Posted on 08/18/2004 9:35:57 AM PDT by Reagan Man
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry on Wednesday criticized President Bush's proposal to recall up to 70,000 foreign troops as a hastily announced plan that raises more doubts about U.S. intentions and commitments than it answers.
"Nobody wants to bring troops home more than those of us who have fought in foreign wars," Kerry said in speech prepared for delivery to the Veterans of Foreign War. "But it needs to be done at the right time and in a sensible way. This is not that time or that way,"
Bush announced his plan to bring home troops from Cold War-era bases in Europe and Asia on Monday before an earlier session of the same gathering of 15,000 members of the VFW.
Kerry argued that Bush's policy would dangerously reduce forces at a time when the nation is fighting the al-Qaida terrorist network in 60 countries across the globe.
Kerry said the redeployment would undermine relations with U.S. allies needed to help fight in Iraq and in the war on terror. It also would endanger national security as the United States is working to deter North Korea's nuclear program, he said.
"Why are we unilaterally withdrawing 12,000 troops from the Korean Peninsula at the very time we are negotiating with North Korea -- a country that really has nuclear weapons?" he said.
Kerry also said the redeployment does nothing to relieve the problem of an overextended military in Iraq.
Kerry's campaign cited a three-month-old Congressional Budget Office report that said pulling back troops from overseas would produce at best only small improvements in the United States' ability to respond to far-flung conflicts. The report also said a large reduction of the U.S. military presence overseas could cost $7 billion up front, although annual savings could be more than $1 billion.
Pentagon officials who spoke on condition of anonymity this week said the CBO study used different assumptions than the president's redeployment plan. They said the amount of savings for the Bush plan could not be calculated until officials determine precisely which units will return to the United States, what domestic bases they will use and what overseas installations will be closed.
Pentagon officials also say plans to trim about 12,000 of the 37,000 U.S. troops in South Korea would not give North Korea an advantage. Military officials have said that advances in U.S. military firepower and a stronger South Korean military mean there can be more military power in the south with fewer soldiers.
In response to Kerry's criticism, the Bush campaign released a list of statements from Republican senators and others praising the president's proposal as essential to fighting a new kind of war.
"The Kerry campaign's attacks on realignment demonstrate a pre-9/11 world view that doesn't address the threats facing our country today," said former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.
The Bush campaign also pointed out that Kerry appeared receptive to the idea of troop redeployment just two weeks ago.
"If the diplomacy that I believe can be put in place can work, I think we can significantly change the deployment of troops, not just there but elsewhere in the world -- in the Korean peninsula perhaps, in Europe perhaps," Kerry said on the Aug. 1 broadcast of ABC's "This Week."
With voters focused on the war on terror, the VFW convention was the perfect backdrop for both candidates to tout their war plans. The convention was set in Ohio, a top battleground state, with a live audience targeted by both campaigns.
Besides describing his redeployment plan, Bush used his appearance before the veterans to criticize Kerry for saying he plans to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq during his first six months in office.
Although veterans lean Republican, Kerry also is seeking their support in this election. Kerry touts his own service in the Vietnam War as a mutual connection and is even bucking the tradition of suspending campaigning during the opposing party's national convention to speak to the American Legion.
Kerry plans to speak to the group at their convention in Nashville on Sept. 1, in the middle of the Republican National Convention. Kerry spokeswoman Allison Dobson said it's the only event he has scheduled during the GOP gathering in New York City.
Kerry's criticism of Bush comes as the Democratic challenger tries to cut the president's advantage on terrorism and national security. Bush is often seen as the stronger leader on those issues in public opinion polls, but Kerry's aides say the president is vulnerable, especially as voters learn more about Kerry's record of service.
The Vietnam-era military records of both candidates remain an issue in the race, with former sailors accusing Kerry of exaggerating his war record and Democrats questioning whether Bush showed up for duty in the Texas Air National Guard.
Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a decorated Vietnam veteran who campaigns with Bush but has worked closely with Kerry in the Senate, has called for a cease fire.
"I wish we would stop opening wounds from a war of more than 30 years ago and talk about the war we're fighting now," McCain told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I believe they both served honorably."
Kerry wants to bring home troops from Iraq needed to fight the war on terror---but leave the troops in Germany to fight a Cold War that ended 13 years ago. What a guy.
Oh yeah?? Says who, Mr. Kerry? The intelligence community? So its assessments are okay when they fit your agenda?
Kerry's speech was very clever, but it just reinforced the idea that he's a total phony. It was filled with more of the standard Kerry distortions, fabrications and outright lies. If people look at Kerry's Senate voting record, they will see someone who can't be trusted. How dangerous Kerry would be as POTUS, is anyones guess.
He never misses an opportunity, does he? Heheheh.
Bill Clinton, with the help of Jimmah.
"a country that really has nuclear weapons?" he said. "
Well maybe, Ketchup Boy, we don't want to lose 12,000 troops in one fell swoop.
"How dangerous Kerry would be as POTUS, is anyones guess."
As long as he has his "magic hat", don't you think we'd be O.K.?
General Schwarzkopf was on Hardball last night and he came out against this plan. I hope he isn't turning Rat. Wouldn't say he was voting for Bush for pres. Said he hadn't made up his mind yet.
And therein lies the seed of a later flip flop, for it gives him the opportunity to say he is for bringing those troops home, but he would have done it better or smarter. This "I would have done it smarter" theme is the same as his Iraq position.
To paraphrase Richard Pryor: Negro, please. You can't even get your duffle bag unpacked in 4 months.
Well, to be fair, at least he is finally getting around to wanting to fight the Cold War.
AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
If this blow hard ever made it to the Whitehouse he would be assigned a desk in the basement by his own party.
No one could last the Chinese water torture coming from this moron.
I would also suggest a military strike on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the apparent originating port of this kind mental malady.
Mad Hatter to Delta Bravo Sierra ... Mad Hatter to Delta Bravo Sierra ... Commence missle launch on target GPS Position: 42:21N 71:4W ... Bean Town ... I repeat ... Bean Town.
How was this blather received by the VFW audience? Anyone know?
Excellent point. Keep troops for the defunct Cold War and bring them home from an active war. Kerry is on the wrong side of every issue.
The man is a schlep of the worst kind.
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