of the world has overlooked one strategy that was denied from the beginning - a massive invasion force. While I agree with McCain about increasing the numbers, I feel even he is being far too conservative. While there are many facets to the current dilemma, I know without a doubt, the lack of one key element was a main source of the Bush/Rumsfeld incomptetency. Iraq needed to be disarmed and the coalition set up as the police force until a viable transition could take place. This required the 400K-500K numbers Shinseki initially asked for and was slammed.

If we continue to ignore this important point, then yes, we need to withdraw.

Tim, Minneapolis, MN

If President Bush and Co. are so in interested in pushing this war why don't they round up all their family members and send then off to fight in the middle east. it just make sense to have people who are most interested in killing other people should also have their necks on the line.

Michael Hudgins, Columbia, Tennessee

McCain is right - regardless of his personal/political motives for saying that Rumsfeld was the worst Secretary of Defense America has ever had. Until he came along and refused to listen to the military advice of the most experienced military leaders this country has had since WWII, Robert McNamara, who made the same errors of judgement during the Vietnam War, had been the worst. But Rumsfeld topped him in his hubris, refusal to adapt, and insistance on micromanaging the war personally.

McCain knew that had he attacked Rumsfeld while he still commmanded all US Forces in Iraq it would have been very demoralizing for our military leaders who were having enough trouble fighting that war with too few troops, too large a population to control, and with Rumsfeld's refusal to acknowledge that we were fighting an insurgency and not a conventional military force.

Dave Hughes, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

Odd, isn't it? When folk like me, opponents of the catastrophe in Iraq, argued that Donald Rumsfeld would cost America dearly (not to mention Iraq), the John McCains of this world castigated us. I feel almost sorry for the man as I watch him twist, turn and recant in hopeless pursuit of an elected office he'll never occupy.

Dougie, Sydney, Australia

"I'm sure he would have found the Secretary hard at work and maybe even in prayer, agonizing over every American loss in Iraq and Afghanistan in this war on terror"

Keep drinking the cool aid Bob...

F.S.SUMMERS, N.Y.,

Two obvious points. First, it's amazing to me that McCain now criticizes Rumsfeld so vociferously after (as the article intones) robustly supporting him for so long; talk about a flip-flopper. Secondly, and most importantly, such a devastating opinion of Rumsfeld is de facto the same opinion of Bush, who -- after all -- nominated Rumsfeld and then let him serve for 6+ years; Rumsfeld should have been fired in 2003, or 2004 at the latest. Don't expect McCain to criticize Bush any time soon, however. Just like South Carolina in 2000, he is quite a coward when it comes to confronting Bush, and would never do so now for fear of alienating the right-wing base. McCain will not get the GOP nomination for 2008, if you ask me -- mainly because he floats on the breeze far too often, just as he is here. Easy to kick a man when he's down (or out), Mr. McCain. Try criticizing the real "worst in history" ... that would be Mr. Bush.

Ian Van Hoven, New York, USA / NY

McCain bravely withstood 5 1/2 years of physical torture for his country, and this should not be open to mockery. He has never said he wishes to grant the rights and PRIVILEGES of citizenship to illegal immigrants. He wants to defend the border and create a legal path for foreign laborers to work in the United States. Illegal immigrants would have to leave and obtain a visa, or face deportation.

gjd, Philadelphia, PA

McCain is right! Mr. Rumsfeld was one of if not THE worst Defence Secretain the country has ever had. We will be paying for his and our Vice President's mistakes for decades.

Babette Whipple, Belmont, MA 02478 USA

It's so easy for men like Senator McCain to join the chorus of never-do-wells whose only praise is of them who slander and attack America on every front. It's obvious to me that Senator McCain never once visited the Secretarys office after working hours, had he done son, I'm sure he would have found the Secretary hard at work and maybe even in prayer, agonizing over every American loss in Iraq and Afghanistan in this war on terror.

It's very easy to join the mockers and scoffers but quiet another thing to step up to the firing line. But then McCain knows about surrender, doesn't he?

Thank God for men like Secretary Rumsfield who stepped up and never flinched when the tough got going.

Well Done Sectary Rumsfield, wish we had more men like you in the American Government, men like our President who do not flinch nor waver when ever he is being shot at , wheather it be the enemy from the front or "friends" from the back.

Well Senator McCain, you just lost this republican vote.

Bob Elliott, Waco, USA / Texas

I agree with Mr. McCain about Mr Dumbfelds. More I hear from Mr.McCain the better I like his politics. He may very well be our leader in 2008.

marvin sawtelle, lubec, maine

McCain is so busy pandering to every fringe Republican group that I am surprised that he is able to even put on his pants in the morning without checking to see which ring-wing theocratic-nut wants him to put them on differently. From a McCain supporter in 2000 to a person who views his principles as "for sale" to the person with the largest congregation, I think Mr. McCain's ship has sailed and he missed the boat. For McCain, the adage, "to thine own self be true" should apply, but....

Nick Wynne, Cocoa, Florida

So he's already making U-turns before he's elected? And we have to trust him after? How can you ever trust someone like him?

Robert, Brussels, Belgium

He's lucky, we are stuck with Blair.

Mike, Cornwall, UK.

Mr. McCain is incorrect to conjecture that additional troop strength will make an adequately positive difference in Iraq. Troops are not a strategy, they are a mechanism to invoke strategy, and lack of strategy, not troop strength, is the problem in Iraq today.

The only strategy that will work in Iraq is a strategy to separate the warring factions. Ethnic regions need to be defined and people evacuated. Whole new towns and cities need to be built in such areas, and will employ every person in Iraq. It is also an idea that the international community would more likely chip in on, as the focus would be humanitarian.

The areas between these ethnic regions could be patrolled by Allied forces, jointly with forces from the central Iraqi government.

Social integration will happen in the peace that subsequently follows the end of rampant murder we see in Iraq today. It will take time, perhaps 50 years or more, but it will never happen in the present environment.

mark, honolulu, hawaii

McCain simply wants the nomination so badly that he will give up the election to get it. He is sadly behind in reading the will of the people. He supports a war that almost no one else supports. He wants to overturn Roe v. Wade. The day of the neo-cons is over but he doesn't seem to know it. McCain is an honest man with a lot of integrity but he is selling his soul for the chance to run.

c. Kassebaum, Cottonwood, AZ

I suppose he's rational -- and right -- on immigration reform because he wants the Hispanic vote, even though being rational and right might not be the way to get it. On other issues -- abortion, torture -- he has shown himself to be a unconscionable political panderer. I guess that's what happens to people who want the backing of the good 'ol boys loitering around Hilton Head.

Alex Mac Donald, San Francisco, CA

Well he was not a military leader, he was a civilian leader of the military...as for McCain his days in the Hanoi Hilton have messed him up. Why else would he want illegals given the same rights and priviledges as US citizens?

S. Baker, Warren , MI USA