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.
This man is a lunitic!! He makes this ambiguously vague statement that begs the question, HOW? and then this:
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."
Ok, so the country is beginning realize that it's dealing with a flip-fopping, numbnutz!
I was never so angry with any politician ever, as I was with John Kerry in the Sunday news program. John Kerry was blaming George Bush for the problems that the USA is having with some of the Nations of this world.
It is true that the USA has lost respect amongst the nations of this world, but it was not George Bush that did that. It was Bill Clinton and the Monica Lewinsky that made the USA look like a Nation of Fools and Infidels.
The USA lost respect right there, and we have not gained it back.
I was on the internet at the time of the Cigar Saga and the
Stained Blue Dress Saga, and I do know what people of the Nations of the world thought of the USA. Even the school kids in far off Egypt were laughing at us. We as a proud nation, were laid low.
Bill Clinton could have been a great president, if it were not for this, for he had many things going for him. He had a good personality, and he was not hard to like, but he has wounded the USA, and we will be thought of as fools for years to come, and there is not anything that anyone can do about it. We lost respect. A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. Our good name has been muddied.
Kerry p[romises to kiss the Rectum of every European leader in the wolrd and then kiss the Islamics rectums twice.
This man is a lunitic!! He makes this ambiguously vague statement that begs the question, HOW? ...And then this:
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."
Ok, so the country is beginning realize that it's dealing with a flip-fopping, numbnutz!
Kerry promises to kiss the Rectum of every European leader in the wolrd and then kiss the Islamics rectums twice.
Not that long ago, Mr. J. f'n Kerry, called for more than 100,000 more troops. I believe it was maybe just last month.
Won't his nose be brown.
ohmygawd, he's a blathering idiot. He actually makes me cringe.
Handover was a month ago. Nobody anticipates sending more troops. Somebody in the Pentagon has a plan just in case, but that is simply prudence. He should stay out of Teresa's stash.
Kissing france's behind again I see!
Kerry wants a foreign policy that's "more respectful of the world". Meaning that suicide bombers will continue to go BOOM in Jerusalem, Uzbeckistan, and Washington DC.
Will "None Dare Call it Treason?" Beneath the phony, mil-thickness-venier of patriotism moulders the same despicable, blame America first, pro Viet Cong/Pro NVA peacenik.
Pardon my french,"touche'"....Point well made!
"Kerry wants a foreign policy that's "more respectful of the world"
Translated: "I won't make a move with the U.S. Military without express written permission of the U.N."
Once an anti-war zealot, always an anti-war zealot. Remember, this is also the man who voted against Desert Storm. If Kerry had his way, Saddam would have remained in Kuwait, and would probably be sitting pretty in Riyadh. Any serviceman who said he is proud that he "cut and run" during time of war should never be trusted to be commander in chief.
Many uninformed rank and file Demonrats will buy this.
"Remember, this is also the man who voted against Desert Storm. If Kerry had his way, Saddam would have remained in Kuwait, and would probably be sitting pretty in Riyadh."
I just keep thinking that while Mohammed Atta and UBL were observing our Rangers get whacked from a rooftop in Mogadishu and the Clinton retreat from Somalia...F'n Kerry was back here voting to kill over 20 weapons systems...slashing troops and decimating the Intelligence assets we had in the world.
And NOW he says he wants to get tough on terrorism and NOW he wants to "support the troops"?
BS!
The Eurowimps (journalists and public) pick up on this "authentic American opinion" to justify and vindicate their anti-American views, little realizing how far out of the mainstream blame-America-first Kerry really is.
Guffaw!
In other words, if you foreign leaders will support me I promise we won't investigate the billions of dollars you ripped off via the UN's Oil For Palaces racket.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.