When politics reality

A question for consideration: Is McCain getting a free ride on his criticism of Obama with regards to the surge?

The surge came at the same time as a significant change in both tactics and strategy. The previous tactics and strategy had actually been creating insurgents and discontent -- as happens when you sweep up every single fighting-age male and put them in jail without consideration as to whether they're actually guilty, and then treat them as such in subpar prisons without legal representation that would allow them to question their consideration. (See, for example, the book "Fiasco" for how badly this backfired.)

Is violence down in Iraq? Absolutely, and that's to be celebrated and praised. Is it due to the surge or the change in leadership, tactics and strategy? I don't know if that question's been addressed. McCain's attacking Obama as being opposed to the surge, which he was; but McCain also got to say Iraq would be a walkthrough.