Chula Vista, CA — Just back from his trip to Iraq, Sen. John McCain focused Monday on the progress being made on the ground during a San Diego-area town hall meeting without commenting on the news today that the U.S. has lost 4,000 soldiers in the conflict.

During a subsequent media availability, McCain was asked why he did not mention the latest milestone in the five-year war. The presumptive GOP nominee said he honors the troops every day.

“I have commented on hundreds of occasions of the sacrifice the great and brave, young Americans have made in Iraq and elsewhere in the world in the struggle against radical, Islamic extremism. I wear a bracelet on my hand…not only as a symbol of the sacrifice that a brave young man named Matthew Stanley made, but that…of 4,000 other brave, young Americans who have served and sacrificed as well. My thoughts and my prayers go out to those families every day, not just on the day that 4,000 brave, young Americans have sacrificed. And I have said that repeatedly on hundreds of occasions.”

McCain focused Monday on the importance of winning the current battle with insurgents in Mosul, adding that he doesn’t believe he will change the current strategy from the one President Bush is pursuing in Iraq.