How does Kerry answer the Desert Storm vote and the U.N. permission?

[PurityOfEssence]

These are two dangerous issues that have to be nipped in the bud and turned back on the attackers, if possible.

The U.N. statement is news to me; what is the context? It's portrayed as if he said flatly that we should never go to war without U.N. authorization.

These are killers, and many of us have been bringing up the issue of the Gulf War vote for quite some time now. There need to be quick ultra-simple answers, and they need to come immediately.

What should the tack be?

[Frodo]

1. He said something LIKE that. BUT

it was 25-30 years ago when he frst ran for Senate.


I didn't know about the Desert Storm vote and I consider that a problem if true.

[fizzana]

2. The UN statement was in 1971.

When he was protesting the Vietnam War. He never said it in any campaign.

[A_Possum]

3. The simple ironic truth

Along with Bob Kerrey and Tom Harkin, John Kerry voted against the resolution giving the president IMMMEDIATE authority to go to war because he thought diplomacy was still possible.

On "Good Morning America" he said, "I'm convinced we're doing this the wrong way. Nevertheless, I'm going to back the president if a shot is fired."

Kerry was delighted when he was proved wrong and congratulated the soldiers. Having seen the success of Bush I's Gulf War, he then gave Bush Jr. the benefit of the doubt and supported Dubya's war resolution.

Bush Jr. took the trust the nation handed to him, lied to us, ignored the advice of the military, rushed us into a catastrophic quagmire that has already cost hundreds of American lives, billions and billions of dollars, exposed us as impotent in our military strength, and fueled worldwide animosity against the United States.

Bush doesn't deserve to question Kerry's Gulf War vote. The country deserves to question Bush's catastrophe in Iraq.

[PurityOfEssence]

10. Great! That's the perfect answer

I voted against immediate hostilities, all diplomatic avenues hadn't been exhausted.

[soothsayer]

4. He could say 900+ american warfighters would still be alive, and thousands

of others would still have their limbs if we had been more careful and not rushed to war----not to mention tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis. Could have spent those billions on US issues instead of just handing them to halliburton, etc.

[Name removed]

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[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. Here's a simple answer: That's what my constituents wanted

They elected me to represent them.

[PurityOfEssence]

11. I think that's terrible: a "leader" does what he think's best

Yes, there's wisdom to what you say, but there's no idiocy to it. We're talking about swaying children who want a big daddy to look up to, and for them, doing the obvious right thing is more important than representing the folks back home. It's an argument that praises the virtues of having other people make up your mind for you, whereas many people want the forthright--even cocksure--leader type.

[sangh0]

12. Sometimes, what a leader thinks is best

is to listen to their constituents. One thing leaders DON'T do is to base their decisions on simple formulas like "Leaders do what they think is best"

[A_Possum]

7. How about this?

"I'm amazed at how poorly Bush Jr. has handled the situation in Iraq, compared to the success of his father. It appears he didn't learn much. I did."

Don't let em take the subject away from the issue at hand again.

[LuminousX]

9. Simple response

Hussein invaded a sovereign nation and threatened U.S. strategic insterests in the Gulf by doing so.

[stray cat]

8. Ancient history

Chris Matthews said last night that Kerry responded years ago to the press that is was something he said when he was an angry vet just back from Vietnam and that it had been a stupid naive thing that he said when he was young and stupid (my words). Even Chris Matthews said it was a stupid thing for Cheney to bring up and totally out of any context.

By the way, What did President Bush do when he was young and stupid (up to age 40 did he say?)

[AngryLizard]

13. Plus, all those defense cuts Kerry voted for

Were recommended by the Secretary of Defense at the time...Dick Cheney.

These people? Have NO SHAME.