Posted on 08/01/2004 10:12:58 AM PDT by quidnunc
Someday, when the passions of this election have subsided, historians and analysts of American foreign policy may fasten on a remarkable passage in John Kerry's nomination speech. "As president," Kerry declared, "I will bring back this nation's time-honored tradition: The United States of America never goes to war because we want to; we only go to war because we have to. That is the standard of our nation." The statement received thunderous applause at the convention and, no doubt, the nodding approval of many Americans of all political leanings who watched on television.
Only American diplomatic historians may have contemplated suicide as they reflected on their failure to have the smallest influence on Americans' understanding of their own nation's history. And perhaps foreign audiences tuning in may have paused in their exultation over a possible Kerry victory in November to reflect with wonder on the incurable self-righteousness and nationalist innocence the Democratic candidate displayed. Who but an American politician, they might ask, could look back across the past 200 years and insist that the United States had never gone to war except when it "had to"?
The United States has sent forces into combat dozens of times over the past century and a half, and only twice, in World War II and in Afghanistan, has it arguably done so because it "had to." It certainly did not "have to" go to war against Spain in 1898 (or Mexico in 1846.) It did not "have to" send the Marines to Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Nicaragua in the first three decades of the 20th century, nor fight a lengthy war against insurgents in the Philippines. The necessity of Woodrow Wilson's intervention in World War I remains a hot topic for debate among historians.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
News on my radio, said he has a plan to bring the Troops home from Iraq, a better plan than Dubya's. No details, just a better plan through the use of the international community...i.e. FRANCE.
This #@$%& moron would get us all killed.
I am sure it also apeals to enemies of this country.
John is a pampered elitist who has never worked an honest day in his life. This is just a game to him. He focuses on what may have been a faked accompliment of more than 30 years ago. He has done nothing of consequence since, NOTHING!
He has lounged and played through 24 years relaxing in the Senate doing what Fat Teddy and his staff told him to do. He has lots of sports hobbies and enjoys the elitist life style that the money of his wife's first husband allows.
There is no substance to Kerry and if our left wing, ultra-liberal media came close to doing it's job, theis will become very, very obvious.
Makes you wonder. What is the Democrat standard?
If Saddam had killed a few million MORE Iraqis and stuffed them in mass graves? If he cut off MORE hands and tongues? If he promised MORE money to families of homicide bombers? How much more swings it?
If the WTC had tumbled with, say, 14,000 people still in them... would THAT be reason to "have to" go to war?
If the 3rd plane hit the Capitol instead of the Pentagon, would THAT be reason?
Would Bojinka have done it? The planned LAX bombing? More Anthrax?
Kerry needs to quantify exactly WHAT his emotional limits are for finally sending troops to protect US citizens from harm.
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
1. What is the position of the entire international left on the war in Iraq? Are they against it or not? Have we all been hallucinating for the last year and a half, or is the entire international left opposed to the war in Iraq?
2. What is the position of all of the delegates the dems sent to their convention, of 9 out of 10 reporters, of all of the activists working for all of the candidates from president in the democratic party, of all of the elected dem officials? Have they been embracing Moore and applauding the press's crusade against the war, or have we all just imagined it?
3. If the war is stupid and was a mistake and was based on a lie and all the rest of it - as all of the above have told us consistently for a year and a half - then why on this earth won't John Kerry come out against the war in Iraq and in favor of ending it and withdrawing our troops? Is there a sentient creature within a light year of earth who thinks those loudly singing in chorus that is was all a lie and a mistake and a disaster, want to continue what they clearly believe is a lying disasterous mistake, and would actually do so at extensive additional cost in blood, treasure, and popularity?
4. If, as anyone with half a brain can tell from all of the above, Kerry and company do oppose the war in Iraq but do not think they can afford to say so publically in the course of their campaign, why is that? What are they supposed to be thinking? Does anyone doubt they think the war is popular despite being wrong? Does anyone doubt they therefore think their own opinion in the matter is more correct that that of the American people? Does anyone doubt that they think the American people must be lied to and told they would continue to support our efforts in Iraq, when they have no intention whatever of actually doing so?
5. If all of the above is the case, then who is it again who believes the American people have to be misled in order to be led in the correct direction, toward the correct policy? Haven't the Dems shouted themselves hoarse at Bush and company for supposedly doing exactly that? Aren't they transparently doing so themselves? And I mean transparently, so obviously so that nobody could possibly be fooled by it. The dems believe in lying to the misguided American people to bring about peace. What thinking leftist dares to deny it?
Since they have nothing else to accuse Bush of, it comes down simply to this. The Dems are pacifists who believe anything is justified to prevent the US from engaging in this war. The Republicans are not, and believe the war is both just and expedient. That is the sole real issue between the parties. The Dems do not want the American people to decide the issue on that basis because they fear they will lose if they do so. But that is the issue before us, and the real choice the parties offer. The rest is smoke.
Which of the two courses the American people prefer is obviously up to all of us. But the Dems have already shown which way they think we will decide that question - and it isn't in their favor. That is why they are hiding their actual positions - comically, since nobody with half a brain can possibly doubt where they actually stand.
The Kerry Doctrine is nothing more that the same 'ol, same 'ol rhetoric tied up in new ribbons. I am still smarting at what the pundits are calling "Theater" this Kerry doctrine...I thought real issues and real problems have real solutions and are presented honestly at these conventions.
The media, press and talking heads want Americans to believe that Truth doesn't count but Theater does! That may be because all the things that Kerry says he will do HAVE BEEN DONE BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION...the democrats are just play acting, anything they say or promise is just another pile of Horse-pucky! The press and media are not going to tell the truth about John Kerry's Viet Nam record or his voting record.
Start posting that voting record where ever appropriate.
Three thousand, three million, thirty million -- it will always be our fault; we don't try to "understand" the rest of the world.
These are the ilk that support John Kerry. John Kerry has ambitions, period. He gambled decades ago that there were more people who blame their own country than not. IMO his politics has nothing to do with his experience in Vietnam despite Mr. Kagan's whirling-dervish-class spinning.
Ho-ites and Francoists united against the repression of Ashcroft and the militarism of Bush . . . what a hypocritical joke!
I'm a paleocon myself. I support the war only because Iraq was a threat to the US, not because America has any obligation to liberate people. I'm against free trade. But Kerry who lives off Heinz which has outsourced jobs has zero credibility on the issue.
"Anybody but Bush!"...is like cutting off your nose in spite of your face.
During the "thunderous applause" after that line, I was instead THINKING about what he had just said. Those thoughts are well summed up in this article, though they had not been as well formed, since I couldn't recall many of the wars mentioned here. I certainly took issue with what he'd said on the basis of my recollection, though.
I'm glad someone took the time to expand on this line, and bring some thoughtfulness into the public discourse about it.
Thanks for posting it.
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Good read! It just proves that people can swallow lies if they are cloaked in nice-sounding words--just like Kerry's "eloquent" 1971 Senate testimony.
Kagan expertly exposes why Kerry cannot be trusted in wartime.
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