Obama is right , we never should of went there.

Respect seems to be missing from Senator McCain this evening. He keeps saying "Senator Obama doesn't understand…" It seems to me McCain is just trying to get people to think he's smarter.

Political baiting, when it come to thedeath of the troops

Victory will be found in Afganistan, NOT IRAQ.

Obama is the man - he shows much more understanding of issues than MacCain . McCain keeps saying that he went ot Pakistan and he went to Afghanistan and he went to Russia as if watching Baluchistan from the safe distance of a helicopter or a diplomatic party is the same as understating issues. It was naive of McCain to see that when Musharraf staged a coup d'etat Pakistan was a failing State - it is after money was pumped into Musharraf that Pakistan became a failed State.

Wish someone would define "victory" in Iraq — thousands of civilians killed — religious factions fighting with each other??

Sen MacCain did not tell how long it take to make peace in Iraq. It is take 100 years to spent $10 bill. per month than it's a simple math. How much money we need to borrow from China and other international countries to do a war that we all proud of?

McCain stated the soilders told him let us stay and win…
Why does he continue to make this stuff up….
I am very close to Military friends and family that have been deployed one or more times…and they are ready to come home…

Yes, they feel awful they have lost their fellow soilder friends…but they are tired…they feel lied too. We went to war and our government put them in a bad situation.

Bring our troops home…McCain stop making things up just to look and sound good.

John keeps twisting Obama's words

I don't trust mccain

McCain is stuck in the past. After Vietnam, people did not honor the sacrifice of our soldiers….NO ONE is saying that now, but we should NEVER have gone there in the first place!!! We should NEVER have needed a surge, we need to get out!!!!!!

McCain might score easy points by saying we should "win" the war before leaving, but what the heck does "winning" mean? Since the reasons we went to war weren't true, how can we know what winning is? Obama is right that we should disengage and put our resources to work on true problems.

Do we want two mavericks in there getting even more of our kids killed?

Maverick - uncontrollable, unpredictable, reckless

No McCain

Thank Mccain for opening American eyes . John Mccain doesn't care about nobody but himself , if we elected him more American lives will be taken! And btw Mccain my son didnt die in vein!. Before dying I received a long letter telling how desperate he and his friends were to come home! He was weighted his support on Obama!!! We want our soldiers back!!!

Indeed it is painful, but it highly germane to the situation the American people face as they ship their sons and daughters out each time they have been stop-lossed in this ill-advised occupation.

McCain thinks that he can simply warm our hearts about the time that he's spent with troops…hogwash! I want to hear substance. I love when Obama said, 'I have a bracelet too!'. The question isn't who supports the troops get it together John.

Like Senator Obama said…..The Iraq War started in 2003…… not in 2007 with the surge.!! Senator Obama has been against the war from day 1……We weren't attacked on 9/11 by Saddam Hussein and Iraq…PERIOD!!

It seems painfully obvious to me that John McCain has lost it. Instead of saying anything of substance, all he can say is "I was in Irag", or "I was in Georgia" instead of giving a meaningful succinct, to the point answer.
How many times has he said "…..out of control". Obama is the winner IMHO. The most presidential.

McCain tried to use the death of 4000 men and women to justify staying in a country that the US should not have invaded. Another reason not to vote for him.

McCain is right we must stay for a Victory we don't want our future young children have to go back and die! I don't really understand were Obama has lived in the past 8years?? On the moon?? Because he trying to imply that the democrats had nothing to do with the War?? Maybe if Cnn New would play back 4 months ago News when he was trashing Sen. Clinton for voting yes to go War!! The fact Mr.Obama is that no one can go War unless the Congress all vote on it?? No one in American is more Vain then the Shameless Obama. Were still for McCain!!!

The key question is judgement "why did we go to Iraq,when in fact it had no WMD?" Sen McCain showed real poor judgement that has cost
(1) more than 4000 American deaths,
(2) about a trillion dollars of the tax payers money (if we had that amount we would not be in this economic mess)
(3) distraction from Afghanistan (the actual fron on war on terrorism)
(4) disrespect for america in the rest of the world

Sen Obama warned us not to go into Iraq, but to instead focus our efforts on Afghanistan

By the way, the republicans are definitely desperate!

Bring our troops home. They have done what they were asked. They are the heroes. McCain and Bush should be tossed in jail for sending our troops into a war with no WMD's!

Obama is the man - he shows much more understanding of issues than MacCain . McCain keeps saying tha the went ot Pakistna a d he went to Afghanistan and he went to Russia as if wathicn Baluchistan form the safe distance of a helicopter or a diplomatic party si the same as understating issues. It wa sridiculous of McCain to see that when Musharraf staged a coup d'etat Pakistan was a failing State - it is after th money pumped into Musharraf that Pakistan has become a failed State.

I'm wondering if McCain feels like his POW experience was in vain. We didn't win in Vietnam. What is worse, admitting defeat with some honorable loss, or declaring victory at all costs? We kept throwing money and troops at Vietnam and still lost. How can we expect that more money and more troops in Iraq will result in a different outcome? I'm not sure that Senator McCain can objectively consider all responsibilities in Iraq. This is like a forlorn lover scraping at scabs.

