Kerry Would Have Done 'Almost Everything Differently' in Iraq

[Nambe]

(CNSNews.com)

Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry Wednesday criticized President Bush's approach to the war in Iraq and the post-war reconstruction efforts, saying he would have done "almost everything differently." ..

"When it comes to Iraq, it's not that I would have done one thing differently. I would have done almost everything differently," the senator said. "I would have relied on American troops in Tora Bora, the best troops in the world, when we had Osama bin Laden in our sights trapped in the mountains. ..

Kerry added that he would have given weapons inspectors in Iraq more time to search for weapons of mass destruction, not because inspectors would have found all the weapons, "but because by doing do, we could have brought other countries to our side." ..

Kerry also said he would end the "back-door draft of the National Guard and reservists that is taking place today."

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. um

isn't Tora Bora in Afghanistan?

[w4rma]

9. Journalist pieced together parts of the speech. (nt)

[Kadie]

2. Loved his speech today

at least what I got to see of it. Glad he is pointing out the differences between him and bushie.

[istruthfull]

3. no doubt

No doubt. The rest of the world would be helping us because we would have went in to liberate them and not to steal their oil.

[Dhalgren]

5. "War!"

"War! What is it good for?
Absolutely nothin'!"

[Larkspur]

4. What?

Kerry added that he would have given weapons inspectors in Iraq more time to search for weapons of mass destruction, not because inspectors would have found all the weapons, "but because by doing do, we could have brought other countries to our side." ..

John, there were NO WMD's ever found in Iraq. Why are you saying this?

[Dhalgren]

6. Because it sounds better than

"We really, really needed their oil."

[merh]

7. Because the intelligence at the time said there were WMD's

that is what Congress & the pres were told -

[Larkspur]

8. Yet two thirds of the House Democrats voted against IWR

Kerry was in the Democratic minority on that vote. Nancy Pelosi, who sat on the House Intel Committee, said in early September 2002 that there was no evidence to support Bush's claims. Also, weapons inspectors were already in Iraq BEFORE the senate IWR vote, so Saddam was complying.

[TrogL]

10. Yep

But Dubya couldn't wait because he was invading regardless.

They were playing the "you're with us or against us" card at the time, so any Dem in a precarious position would have to go along. Isn't that around the time they were recalling the dude in California?

[merh]

13. Yep!

But everyone on this forum is a better candidate than our candidate. (sarcasm and frustration dripping from finger tips!)

They have all have held so many offices and have served in congress for so long, they know politics and campaigns better than anyone in Washington.

Sure the f**k wish they would run for office - if they are so great, they need to be doing the job - am sick of armed chair politicans who second guess.

[Zhade]

14. Yeah, I noticed that too.

We could have brought other countries to our side to - do what?

The only non-imperialist answer is "when we learned there was no eminent threat, to do absolutely nothing. Certainly not invade."

And yet, it doesn't read that way at all.

Let's forget the fact that the "evidence" was thin and being contested real-time by the CIA, other countries, and millions around the world. Let's pretend, despite all evidence to the contrary, that there was a threat from Iraq.

Well, NOW we KNOW there was no threat - and yet, we still should have "brought countries to our side" to "do everything different in Iraq"?

Here's the really bold idea: how about being different by NOT ILLEGALLY INVADING AND OCCUPYING A COUNTRY THAT IS NO THREAT TO US???

Jesus, when will the apologists get it? Kerry's own words are proving he wanted war, his advisors say he wanted war, it's argued that OTHER Dems voted for war but Kerry didn't, while Republicans are blamed for voting for the war -- when does it stop?

Will people deny Kerry's started a draft when they're in front of the draft board?

Now, I will grant that it's possible this is out of context, so if anyone wants to correct me, I'm happy to read a source. But if this is what he actually said, wake the hell up - it's obvious he's saying he would have gone to war anyway, despite the lack of a threat.

Please, prove me wrong. I honestly want to be wrong!

[mike_c]

24. continuing the neo-con lies....

Winning elections in this country has become utterly repugnant. An honest person seemingly cannot do it.

[OneBlueSky]

11. Kerry's really boxed himself in on this issue . . .

by supporting the war, the best he can say is "I'd have done it differently" . . . not exactly a powerful, headline-grabbing statement . . .

if he actually can't bring himself to disavow the war, he might at least say that we accomplished our objective (removing Sadaam) and announce his intention to bring the troops home . . . in a controlled manner that will replace them with UN observers (or whatever) . . . the argument that "I could have done better" is really weak and won't win him many votes, imo . . .

what worries me is the thought that he might actually support BushCo's long-term objective of using Iraq as a regional power base . . . they are, after all, constructing numerous permanent installations and what is said to be the largest foreign embassy in the world . . . I hope that's not the case . . . and if it's not, there's no reason for him not to propose a phased withdrawel of US troops . . .

[krkaufman]

12. Which is why attacking Bush's failure at Tora Bora is key..!!

This is just what I posted last night. Bush dropped the ball in the actual fight against terrorism when on November 21, 2001, he directed his commander over Afghanistan, Tommy Franks, to begin drawing-up plans to invade Iraq -- right when we thought we had Osama bin Laden cornered in Tora Bora.

I want someone to ask Bush why he diverted the head of Central Command from the hunt for bin Laden at that critical juncture?

(The obvious answer is that capture of bin Laden would have diminished the fear-leverage necessary to launch the desired invasion of Iraq.)

[Zhade]

15. Has Kerry ever said ANYTHING about the 14 permanent military bases?

I know he's not opposed to Negroponte, seeing as how he voted for the Death-Squad fan to be U.N. Ambassador.

