Posted on 09/30/2004 8:40:40 PM PDT by Williams
I haven't heard any discussion of some particularly radical remarks by Kerry in the debate. First and foremost, he outlined his plan for Iran, which was to give the Mullahs the nuclear fuel they want and see if they use it peacefully under international supervision. That is exactly the plan that failed in North Korea and I can't imagine anyone wanting to give nuclear materials to the World's number one state sponsor of terrorism.
Second, Kerry made a number of not too veiled accusations that the Iraq war was a grab for oil. He said the first thing our troops did in Bagdhad was to secure the Oil Ministry building, and he made a later statement that suggested we should renounce any interest in Iraqi oil.
Third, Kerry complained that we are building bases in Iraq that "look permanent" and he said he wants to make it clear we will have no bases in Iraq. The U.S. can't say it wants bases now, but once invited by the Iraqis, only a fool would turn down basing rights next to Iran and Syria. Kerry was at times sounding very much like the peacenik who wants us totally out of the Middle East.
Also, I know that Kerry was asked early on if the war in Iraq was a "mistake." He said of course it wasn't. But then later he had his quote about the invasion of Iraq being a mistake. In fact, Kerry spent the whole night saying we shouldn't have attacked for a wide range of reasons, but then he also kept making it sound as though he would have attacked a few months later.
I think his remarks about giving Iran nuclear fuel should be played up in particular. And why would he renounce bases if offered by a new ally in an absolutely vital region?
His comment about the "unilaterl sanctions" the Bush administration has placed on Iran caused me to chuckle. Those sanctions date back to 1979 and the Carter administration.
Nuclear fuel...Iran? Well it CERTAINLY worked in North Korea! /SARC Wonder if he'll bring Maddie back too help?
Kerry also made a statement that we lost U.N. cooperation in Iraq because we failed to turn Iraqi sovereignty over to the United Nations soon after winning the war. I can't imagine the American people would support turning Iraq over to the U.N.
I agree that is one of his most outrageous statements and I think it shocked many of us who pay attention to this stuff. However, I wonder how it plays with the average person watching who may not be aware of the history with North Korea?
Bush did counter the unlateral sanctions saying they were in place well before his administration.
Another key point that will get some MSM exposure - certainly on Fox, is that on the one hand kerry says it's the wrong war at the wrong time, etc and that he will get our troops out ASAP -
yet on the other hand kerry claims that he will somehow "jaw-bone" the french "surrender monkeys" and the (pot-smoking) germans to jump in and somehow save us fromm ourselves???!!
The firm declaration that he will open bilateral talks with North Korea is madness.
I'm flabbergaster that he would turn his back on our hardwon multilateral talks that include China.
This retarded policy of giving the hostage takers nuclear fuel and technology is complete lunacy. Why not just deliver missiles to them so they can launch them at us while you are at it? Is Bernard Schwartz still at Loral? Maybe he can be bribed to help like he did with the Chinese (during the Clinton years).
I rode the subways during the RNC and I don't remember them being shut down as Kerry stated. That was another weird comment out of him.
I by and large agree with you. Of course, the media needs to draw viewers in so they analyze these debates to within an inch of their lives. Really, a debate has not mattered a bit in an election for sometime. Why?? Simple, both candidates follow the "do no harm" approach.
The MSM is acting like Bush had to defeat Kerry tonight. In order to do that, one must be on offense. But, the nature of the issues and the questions pretaining thereto required Bush to play defense. He do so magnificently without sounding defensive. By the same token, Kerry came off as polished and, well, as himself.
One key stat to get a hold of is whether the ratings dropped during the debate. In other words, did the people really watch the entire thing? I tuned out after the first 30 minutes and honestly, those were not the best minutes of the debate for Kerry.
In the end, Kerry stands where he has always stood on Iraq etc., nowhere, leaning to anti-war. Bush stands where he stands. The voters have already mAade up their minds which position is better.
Now, its on to the next joint press conference.
P.S. Bush is not a good debater. Ergo, I don't know why anyone at FOX was expecting him deliver a "knock out blow." The only reason Bush seemingly won the debates against Gore was that Gore was supposed to have "wiped the floor" with Bush. Because Bush held his own, i.e. met lowered expectations, victory was declared.
Kerry has an excellent idea. We could give nuclear weapons and a delivery system to the Iranians. If they misuse them we will know that they cannot be trusted. Why didn't I think of that?
Oddly, when it comes to North Korea, we must engage in "bilateral talks". (1) That's only 'talk'. (2) That's going it alone with N. Korea -- without allies, without the UN, without anybody in the area that cares. Huh?
The more I think about Kerry saying the only time he would use preemptive force to defend the US, was if it passed some sort of Global test-the more I realize he made a huge gaffe .
And of course, arming the mullahs with nukes.
Also, How is he going to "secure 600 tons of nuclear material in four years, not 13 years" in Russia? Does anyone really think that Putin is just going to let US forces crawl all over Russia? The only conceivable way for that plan to work would be by giving huge amounts of bribes to Russia. They of course would accept the money athen keep the gravy train going as long as possible.
Kerry made major policy blunders tonight.
Great summary of Kerry's absolutely mad ideas.
At some points, he sounded as if he were campaigning for Saddam Hussein and the terrorists!
I agree that Kerry's comment concerning Iran and nuclear fuel was very troubling. You may as well give a paroled felon a gun and hope he only uses it for home defense.
The one that confirmed most people's worst fears was the bizzare 'global test' comment. Bush smacked that one out of the park when he replied that America's security was the only test.
No doubt Kerry's comments will be glossed over by the MSM. They rival Kucinich's ridiculous Department of Peace proposal.
Kerry said that WMD are brought across the border every day. What an odd statement.
He continually vacillated between saying the war in Iraq was a mistake and he will "win this thing." How can any American have confidence in his resolve to "win this thing" that he so fervently believes to be a mistake? How can anyone expect him to be successful in bringing more allies onboard for what he considers a mistake?
Why didn't Kerry mention how effective the wonderful UN is in Haiti, Sudan, and what a wonderful, effective program they ran in Iraq. The Oil for Food program is a Democrat model of helping those in need.
His comments about North Korea and Iran were disturbing.
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