Posted on 09/24/2004 8:27:26 AM PDT by areafiftyone
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry faulted President Bush on Friday for pursuing Saddam Hussein instead of Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, a part of a Bush strategy he contended had made defeating terrorism more difficult.
"The invasion of Iraq was a profound diversion from the battle against our greatest enemy, al-Qaida," Kerry said in a speech at Temple University. "There's just no question about it. The president's misjudgment, miscalculation and mismanagement of the war in Iraq all make the war on terror harder to win."
Kerry, in offering a detailed strategy to contain terrorism and to draw a sharp distinction between his and the president's views on national security, added, "Iraq is now what it was not before the war, a haven for terrorists."
While campaigning Friday in Lafayette, La., Vice President Dick Cheney told supporters, "John Kerry is trying to tear down and trash all the good that has been accomplished."
A day earlier, Kerry told The Columbus Dispatch that the president's actions in Iraq and elsewhere show Bush masquerading as a mainstream conservative while pursuing extremist policies.
"I don't view these people as conservatives," Kerry said. "I actually view them as extreme, and I think their policies have been extreme, and that extends all the way to Iraq, where this president, in my judgment, diverted the real war on terror - which was Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida - and almost obsessively moved to deal with Iraq in a way that weakened our nation, overextended our armed forces, cost us $200 billion and created a breach in our oldest alliances."
Kerry also mentioned a blurring line between the separation of church and state and the growth of federal budget deficits.
To douse the spread of terrorism, Kerry proposed policies aimed at denying individuals and groups the ability to organize and attack. Kerry said he would build a better military and intelligence apparatus to go after enemies, deny terrorists weapons and financing, move against worldwide terrorist havens and recruitment centers, and promote freedom and democracy in Muslim nations.
LOL - I know. I wish I was good at that sort of stuff!
That 40% is the number of Americans who have been effectively "brainwashed" by the Educrats.
One reason I would support any conservative over G. Bush is because G. Bush strengthened the Educrats. We don't need the Dept of Education.
Dismantle the Dept of Ed. and watch the shift in support of the Dems move right!
Bush offers a hopeful vision and his 'swagger' is seen as confidence. When I see pictures of him driving his truck in Texas I see a guy who can get along on his own. When I see Kerry on his wife's estate I see a leech who can't survive without a nanny state or a benefactor.
A_R
Do you know what pisses me off more than anything? Well I'm gonna tell you.
They claim the Battle in Iraq is a failure, but they have yet TO LET AMERICA FIGHT THAT BATTLE. They have been screeching and screaming about it, before it even started, and haven't stopped. Maybe if they would STFU for a few weeks even, they would be surprised by what is really going on over there. They won't shut up long enough to let us fight the battle. Useful idiots.
Is it a paradise over there? No. Is it hard? yes. Are we losing great men and women over there? Yes. Is that different than any other war? No. Can we win? Yes.
I just get so pissed at them!
"I don't view these people as conservatives," Kerry said. "I actually view them as extreme
It pisses all of us off. They were doing this when we went into Afghanistan too don't forget.
I'm confused -- is John Kerry campaigning to become President of the United States. ... or to be hired as Saddam's lawyer?
JEffin' conveniently forgets Saddam was paying $25,000 to the familes of Palesinian suicide bombers and harboring the terrorist Abu Nidal among others.
I can not understand why Kerry would even want to take on President Bush about Iraq and Terrorism. The whole world knows that Saddam was in bed with terrorist.
Any of you Dems from Massachusetts reading these posts: You REALLY should give some intensly serious thought about voting your guy, John Kerry, OUT of the Senate next time. For those of you who are thoughtful (and there are some) and honest (that, too), is Kerry REALLY the one you want for your Senator? Do yourselves a favor and get rid of that guy. Geez, talk about a LIABILITY!
PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry faulted President Bush on Friday for pursuing Saddam Hussein instead of Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, a choice Kerry contended had made defeating terrorism more difficult.
``The invasion of Iraq was a profound diversion from the battle against our greatest enemy, al-Qaida,'' Kerry said in a speech at Temple University. ``There's just no question about it. The president's misjudgment, miscalculation and mismanagement of the war in Iraq all make the war on terror harder to win.''
Kerry said Iraq has become a haven for terrorists since the war, and he offered a detailed strategy to contain terrorism while drawing a sharp distinction between his and the president's views on national security.
``George Bush made Saddam Hussein the priority. I would have made Osama bin Laden the priority,'' Kerry said. ``I will finish the job in Iraq and I will refocus our energies on the real war on terror.''
While campaigning Friday in Lafayette, La., Vice President Dick Cheney told supporters, ``John Kerry is trying to tear down and trash all the good that has been accomplished.''
A day earlier, Kerry told The Columbus Dispatch that the president's actions in Iraq and elsewhere show Bush masquerading as a mainstream conservative while pursuing extremist policies.
``I don't view these people as conservatives,'' Kerry said. ``I actually view them as extreme, and I think their policies have been extreme, and that extends all the way to Iraq, where this president, in my judgment, diverted the real war on terror - which was Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida - and almost obsessively moved to deal with Iraq in a way that weakened our nation, overextended our armed forces, cost us $200 billion and created a breach in our oldest alliances.''
Kerry also mentioned a blurring line between the separation of church and state and the growth of federal budget deficits.
To douse the spread of terrorism, Kerry proposed policies aimed at denying individuals and groups the ability to organize and attack. Kerry said he would build a better military and intelligence apparatus to go after enemies, deny terrorists weapons and financing, move against worldwide terrorist havens and recruitment centers, and promote freedom and democracy in Muslim nations.
The Bush-Cheney campaign said the president is already following that course. ``He is copying the president's plan at the same time he is attacking the president,'' said spokesman Steve Schmidt.
Kerry has repeatedly argued that the war in Iraq has distracted attention and resources from the pursuit of terrorists, including bin Laden.
The Bush-Cheney campaign said Kerry has held conflicting positions on that point. They point to instances where Kerry said the former Iraqi leader acted like a terrorist and said that the war on terrorism should be seen as an operation bigger than the conflict in Afghanistan.
Kerry visited the Pennsylvania battleground before a quick trip home to Boston and then several days spent preparing for the presidential debates. Kerry told the Dispatch that he has to present himself ``clearly, forcefully to the American people with a clear set of priorities.''
``I think a lot of people will tune in,'' he said. ``There are undecideds. A lot of folks will try to measure our character and our vision, so I think it's an important moment.''
Thanks for the update! :-)
Uhh.. Senator? I'm a conservative. I support our President's actions in the WOT & Iraq. The majority of conservatives in this country support him in the WOT and Iraq. This means he is in the mainstream of conservative thought on these issues.
You, Senator, are a Liberal. You are not qualified to dictate who is and who is not a conservative when you haven't the slightest understanding about the mindset of conservatives.
Why not stick to defining what you understand. Liberalism. That is, if you are ready to admit to the American people you ARE a Liberal.
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