George W. Bush's Iraq war architect says he will likely vote for Clinton

LA Times ^ | Aug. 26, 2016 | Seema Mehta

[VitacoreVision]

Paul Wolfowitz, a top official in the George W. Bush administration referred to as the architect of the Iraq war, said he will likely vote for Hillary Clinton in November.

Wolfowitz is part of a growing list of GOP national security and foreign policy officials who have announced their intention to support the Democratic presidential nominee. But though Clinton has proudly announced the backing of other Republicans, it’s less likely she will roll out a news release touting the support from Wolfowitz.

As deputy secretary of Defense under Bush, Wolfowitz was among the earliest and biggest cheerleaders for invading Iraq and deposing Saddam Hussein. Clinton, as a senator representing New York, voted in 2002 to go to war in Iraq.

[blackdog]

Hillary = Jobs for those who are useless at best all over the DC metro area.

Wolfowitz might have just as well held out a cup on the street corner with a sign around his neck saying-

"Will vote for and promote any candidate offering a job in their administration"

Trump plays different. He looks for who he can hire that brings the most value and leadership to a position at the lowest cost. That means a lot of vacant real estate in the DC area in 2017. Lower prices too.

[Thibodeaux]

or not

[Alberta's Child]

Stick around this thread for a while. You might find 2-3 more Freepers who are still willing to stand up for the Bush administration.

There's a reason that guy is about as popular as a child molester in America today, dude.

[x]

Well, the only good one in the bunch turned out to be Dick Cheney. God love him as no way he is voting for Hillary.

Yeah, God love him. Without Cheney, a thousand Wolfowitzes would have had no effect on policy.

It's not the guy who don't like or don't know you have to worry about. It's the one who somehow gets you to love him and go along with what he wants.

[Nifster]

Old Pauly Boy has been a thorn in the side of conservatives for decades

[Joshua]

If you can’t bring yourself to vote for Trump how does voting for Hillary make you principled? Wouldn’t not voting be the right thing to do? This is ridiculous

[Thibodeaux]

the reason is the band wagon

Freepers like to ride the band wagon

[Alberta's Child]

If so, then it was as true in 2003 as it is today.

[joshua c]

Another neoconpoop

[Degaston]

What do you call a RINO who votes D?

[Two Kids' Dad]

Yeah, Wolfowitz could have easily said he was going to stay home on election day or leave the presidential portion of his ballot blank or any number of other similar things. To say he’s likely to vote for Illary shows that he loves his Uniparty globalism more than he loves his country.

[vette6387]

Another Boosh Turd surfaces in the “treatment pond!” Just how could we have allowed The Booshes to eff up this country so badly and then turn it over to “the half-breed?” The whole of the 21st Century has been a disaster thus far.

[bray]

Must like the way she handled Benghazi.

Pray America wakes

[YogicCowboy]

I was heavily preoccupied with changing careers at the time. I did not have time for online endeavors like Free Republic. I suppose I would have been banned:

I very - very - reluctantly voted for Bush in 2000, although I enthusiastically demonstrated on his behalf (in front of a leftist bastion) for the sake of his electoral victory.

When I saw my worst fear realized - that he would absolutely refuse to enforce our border laws, but would send our soldiers to die halfway around the world - I refused to vote for him in 2004 (although I did not and never have voted for the Democrat nominee).

Mister Anti-Isms is a total RINO: just another elitist globalist who betrays this nation and sides with its enemies (including Obama and the Clintons).

I consider the Bushes - and most of their preferred associates - to be traitors.

[vette6387]

“In effect, the GOP ceased to exist as a national party when we arrived at mid-2015 to find that they had trotted out one more Bush as their front-runner for the 2016 presidential election.
“

AC, you’re spot on! I must admit that I didn’t see the Booshes for who they really were, either of them. Thanks to Donald Trump, I finally have a very clear picture of what this passel of worthless turds did to our country.

[Rockingham]

Wolfowitz and other foreign policy and national security oriented conservatives see Trump as not just off kilter on issues but as so grossly ignorant as to be dangerous. Indeed, Trump and a segment of his supporters seem at times to believe in old style 1930's isolationism and to be blind to how American strength and leadership in the world are essential to our own peace and security.

On balance though, Trump is not an isolationist, nor is he a fool -- and neither are his supporters fools. Indeed, Trump's galvanizing promise to make America great again implies a restoration of American military strength. And what is depicted as Trump's isolationism is actually a Reagan-like unwillingness to be bogged down and bled out by committing America to active, large scale fighting that is poorly connected to essential American strategic objectives.

The rub comes with Trump's emphasis on America's interests and his unwillingness to accept disadvantageous terms as to finance, currency values, trade, and immigration for the sake of supposed larger national strategic objectives that are rarely explained to the public. Many who are active in US politics profit from such disadvantages to the United States and regard Trump with alarm for the sake of their own pockets.

Indeed, look closely and one finds that many of the national security conservatives who prefer Hillary are themselves bound up with economic and financial interests that profit from the current lineup of trade deals and international financial institutions. Their views ought to be heard and considered on the merits. Foolishly though, they have rejected their natural political alignment as conservatives and have instead chosen to smear Trump and his program and go with Hillary. If Trump wins -- which is surely possible -- they will find themselves hard put to find a friendly hearing in the new administration.

[YogicCowboy]

If we had seen this same massive revolt against Romney in 2012, then I could at least respect their stand now.

Since the opposite happened - to wit, all these so-called purists then exhorted us to do our duty by voting for the Republican nominee regardless of personal principles - I know these self-righteous pundits, donors, et cetera, to be overwhelmingly hypocritical frauds!

[AC Beach Patrol]

I worked with severely injured military and their families. I did everything I could do, including finagling when necessary, to get these men and women assistance they deserved, from both government and the private sector. The devastation you see is heartbreaking and directly affects your soul. To see the wife and children accompanying a middle-aged reservist, who suffered bad TBI from an IED in Iraq, is an experience which becomes immediately ingrained in your mind. Or having a young Marine, who was horrifically burned, tell you he has had 30 surgeries so far, makes you feel guilty for ever having any complaint in your life. To this day I wonder how the individuals who promoted the Iraq War, from Bill Kristol to Paul Wolfowitz to Condaleeza Rice, can sleep at night. I wonder if they ever think about the afterlife and judgment day.

I was against the Iraq War even before I heard the saber rattling (and I was against the Gulf War-- not a fan of Gulfies) but fully supported men and women serving.

[Trumpisourlastchance]

Clearing my throat...... Yes. Was here since 1999. Reincarnated.

[vette6387]

“Bush won and is the conqueror of Baghdad”

Won what? That’s the biggest crock of $hit I’ve ever heard. We would be light years better off if we had left the Middle East to it’s own devices. Since we shouid never have spent ONE EFFING DIME, AND NOT ONE YOUNG AMERICAN’S LIFE THERE, It amazes me you would make such a statement. No go find a Boosh rear end to smooch!