NE (R) congressman: "War in Iraq not justified"

[trof]

Bereuter: War in Iraq not justified

by don walton
In a dramatic departure from the Bush administration, Republican Rep. Doug Bereuter says he now believes the U.S. military assault on Iraq was unjustified.

"I've reached the conclusion, retrospectively, now that the inadequate intelligence and faulty conclusions are being revealed, that all things being considered, it was a mistake to launch that military action," Bereuter wrote in a letter to constituents in the final days of his congressional career.

<snip>

"Knowing now what I know about the reliance on the tenuous or insufficiently corroborated intelligence used to conclude that Saddam maintained a substantial WMD (weapons of mass destruction) arsenal, I believe that launching the pre-emptive military action was not justified."

As a result of the war, he said, "our country's reputation around the world has never been lower and our alliances are weakened."

Bereuter is a senior member of the House International Relations Committee and vice chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2004/08/18/top_story/10053833.txt

[tlcandie]

1. Question to the politically oriented..

Will this help us at all? So, in other words, because his career is no longer in jepoardy he feels safe to speak out against the regime. Wonder how he sleeps at night?

[GreenArrow]

3. it will have no effect,

I'd guess. My second guess is that he sleeps all right; the truth shall set you free. Wish Kerry could make such a simple and sensible statement.

[tlcandie]

6. You really think he's sleeping okay knowing how he might have

kept how many dead soldiers and Iraqis alive if he had just told the truth before and urged others to do so?

Sorry, I don't think so. I agree about Kerry and maybe he will once he's in office; albeit, I don't like political games, but at this point in time it appears games are still necessary.

[GreenArrow]

8. nah, he's probably just trying to clear his conscience by

washing his hands and trying to butress his reputation by admitting the obvious. I doubt he had any trouble sleeping after he cast the vote, either.

[Geo55]

12. trying to clear his conscience

Yeah...'nother koolaide swiller puts down the glass...and is going to fix things in Indonesia.
that blood don't wash easy.

[Eloriel]

14. Games are still necessary only for the weak

There IS a way to speak the truth on this; Kerry refuses to do so under some deluded notion that it's to his political advantage not to. John Edwards has been even more resolute in defending his war vote and that may be further "inspiring" Kerry to play dumb. It's a disgrace, IMO. And it makes it real damn hard to vote for them since they represent NOT what the Democratic Party should be standing for (the TRUTH) but the aberrative, politically convenient and self-serving (they think) official story line on Iraq.

And on that note, even the Repugs are using it against him: "There's no difference in Kerry's approach to Iraq." And truly, what difference there is is minimal and not worth thinking about or trying to sort out. IMO.

[G_j]

18. and the differences are not easy to explain

when someone campaigning for Kerry is asked what the differences are.
Not everyone is so adapt at 'nuance'.
I hear this quite a bit and it is preventing people from actively campaigning for Kerry. It is a real pain in the butt to try to explain his position.
Myself, I don't think it can be adequately explained.

I'm doing my bit by continuing to put the spotlight on Bush's lies and destructive policies.

[Tomee450]

26. I agree with you.

I am voting for Kerry but feel so uneasy about him.

[physioex]

62. I agree....

I am glad he made this statement regardless of his motivations. But wouldn't it be great to hear our nominee say the same thing......

[calico1]

5. What I wonder is how many others

feel like this and don't speak out because of fear of jeopardizing their careers? I wonder how *any* of them can sleep at night!

[tlcandie]

7. I agree calico1, BUT most have thrown away their conscious.

It's easy to see those for the most part. But here is a man whose conscious did cause him to speak out....too late...but he did speak up. It just seems to me it would be hard for him to shake the nightmares of all the dead from this illegal invasion.

[MARALE]

13. Our R Rep. Voted Against

One of the only 6 Repubs that did. He said that he did not see enough evidence. He also is a relative of mine, and though he is a repub, I am proud of him to have stood up like this. (Tom Latham from Iowa)

[calico1]

15. Well, good for him.

Some Republicans do actually have some morals.

[NEDem]

39. Will have effect

maybe not in the Pres race, but it WILL help get a Democrat replacement for his open seat. I live in his district, and the Repug running is an extreme far right religious zealot, the Dem is a mainstream moderate (as good as it gets here in Nebraska). Bereuter is respected around here. This may have been a way of taking a swipe at the pro war Repug running to replace him. This letter will sway people here to vote for the Dem

[middleeast_org]

65. much better now

Better late then never.

[DeaconBlues]

2. Wow, what a brave man.........NOT!

He's only admitting all this because he's not running for reelection. Too bad he couldn't have said all this about, I don't know, say, two years ago - when it mattered.

[sniffa]

4. many repubs are going to Lose

in november if they don't foLLow this guy's Lead.

[RobertDevereaux]

16. Let's hope so...

...and let's work for it to happen!

