Kerry’s Latest Campaign Fiction (Kerry Claims His Book Did Plan For War On Terror –Before It Didn’t)

Republican National Committee ^ | July 1, 2004

[RWR8189]

KERRY’S LATEST CAMPAIGN FICTION
Kerry Claims His 1997 Book Actually Did Plan For War On Terror – Before It Didn’t
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KERRY CAMPAIGN FACT SHEET: “Long Before Bush Became Governor or President, John Kerry … Warned the Nation About the Dangers Faced By … International Terrorism.”  (John Kerry For President, “Bush-Cheney Ad Fact Check,” Press Release, 7/1/04)

YOU CALL THIS A WARNING?

Kerry’s Book Did Not Mention Osama Bin Laden Or Al Qaeda Even Once.  “The book does not mention Osama bin Laden or Al Qaeda, and The New Republic wrote recently that it ‘was almost entirely focused on the threat of global crime, not terrorism’ and viewed ‘post-cold war security more as a matter for law enforcement than the military.’”  (Jodi Wilgoren, “Kerry Pushes Image Of An All-Around, Intelligent Guy,” The New York Times, 7/1/04)

Kerry’s Book Called Taliban’s Call For “Islamic Purity” A “Sham” And Doesn’t Mention Their Terrorist Connections – Just Their Drug Smuggling.  “In the autumn of 1996, Taliban fighters, Islamic fundamentalists who had taken over Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul, executed the last Soviet installed leader of the country and called for a return to Islamic purity and a repudiation of opium trafficking. But Western intelligence analysts immediately detected evidence that the public statements were a sham to mask continued smuggling by the Taliban forces.” (Sen. John Kerry, The New War, 1997, p. 97)

When Kerry Wrote His Book, Bin Laden Had Already Publicly Declared War On America Twice! 

ü      October 1996: “It is the duty of every tribe in the Arabian peninsula to fight jihad and cleanse the land from these Crusader occupiers. Their wealth is booty to those who kill them.”  (Osama Bin Laden As Quoted In Richard Miniter, Losing Bin Laden, 2003, p. 161)

ü      February 1997: “If someone can kill an American soldier, it is better than wasting time on other matters.”  (Osama Bin Laden As Quoted In Richard Miniter, Losing Bin Laden, 2003, p. 161)

The New Republic Didn’t See Warning Of Islamic Fundamentalist Terrorism In Kerry’s Book.  “Kerry must be assuming no one will go back and actually read his [1997] manifesto [The New War] … [T]he New War was almost entirely focused on the threat of global crime – not terrorism. If the future Kerry predicted really had arrived, we’d currently be locked in a vicious cyberwar with CD-pirating Japanese yakuza, Chinese kidney-traders, and Italian mobsters – not hunting Islamic fundamentalists potentially armed with weapons of mass destruction.”  (Michael Crowley, “Kerry’s Odd Book On Terrorism,” The New Republic, 2/9/04)

YOU CALL THIS A PLAN?

Reviewer Noted Kerry’s Book Lacked “Any New Ideas” For Fighting Terrorism.  “Kerry will probably receive some criticism for his book’s failure to advance any new ideas for dealing with international crime. Other than his declaration that nations must work more closely together to identify and apprehend criminals and their assets, Kerry seems to be lacking for solutions to the criminal scourge he so skillfully documents.”  (Phillip Morris, “Top Analysis Of Global Crime Lacks Solutions,” The [Cleveland] Plain Dealer, 7/20/97)

Kerry Thinks War On Terror Is “Far More Of A Law Enforcement” Than “Military” Operation.  “[I]t is important to fight terror abroad. And would I rather fight terror abroad than here in this country. But the fight against terror is far more of a law enforcement and intelligence operation than it is a day-to-day huge military operation.”  (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 9/8/03)

During 1990s, Kerry Tried To Slash Over $7.5 Billion From Overall Intelligence Budget, Declaring Need To “Rein In” Such Funding.  “Now, with respect to that issue of reinvention, that can carry with it a duality – a negative as well as a positive – and the negative can be that there is an effort to reinvent for the sake of it in order to create a purpose where there may not be one. Many people are suggesting that without a Soviet Union to focus on, without the kind of insurgencies that were being spread throughout the world, and without the need to break codes and do the other things, that we really need to rein in and direct our intelligence gathering in a whole new way. I suppose less expensive is the bottom line.”  (S. 1826, Introduced 2/3/1994; S. Amdt. 1452, Introduced 2/9/94; H.R. 3759, CQ Vote #39: Rejected 20-75: R 3-37; D 17-38, 2/10/94, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1290, Introduced 9/29/95; Sen. John Kerry, Select Committee On Intelligence, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 4/26/95)

