Posted on 08/30/2004 11:21:56 PM PDT by kattracks
NEW YORK (AFP) - US Republicans adopted a party platform backing President George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s pre-emptive assault on terrorism and declaring that no international organisation could replace US leadership.The 93-page platform, approved on the opening day of the party's national convention here, also had harsh words for China, North Korea (news - web sites) and Iran, but signaled unreserved Republican support for Israel.
The document was less of a political program than a tribute to Bush's actions since taking office in January 2001, with some veiled barbs at his Democratic election rival, Senator John Kerry (news - web sites).
It made clear the centerpiece of the president's campaign was his war on terror launched after the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center here and the Pentagon (news - web sites).
"Terrorists long ago declared war on America, and now America has declared war against terrorists," the platform said. "We are defending the peace by taking the fight to the enemy."
It said nations supporting such attacks were just as dangerous and guilty as the perpetrators, but pointedly praised the cooperation of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, two countries accused by critics of aiding terrorists.
The party strongly defended Bush's decision to invade Iraq (news - web sites) last year. It said Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) had the capacity and desire to develop weapons of mass destruction even if none have since been found.
"Our nation did the right thing, and the American people are now safer because we and our allies ended the brutal dictatorship of Saddam Hussein, halting his decades-long pursuit of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons."
In a pointed reference to Kerry's pledge to quickly reduce US troop levels in Iraq by deploying more foreign soldiers, the platform pledged to "persevere in our mission, not cut and run."
It also swore to stand by Afghanistan (news - web sites), where a US-led war ousted the Taliban regime in 2001, and make sure the impoverished country "will never be abandoned to terrorists and killers."
The Republicans, countering criticism the administration was too willing to act unilaterally, acknowledged that "no nation can build a safer, better world alone" and promised cooperation with the United Nations (news - web sites) and NATO (news - web sites).
But the platform added: "While international organisations can serve the cause of peace, Republicans believe they can never serve as a substitute for, or exercise a veto over, principled American leadership."
The platform criticised China for seeking military capabilities that could threaten its neighbors, for failing to uphold its commitments to nuclear non-proliferation, and for violating human rights.
It vowed to help defend Taiwan, considered a renegade province by China, from any move by Beijing to forcibly unify it with the mainland.
"We deny the right of Beijing to impose its rule on the free Taiwanese people," the text said. "All issues regarding Taiwan's future must be resolved peacefully and must be agreeable to the people of Taiwan."
The Republicans called for continued diplomacy to persuade North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons programs, but warned that the United States was ready to take up arms if necessary on the Korean peninsula.
"Americans have shed their blood to stop North Korean aggression before," it said in a reference to the Korean war half a century ago, "and remain prepared to resist aggression today."
The platform blasted the Tehran government as one that "represses its people, pursues weapons of mass destruction and supports terror." It said nuclear arms in Iran, a member of Bush's "axis of evil" would be "intolerable."
On the Middle East, the Republicans promised to safeguard Israel's security and were "committed to ensuring that Israel maintains a qualitative edge in defense technology over any potential adversaries."
They supported the created of a Palestinian state, as envisioned by the US-supported "roadmap" for peace, but said "for such a vision to become a reality, Palestinians need a new leadership, not compromised by terror."
People actually read the platform???
gee, what a headline... something we never knew. /sarcasm
I get the feeling this article was written last week.
Pre-what?
pre-.. pre-school?... pre-teen??... pre-tend??.... PRE-Quel... oh, Bush plans a prequel called Middle East Part I
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.