[NNN0LHI]

9. Like a light went on in his head or something just now? Or what? n/t

[oc2002]

11. Where is the letter printed in its entirety?

Why is there no coverage on this from Washington Post or NYtimes?

[NEDem]

41. I got one in the mail

It was also in the Lincoln paper today, I looked and didn't find it on the website.

http://www.journalstar.com

[NNN0LHI]

48. Thank you for the link deuce98. Here is a good quote. And he is right

>>>As a result of the war, he said, "our country's reputation around the world has never been lower and our alliances are weakened."

Bereuter is a senior member of the House International Relations Committee and vice chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.<<<

[Jacobin]

10. Why does he hate america?

Does he want another 9/11?
Saddam was involved in 9/11.
Saddam hated our freedoms.
What about the rape rooms? (not ours, his)
What about the mass graves? (not ours, his)
Has this guy become a liberal terraist?
Does he support Saddam?

blah blah blah blah.....I can hear all the RW talking heads now.

:eyes:

[ignatius 2]

23. Good reply..put him in a room with Ann Coulter for about 5 minutes

and he will slink back in lockstep.

[janx]

54. Uh...I highly doubt it.

[JoFerret]

17. Bereuter will depart.....

Bereuter sent the letter to constituents who have contacted him about the war.

"I felt I should send you a forthright update of my views and conclusions on that subject before I leave office," he said.

Bereuter will depart the House after 26 years to become president of the Asia Foundation on Sept. 1.

[truthisfreedom]

19. this guy has a great future as a Democrat, under Kerry. perhaps he's just

paving the way.

[NEDem]

40. never happen

he's a conservative repug all the way. His voting record is 100% conservative.

[Crunchy Frog]

20. I wish that Kerry could say the same thing,

and in language that was just as straightforward and unambigous. I really think it would help him more than it would hurt him. Just my opinion.

[barb162]

30. I second that

I think it was a big mistake for Kerry to say he would still support the war last week.

[Dhalgren]

59. Ok. I have never been a Kerry partisan. I am not one now.

Of course, I will vote for him in Nov. - I would vote for a braindead rodent over Bush. That being said. Kerry says that he never "voted for the war"; he voted to authorize the president to use force if it became necessary. That being the case, he says he would still make that vote, but that Bush abused his authorization by going to war unnecessarily. Now, the reason that I have never supported Kerry and won't now (except to vote in Nov.) is that he voted to give this rotten little fuck the authority to go to war when we all knew that's all the sniveling little crap-pile wanted. But, if you are going to go with Kerry, you might take him at his word, even if you don't like it.

[barb162]

61. Kerry vote

"...he voted to give this rotten little fuck the authority to go to war when we all knew that's all the sniveling little crap-pile wanted."

But he still says he wouldn't have changed that vote. WHY THE HELL NOT? Of course I will also vote for Kerry in Nov. although I think Dean all along had the "right" view on all of this and NOT Kerry.

[Dhalgren]

63. I was a DK man, myself.

Dennis was almost leftist enough for me (but not quite);) I am not defending his vote - I am saying that for whatever reason, Kerry feels he has to "stand by" his vote and parses it the way I explained. Kerry already has the anti-war vote sewed up and he knows it. Why should he waste his time and effort on a group already firmly committed to him. He has to convince the few percentage points of voters in the middle who think that killing Muslims is really ok - as long as not too many white christians die in the process - to vote for him. That's the only way I can figure to look at it. I won't argue Kerry's stand on the war - he's wrong, period. But he doesn't care what I think, so what's to argue?

[barb162]

64. oh don't worry, I wasn't expecting you to defend Kerry

but he does a few things that really get on my nerves. You would think, for example, he would have every vet in his pocket running against Mr. AWOL. But half or more of the vets are going with Bush. I wonder if Kerry will convince anyone in the middle of anything...where's Carville?

[Leilani]

36. And I agree too..

Wish he had said that when he had the chance...

[Gregorian]

21. A little late, MAN!......... }:-(

Damage is done!
How'd you like to be living in Eyerack?


edit- Sorry....I should be praising you for being so honest. How dare I look a gifthorse in the mouth. I guess. You tell me how I should feel. Actually, don't ask me. Ask the people of Iraq.

edit2- But wait! If I had the sense to be marching in the streets against the war, does that mean I was frivolously right? It was an accident? Or is it that even without the means of so-called sophisticated intelligence, we knew the war was a fraud? Well, we knew the president was a fraud. So how come with your professional knowledge and standing you didn't know? Are you also going to admit the president is a fraud, now (not to mix apples and oranges in the same statement)?

edit3 "Damage is done" should read "War profits have been made".

[The_Casual_Observer]

22. Stupid man either believed chimp's assessment of WMD or figured

the US could get away with it easily regardless of the motive. Either way the idiot was incompetent to serve.

