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Her Sister

(6,444 posts)
Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:00 PM Jun 2016

Bernie Sanders himself voted twice in support of regime change in Iraq in 1998 (HRC GP)

Sanders supported Bill Clinton’s war on Serbia, voted for the 2001 Authorization Unilateral Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF), which pretty much allowed Bush to wage war wherever he wanted, backed Obama’s Libyan debacle and supports an expanded US role in the Syrian Civil War.

More problematic for the Senator in Birkenstocks is the little-known fact that Bernie Sanders himself voted twice in support of regime change in Iraq. In 1998 Sanders voted in favor of the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, which said: “It should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime.”

Later that same year, Sanders also backed a resolution that stated: “Congress reaffirms that it should be the policy of the United States to support efforts to remove the regime headed by Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq and to promote the emergence of a democratic government to replace that regime.” These measures gave congressional backing for the CIA’s covert plan to overthrow the Hussein regime in Baghdad, as well as the tightening of an economic sanctions regime that may have killed as many as 500,000 Iraqi children. The resolution also gave the green light to Operation Desert Fox, a four-day long bombing campaign striking 100 targets throughout Iraq. The operation featured more than 300 bombing sorties and 350 ground-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles, several targeting Saddam Hussein himself.

Even Hillary belatedly admitted that her Iraq war vote was a mistake. Bernie, however, has never apologized for his two votes endorsing the overthrow of Saddam. On the rare occasions when Sanders has been confronted about these votes, he has casually dismissed them as being “almost unanimous.” I went back and checked the record. In fact, many members of the progressive caucus in the House, as well as a few libertarian anti-war Members of Congress, vote against the Iraq regime change measures. Here’s a list of the “no” votes on the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998:

Abercrombie
Bartlett
Brown (CA)
Carson
Chenoweth
Clay
Conyers
Davis (IL)
Doggett
Everett
Ewing
Ford
Furse
Hastings (FL)
Hilliard
Hostettler
Jackson (IL)
Jefferson
LaHood
Lee
Lewis (GA)
McKinney
Miller (CA)
Mink
Paul
Payne
Pombo
Rivers
Rush
Sabo
Serrano
Skaggs
Skelton
Stark
Towns
Vento
Walsh
Waters

So what changed? Only the party in power. In 1998, Bill Clinton was president, pursuing his own effort to takedown Saddam’s government.


More in link... http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/16/blood-traces-bernies-iraq-war-hypocrisy/
12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Bernie Sanders himself voted twice in support of regime change in Iraq in 1998 (HRC GP) (Original Post) Her Sister Jun 2016 OP
Say it ain't so Bernie. He was for the war before he was against it. Two-faced is the term. tonyt53 Jun 2016 #1
Hillary Clinton says Bernie Sanders voted for regime change in Libya ~ Politifact MOSTLY TRUE Her Sister Jun 2016 #2
He was never vetted, and his loudest supporters never heard anything past "free college". CrowCityDem Jun 2016 #3
... puffy socks Jun 2016 #11
He assumed that voting for regime change wouldn't lead to, you know...regime change. TwilightZone Jun 2016 #4
Bill Clinton's call for regime change Buzz cook Jun 2016 #5
Same as with Bush Jr ! Her Sister Jun 2016 #7
No different from W's. Read Clinton's speech prior to her vote. TwilightZone Jun 2016 #9
Massive K & R. Thanks for posting. Surya Gayatri Jun 2016 #6
Thanks! Her Sister Jun 2016 #8
funny isn't it? puffy socks Jun 2016 #10
Small details pass over him and his supporters you know. riversedge Jun 2016 #12

TwilightZone

(25,342 posts)
4. He assumed that voting for regime change wouldn't lead to, you know...regime change.
Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:22 PM
Jun 2016

Sanders supporters criticize Clinton for her Iraq vote, often saying that she should have known better (yay for hindsight!)

Shouldn't the same apply to Sanders?

Buzz cook

(2,470 posts)
5. Bill Clinton's call for regime change
Fri Jun 3, 2016, 04:33 PM
Jun 2016

Didn't include an invasion. It was supposed to happen through diplomatic means.

 

puffy socks

(1,473 posts)
10. funny isn't it?
Fri Jun 3, 2016, 10:33 PM
Jun 2016
" On the rare occasions when Sanders has been confronted about these votes, he has casually dismissed them as being “almost unanimous.”


So was the 2002 Iraq Resolution


Bernie is such a hypocrite!
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