Sen. John McCain's recent TV ad declares that he is an anti-war presidential candidate. His basis for this statement is his experience in the Vietnam War, in which he served as a pilot. When a North Vietnamese missile struck McCain's plane during a mission in 1967, he suffered two broken arms and a broken leg.  For five years after, the North Vietnamese kept him as a prisoner of war. This first-hand experience gives McCain understanding of the personal impact of war unlike that of Sen. Barack Obama. 

    With the presidential election in sight, it seems as though McCain is reexamining the candidates' differences. McCain acknowledges issues with climate change and health care. However, McCain's  recent public stance as an anti-war politician contradicts his reputation as a hawk on defense and in Iraq. This is the aforementioned TV ad which brings to light McCain's anti-war beliefs (and the right side of his face--you'll see).
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1OUxBvlLr0

    However, some of  McCain's actions contradict this anti-war stance. Here is a video of McCain saying that he'd be fine with the United States occupying Iraq for another 100 years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFknKVjuyNk

    McCain seemed to refine his speeches since he became the Republican presidential candidate. Still, his earlier blunders haunt him through the Internet and Youtube.com. In this video, McCain delivers a canned joke after Congressman Ron Paul speaks at the Fox News debate in South Carolina. About 1:45 into the video, McCain talks about burkas and one-way tickets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00qUqEuA86Q

    To a smaller audience on his "Straight Talk" tour, McCain delivered another pre-packaged witticism. This time, he sang "bomb, bomb, bomb. bomb, bomb Iran" to the tune of the Beach Boys's Barbara Ann. The question that preceded the musical outburst was "When do we send them an airmail message to Tehran?" 
    According to Time magazine's list of top 10 campaign gaffes (this incident ranked number four), McCain did not say he supported invading Iran. Here's the original article and video of the incident.

http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/top10/article/0,30583,1686204_1690170_1690799,00.html

    In the months before the presidential election, the American people will see how McCain and Obama plan to handle current and impending conflicts. McCain, in particular, will have to decide whether to align with his most prominent endorser, President George W. Bush, or to shy away from the war hawkish tendencies of his party.