Posted on 09/28/2002 5:23:06 AM PDT by GailA
Clement, Ford meet with Bush about his Iraq plans By James W. Brosnan, The Commercial Appeal September 28, 2002
WASHINGTON - Reps. Harold Ford Jr. and Bob Clement of Tennessee met with President Bush at the White House on Thursday about potential war plans with Iraq and left with reservations, they said.
Ford, a Memphis Democrat, said later he was concerned that Bush is politicizing the war to help Republicans in the November election because many of Bush's and Vice President Dick Cheney's public statements about Iraq are at fund-raisers for Republican candidates.
"It's not wise politics," said Ford.
Ford said he still plans to back the resolution on force next week. He said Bush addressed some of the concerns raised by former Vice President Al Gore on Monday, including the military's ability to fight a war with Iraq while still going after Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network.
"The president vacillated between destroying weapons of mass destruction and regime change. He seems to think they are one and the same," said Ford. Ford also said he's not convinced that the administration has a firm plan to stabilize Iraq after the war.
Clement, a Nashville Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, stood right behind Bush at a White House photo opportunity with other congressmen that was intended to show bipartisan support for a war against Iraq and to defuse political tensions between the administration and Democrats in Congress.
Clement said afterward that the resolution to be debated in the House next week would probably be more restrictive than what Bush wants.
In the private meeting with the group, Clement said he told the president that he should work through the United Nations and give weapons inspections a chance before resorting to war. "Utilize those weapons inspectors because we need to move toward disarming Iraq. I would not just look the other way if they can do their job because we don't know that," said Clement.
But Clement admitted it would be difficult to disarm Iraq without removing Saddam Hussein from power.
Clement said he also told Bush, "Don't ignore the economy. This economy is unraveling. You need to give the same weight to the economy as to bringing these terrorists to justice."
James W. Brosnan may be reached at BrosnanJ@shns.com
JR is a klintoon/spotted owlbore butt kisser deluxe, who takes his marching orders straight out of the DNC handbook. clement is running as slightly to the right moderate..while his voting record shows him to be a typical LIBERAL. JR has aspration of being guv or Prez one day thus he is keeping a foot on both sides of the fence on this.
brosnan is the demwits water carrier for the Commie Appeal, especially's the fords and spotted owlbore's!
Tom Daschle continues to delay US defense since the 911 Atrocities, as is his way.
===================== Atlanta ===================
In Atlanta, Jimmy Carter repeating his attitude to American hostages held in Iran in 1979,
now suggests Americans simply suffer more attacks from terrorists because
to protect ourselves "would be a tragic and costly error".
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