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[baltodemvet]

http://www.liberaloasis.com/

A Reminder: Bush Did Not Consider It A War Vote

The purpose of Kerry's Iraq speech was to get on the offensive, attacking Bush's record, and not have to spend time on the defensive explaining how Bush has distorted Kerry's position.

It's the right tack, and it seems to be working so far.

But Kerry threw in a little aside to remind people how consistent his own position is, and how inconsistent Bush's is.

Speaking from the same Cincinnati podium as Bush did back in Oct. '02, Kerry said:

Here in Cincinnati, said that if Congress approved the resolution giving him the authority to use force, it did not mean that military action would be “unavoidable”.

The full quote from Bush that Kerry referred to is:

Approving this resolution does not mean that military action is imminent or unavoidable.

The resolution will tell the United Nations, and all nations, that America speaks with one voice and is determined to make the demands of the civilized world mean something.

A few days later, on the floor of the Senate, Kerry took note of Bush's words as he explained his fundamental position:

As the President made clear earlier this week, "Approving this resolution does not mean that military action is imminent or unavoidable." It means "America speaks with one voice."...

...In giving the President this authority, I expect him to fulfill the commitments he has made to the American people in recent days--

To work with the United Nations Security Council to adopt a new resolution setting out tough and immediate inspection requirements, and to act with our allies at our side if we have to disarm Saddam Hussein by force.

If he fails to do so, I will be among the first to speak out.

Is there anything Kerry has said on Iraq that has contradicted that? No.

That's why Kerry said what he said last month:

Yes, I would have voted for that authority, but I would have used that authority to do things very differently.

Because that is completely in line with his basic position from the beginning.

It is Bush that has flip-flopped, now deeming that the force authorization vote was a war vote, when before he said it was nothing of the sort.

[liveoaktx]

1. Very interesting- thanks for posting this,.....

here's a CBS news url from that speech

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2002/10/07/bushspeech021007

[krkaufman]

3. That's see-bee-see news -- CBC -- not CBS n/t

[krkaufman]

2. What the LiberalOasis post fails to mention, though...

... is that Kerry's position -- and Bush's deception -- is further underscored by the fact that John Negroponte and the US deceived the UN at the signing of the UN resolution on Iraq that got weapons inspectors back into the country.

If you recall, John Negroponte had assured his fellow UN representatives that there was no "automaticity" in the UN resolution, and that further discussion would be necessary before any military action could be taken. Bush rapidly broke (t)his promise.

---

Links...

He (Negroponte) stressed to council members that the language of the resolution contains no "hidden triggers" or "automaticity" that would allow the United States to use force against Baghdad if it fails to cooperate with the weapons inspectors. The matter will return to the council for discussions.

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/p/tp-sec20021112a8.html

In November 2002, it was Negroponte that was U.S. point man steering a compromise resolution through the United Nations Security Council stepping up the pressure on Iraq. “As we have said on numerous occasions to Council members, this Resolution contains no ‘hidden triggers’ and no ‘automaticity’ with respect to the use of force. If there is a further Iraqi breach, reported to the Council by UNMOVIC, the IAEA, or a member state, the matter will return to the Council for discussions as required in paragraph 12.” he told the Security Council.

http://www.disinfopedia.org/wiki.phtml?title=John_Negroponte

A counter-argument can be found at Andrew Hagen.com. Effectively, Hagen is arguing over the definition of the word "is." What Mr Hagen fails to appreciate is that the issue is not about the strict legality (via loopholes) of our unilateral invasion of Iraq; rather, our moral authority and alliances were undercut by the deception and disregard of the Bush Administration. And we are now reaping Bush's whirlwind.

[baltodemvet]

4. Agree: our moral authority and alliances

were flushed into the sewer. It will take years to recoup. We need to flush Bush beefore we can start.