McCain vs Levin: 2 political knockouts

In an article on CNN Political Tinker, heavy-weight champ John "bomb'em like they did in Japan" McCain and underdog opponent Carl Levin (whom I don't know enough about to give a nickname to) go head to head on troops in Afghanistan.

The bell sounds with an alarmingly loud DING and the 2 hard hitters go at it! Levin's first punch glides off the Vaseline-covered face of McCain with his suggestion that the proper course in Afghanistan is to build up local troops with the strength and all around bandwidth to defend themselves before sending in more American troops.

McCain is unfazed and strikes back with an arrogant jab to the gut! At the Armed Service Committee meeting last week he commented,

“Despite our successes in Iraq and the hard won understanding we have gained about what it takes to defeat an insurgency,” McCain said on Capitol Hill last Tuesday, “it seems we now, regrettably, must have the same debate again today with respect to Afghanistan. In all due respect, Sen. Levin, I’ve seen that movie before.”

But Levin barely staggers, coming back with a jab that knocks the spit out of McCains Chops!

Levin told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King that the U.S. is seeing some success in Iraq because the military succeeded in winning over insurgents who had been attacking American soldiers and destabilizing Iraqi society. “That’s what we need to also do in Afghanistan. That is a very big difference," Levin said.

The crowd goes wild. Bets are cashed in, money is counted. The people are sure McCain is down for the count. But then Levin does the unexpected. He takes his gloves off and climbs up onto the corner of the ring to grab the microphone hovering above the ring.

"The U.S. military in Afghanistan is changing its strategy in dealing with the local population. Instead of just trying to attack the insurgents, we were protecting the population. That new strategy is now in place in Afghanistan. So, this is a very different movie from Iraq. They’re two very different places.”

There is an utterly alarming hush over the crowd. Each person stops exchanging the money they bet on political opponents, and stops for a moment to think about the people of Afghanistan instead of their impulsive and momentary greed. The American people are silent. The fight is won.


(The previous parable is not a portrait of my views on the 'war on terror', troops in Afghanistan, the belittling of McCain, or making Levin a martyr. It was a basic exercise in creativity, and in trying to get the point (someone's point) across....................................................................................................... DID IT WORK?)