[lastliberalintexas]

24. Oh, the irony

A number of posters thus far have said it's too little too late- but, it's still more than we've gotten from the Dem ticket for Pres/Veep. Guess it's ok to still support the illegal and immoral war and say you'd still vote for it today knowing what you know now so long as you're a Dem.

Someone else said that if he was too stupid not to see through the false WMD claims, then he's too incompetent to serve. But again, this sounds like a couple of guys running for the Pres/Veep on the Dem ticket- only they haven't recanted *their* support like this repub has.


Funny thing is, I agree with most of these assessments. I just apply them equally to all who voted this way, regardless of party.

But we're better than those mindless freepers who just follow the party line, aren't we? :-)

[JNelson6563]

29. Very true

A number of posters thus far have said it's too little too late- but, it's still more than we've gotten from the Dem ticket for Pres/Veep. Guess it's ok to still support the illegal and immoral war and say you'd still vote for it today knowing what you know now so long as you're a Dem.

Someone else said that if he was too stupid not to see through the false WMD claims, then he's too incompetent to serve. But again, this sounds like a couple of guys running for the Pres/Veep on the Dem ticket- only they haven't recanted *their* support like this repub has.

Funny thing is, I agree with most of these assessments. I just apply them equally to all who voted this way, regardless of party.

But we're better than those mindless freepers who just follow the party line, aren't we? :-)

Right on every single point. Well said. :toast:

Julie

[barb162]

31. you are correct

[Jacobin]

25. Isn't it interesting how they become emboldened to state the

OBVIOUS, which ANYONE with a brain now knows and understands quite clearly, AFTER it takes no balls to say it and AFTER more than half the people realize the truth of such a statement.

My my, what a statesman. AFTER the fucking disaster has happened, does he proudly state that he was against it? No, he just says it was wrong.

Thanks a lot asshole.

[lastliberalintexas]

27. It's still more than

we've gotten from the majority of our Dem elected officials.


I'm certainly not defending this man's original vote, and I know that he's retiring/not seeking re-election. But he is openly challenging a president who is still very popular with his party. If only many of our Dems even had that little courage.

I personally agree that it's too little too late and that they should have been able to see what the rest of us and the vast majority of the world saw AT THAT TIME. I just don't understand why we aren't holding all of our elected officials to this standard, no matter who they are.

[realFedUp]

28. kick

now, howabout some of those Blue Dog Dems....

[alfredo]

32. This could be a good thing. He could be like the first

dancer to take the floor. Maybe others will screw up their courage and join him.

[screembloodymurder]

33. What do ya know,

An honest Republican.

[lil-petunia]

34. it also means the veneer is off

and the facade is cracking. this is but the first of many little cuts that this admin will be forced to suffer.
And I for one, can't wait for more. No indeedy, time for the truth to come out.

Whatever his justification, his timing, his future plans, the fact that he was where he was (foreign relations, intel) and had the balls to go out in public and make this statement, I wish we had more politicians of any colour, shape, size, party, whatever, that would do the same.

good for him. Better for America.

[Leilani]

35. What is even more important

massive failure or MISINTERPRETATION of the intelligence...

he is saying they lied.

[Pepperbelly]

46. BINGO!

from the CNN website:

"Left unresolved for now is whether intelligence was intentionally misconstrued to justify military action," Bereuter said.


http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/18/congressman.iraq/index.html

[NNN0LHI]

50. Nice catch Pepperbelly

Thanks for pointing that out.

Don

[NEDem]

55. Yes

If you were able to see the whole letter that is exactly what he is getting at. No doubt about it.

[coreystone]

37. Also on (I'm Just The Messenger) CNN .....

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/18/congressman.iraq.ap/index.html

[DU GrovelBot]

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[trof]

42. A few comments:

Didn't expect some of the comments this drew.
Overall, I think this is a 'good thing', as Martha would say.
It's a small hole in the dike, but it was all over CNN this evening.
How about trying this?
Write/e-mail/fax/call your congressman.
Mine's a repub.
Ask them how they feel in light of this guy's pronouncement.
See if you can 'lure' them into an honest discussion.
That'll be hard, I know, but why not give it a shot?
Send your communication and the reply to your local newspaper.

[David Zephyr]

43. So Why Won't John Kerry Say the Same Thing? Duh?

Feinstein has said it.

Soon everyone in America will have said it except GW Bush, Dick Cheney and John Kerry.

IT WAS A MISTAKE.

[NNN0LHI]

49. Governor Dean and DK tried it

See where that got them. I don't know why Americans can't handle the truth David. But the sad fact is they can't. Peace.

Don

[TankLV]

44. I only Kerry could find his words, too.

"I was duped by bush*s lies"

"We were all lied-to"

"If I knew then what we all know now, that bush* intentionally deceived the whole world, then I would have voted differently"

Anything along these lines would not be hard to do.

