JOHN KERRY FLIP FLOPS ON IRAQ
Originally posted here
Kerry
Now Repeats Dean's Anti-War Rant
Kerry: Iraq Is "The Wrong War In The Wrong Place At The
Wrong Time." "Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry
on Monday called the invasion of Iraq 'the wrong war in the wrong
place at the wrong time' and said his goal was to withdraw U.S.
troops in his first White House term." (Patricia
Wilson, "Kerry on Iraq: Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time," Reuters,
9/6/04)
Dean: Iraq Is "The Wrong War, At The Wrong Time." "I
firmly believe that the President is focusing . . . on the wrong
war, at the wrong time, when our energy and our resources should
be marshaled for the greatest threats we face. Yes, Saddam Hussein
is evil. But Osama bin Laden is also evil, and he has attacked
the United States, and he is preparing now to attack us again.
What happened to the war against al Qaeda?" (Howard
Dean, Remarks At Drake University, 2/17/03)
But Kerry Previously Disagreed With Dean’s Comment. ABC's
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: "And Senator Kerry, the first question
goes to you. On March 19th, President Bush ordered General Tommy
Franks to execute the invasion of Iraq. Was that the right decision
at the right time?" SENATOR JOHN KERRY (D-MA): "George, I said
at the time I would have preferred if we had given diplomacy
a greater opportunity, but I think it was the right decision
to disarm Saddam Hussein. And when the president made the decision,
I supported him, and I support the fact that we did disarm him." STEPHANOPOULOS: "Now
Governor Dean, you've criticized Senator Kerry on the campaign
trail, saying he's trying to have it both ways on the issue of
Iraq. Was that answer clear enough for you?" GOVERNOR HOWARD
DEAN: "Let me be very clear about what I believe. I'm delighted
to see Saddam Hussein gone. I appreciate the fact that we have
a strong military in this country and I'd keep a strong military
in this country. But I think this is the wrong war at the wrong
time, because we have set a new policy of preventive war in this
country and I think that was the wrong thing to do, because sooner
or later, we're going to see another country copy the United
States, and sooner or later we're going to have to deal with
the fact that there may well be a Shi'a fundamentalist regime
set up in Iraq, which would be a greater danger to the United
States than Iraq is." (ABC's Democrat Presidential
Candidates Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)
Kerry Says He Still Would Have
Voted For The Iraq War
Kerry: "Yes, I Would Have Voted For The Authority." KERRY: "I'd
challenge the president back. But I'm ready for any challenge
and I'll answer directly. Yes, I would have voted for the authority.
I believe it's the right authority for a president to have. But
I would have used that authority as I have said throughout this
campaign, effectively. I would have done this very differently
from the way President Bush has. And my question to President
Bush is why did he rush to war without a plan to win the peace?" (CNN's "Inside
Politics," 8/9/04)
Kerry Foreign Policy Adviser Jamie Rubin Had Said Kerry
Would Have “In All Probability” Launched A Military Attack Against
Iraq If He Were President. (Jim VandeHei
And Mary Fitzgerald, “Kerry Defends Position On Iraq,” The Washington
Post, 8/8/04)
- Rubin Now Claims “It Is Not Knowable” Whether Kerry Would Have Gone To War With Iraq If He Were President. (Ronald Brownstein, “Advisor Retracts Remark On Kerry Supporting War,” Los Angeles Times, 8/25/04)
Kerry Previously Called
Himself An Anti-War Candidate. MSNBC'S CHRIS MATTHEWS: "Are
you one of the anti-war candidates?" KERRY: "I am - Yeah." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 1/6/04)
Kerry Has Offered Multiple Excuses
For His Vote Against Our Troops
Kerry First Characterized A Vote Against The Funding
As "Irresponsible." Doyle McManus (LA Times): "If that
amendment does not pass, will you then vote against the $87 billion?" Kerry: "I
don't think any United States senator is going to abandon our
troops and recklessly leave Iraq to – to whatever follows as
a result of simply cutting and running. That's irresponsible." (CBS, "Face
the Nation," 9/14/03)
Kerry Voted Against $87 Billion War Supplemental. (S.
1689, CQ Vote #400: Passed 87-12: R 50-0; D 37-11; I 0-1, 10/17/03,
Kerry Voted Nay)
Kerry Offered A Tortured Explanation Of His Vote Against
The $87 Billion To Support Troops In Iraq. "I actually
did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." (Richard
W. Stevenson and Adam Nagourney, "Bush's Campaign Emphasizes
Role Of Leader In War," The New York Times, 3/17/04)
Kerry Said He's "Proud" That He And Edwards Voted Against
$87 Billion In Funding For U.S. Soldiers. "Here is the
value that John Edwards and I will put in place. I'm proud to
say that John joined me in voting against that $87 billion when
we knew the policy had to be changed." (John Kerry,
Remarks at "Women's Voices: A Luncheon with John Kerry," Boston,
MA, 7/12/04)
Kerry Says His Vote Against Body Armor And Supplies For
Troops Was "Complicated." Don Imus: "That's probably
a longer answer than I would be able to give to, say, Senator
Miller or Senator Hatch, but …" Sen. Kerry: "Well, you know,
that's a problem. Some of these things are a little complicated.
They like to simplify them and pretend to America. The pretending
time is over." (MSNBC's "Imus in the Morning," 7/15/04)
