Full Text of Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s Campaign Launch & what he said about Bush/Cheney

[think]

An excerpt here in regards to endless war, Bush, Cheney, & the lies they told with the full text at the link.

Transcript: Read Full Text of Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s Campaign Launch

If we as leaders show good judgment and make good decisions, we can fix much of what is ailing us.

We must deliberately and carefully extricate ourselves from expensive wars. Just think about how better this money could be spent.

For instance, our transportation network is deteriorating and becoming dangerous. We should be increasing our investment and priority in public schools and colleges. This is especially important in some of our cities where there is a gnawing sense of hopelessness, racial injustice and economic disparity.

~Snip

In fact we had a precious moment in time where a lasting peace was in our grasp. Too many senators forgot too quickly about the tragedy of Viet Nam.

A second reason was that I had learned in the nine months of the Bush/Cheney administration prior to September 11th, not to trust them at their word. As a candidate, Governor Bush had said many things that were for the campaign only- governing would be a lot different. For example a campaign staple was, “I am a uniter, not a divider”. He said very clearly that his foreign policy would be humble, not arrogant. And he promised to regulate carbon dioxide, a climate change pollutant. These promises were all broken in the very first days of his presidency.

Sadly, the lies never stopped. This was an administration not to be trusted.

My third reason for voting against the war was based on a similar revulsion to mendacity. Many of the cheerleaders for the Iraq war in the Bush administration had been writing about regime change in Iraq and American unilateralism for years.

They wrote about it in the 1992 Defense Planning Guide, in the 1996 Report to Prime Minister Netanyahu, in the 1997 Project for a New American Century and in the 1998 letter to President Clinton.

Full text of his speech:
http://time.com/3908373/transcript-read-full-text-of-gov-lincoln-chafees-campaign-launch/

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Kick

[leveymg]

2. Chafee was very unimpressive yesterday on the Tweety Show.

He refused to provide any specific answers on how his foreign policy might take a different path. Affable enough but seemed a bit obtuse.

Not encouraging.

[think]

3. Not my choice for the presidency but I do admire him calling out Bush/Cheney as the liars

that they are.

He does say in his speech that he believes we need to end the cycle of endless wars which is very encouraging for a candidate to say.

It will be good to have him reminding America of this. And reminding the American people that Bush, Cheney, and many of the GOP candidates are and always will be willing to lie to take Americans to war.

Calling out Bush & Cheney for their lies needs to be said loud and often! And as a former Republican he is in the unique position to do this effectively.

Again he's far from my choice as a candidate for president and I still consider him basically a moderate Republican but respect him for the role he'll play in the upcoming elections.

JMO...

[leveymg]

4. He earned his place in history by being the only GOP Senator to refuse to sign onto the IWR

Points also for referring directly in his speech to the neocons and their systematic regime change agenda, as expressed in the '97 PNAC "A Clean Break" and related planning documents. Extraordinary candor and shows a good grasp on reality there.