Kerry Pledges Return to Clinton Terrorism Policies

NewsMax.com ^ | January 31, 2004 | Carl Limbacher

[Carl/NewsMax]

Democratic presidential front-runner John F. Kerry pledged on Saturday that if he becomes president he'll treat terrorist acts against the U.S. as a law enforcement problem rather than as acts of war - the approach favored by President Clinton throughout the 1990's as Osama bin Laden repeatedly struck U.S. targets with impunity.

Speaking before a group of Oklahoma City firefighters, Kerry complained that the Bush adminsitration "doesn't understand the war on terror."

Under a Kerry administration, he said, the fight against terrorism "will involve the military now and then," but it will be "primarily an intelligence gathering, law enforcement operation."

"It's a great big manhunt," Kerry explained. "[The Bush] administration has translated that legitimate threat into a completely wrongheaded kind of full-fledged military response."

Since 9/11, U.S. terrorism experts have said that the Clinton administration's legalistic approach to fighting al Qaeda not only proved ineffective - it actually emboldened bin Laden to the point where he thought he could launch an attack on U.S. soil without prompting a serious military response.

Indeed, in a 2002 speech to New York business leaders, Mr. Clinton himself cited legal concerns as an excuse for his decision not to have bin Laden arrested five years before the 9/11 attacks.

"At the time, 1996, he had committed no crime against America," said Clinton. "So I did not bring him here because we had no basis on which to hold him, though we knew he wanted to commit crimes against America."

To listen to ex-president Clinton explain why he didn't have Osama bin Laden arrested, Click Here.

[Only1choice____Freedom]

Or non-policy

[KevinDavis]

So basically Kerry will do nothing except for launching a few cruis missles and pat himself on the ass.

[kimosabe31]

Kerry is unreal

[SeaDragon]

Democratic presidential front-runner John F. Kerry pledged on Saturday that if he becomes president he'll treat terrorist acts against the U.S. as a law enforcement problem rather than as acts of war - the approach favored by President Clinton throughout the 1990's as Osama bin Laden repeatedly struck U.S. targets with impunity.

Well that makes me feel safe and all warm and fuzzy..............

[Libertina]

As in turning down the offer of Osama THREE times? Is Kerry inhaling something?

[b9]

Kerry is verry...umm
scerry

[twntaipan]

I hope Kerry keeps this up. Americans will remember Clinton's failed policies as the cause of 911 and send the demoncRATs where they belong--the dung heap.

[Kozak]

I don't know. Janet Reno was pretty tough on some religious fanatics in Texas....

[punster]

John 'Kaptain Ketchup' Kerry is an absolute, utter idiot. He has no understanding of the scope of operations required to deal with state-sponsored terrorism. However, it does seem that calling Ketchup Boy an idiot is giving him far too much credit.

[Finalapproach29er]

John F. Kerry pledged on Saturday that if he becomes president he'll treat terrorist acts against the U.S. as a law enforcement problem rather.....

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This can't be true or accurate. Nobody is this stupid, not even pepe-le-peux.

[Atchafalaya]

There is a God! I humbly thank him.

[Atchafalaya]

There is a God! I humbly thank him.

[cyncooper]

Evidently he plans to keep it up. He unveiled this gentle approach to terrorism at the debate last Thursday night. Many of us looked on aghast.

I see this is datelined today, so he's decided the half-a$$ed approach is the way to go.

"Occasional" use of the military. See? He gets to be kind of pro-military, yet kind of anti...all at the same time.

[noutopia]

Now I'm undecided between Sharpton and Kerry to Vote for in the South Carolina primary.I need Help on this.

[bornintexas]

As a matter of fact, I hope 'ole "cash and kommiekerry" keeps these kind of statements coming. The more he invokes the name of klinton, the better for us. I see that as motivating our base......big time.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

You mean clintoon actually had a terrorism policy? I thought it was just a "come-what-may, whatever happens happens, live and let die" loose type of non-policy?

[LdSentinal]

Clinton's Terroism Policy = Go after Richard Jewel.

[LdSentinal]

Clinton's Terroism Policy = Go after Richard Jewel.

[Samwise]

Well, folks, Kerry has pretty much confirmed that he is a blithering idiot. Now all we have to do is sit back and wait to see how many other idiots there are who will vote for him.

I just hope there are more of us than there are of them.