ü      Then-Senate Intel Chair Dennis DeConcini (D-AZ) Said Previous Cuts Were “As Deep As The Intelligence Community Can Withstand,” And Kerry’s Proposal Ignored Terrorism, Imperiled National Security.  “[L]ast year’s intelligence cut was as deep as the intelligence community can withstand during its post-cold-war transition. … We no longer seem immune from acts of terrorism in the United States and the scourge of narcotics has hardly abated. … It makes no sense for us to close our eyes and ears to developments around the world …”  (Sen. Dennis DeConcini, Congressional Record, 2/10/94, p. S1360)

And, Questioning Need For Defense Spending In “Post-Cold-War World,” Kerry Voted At Least Thirty Four Times Against Higher Defense Funding Since 1990.  “So you can look at all the potential threats of the world, and when you add the expenditures of all of our allies to the United States of America, you have to stop and say to yourself, ‘What is it that we are really preparing for in a post-cold-war world?’” (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 5/15/96, p. S5061; S. 2884, CQ Vote #216: Motion Agreed To 51-48: R 34-11; D 17-37, 8/3/90, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 29, CQ Vote #49: Motion Rejected 22-73: R 1-39; D 21-34, 4/25/91, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 106, CQ Vote #73: Motion Agreed To 53-40: R 38-1; D 15-39, 4/9/92, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 106, CQ Vote #69: Rejected 45-50: R 4-37; D 41-13, 4/9/92, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 2403, CQ Vote #85: Adopted 61-38: R 7-36; D 54-2, 5/6/92, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 4990, CQ Vote #108: Adopted 90-9: R 34-9; D 56-0, 5/21/92, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1122, CQ Vote #156: Motion Rejected 16-81: R 8-45; D 8-36, 6/8/99, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #46: Adopted 69-30: R 31-12; D 38-18, 3/23/93, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 13, CQ Vote #180: Rejected 40-60: R 37-17; D 3-43, 5/23/95, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1087, CQ Vote #389: Motion Agreed To 56-42: R 50-3; D 6-39, 8/10/95, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 57, CQ Vote #113: Rejected 42-57: R 6-47; D 36-10, 5/15/96, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1745, CQ Vote #172: Rejected 34-65: R 4-49; D 30-16, 6/26/96, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1745, CQ Vote #173: Rejected 45-55: R 6-47; D 39-8, 6/26/96, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 4278, CQ Vote #302: Passed 84-15: R 38-14; D 46-1, 9/30/96, Kerry Voted Yea; H. Con. Res. 68, CQ Vote #86: Adopted 54-44: R 54-0; D 0-44, 4/15/99, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2707, CQ Vote #182: Motion Rejected 28-69: R 3-39; D 25-30, 9/10/91, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 13, CQ Vote #181: Rejected 28-71: R 2-51; D 26-20, 5/24/95, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 2707, CQ Vote #182: Motion Rejected 28-69: R 3-39; D 25-30, 9/10/91, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 2399, CQ Vote #56: Motion Rejected 50-48: R 3-40; D 47-8, 3/26/92, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 106, CQ Vote #70: Motion Rejected 36-62: R 3-39; D 33-23, 4/9/92, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 5677, CQ Vote #208: Motion Rejected 36-62: R 5-38; D 31-24, 9/16/92, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 5677, CQ Vote #209: Motion Rejected 30-67: R 6-37; D 24-30, 9/16/92, Kerry Yea; H.R. 5677, CQ Vote #211: Motion Rejected 43-53: R 14-28; D 29-25, 9/17/92, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #50: Motion Agreed To 58-41: R 6-37; D 52-4, 3/23/93, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1298, CQ Vote #253: Motion Agreed To 61-32: R 35-5; D 26-27, 9/9/93, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 63, CQ Vote #66: Rejected 42-58: R 42-2; D 0-56, 3/23/94, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 13, CQ Vote #204: Rejected 31-68: R 1-53; D 30-15, 5/25/95, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 13, CQ Vote #205: Rejected 26-73: R 2-52; D 24-21, 5/25/95, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 1944, CQ Vote #319: Motion Agreed To 57-40: R 47-5; D 10-35, 7/21/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 1944, CQ Vote #320: Motion Agreed To 65-32: R 49-3; D 16-29, 7/21/95, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1745, CQ Vote #175: Motion Agreed To 60-40: R 50-3; D 10-37, 6/26/96, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1061, CQ Vote #229: Motion Rejected 27-72: R 2-53; D 25-19, 9/10/97, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 2057, CQ Vote #173: Rejected 18-74: R 1-50; D 17-24, 6/25/98, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1077, CQ Vote #224: Motion Agreed To 77-22: R 48-0; D 29-21; I 0-1, 7/10/01, Kerry Voted Nay)