McCain was not saying that…he was saying what soldiers and soldiers families feel. I am a veteran…I can relate…I do not think Obama has a clue about the military.

Obama is right "No American soldier dies in vain" - Pamela

I have always gone to a potential enemy or anyone threating me to see if we are going to war or if we can quiet the storm. Without talks, we would have always been on the defense, causing many more problems and unrest. We have to talk in order to see where each other stands. I do not want a President who is a story teller at best. Obama is the man. Can someone stop McSame from the story telling and get to the facts?

Those that die in the support of their country do not die in vain and are honored - even if the war is not popular. But there is no victory as we would typically think of victory in Iraq. We have to have an exit strategy and get out.

i know that when this debate is over everyone of the obama supporter
are going to say that this is mccains strenght and that he would sweep the floor with him.

McCain is the most disrespectful candidate. When Obama speaks to him, McCain does not look at him and in fact is constantly smirking and behaving smugly and yet Obama behaves with respectful body language. When are moderators going to ask McCain about the Keating 5 and his long record of deregulation? When are you moderators going to confront McCain about his horrendous history of absenteeism and all of his opposition to Veterans' Aid Bills and the New GI Bill? He is so smug and arrogant. Truly one of the most disingenuous people I have ever seen. I for sure will never vote for McCain and if he is elected, we will leave this country.

Obama sucks. At everything. He's accomplished nothing. He speaks. That is all. No action. You people that believe him are even more scary than he is. He's done nothing to prove he can lead. Empty suit.

McCain has no concept of the kind of injuries both physically and mentally IRAQ is inflicting, how sad to see from a POW.
Thereis no shame in any soldiers carrying out the orders of the commander in chief, regardless of the outcome of the war; thee is shame in the commander in chief not being able to say it is tiem to bring our young men and women home…

I too would like to see McCain actually look at the man he is debating.

Adam, Ive noticed that too. McCain cannot even look Obama in the face, he must be scared…

Totally support McCain. He is the leader who knows how to safely pull out our soldiers.

McCain has clearly come out way ahead on this debate…not even close, he wiped Obama off the floor.

Obama looks young, arrogant,and naive.

Unfortunately, I am a victim of Viet Nam. My father lost his life in that war. As his child, I have lived my life knowing that he died in vain. That war, just like Iraq, should not have happened. So, even if we win, the children of those who died in this unnecessary war will lose. And, McCain's freeze on spending as a result to help bailout Wall Street, would not even pay for these children to get a proper education. What about the American people, especially our children?

Can we just get McCain to promise not to let us know for the umpteenth time that he was NOT voted Mr. Congeniality? We get it John. Just stop.

Fine CNN…dont post my comments. Thats because you know I'm right. We shouldnt have been there in the first place. Deny it as much as you want. Our soldiers die in vain because of a corrupt bush-admin that McCain wants to continue. Dont worry, you dont have to post this (believe me you wont) but the voters will decide in the end.

Army Lt I concur I am a veteran and I do not have a good feeling about us fighting a war in Iraq and this is putting it mildly.

McCain is obsessed with winning and losing - he has lost touch with the soldiers.

Airman, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors are all volunteers and signed up to serve our country and protect you sheep from the wolves in the world and allow you to speak openly and without respect about our President, our Public Officials and our military members. What have you done for your country lately?

Obama should serve in US Army for a year, he will be better informed.

How can anyone refer to "senseless deaths" of troops if they die not in vain?

Everyone of them need to come home. Either they fight the real threats or come home

Bring them home safe, sound and now.

I guess only pro-Obama commentary is allowed on CNN,,

What Obama needs to express is that honoring them is ensuring they are cared for when they return home. Mccain has said this twice tonight, but has failed to vote for a bill that suports this. Mccain has voted down the last four bills to come to the floor to support our Iraq and Afganistan veterans. He is a veteran who doesn't support his fellow men/women in honor.

That's a good question, Adam. I noticed that McCain won't look at Obama, either! A blogger on Obama's website made the same observation. Obama is winning this debate and I cannot wait for election day!

Love Candy! I always tell my husband that I wish you would have been my mentor growing up. I would have been a much smarter young person. I agree tough question, but McCain is sounding too old fashion. I don't think he can claim wanting change after tonight. He is showing his true colors.

The way you honor the service of the troops is by only using them when they are TRULY needed. We sent our beloved troops into a war for NO REASON AT ALL. We have found no WMD in Iraq and it was proven that Hussein had nothing to do with 9/11. Anybody that actually understands this region would have known he had no ties to 9/11.

We let our troops down by going into this war PERIOD.

I am strangely humming a Deep Purple song - " Soldier of fortune". Sen. Obama's answer was actually good.

I noticed that Obama has a bracelet now…but he had to look at his notes to see who gave it to him…what a cheap shot. Not even willing to memorize the name of the soldier whos death he is exploiting.

obama is right, no soldier dies in vain, win or lose, we forgot during the vietnam era but we understand now. mccain is caught in the last war.

