Posted on 08/09/2004 5:03:19 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) said on Monday he would have voted for the congressional resolution authorizing force against Iraq (news - web sites) even if he had known then no weapons of mass destruction would be found.
Taking up a challenge from President Bush (news - web sites), whom he will face in the Nov. 2 election, the Massachusetts senator said: "I'll answer it directly. Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it is the right authority for a president to have but I would have used that authority effectively."
Speaking to reporters from the Powell's Landing on the rim of the Grand Canyon above a mile-deep drop, Kerry also said reducing U.S. troops in Iraq significantly by next August was "an appropriate goal."
"My goal, my diplomacy, my statesmanship is to get our troops reduced in number and I believe if you do the statesmanship properly, I believe if you do the kind of alliance building that is available to us, that it's appropriate to have a goal of reducing the troops over that period of time," he said.
On that timetable, Kerry's aim would be to pull out a large number of the 138,000 U.S. troops in Iraq in the first six months of his administration.
"Obviously, we'd have to see how events unfold," he added. "I intend to get more people involved in that effort and I'm convinced I can be more successful than President Bush in succeeding in doing that. It is an appropriate goal to have and I'm going to try to achieve it."
Kerry refused to say if he had any private assurances from Arab or European nations that they would help with security and reconstruction in Iraq but said "right now the administration ... is scrambling and struggling to try to find a way to do that."
"All of this should have happened in the beginning, all of these things should have been achieved beforehand," he said. "American presidents should not send American forces into war without a plan to win the peace."
BUSH CHALLENGE
Bush last week challenged Kerry, who Republicans accuse of flip-flopping on Iraq by voting for the war resolution and against the $87 billion request to fund operations, to say straight out if he would have voted the same way if only to eliminate the danger that Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) could have developed weapons of mass destruction.
"Now, there are some questions that a commander-in-chief needs to answer with a clear yes or no," Bush said. "My opponent hasn't answered the question of whether knowing what we know now, he would have supported going into Iraq."
"I have given my answer," Bush said. "We did the right thing, and the world is better off for it."
Kerry challenged Bush to answer some questions of his own -- why he rushed to war without a plan for the peace, why he used faulty intelligence, why he misled Americans about how he would go to war and why he had not brought other countries to the table.
"There are four not hypothetical questions like the president's, real questions that matter to Americans and I hope you'll get the answers to those questions, because the American people deserve them," he told reporters.
Kerry, who is on day 11 of a two-week coast-to-coast campaign trip, used the majestic backdrop of the Grand Canyon to criticize Bush for neglecting America's national parks system and pledged to restore $600 million he said the president had cut from the budget.
Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) (2nd R) speaks to the media from the South rim of the Grand Canyon, in Arizona, August 9, 2004. Kerry said he would have voted for the congressional resolution authorizing force against Iraq (news - web sites) even if he had known then no weapons of mass destruction would be found (Mike Segar/Reuters)
The anti-war Deaniacs have got to be rolling their eyes at Senator Kerry right now... 5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires
Let's see how many Deaniacs stay attached now.
U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator John Kerry (news - web sites) (D-MA) stands at the edge of the South rim of the Grand Canyon during a visit in Grand Canyon, Arizona, August 9, 2004. Kerry made the stop as he campaigned in Arizona on his 'Believe in America' train tour which is taking him to key western states with less than 100 days until the presidential election. REUTERS/Mike Segar US ELECTION
LOL.. I hear ya...
This is the only position he could have taken and still remain a viable candidate for President.
What's the deal with Teresa's flood pants? If I had a billion dollars, I'd buy pants of the proper length.
So, essentially, he's saying he'd have done the same thing, only better, which is impossible to prove ... so ... I'm confused ...
Calling Michael Moore: we've got a new customer for you.
Most of them. Because know that Kerry is just lying to the ignorant rubes he needs to vote for him. Once the election is over, this statement goes down the memory hole forever.
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Democratic presidential nominee Senator John Kerry (news - web sites) (D-MA) climbs over rocks as his wife Teresa looks on as they visited the South rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon, Arizona, August 9, 2004. Kerry made the stop as he campaigned in Arizona on his 'Believe in America' train tour which is taking him to key western states with less than 100 days until the presidential election. REUTERS/Mike Segar US ELECTION |
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Okay, Mr. K . . . then what's it all about (Alfie)?
Dan Dearybury of Cowpens, S.C. holds up a sign supporting Democratic Presidential hopeful, Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., as he peers back towards supporters of Howard Dean (news - web sites) near the site of candidate's debate in Greenville, S.C., in this Jan. 29, 2004 file photo. During their recent 3,500 mile trek from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the Democratic, and running mate, Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites), D-N.C., could not afford to spend much time in any one place. Supporters who want to grab the attention of a man running for president, already behind schedule and facing hundreds of supporters hope for a little personal attention by making signs with personalized messages. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Files)
"Still would have approved force"?!?
I thought he never DID approve force, and that his vote was meant to be a threat of force and not an approval of the actual use of force unless it could be financed with tax increases on the wealthy instead of increasing the deficit and even then only if Germany and France approved which they never should have because BUSH LIED and besides did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING for SEVEN MINUTES and now the US' credibility is destroyed and... and... and... HALLIBURTON!!!!
That's his position as I understand it, but I might be slightly confused.
Doesn't matter. They know he's lying just like we know he's lying...
U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Senator John Kerry (news - web sites) (D-MA) balances on train tracks as he walks back to his campaign train after visiting the South rim of the Grand Canyon in Grand Canyon, Arizona, August 9, 2004. Kerry made the stop as he campaigned in Arizona on his 'Believe in America' train tour which is taking him to key western states with less than 100 days until the presidential election. REUTERS/Mike Segar US ELECTION
btt
"Do the statesmanship"?
Oy.
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