Howard Dean: ‘We’ve not paid attention to al-Qaida’

AP / Portsmouth Herald ^ | 1/2/2004 | Holly Ramer

[rs79bm]

NASHUA, N.H. -- Democrat Howard Dean said that the events of the last few weeks have shown he was right to conclude that Saddam Hussein’s capture didn’t make America safer.

Dean, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, faced criticism from his party’s rivals for his comments following the Dec. 13 capture of Saddam. Since then, the national terrorism alert has been raised to orange and more troops have been killed in Iraq, he said at a town hall meeting in Nashua.

"They got all excited, but here we are," the former Vermont governor said. "We’ve lost 10 more troops and F-16s are escorting foreign passenger jets into our air space because we’re now more worried than we were before.

"I can assure you it’s not Saddam who’s threatening to bomb airplanes," Dean said. "It’s al-Qaida. We’ve not paid attention to al-Qaida. We’ve spent $160 billion, lost over 400 servicemen, and wounded and permanently maimed over 2,000 people because we picked the wrong target."

Dean said even though he opposed the war, his greatest fear now is that "this administration will pull out of Iraq too early for political reasons," Dean said.

If that happens, al-Qaida will move into Iraq and become more powerful than ever.

"My fear is that the (Karl) Rove polls will tell him (Bush), ‘You’ve gotta get out, you’ve gotta get out,’ and he’ll start doing that, " Dean said, referring to Bush’s chief political adviser.

[cake_crumb]

Yep. First he doesn't want us to 'prejudge' Binny, then he wants Binny dead, and now the Bush administration hasn't paid enough attention.

President Bush = focused. Howie Dean = fuzzy.

[telebob]

Go Howie!! What an incredible intellect. He blows right by the troublesome little fact that we developed the intel on AQ that has driven the alerts precisely because we've been paying attention.

AQ wishes we would stop paying attention. I'd say our side has been doing a pretty good job of thwarting a lot of AQ plans, not to mention rolling up the bad guys.

Go Howie!! Can't wait to see what happens to your campaign when you really start to get the beatdown you deserve...hehehe.

[Dog Gone]

"I can assure you it’s not Saddam who’s threatening to bomb airplanes," Dean said.

And he's quit trying to shoot them down, too. Funny how that worked out...

[classmuse500]

We’ve not paid attention to al-Qaida

This fool apparently is getting his daily updates from either CNN Headline News, CNN World News, MSNBC, or the BBC. I haven't heard much about Al Qaida on these stations lately, so to me, it's no wonder that Dean would say such a thing.

[logan]

He's so opposed to the war, but he's afraid now that we'll extricate ourselves from our commitment to the war too soon?

But we can't leave Iraq, right? I mean; if it dissolves into civil war and becomes Iran part deux, it's a problem. I worry that Rove will make a calculation in the summer and pull back too far in order to tie up the election; one step forward, two steps back and all.

[EGPWS]

What is wrong with this guy?

He's a liberal for one.

Not only that, he is power driven and to achieve his power goals he is using ALL he has to do so... which is to demagogue his only obstacle, for he has no agenda at all that is appealing to the public, thus he is striving to gain appeal the only way he can and that is to attempt to prove Dubya' isn't doing his job.

So since Dubya' has shown time and time again that he IS doing a fabulous job, this will continue to maintain the Doctors status as a loser.

[goodnesswins]

I think he's more like "FRUITY!"

[slimer]

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Dean's terrific. Hopes he keeps pandering to the leftist wing of the Demoncraps and then chooses Al Sharpon as his VP running mate.

[StriperSniper]

but he's afraid now that we'll extricate ourselves from our commitment to the war too soon?

It's hard to keep track of all the flip-flops from the nine(or whatever number) but didn't Howie say he would pull the troops out now about two or three months ago during one of the early debates? Rove and the reelection crew must love the footage. All that has to be done is montages of the flip-flops and take credit for the spot with "Paid for by Bush/Cheney 04" or something like that.

[freekitty]

This guy is real funny, isn't he?

[Barnacle]

We’ve not paid attention to al-Qaida.

There’s really no need Howard. You got our vote.

[AQGeiger]

But we can't leave Iraq, right? I mean; if it dissolves into civil war and becomes Iran part deux, it's a problem. I worry that Rove will make a calculation in the summer and pull back too far in order to tie up the election; one step forward, two steps back and all.

I understand your fears. But it seems to me you're basing those fears upon the belief that Karl Rove is running the adminsitration. Personally, I don't think President Bush would let Rove (or anybody) influence his policy to the extent of placing re-election over principle. GW just isn't that kind of guy.

[reed_inthe_wind]

"al-Qaida will move into Iraq and become more powerful than ever."

I thought that we discovered a hand written note from an Iraqi intelligence officer to Saddam saying that the 9/11 organizer, was known to have visited Iraq. During the visit, the 9/11 organizer was known to be conspiring with another known terrorist that Iraq was harboring.

[Chris Tucker]

This thread has been bookmarked. I can't wait for Bush to announce the capture of Bin Laden and his goons so I can watch Deanie eat his words.

[fish hawk]

Wow, Dean must be really smart: He is out campaigning and still knows what our CIA, FBI and all our foreign agents are doing. He must be a psychic (spelled psycho).

[Starboard]

Do you think Mr. Dean realizes that the things he says are completely nonsensical? He's so opposed to the war, but he's afraid now that we'll extricate ourselves from our commitment to the war too soon?

He's just like the rest of the Dem candidates in terms of trying to have it both ways, safe in the knowledge that the liberal media won't be hounding them about the contradictions.

[Darksheare]

"We've not paid attention to Al-Qaida"???

What does he expect us to do, validate their life and parking?
Babysit them?
Take them out on dates and make them feel comfy?
He doesn't want us to fight them at all.
So what does he want us to do?
How does he want us to 'pay attention' to them?
Lay down and play dead?
Listen to their psychopsuedo-religious deathcult rantings?

Dean is not just out there, he's WAAAAAAAAY out there.

[cake_crumb]

"This fool apparently is getting his daily updates from either CNN Headline News, CNN World News, MSNBC, or the BBC."

Or the DU.

[cake_crumb]

Rove has nothing to do with the WOT.