Kerry Sought To Phase Out Weapons Vital To Winning War On Terror. “[K]erry supported cancellation of a host of weapons systems that have become the basis of US military might – the high-tech munitions and delivery systems on display to the world as they leveled the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein in a matter of weeks.” (Brian C. Mooney, “Taking One Prize, Then A Bigger One,” The Boston Globe, 6/19/03)

Kerry Even Voted Against Funding Our Troops In Combat In Iraq And Afghanistan. (S. 1689, CQ Vote #400: Passed 87-12: R 50-0; D 37-11; I 0-1, 10/17/03, Kerry Voted Nay)

[Paul Atreides]

Did he also invent the personal computer, so that Howlgore could, in turn, invent the Internet?

[Texas Eagle]

Kerry’s Book Did Not Mention Osama Bin Laden Or Al Qaeda Even Once.

How many times did it mention Newt Gingrich or The Contract With America?

[Ghost in the Machine]

Excellent post. How 'bout a little context? When did Lurch say that?

[Ghost in the Machine]

Sorry Got it in the fine print.

[RWR8189]

His newest TV ad talks about how his 1997 book forsaw the War on Teror, or something to that effect.

[Ghost in the Machine]

Gotcha. Way I see it, if the Democrats could fix a date and time, they'd be claiming retroactive credit for the creation of the Heaven and the Earth.

[smonk]

there's probably more material potentially destructive to the author in this book than "Earth in the Balance", and that was
a goldmine.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

In addition to the fact that it was not particularly prescient or focused on the real terror sources - the biggest fact in all of his retrospective promotion of this book - is the fact that he did not write it. I would be willing to bet a very large sum that he had this ghostwritten. If the press were not busy sitting on their thumbs they'd ask him a) how long it took to write, b) where he wrote it, c) who edited it, d) what kind of computer he used to write it (or what kind of paper did he longhand it on, and then who transcribed it. He should be able to show things like receipts for fed-ex packages between his home (presumably he didn't write it on the government's nickel) and his publisher, etc. etc. etc. All the usual things that accompany the process of writing a book. Except - if this was ghostwritten in the way I assume it was - he looked at some galleys, had a few long phone calls and then sat for the photographer. 

Any respectable reporter should at least verify some of these facts. We can all live with the legend of the first JFK and "Profiles in Courage" and the fact that he accepted a Pulitzer for a book he didn't actually write - but we have progressed since that era and we should hold this JFK to a standard of honesty. Go to work!

[buffyt]

That reminds me of the other day when someone told the conservative talk radio host that he was listening in to see what his "enemy" was doing. The host kept asking, "Am I your enemy, or is al qaida?" etc. The caller never answered that!

[buffyt]

...and they would still blame BUSH for everything bad that ever happened....

[buffyt]

Did you ever take the quiz
"Who said it?", Al Gore in Earth in the Balance
or
"Unabomber Manifesto?"
Hard to guess who said what. Those tests are still on the internet, just search and find them.

[Texas Eagle]

Typical Lib behavior. Either they don't say anything or they change the subject.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Did he also invent the personal computer, so that Howlgore could, in turn, invent the Internet?

Kerry voted for-against the anti-internet, before Gore didn't invent it. I hope this clears things up.

[Ramius]

Sounds like this book needs a LOT more attention.

There mere fact that the Kerry campaign itself has all-but ignored it's publication speaks *volumes*. Looks like there's a big case of foot-in-mouth there.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Here....have a good laugh!!

[albertp]

I believe there also MAY be a quiz connecting Hillary Clinton's "It Takes a Village" and The Communist Manifesto.

[albertp]

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a515373.htm IT TAKES A VILLAGE IDIOT TO BELIEVE HER ACT - recognizes the curious correspondence between the brainwaves of Hillary and Karl's Communist Manifesto.

[NotchJohnson]

Listened to Glen Beck today. He says Spielberg put in bullets hitting the water when Kerry was casually swimming through the water to make him look heroic.