[Swamp Rat]

45. I hope this is the beginning of a split within the GOP

[Pepperbelly]

47. his craven gop brethern are turning on him.

from CNN:

Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Illinois, a member of the intelligence committee, described Bereuter as "very bitter" for having been passed over in recent years to head both the intelligence and international relations committees. He suggested Bereuter's comments were a parting shot to House GOP leaders and President Bush.


http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/18/congressman.iraq/index.html

[NEDem]

52. "bitter"?

That's funny! He's my congressman, and frankly one of the few conservative pug's I have any respect for. As far back as I can remember he's NEVER had a bad word to say about ANYONE, not even Clinton! I am going to search for the story, but a month or so ago the GOP had a going away party for him, everyone who spoke talked about his kindness and integrity. Now they turn on him?

I can honestly say that the attacks will not play well with people in this district, people around here know him and have a very high opinion of him. The attacks may be a huge blessing in disguise!

[evworldeditor]

51. One Nebraskan Who's Delighted with This Development -UPDATE

I live in Omaha where we have Lee Terry as our Congresswhimp, whose every move is choreographed by the RNC, to the point that they consider his seat so safe that they won't even give him money, he has to raise it for others, I am told by a politico friend of mine knowledgible in local politics.

We're hoping that Nancy Thompson (D) kicks his butt.

I only wish I could read the letter since it's not on his web site or in the Lincoln Star Journal. Maybe the Omaha World Herald will reprint it.

Here's hoping Tom Osborne finds the courage of his convictions, along with Chuck Hagel (who's been the most outspoken Repub to date) and "DINO" (democrat in name only) Ben Nelson also take a stand against Bush and start to reclaim the heart of the Republican Party I grew up with in Nebraska.

UPDATE...... Here's what the Omaha World-Herald reports.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=54&u_sid=1178613

[NEDem]

53. It's printed in today's Journal Star, bet you could get it

at Borders or Barnes and Noble. I got one in the mail after reading it in the paper today. Very good letter, but very long, and I don't have the time to type it up.

[NEDem]

56. Latest local reaction

http://www.journalstar.com/latest_reg/?story_id=169667

NE - Republicans, Nebraska leaders respond to Bereuter letter
OMAHA, Neb. - With fewer than two weeks until he retires from Congress, Rep. Doug Bereuter has dropped a bombshell by telling some of his constituents that he believes the U.S. military assault on Iraq was unjustified.

Now, his Republican colleagues are left to clean up the fallout.

"I was a little bit surprised," said fellow Nebraska Republican, Rep. Tom Osborne. "I haven't had a chance to talk to Doug about it."

<snip>

Bereuter, 64, has represented Nebraska's 1st Congressional District since 1978, making him the longest-serving House representative in state history. His district includes the state capital of Lincoln and the eastern edge of the state, except for Omaha.

<snip>

What it spells is a blow to President Bush's re-election effort, political analyst Larry Sabato said.

"It undermines Bush from his own side when he desperately needs unity, right on the eve of the Republican convention," said Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "With friends like Bereuter, George W. Bush doesn't need any enemies."

The campaign for Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry had already begun pointing to the letter Wednesday as an indication of growing credibility problems facing the Bush administration.

"Anytime a member of the president's party directly challenges the president - on any issue, especially war - it's notable," said Kerry campaign spokesman Bill Burton. "People are discussing what this means if even fellow Republicans are questioning George Bush's credibility."

<snip>

Bereuter's recent comments do not mark the first time he has drawn the ire of his party. Six years ago, Bereuter stunned state and national Republican leaders by saying at a state convention that too many members of the GOP were using Christianity for political gain and making abortion a cornerstone issue.

Nebraska Republicans will have the sticky task of deflecting Bereuters' comments without castigating him.

It won't be easy. Bereuter's colleagues have spent much time this summer praising his accomplishments and expertise in foreign affairs as Bereuter prepares to step down after 13 terms to become the president of the Asia Foundation.

<snip>

[BadGimp]

57. VOTE on this Yahoo cover of the story!!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040819/ap_on_go_co/congressman_iraq_11

hurry!

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

58. Heavily freeped (I voted). WTF is up with Yahoo's news system

of ratings. It should just be based on how many people click on/read the story.

[Dhalgren]

60. Right, this story is being heavily freeped!

This is a big, BIG story and needs to be out in the open! Everyone needs to go and rate this story now!


Sen. "Hagel (news, bio, voting record), R-Neb. — who also has been a critic of the Bush administration's handling of the war — is nonetheless co-chairing Bush's presidential campaign in Nebraska. "The reality is that we have 141,000 Americans fighting and dying in Iraq, and we must support them," he said." WTF! He doesn't even know what "support the troops" means!