The Boston Fog Report: Kerry is Foragainst Preemptive Action Against Threats to America

George W. Bush ^ | July 17, 2004

[RWR8189]

The Boston Fog Report
An ongoing examination of John Kerry’s “nuances and shades of gray in both foreign and domestic policy.” (Editorial, “A Primary Endorsement,” The New York Times, 2/26/04)

for·a·gainst adverb.

1. To be both for and against something at the same time: e.g. “I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it.” (Glen Johnson, “Kerry Blasts Bush On Protecting Troops,” The Boston Globe, 3/17/04)

"We welcome John Kerry's newfound support of the Bush Doctrine, a measure designed to protect Americans from threats abroad by confronting dangerous terrorists where they live and train before they attack the United States. We expect John Kerry to continue to move toward President Bush's policies and priorities as he undergoes an extreme makeover of his out of the mainstream positions just in time for the Democratic convention."

-Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman

KERRY IS FORAGAINST PREEMPTIVE ACTION AGAINST THREATS TO AMERICA

Kerry Announces His Support For Preemption

Kerry Says He Would Launch Preemptive Strikes Against Terrorists. "Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Friday he would be willing to launch a pre-emptive strike against terrorists if he had adequate intelligence of a threat. Kerry offered some support for one of the most controversial aspects of President Bush's national security policy, even as he criticized the president for not reforming intelligence agencies after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 'Am I prepared as president to go get them before they get us if we locate them and have the sufficient intelligence? You bet I am,' he said at a news conference at his Washington headquarters." (Ken Guggenheim, "Kerry Offers Support For Pre-Emptive Strikes Against Terrorists," The Associated Press, 7/16/04)

But Kerry Has Criticized Preemption Throughout The Campaign

In 2003 Boston Globe Guest Commentary, Kerry Denounced "The Threat Of Military Preemption Against Terrorist Organizations." "It is troubling that this administration's approach to the menace of loose nuclear materials is long on rhetoric but short on execution. It relies unwisely on the threat of military preemption against terrorist organizations, which can be defeated if they are found but will not be deterred by our military might." (John Kerry, Op-Ed, "Moscow Treaty Is Full Of Holes, The Boston Globe, 3/5/03)

Kerry Said Preemptive Doctrine Invites Other Countries To Do Opposite Of What We "Want Them To Do." "[A]s long as this administration leaves a preemptive doctrine on the table, as long as our administration is proceeding down the road to develop nuclear bunker-busting weapons, and as long as we remain a country that will conduct a preemptive war, we're inviting people to do the very thing that we don't want them to do." (Sen. John Kerry, CNN's Democrat Candidate Debate, 10/9/03)

Kerry Criticizes President Bush's "Doctrine Of Preemption." GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: "(Off Camera) ... you would have your own doctrine of preemption, then?" SENATOR JOHN KERRY: "George, every president from the beginning, uh, of time, has had a sufficient doctrine of preemption. Throughout the Cold War, the entire first strike doctrine was based on a doctrine of preemption. But that's very different from the Bush doctrine of preemption. I don't subscribe to the George Bush doctrine as he has described it, which is very different. It's a preemptive war for the purpose of removing, simply removing the dictator." (ABC's "This Week," 2/22/04)

Kerry Criticizes "Unilateral Pre-Emption," Pledges To Fight Terrorism "Through Stronger Intelligence-Gathering, Law Enforcement, And International Alliances." "He outlined his own plan to combat terrorism through stronger intelligence-gathering, law enforcement and international alliances. 'I do not fault George Bush for doing too much in the war on terror; I believe he's done too little,' said the senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 'Where he's acted, his doctrine of unilateral pre-emption has driven away our allies and cost us the support of other nations.'" (Elizabeth Benjamin, "For Democrats, A One-Two Punch," The [Albany] Times-Union, 2/28/04)

Kerry Said Bush "Has Taken America Off On A Road Of Unilateralism And Ideological Pre-Emption." (David M. Halbfinger, "Kerry Says Dean Lacks Presidential Traits," The New York Times, 12/17/03)

Edwards: "I Would Scrap The Preemption Doctrine." SENATOR JOHN EDWARDS: "I would scrap the preemption doctrine. We don't need a preemption doctrine. I never believed we needed a preemption doctrine. The president of the United States can do whatever needs to be done to keep the American people safe." (ABC's "This Week," 2/22/04)

[Smartass]

[Flash Bazbeaux]

You beat me to it. Those who have accused Kerry of being a Marxist, but they had the wrong Marx.

I don't know what they have to say / It makes no difference anyway / Whatever it is, I'm foragainst it. / No matter what it is or who commenced it, I'm foragainst it! / Your proposition may be good / But let's have one thing understood: / Whatever it is, I'm foragainst it. / And even when you've changed it or condensed it, I'm foragainst it!

[Fedora]

LOL! I think both Marxist labels are applicable to Kerry :) BTW that's probably my favorite Marx Brothers movie. The first time I saw it I thought it was spoofing the New Deal, though I guess it was actually released the year before FDR came into office, so maybe it was just an astute commentary on politicians.

[Fedora]

PS: Actually as I'm looking some stuff up now I think I might have been mixing up some parts of "Horse Feathers" with some parts of "Duck Soup" in my last post--"Duck Soup" is actually the one I was relating to the New Deal, and that one did come out in 1933 vs. 1932 for "Horse Feathers". Both great movies, anyway.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Orwellian but from another FReeper a month or so ago.

[TexasCajun]

Nevin Sawyer? ..would that by chance be Diane Sawyer's hubby? Now that's cozy!