Who wants to be the last man to die in Iraq?

I love when Obama said, "I have a bracelet, too."

For every mother of a soldier who died in Iraq who says something along the lines of the one who spoke with McCain, asking him to not let her son have died in vain and to win the war, there are a dozen mothers who say they don't want any other mother's to go through what they have gone through, like the one who spoke with Obama.

What a cheap gimmick for McCain…bring up the poor mothers. 'Good on ya' to Obama for not letting him get away with it.

Obama looks like a little boy standing next to an experienced maverick. He sounds like an idiot….senator McCain is killing him.

Both points are valid but to keep insisting that our troops will have died in vain just because we need to leave Iraq is part of the policy of fear.

Obama is not patriotic and he devalues all those lives lost.

NO AMERICAN SOLDIER DIES IN VAIN

HOW DARE MCCAIN GLORIFY BLOODY WAR????

No solider has died in vain. However, there is a time to fight and a time to come home. People do not have to keep on dying and dying to satisfy a priniciple of whose right and whose wrong. All lives lost has served their purpose on this earth. Bring our soldiers home.

Folks, time for a reality check:
1. You're in Iraq because of a lie — there were no WMD.
2. Your Commander in Chief sent young men and women to die in vain based on a lie.
3. The REAL question is: Why would you send more young men and women to die in vain for a lie?

No soldier ever dies or serves for nothing. That is a cheap shot to pull at our heart strings. I refuse to believe that my good friend EDMOND RANDLE died for nothing in Iraq. This is a sore spot for us all. Please don't use the soldiers and thier life of service for political gain. Honor is being willing to serve, it is not based on the success of the mission. We should have never gone on this mission in the first place.

No McCain

A victory is bringing home warriors who have completed the mission.

Anybody got a fact-check on whether or not Kissinger ever said that stuff about meeting without precondition?

Candy, you are right, this is a tough topic… however we cannot keep losing American lives as some strange way to honor those who have already fallen.

McCain disrespects the life of every soldier I have lost in Iraq, to include my own brother.

My entire battalion hates McCain.

We deserve competent leadership.

GO OBAMA!

The question that should be posed is-
HOW MANY MORE TROOPS WILL LOSE THEIR LIVES B/C OUR LEADERS CAN'T GET IT TOGETHER. Our focus should be to safely and expeditiously get out troops home in a reasonable amount of time. We need to begin tying up loose ends in Iraq and Afghanistan and get our men and women home. They have been through enough.

while i dont support the war, i DO support the troops. ever since the withdrawal debate came up - the possibility of losing the war has been on my mind. i dont want to see the death of more troops, but SURELY we should leave saying that we WON…right?

Why can't McCain look at Obama when he's addressing him? Have some respect and look the man in the face.

this is the real problem with mccain - he wants to stay there no matter what. freeze gov funding for other programs and make the taxpayers foot the bill but he will never wake up and see our country falling apart.

americans should be scared of him.

Candy, how does anyone die in vain fighting for the USA? the question should be did they have to die fighting for this country?

I have to agree with Obama 100%. No American solider EVER dies in vain. And for McCain to try and us the deaths of American soliders as leverage to scare the public into staying in a war is despicable.

I agree…no family wants to feel their son or daughter died for no reason. This makes this discussion very difficult. The politicians realize it and still just manipulate the emotions of the families that have already sacrificed so much.

I really think that Obama has tried to make it a debate. At least he has looked at Mac Cain and addressed him as John, but Mac Cain has absolutely refused to look at him and has only addressed the moderator. This is incredible!

How do we honor our fallen soldiers with putting the rest of them in harms way?? A victory is bringing as many soldiers home as possible.

Why do people have to die for honor? Why is dying more honorable than saving lives?

am reading Bob Woodward's book on the surge. It shows Bush as the uncommander in chief, not knocking heads in his admin while thousands died. The surge came way too late.

Of course they didn't die for nothing. The problem was President's terrible administration and awful errors. Under Bush and McCain, the military will continue a losing fight.

What we must ask is which alternative is better, and this is difficult. Should we move along and risk lives or pull out and preserve them? Victory or not, I think self preservation is best.

OBAMA IS THE MAN! No American soldier dies in vain. How dare anyone ever think that.

. Essentially, it really boils down to this: If the U.S. pulls out before "victory," did they die for nothing?

That's an awful and childish conclusion.

I agree but I must say I agree with Obama that it would be better if the 4K had not died in Iraq.

P.S. McCrypt needs to stop act so condescending to Obama that is starting to get old.

you won't let me comment

"No soldier ever dies in vain." Great comment. Barack should base a TV spot on that.

Obama's answer 100% true and heartfelt

Obama was right on this one, we can't just keep fighting because we started. We have the ability to review our judgment.

loooooooooool geeez it's awesome Obama mentioned McCain's leck of knowledge belonging to the Spanish Prime Minister, lool, great shot!

Was that a joke McCain was trying to relay? I missed it!

McCain is trying to play politics as usual. He is so transparent. He keeps trying to twist facts. He is nothing more than a liar.