That aside - anything on the permanent bases? I've asked this before and received no answer - probably because there isn't one.

[Zhade]

16. Wow, this bit of unpleasant reality sank quickly.

So, here's a :dem: right back to the top.

This issue isn't going away, people. We're going to have to deal with this sooner or later.

[KittyWampus]

20. UNPLEASANT REALITY? What Fucking Reality Are You Talking About?

Did you read his entire speech or hear it?

[Zhade]

27. What reality? Kerry's comments. Duh.

You know, the whole "I'd have continued the inspections and done things differently in Iraq" thing.

Nothing would have needed to have been done IN Iraq, differently or otherwise, if the inspections had continued, as there was no threat. And why Kerry thinks he would have brought countries to our side is beyond me, since with the continuation of inspections there would have been no need for any kind of coalition against a country that, again, posed us no threat whatsoever.

And your vitriol aside, thanks for kicking this back to the top and keeping this thread alive. It helps continue this much-needed discussion.

[leesa]

17. I don't think I can in good conscience vote for this man.

We invade a disarmed, UN compliant country and he obviously thinks that's just fine.

[Disturbed]

19. Vote for Howard Dean

Kerry is on the wrong side of the Iraq situation. He is the wrong candidate because 90% of the Dem Party are against the continued Occupation of Iraq. I don't care if he was nominate. Kerry is on the wrong side of a lot of issues. Go to his web site and check it out. Kerry was chosen by the Plutcracy as a tolerable candidate in case Dumbass and the Neo Fascists shot themselves in the foot. Dean was politically assasinated by the Mass Media becasue of his statement that he would break up their monopoly and the MIC is also against Dean because he would lower their war profiteeting. I would like to see all Dems vote for Dean.

[KittyWampus]

21. Great! Now We Have Posters Telling Us To Vote For Howard Dean

:puke:

[LauraK]

32. Once elected, Kerry will do all that Dean could do to get out.

He has to appeal to potential dimson dimmed voters. I really believe that.

[wurzel]

18. Kerry destroyed Dean's ability to help him. And he didn't tell the truth!

Of course Kerry would not have voted for the war knowing what we know now. But he was afraid of being called a "flip flopper" by the media. He got "Gored". And deserved it. But it is done and we have to limp on.

[KittyWampus]

22. Kerry Voted For Potential Force To Back Up Inspectors.

That really isn't hard to understand.

And Dean crippled Democrats hand by falsely claiming the IWR was a blank check for Bush to invade Iraq.

[mike_c]

25. inspections had already been agreed upon, and Iraq...

...was already in compliance with the U.N. disarmament mandate. There was no need for any additional "force." THAT'S what's not hard to undrstand! The IWR served no purpose other than authorizing dumbya to attack at will. When will the war apologists in this party face reality?

[Vladimir]

31. It is interesting that

only the members of the US Senate didn't realise what was palpably obvious to everyone watching from the sidelines. One has to assume that either the US Senate is filled with naive morons advised by more naive morons, or that they knew exactly what they were doing. Of course they knew what they were doing. But how else was Kerry ever going to vote? He knew the score, could easily guess how others would be voting, and probably knew he wanted a shot at running for president. In any case, he was proven quite correct in his calculation by the demise of the anti-war candidates in the primaries.

I think your anger is best reserved for the day Kerry is announced president. Until then, much as I share your sentiments, I think you need to register as a volunteer for John Kerry and help him get elected. The world can't take 4 more years of this shit.

[Spiffarino]

23. Notice he didn't wait until after the RNC

I love it. He didn't get pulled into the trap of "tradition" that Bush/Rove must have desperately wanted.

I guess the Shrub thought JK would roll over while the Smear Boaters and Crooked Dick Cheney spent the week covering him with slime. Well, so much for Bush and his moment in the sun.

Note to Karl: Don't ever fu*k with a guy whose combat strategy was to turn his swiftboat in the direction of enemy fire.

[Tracer]

26. I'd like to believe that Kerry ...

... is taking this "I would have invaded, but differently" tack to keep right-centrists in his camp, but in my heart of hearts, I don't believe it.

How can say that he would put in MORE troops in Iraq? Certainly, more troops don't mean any European country's troops Ñ only more of our own cannon fodder.

He made a big mistake in voting for the Resolution and "boxed-in" is right Ñ to put it mildly.

I'm going to vote for him, only because he's less stupid and venal than *, but to tell the absolute truth, I can't stand listening to him and dread having to listen to him for 4 years.

[Disturbed]

28. blank check

It was certainly a blank check. J. Kerry is not that naive to have thought that Dumbass wasn't going to invade as soon as the force was lined up and ready to proceed. The Pres. didn't even need Congress approval so J. Kerry either wanted the invasion or wanted to be on the "patriotic" side of things. To vote against the measure would have taken courage but J. Kerry knew that he was going to run then and didn't wish to be seen as voting against the invasion of that bad guy Saddam.

J. Kerry had plenty of chances to say that his vote was an error and that the Iraq invaison was a huge mistake that the US should correct instead he even said had he know then that there no WMDs he would have voted the same. What would have been his reason in that case?

[Larkspur]

29. Kerry can't say that the Iraq war was wrong because...

Israel was the biggest beneficiary of Saddam getting toppled. And AIPAC has lots of power in Washington and with the Dem Party.

[freedom_to_read]

30. The headline Kerry NEEDS to be making:

"Kerry WILL DO everything differently in Iraq."

I for one don't care about the SUBJUNCTIVE. Lets get on to what's really important in this election: the FUTURE.