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.

[alnick]

You get it;thank GOD! Far too many on this site don't.

Far too many on this site are beginning to forget.

[nopardons]

No,FR have an ever changing contingent olf frikngers/Bushbashers, who didn't even notice 9/11/01, or blamed it on President Bush. They don't care about that at all. They're far more ineterested in things like our paper money and coins being " worthless ", being out of work ( one really wonders why they ARE out of work and have been for years), H1B workers, immigrants...both legal and illegal, and the fact that pot is illegal.

[Ingtar]

Vote Dean. Try to keep him ahead in the delegate count. When the party faithful (Superdelegates) switch to Kerry at the last minute it will leave Dean ready to run third party.

[Mike Darancette]

President Kerry asks a federal judge to issue warrants for their arrests....

The judge would ask for probable cause and deny the warrant on the basis of racial profiling.

[GeronL]

oh man, bad dreams...

I'm going to bed so I can wake in time for the Souper Bowl

[gonzo]

Oh, c'mon! We're still here. Who made pot illegal?..........FRegards

[FairOpinion]

I guess, he will reject capturing Bin Laden, even is someone offers UBL to him on a silver platter, as Clinton did.

[alnick]

Thanks. Normally I don't let them get to me too much, but today they seem to have been coming out of the woodwork. It's depressing to think that Americans don't have the resolve to continue the fight. It helps to be reminded that these people are not representative of most Americans.

[Mike Darancette]

Souper Bowl

GO PATS!

[FairOpinion]

"The mind boggles !"

==

It sure does.

I can't stand to even look at some of those posts from those claiming to be conservatives, yet spouting more vicious anti-Bush propaganda than the best (or worst) ones on DU.

I am sure James Carville and Hillary are pleased with them.

These people give new meaning to the phrase "useful idiots".

[GeronL]

I always go with the undercats

[Brad’s Gramma]

OH MY GOSH!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA

[Wilhelm Tell]

The leftists treat terrorists like ordinary criminals, they treat criminals like victims, and they treat ordinary citizens like criminals.

Kerry needs to go on talking about how he will get tough with terrorists -- why, if Osama Bin Ladin should be so bold as to travel to Washington to pay a visit to President Kerry, Kerry will see to it that Bin Ladin is promptly arrested! And Bin Ladin won't be arrested on petty charges, either. The hijackers Bin Ladin employed violated many FAA regulations. Mr. Bin Ladin could face serious fines, maybe even a prison sentence! Ha! That will teach him! President Kerry might even respectfully ask the U.N. to pass a resolution condemning terrorism (after first recognizing that the "root cause" of terrorism is Israel and the United States, of course). And then Kerry will get really tough -- he'll have Vice President Edwards sic the trial lawyers on Bin Ladin. Mr. Bin Ladin will spend years and years fighting lawsuits!

[Brad’s Gramma]

GO KERRY!!!!!

[nopardons]

They are FIFTH COLUMNISTS and fellow travelers of the Dems.

[nopardons]

And none of the are Conservatives....." real ", pure, or otherwise.

[Poodlebrain]

If you treat terrorism as a law enforcement issue, then one must be willing to accept the consequences of the terrorist attack before taking any action. At least if you want to follow our laws while enforcing them. Senator Kerry doesn't seem to understand that after 9/11 most Americans are unwilling to accept the reactive approach he is proposing to restore.

If he seriously believes that our intelligence will uncover any and all conspiracies to commit terrorism in sufficient time to arrest the conspirators before they strike, then I've got some business propositions I'd like to discuss with Senator Kerry. Of course the money he'd want to invest would have to come from his wife since he is leveraged to the hilt.

[mindspy]

Oh, so Kerry is going to terrorize us like Clinton did.
I didn't read the article only the title.

[FairOpinion]

"And none of the are Conservatives....." real ", pure, or otherwise."

==

Exactly. Despite their protestations.

[gonzo]

Well, babe, this thread needs more