Connecticut ping!
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Posted on 10/26/2006 4:36:53 AM PDT by CT-Freeper
HARTFORD -- Campaigning in Connecticut, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey said Wednesday that the war in Iraq is going badly and is hurting the war on terror.
The assessment of the two Democrats -- both decorated Vietnam veterans -- mirrored the view of Ned Lamont, the anti-war Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.
But Kerrey came to Hartford to campaign for U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman, a steadfast supporter for the war effort, who lost the Democratic nomination to Lamont.
His comments on the direction of the Iraq conflict and its hampering the larger war on terrorism made for an awkward campaign moment for Lieberman.
There were no such disagreements between Kerry and Lamont when they campaigned together in East Hartford. Both support a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
"The only way to get Iraqis to get serious about standing up for Iraq themselves is to be clear and determined about the assumption of their responsibility," said Kerry, the Democratic candidate for president in 2004. "Ned Lamont understands that."
Lieberman is telling voters now that he still believes victory for the United States and democracy for Iraq is possible. But Kerrey took a more pessimistic view.
"It is heading to a defeat. I would prefer that it not end in defeat," he said.
Kerrey also said the conflict in Iraq is undermining the global struggle against terrorism.
"Do I think invading Iraq helped the war on terror? No, I do not," he said.
With Kerrey at his side, Lieberman acknowledged the conflict in Iraq isn't going well.
"This is not going in any way as I hoped it would at this point," the senator said.
He hedged when asked if he agreed with Kerrey that the U.S. presence in Iraq is hurting the war against terrorism.
"It is a more complicated question than that, and it doesn't have a yes or no answer," said Lieberman, who is running independently as a petition candidate.
Like Kerrey, Lamont and Kerry argued that the U.S. intervention in Iraq compromised the wider war on terrorism. They also said the current Bush administration policy isn't working.
"I don't know why it is a high crime and misdemeanor in politics to change your mind and say, 'I have looked at the situation and it has got to change,'" Lamont said.
The Lamont campaign started to compare Iraq to Vietnam this week, and to compare Lieberman to President Richard Nixon. Kerry picked up on the analogy at the event at East Hartford Middle School.
"The truth is what is happening in Iraq today is worse than what was happening in Vietnam," Kerry said. "This is a larger disgrace and a larger foreign policy disaster for our country and the world."
Lamont and Kerry support setting a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Kerry introduced legislation in June to pull out U.S. troops by next July 1. Lamont favors a deadline of 12 to 18 months.
"Every day the war in Iraq is getting worse, and that is why it is important we start to bring our troops home and start having the Iraqis stand up for themselves," Lamont said.
"I say no young American should be asked to give up their life or limb because Iraqi politicians refuse to compromise and embrace democracy for themselves," Kerry said.
Lieberman remains steadfastly opposed to setting a deadline or a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops. He says doing so would be tantamount to defeat.
"I am not for retreat. I am not giving up on Iraq," Lieberman said at the University of Connecticut School of Business in Hartford.
Kerrey was of a mixed mind on the question of setting a timetable. "I don't know at this stage of the game. It has been so messed up with corruption and incompetence and dishonesty. I mean, I don't know what to believe any more."
That is the problem," he said.
Both he and Lieberman said they don't support an open-ended or unconditional U.S commitment in Iraq.
"At some point, you have got to say to the Iraqi people, 'It is yours,' and I do not think we stand down as they stand up is a strategy. I think it is a buzz line," Kerrey said.
Thankfully, Kerry and Kerrey have differently spelled last names, or this would be one confusing article!
Well, kinda.
"HARTFORD -- Campaigning in Connecticut, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey said Wednesday that the war in Iraq is going badly and is hurting the war on terror."
Let me get this straight. Terrorists are coming to Iraq and Afghanistan from all over the world to fight the Americans, since they cannot get to America.
The American military with coalition forces and the Iraqi and Afghani security forces are killing these terrorists by the hundreds.
And we are losing?
Here is the link for Kerry and the VVAW's FBI files!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1725464/posts
Kerrey was a SEAL and wears the Congressional Medal of Honor. He's screwed up himself and an actual war criminal, but he's no John Kerry.
One's a decorated veteran supporting a liberal Democrat... the other's a traitorous, ficticiously-decorated veteran supporting a closet-commie.
Yes, killing tens of thousands of terrorists and eviscerating AQ in Iraq has really hurt the WOT. What planet do these guys live on?
I get my daily emails from Trator John............IMHO this guy is starting to make Algore look sane.
Its true they are both decorated Veterans.
Only Bob Kerrey earned his medals, while Hanoi John Kerry wrote himself up for his ,and then had to get an honorable discharge from Jimmy Carter after he was refused one by the military.
I liked this statement by Lieberman "This is not going in any way as I hoped it would at this point,"
I think President George Bush would agree with that.
Everyone hoped it would be done with and the Iraqui's would be living in peace and having productive lives by now. Unfortunately Iran, and Al Quaeda feel differently.
You did notice how fast Kerrey gave up his seat when the news started coming out about his acts in Vietnam.
I also DO NOT approve of how Kerrey carried himself when talking to Dr. Rice during her hearings.
It was disgusting.
He may have the Medal of Honor but his Honor has left him.
Connecticut ping!
Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.
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