Iraq continues to confuse and befuddle McCain

National security is supposed to be John McCain's strong suit. Yikes.

On McCain's recent taxpayer funded campaign trip to Iraq, we learned that the GOP nominee didn't know the basic difference between Sunnis and Shiites. Now, McCain admits that the latest eruption of violence caught him off guard (and remember, he was just in Iraq):

“Maliki decided to take on this operation without consulting the Americans,’’ Mr. McCain said on his campaign bus as it rolled through downtown Meridian, saying that the move showed independence but that he had expected the military to focus on Mosul.

“I just am surprised that he would take it on himself to go down and take charge of a military offensive,’’ he said. “I had not anticipated that he would do that.’’

Again, McCain was just in Iraq singing the praises of "progress." Last night, TV's biggest buffoon, Lou Dobbs, was all excited about the revelation that McCain has been to Iraq more times than Clinton and Obama:

DOBBS: All right. This is something that's going to make Ed Rollins feel very, very good if we can put this up on, full screen, on the trips to Iraq of the three most relevant senators in this -- in this presidential campaign. Senator McCain enjoying quite an advantage over Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.

First, trips to Iraq, McCain -- are we going to have that or are we not? We're working on it, I'm told, reliably by our crack crew. Senator McCain, eight trips to Iraq. Three trips on the part of Senator Clinton. Senator Barack Obama has been to Iraq, once.

When we talk about experience, talk about the war and about the efficacy of policy...

Okay, let's talk about the war and the efficacy of policy. This statistic actually makes it worse for McCain. He goes to Iraq all the time, and he still doesn't know what's going on.

Hillary Clinton imputed a life time of experience to John McCain. Yet, he still doesn't know what the hell is going on -- or he can't remember. Either way, it's scary.