Posted on 08/01/2004 9:50:22 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
SPRINGFILED, Ohio (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) said on Sunday he did not anticipate sending more American troops to Iraq (news - web sites) and promised a fresh start with U.S. allies "burned" by President Bush (news - web sites).
Despite some clamor among Democrats for an accelerated U.S. military withdrawal, Kerry said Washington must stay the course but asserted he could do a better job of convincing foreign leaders to help with security and reconstruction in Iraq.
"I know how to bring these countries to the table, and there are some very powerful cards we have to play," Kerry told "Fox News Sunday."
"The truth is, this president has failed in his conduct of diplomacy."
The four-term U.S. senator from Massachusetts, who voted for the congressional resolution authorizing Bush to use force to oust Saddam Hussein (news - web sites), criticized Bush's Iraq policy in his speech on Thursday accepting the Democratic nomination as the president's opponent in the Nov. 2 election. But Kerry did not offer the exit strategy many Americans are looking for and on Sunday he rejected the suggestion his plans were vague.
"No, not at all," Kerry told CBS' "Face the Nation." "The problem is that this administration has lost credibility, they've pushed countries away."
"And I think that a fresh start changes the equation, particularly changes it for leaders in other countries who have great difficulty right now associating themselves with our policy and with the United States because of the way this administration has burned those bridges."
"If we demonstrate an America that has a foreign policy that is smarter, more engaged ... and more respectful of the world, we're going to bring people to our side," Kerry added. "We're not only not going to put additional troops there, that's the way to bring our troops home."
In the past, Kerry has not ruled out sending more Americans to join the 140,000 U.S. troops already in Iraq but has said he would encourage other countries, particularly Arab nations, to contribute forces.
'REAL PARTNERSHIP' WITH ALLIES
"I don't envision it," he said when asked if he would send more U.S. soldiers. "I believe that my leadership and my plan to approach these countries -- and I'm not negotiating it publicly -- I know what I want to do. I know what I believe can be achieved."
Kerry made the rounds of the Sunday talk shows with his running mate, Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) of North Carolina, while on a two-week, 3,500-mile trip through battleground states. He was seeking to capitalize on momentum generated by last week's Democratic convention, as a new Newsweek poll showed he won a solid, four-point bounce from the gathering.
Opinion polls suggest a majority of Americans now believe the decision to invade Iraq last year was a mistake. Kerry and Edwards, who also voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion, have refused to call their votes a mistake.
"We believed that the president needed the authority to deal with Saddam Hussein and that him being gone is a very good thing," Edwards said. "We did not know that the president would not use his authority the way he should use it."
Also, with Bush poised to issue his first orders implementing some intelligence reforms recommended by the Sept. 11 commission, Kerry said the moves were "about two and a half years too late."
"I mean, where have they been?" Kerry asked.
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) throws a punch after delivering his speech at a nighttime rally in Zanesville, Ohio, July 31, 2004. Kerry said on Sunday he did not anticipate sending more American troops to Iraq (news - web sites) and promised a fresh start with U.S. allies 'burned' by President Bush (news - web sites). (Jim Young/Reuters)
John Kerry is a FRENCH PUPPET
Is "Frenchurian Candidate" yours? I love it.
Who burned who in and over Iraq?
Let's get to the bottom of the Food-for-Oil scandal and maybe we will know better who got burned by who.
uhh,, Just remember where ya see it first. lol ;-)
No secret here, if we would have paid Chiaq, his cronies, his political party and France itself more money than Saddam was paying, there is no doubt that France would have been with us.
Maybe people are figuring out that nearly every word out of Kerry's mouth is a lie.
Amazing that in 1997 Kerry told Crossfire host that Clinton would show leadership if he dealt with Iraq regardless of whether the UN Security Council approved or not. He also had harsh words for France and Germany.
How things have changed since 1997.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1087918/posts
Oh, goody....tell the ENEMY not to worry.....Where are those "A Vote for Kerry is a Vote for the Terrorist" bumper stickers.
The SOB is turning language on its head. We were burned by France and well, Germany is a country that started WWI and WWII. Bullshi@ !!
Substitute "Iraq" with "Vietnam" and it's the VVAW version of John F'n Kerry all over again.
His talk about support for the troops at the RAT Infomercial was just that TALK.
Me and the rest of the troops are in BIG trouble if this goombah get's elected.
We "burned" our so-called allies? This guy is a total a-hole. Anyone who votes for this gigolo is anti-American, insane, or both.
"Frenchurian Candidate." Good one.
Thanks,, "My Mongol from MaSSachusetts"just don't quite sum up his candidacy..
I guess that would make him the....
"Marionette Candidate"
...Watch him dance and grovel for the UN thugs, French Eurotrash and the George Soros internationals
Like the present French leaders..he has the French Sh*t
in his blood....keeps oozing out...by Nov. 2nd..it should
be a big enough pile for the fence sitters to see it...
President Bush has more sincere patriotism in his little
finger than this French loving ( I served 14 weeks in Vitenam) nitwit. Jake
"Allies" have gone on record that they "won't send troops nohow" to Iraq even if the French-looking candidate is elected and kowtows to them.
"Frenchurian Candidate" I like it too !
First of all, he doesn't even show up for work. Second of all, he's totally clueless. And finally, he ought to put on his speedo spandex and ride his ass back to France, waving a white flag, where he MIGHT get some respect.
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