Posted on 05/29/2004 1:11:06 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -
Democratic White House candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) vowed on Saturday to rebuild U.S. alliances "shredded" by President Bush (news - web sites) and to restore America's international respect.
The Republican incumbent and his likely challenger in the Nov. 2 presidential election both attended the dedication of the World War II Memorial but Kerry told reporters: "There are no politics today. It's just a really nice day, a really special day for America."
Hours before the ceremony on Washington's Mall, Kerry declared in the Democrats' weekly radio address that it was "time to answer the call to greatness and lead the world."
"It's time to put away pride and stubbornness," he said. "We must rebuild alliances that have been shredded because an America respected in the world will be an America stronger in the world and safer here at home."
The Massachusetts senator, who voted for the congressional resolution authorizing Bush to use force in Iraq (news - web sites), has since charged the president rushed to war without adequate international help or a plan to win the peace.
"America has always drawn its power not only from the might of its weapons, but from the trust and respect of nations around the globe," Kerry said. "From the World Wars to the Cold War and beyond, American-led alliances have been a driving force in the survival of freedom."
During the 2000 election campaign, Bush promised a humble foreign policy built on stronger international alliances, but since taking office he has angered some of Washington's traditional friends with moves like abandoning a global warming treaty and invading Iraq.
FOREIGN POLICY FOCUS
Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, has begun an 11-day focus on national security built around Saturday's dedication ceremony, Memorial Day on Monday when the United States honors its war dead and the 60th anniversary of D-Day on June 6.
In the same period, Bush plans to give a major speech on Iraq, travel to Normandy, France, for the D-day celebrations and host the G8 summit of the leaders of Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Canada and Russia on Sea Island, about 90 miles south of Savannah, Georgia.
Kerry painted the broad strokes of his foreign policy priorities in Seattle on Thursday, promising to forge a coordinated global alliance against terror, free the United States from its "dangerous dependence" on Middle East oil and end what he described as Bush's divisive bullying tactics.
On Iraq, Bush and Kerry both believe the United States should stay the course to bring stability to the country. Neither is ready to set a date for withdrawing U.S. troops.
But Kerry, a 20-year veteran of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he would give greater prominence to international organizations like the United Nations (news - web sites) and NATO (news - web sites).
"Some of the best armor we could ever give our troops will be allies to fight by their side," he said. "And it's because of those who fought before and those who fight today that it's time to do what it takes to build an America that's once again respected in the world."
Kerry attended the World War II memorial dedication with Joseph Lesniewski, of Erie, Pennsylvania, one of 18 living paratroopers from the Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division who on D-Day parachuted into enemy territory behind the Normandy beachhead.
He = Schröder
Details? Kerry plans on helping German, France, Russia, and other "allies" bury the "Oil for Bribes" program. Then he plans on buying them off, prostrating himself before them, and kissing their asses.
Kerry is the whore in high school who let all the boys have their way with her so they would like her.
Follow the money Einstein...Germany and France ARE NOT ALLIES...complicit POS's
If France and Germany want to back into the freedom coalition...they can bend over and KMA...for starters...I don't need either one of them to know we are virtuous...we are freedom...we are liberty
No one can hold a candle to the United States...get a clue
The alliance Kerry misses most is FDR's alliance with Stalin.
Weary about What? Underware pictures and pryamids??
Are you refering to the Byrd-Hagel resolution?
here is the vote..
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=105&session=1&vote=00205
Kerry: "It's time to put away pride..."
What a loser. Telling Americans and their president not to be proud, to grovel to the likes of Chirac.
The list of alleged beneficiaries includes a senior UN official and top French, Indonesian and Russian politicians.
http://www.nationalreview.com/jos/jos200405051300.asp
To summarize it briefly here, however, a program that was meant to underpin sanctions against Saddam Hussein's Iraq by moderating its effects on innocent Iraqis with humanitarian aid became a joint venture by Saddam, senior U.N. officials, and public figures in Security Council member states such as France and Russia to divert many billions in oil revenues into their various pockets; to bribe governments, companies, and individuals in Saddam's behalf; to establish a network of corrupt cronies beholden to Saddam around the world; to build up Saddam's machinery of war and oppression in Iraq; and to do little or nothing for the ordinary Iraqis who were the poster children for the entire enterprise.
My country comes clean up, we had nothing to do with the oil for food thing.
But I realized long ago that facts does not matter. Many here cannot and will not understand that Germanys opposition to the war in Iraq had nothing to do with economy, hiding things or something like that. It was Schröders pure emergency exit from the polls which already have seen him as the loser of last elections. Well, Iraq and floodings in large parts of the country lead to his narrow re-election. That´s all. It was just a political thing, and you will never find any government-authorized arms deals with Iraq, etc.
I know, it´s easier to make a country looking bad if you can put some criminal or corrupt behaviour on its government...
Surely Germany is no ally. They don´t even have a right to another opinion. Germany has stood at Americas side since 1945, and vice versa, and now that they did not back the war, they´re POS! Absolutely. Nothing else counts.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1144476/posts?page=50#50
I can understand maybe before 9/11, but what is significant about '99?
The Clinton ERA?
Thanks for that. MY guess the non-voters weren't there, no "no" votes at all, amazing. The way it's covered you would think it was only the "evil" ones (Republicans)holding the whole world back from the great progress Kyoto offers, WHAT BUNK.
"The Massachusetts senator, who voted for the congressional resolution authorizing Bush to use force in Iraq (news - web sites), has since charged the president rushed to war without adequate international help or a plan to win the peace."
The esteemed Senator authorized the President to go to war than tells the world the President rushed to war.
This guy is a freaking moron. Which explains why the RATS love him.
I´m glad that you understand it know! :-) I can´t expect more.
Be seeing you, and best regards across the Ocean,
Michael
know = now! I´m sorry.
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