Posted on 09/20/2004 10:11:35 PM PDT by John Lenin
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has achieved something that may be unique in the history of our country. He has managed to oppose two wars while they are being fought, undermine the objective of the nation and give aid and comfort to those who are killing American soldiers and kidnapping American civilians.
In a speech at New York University on Monday, Kerry questioned President Bushs judgment in ordering American troops to topple Saddam Hussein, saying the president had exchanged a brutal dictator for chaos.
While acknowledging there has been some progress, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our soldiers and civilians in Iraq, (and) schools, shops and hospitals have been opened, (and) in parts of Iraq, normalcy actually prevails, Kerry claimed that most Iraqis have lost faith in our ability to deliver meaningful improvements to their lives. So theyre sitting on the fence ... instead of siding with us against the insurgents.
Kerry is an expert at fence-sitting, having sat on one most of his life. He has taken both sides in the war and tried even in this speech to distinguish between granting George W. Bush authority to wage war and reserving his right to micromanage the war the president wages if it doesnt immediately produce victory.
It wasnt long after Kerry returned from Vietnam that he joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War. He slandered his fellow soldiers, calling them indiscriminate killers and comparing them to Genghis Khan.
Returning prisoners of war said their North Vietnamese captors played excerpts from Kerrys congressional testimony in an attempt to break their morale and convince the POWs their country had abandoned them. Sound bites from Kerrys NYU speech could be played in certain mosques to persuade the insurgents and other Muslim extremists that all they have to do is step up the killing between now and the U.S. election and victory for them is assured. They have seen America cut and run before. Kerrys address may again provide aid and comfort to Americas latest enemy.
Kerry claimed President Bush has offered 23 different rationales for this war. Even if that were true, he is still far behind the number of flip-flops committed by Kerry on the war and a long list of other issues.
Kerry once again returned to his pledge to seek help in Iraq and against terrorism (as if the two can be separated) from Americas allies, despite statements from many European leaders indicating that they will not become involved in Iraq no matter who wins the November election.
Kerry criticized the president for colossal failures of judgment and judgment is what we look for in a president. So is decisiveness, and Kerry fails on both counts. There is nothing in his Senate record, in his pronouncements during this campaign, or in much of his life story that gives voters confidence that this is a man with strong principles whose judgment and vision can be trusted. Instead, Kerrys life has been one of self-promotion and self-indulgence. As with the Vietnam War, he doesnt talk about victory, or Americas unique place in the world to which free people, and those yearning for freedom, can look.
Terrorism didnt begin on September 11, 2001. It started earlier than the Beirut barracks attacks in 1983. It began in the hearts of evil men who preached about an angry god intent on wiping out his enemies through violent acts. That disease spread, and whether it found a host in Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden, the virus exploded into a worldwide plague. Sen. Kerrys remarks were not about finding a cure to the plague but about surrendering to it, or taking diplomatic placebos hoping the disease will go away.
It wont go away, even if America withdraws from Iraq tomorrow. Had we not gone there in the first place, terrorism would still be around.
The objective should be victory. It was a word absent from Kerrys speech, because it is a concept foreign to a man who has demonstrated his preference first with Vietnam and now with Iraq to help Americas enemies in times of crisis far more than helping his own country.
Interesting Times and Tonk - I hope the SwiftVet guys, in their next ads, make the connection between Kerry's conduct while our guys were still fighting in Viet Nam and his conduct now with regard to Iraq.
Thermopylae and SA Scott, I wanted y'all to be sure and read this editorial!
Good article. Kerry should be embarrassed, but as with all Democrats these days, pride and principle are secondary to power.
Ole Cal nails JFK's arse to the wall.
It was my first thoughts too when I heard excerpts of Kerrys speech on Hannitys show today. This guy hasn't changed a lick since 1971.
Imagine all the people, Kerry mislead...
how long before he goes to meet al-zarqawi to discuss the terms of our capitulation?
I call it Treason.
Our Founders would call it Treason.
The 'Nam Vets call it Treason.
I'd be willing to bet our current troops would label it Treason.
John F. Kerry is a Traitor. He betrayed our country not once, not even twice. He chose the side of the communists during Reagan's term as well. This man is without honor.
Well it was mostly bashing about Kerry's past, which is like shooting fish in a barrel, rather than the merits of Kerry's speech, which in watching clips of Bush after some of my prior posts, he pointed out as I did, mostly just came up with ideas that Bush implemented long ago, because they are so obvious. We will have to see how hard Kerry pushes the idea that given what we know now, he would have left Saddam in place, until the French were ready to deal with him, other than with shipping him cash and arms. Stayed tuned.
LOL, he's an idiot.
Walsh, I really think he recedes in stature every time he speaks on Iraq or the war on terror.
There'll be nothing left by election day.
If it's not TREASON, WHAT IS IT???????
That was when he was trying to contain Dean. Now he is trying to contain Bush, which requries reverting to Dean. It is all so simple really. One's principles and policies are a function of whom one's opponent is. Kerry is not a very complex man. An amoral one, but not complex.
I think you're right. My brother just told me Bush should go with the debate a day thing. By November Kerry will be lower than Nader in the polls. :-}
We must NEVER allow Kerry to do to the Iraq war vets what he did to the Viet Nam war vets!
John Kerry can summed up in one word... "Opportunist"
The problem for John Kerry is that he was successful at taking both sides of the issues while in the Senate. Senators can take the floor and make the case for whatever they're selling that day, but to lead this Nation in this time of war, we need a decisive leader who isn't afraid of spending political capital for what is best for America.
John Kerry is only concerned about political capital and because of this, he is incapable of taking a strong stand on any issue. The worst thing about John Kerry is that he could care less who he tramples on his way to power. After his service in the Navy he crapped on all of his Swift Boat Mates and every patriot who fought in Vietnam. Today John Kerry is willing to paint the great efforts and success of our Military in Iraq as a complete failure, just because he believes it will up his chances of becoming the next POTUS.
IMHO, John Kerry is pulling another 1971
The same kind of anti-war hysteria wrt Iraq resulting in defunding and an untimely withdrawal would surely result in genocide there and in Afghanistan/Pakistan, too.
The peacenik rhetoric emboldens the very guys who are doing the kidnapping and beheading. It is a reward for them, gives them hope and cause to do it again, and again, and again.
Every related death in Iraq - whether coalition forces or Iraqis - now lies at the feet of the DNC whose only hope for this election is body bags and pink slips - simply because Kerry's rhetoric is encouraging it!
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