Posted on 12/09/2004 11:24:43 AM PST by areafiftyone
WASHINGTON - Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) will travel to Iraq (news - web sites) next month as the war-torn country prepares for elections.
The Massachusetts senator, who lost his bid for the presidency in November, is expected to visit several Middle East countries, with the focus on the situation in Iraq and the war on terror.
A decorated Vietnam War veteran, Kerry also plans to meet with U.S. troops, including some from Massachusetts, to thank them for their services, spokeswoman April Boyd said Thursday.
During the campaign, Kerry criticized President Bush (news - web sites)'s handling of the Iraq war. Although Kerry voted in October 2002 to give Bush the authority to wage war, he later voted against additional funds for Iraq and Afghanistan (news - web sites) reconstruction, arguing that the commander in chief didn't have a solid plan to restore peace.
Kerry is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
In addition to his Iraq trip, Kerry will take time during the holidays to host events in Massachusetts and Iowa in which he will thank his campaign supporters. He travels to Iowa on Friday.
Kerry's solo overseas trip comes after several senators endured a harrowing flight out of Baghdad, and amid increased security concerns as violence there continues to escalate.
Last week, a group of senators, including Sen. Lincoln Chafee (news, bio, voting record), R-R.I., traveled to Iraq and found conditions far more dangerous than during a similar trip a year ago. Chafee described a frightening helicopter flight out of Baghdad as the aircraft weaved to avoid enemy fire.
The Iraqi elections are scheduled for Jan. 30 and will be the first popular vote since Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s ouster.
I think we ought to send Kerry a couple of boxes of band-aids for his trip.
Clever! What fashion of travel would that be? A camel (Helen Thomas)? A cow (Hillary)?
Maybe he'll pick up a real Purple Heart this go-round.
the Dems are making another move to bleed away public support for the iraq effort. This setup with the reporter and the soldier asking Rumsfeld the question about armored vehicles was the opening shot I think. To be honest, things aren't going so great in iraq, so the Dems see an opportunity to try and get public support below 50%. And the 1/30 election might not go that well, the Dems want to be ready to capitalize on that. you can expect Kerry to have arranged meetings with whatever soldiers they can find who are unhappy with various things - and the MSM to cover that.
Oh I'm sure my fellow Marines will be just ecstatic to see the Traitor! ROFLMAO
These moronic liberals just don't know when they're not wanted...
Semper Fi,
Kelly
"Yes, Senator Kerry, all of our VIP guests wear this speical jacket. No, the round graphic on the back with the solid dot in the center is not a bulls eye, it is the Islamic symbol for world peace. Just wear it when you are outside."
I hope he does meet with the "insurgents". They have a tendency to return people in multiple pieces -- and I cannot think of a replacement for John F'ing Kerry that would be as far to the left as he is -- except maybe Marty "Taliban" Meehan.
Bet he thinks he's in Cambodia on Christmas Eve instead of Iraq.
If they show Kerry in any kind of uniform I will puke! Even a hat would make me puke!
WHO is paying for this? The same people who paid for Hitlery to go? Yes, I'm sure New York needed their senator to visit Iraq. Probably should send the idiot from Boston just in case she missed something....
Maybe the troops will explain to the traitor how he's the wrong poseur in the wrong war at the wrong time.
Maybe Kerry will get new ideas for dealing with Islamofascists while he's there. Maybe he and Jane can fold origami birds of peace to drop from Kerry's airplane.
Or maybe F'in will just crawl aound on his belly for a while looking for terrorists, "Hey, Abu, can I get me a huntin' license?"
I'm sure the world will be a better place after Kerry's visit. Next Kerry should visit Amsterdam.
I don't know who pays for Senator's trips. I guess the state of Massachusetts.
What is with Iraq that it has become the last tourist attraction for overblown egos?
You got that right!
thanks, oceanview. I see the strategy. But Areafiftyone brings up a good question: Why does Kerry even think the soldiers want his visit?
Sens. 'Bullkhead' Kerry and 'Bullworth' exchange pleasantries.
Former presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., left talks with 2004 Kennedy Center honoree, actor Warren Beatty (news), right, as they arrive for the gala performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2004. Recipients honored at this year's 27th Kennedy Center Honors are actor, producer, writer and director Warren Beatty; husband-and-wife actors, writers and producers Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee; singer and composer Elton John (news); soprano Joan Sutherland; and composer and conductor John Williams. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
More Purple Hearts?
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