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Joe Lieberman: Iraq's Future and the War on Terrorism (Recommended!)
The Foundation for Defense of Democracies ^ | June 16, 2004 | Senator Joe Lieberman

Posted on 06/17/2004 1:46:53 PM PDT by quidnunc

Thank you to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy for sponsoring this important symposium on the future of Iraq and the war on terrorism. Through gatherings such as this one, the Foundation is helping “lead the war of ideas in the battle between freedom and totalitarianism.”

Today I want to discuss the war we are waging against Islamic terrorists in Iraq and around the world, and to argue that it is fundamentally a war of ideas and a war of values, a war of conflicting visions of humans and history, of faith and country.  The war on terrorism we are fighting goes to the very heart of America's national purpose and national security. Our core principles of freedom and opportunity are at stake. 

In the flurry of news bombarding us each day of the ups and downs from all fronts in the war on terrorism, it is easy to forget the larger ideals that it is all about. Car bombings in Baghdad… pipeline attacks in Riyadh… assassination attempts in Islamabad… foiled terrorist plots in Thailand… victories in Afghanistan… arrests in Columbus, Ohio… may cause people to lose sight of the values we are fighting for in this war — and the values we are fighting against.

We cannot let that happen. A democracy such as ours can only go to war and win with the informed support of the people.  

The terrorists can never defeat us militarily. But they can divide us and defeat us politically if the American people become disappointed and disengaged, because they don't appreciate and support the overriding principles that require us to take military action. The same, of course, is true for our allies in Europe, Asia and throughout the Muslim world. They need to better understand and embrace our purpose and what it means for them.

What we are fighting for in Iraq and around the world is freedom. What we are fighting against is an Islamic terrorist totalitarian movement which is as dire a threat to individual liberty as the fascist and communist totalitarian threats we faced and defeated were in the last century.

What we are fighting for is an expanding worldwide community of democracies. What we are fighting against is the prospect of a new evil empire, a radical Islamic caliphate which would suppress the freedom of its people and threaten the security of every other nation's citizens.

The Chinese strategist Sun Tzu said that the keys to victory in any armed struggle are to “know thyself” and to “know thy enemy.” His ancient wisdom should guide our modern conflict.

To win the war on terrorism, we must better understand ourselves and our enemies. 

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at defenddemocracy.org ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Extended News; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: anotherstupideqcerpt
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Keynote Address by Senator Joe Lieberman to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies's Symposium on “Iraq's Future and the War on Terrorism”, June 16, 2004
1 posted on 06/17/2004 1:46:54 PM PDT by quidnunc
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To: quidnunc

Lieberman gets it right.


2 posted on 06/17/2004 2:00:39 PM PDT by what's up
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To: quidnunc

Link leads to "Document not found". Would love to read the whole speach. Heard a little of him on Hannity today.


3 posted on 06/17/2004 2:02:49 PM PDT by wishuponastarr
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To: quidnunc

Joe Lieberman gets it, I wonder when he will start campaigning for Dubya?


4 posted on 06/17/2004 2:03:24 PM PDT by MJY1288 (Dubya Loves his Country and All Who Defends Her, While the Democrats Jeopardize it for Legal Tender)
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To: MJY1288

"I wonder when he will start campaigning for Dubya?"

He won't. The man is smart, but he is a political coward.


5 posted on 06/17/2004 2:04:30 PM PDT by Socratic (Yes, there is method in the madness.)
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To: quidnunc

Lieberman is the only Dem who doesn't sicken me. (Damning with faint praise?) LOL


6 posted on 06/17/2004 2:05:51 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Socratic

Your probably correct, but there is no doubt that Joe Lieberman is one of the few democrats who still love this thing we call liberty


7 posted on 06/17/2004 2:06:49 PM PDT by MJY1288 (Dubya Loves his Country and All Who Defends Her, While the Democrats Jeopardize it for Legal Tender)
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To: MJY1288

"...Joe Lieberman is one of the few democrats who still love this thing we call liberty"

I'm sure you're right, but love demands more than lip service - it demands action to bring about the desired result.


8 posted on 06/17/2004 2:09:52 PM PDT by Socratic (Yes, there is method in the madness.)
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To: Steve_Seattle
Lieberman is intelligent, knows what morality is (even if he is imperfect in its execution), and patriotic. There was absolutely no chance he would be the Democrat nominee.

Regards, Ivan

9 posted on 06/17/2004 2:10:08 PM PDT by MadIvan (Ronald Reagan - proof positive that one man can indeed change the world.)
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To: Socratic

He is a coward. Good word. His twisting facts around to suit the DemocRAT lies are very transparent, so much so you can see the internal struggle on his face sometimes. He is disingenuous, fake, and lacking in character, but I still like him a little bit. At least he "gets it." Cheney handed him his lunch during the vp debates - talk about 2 different levels of talent, and brains. Cheney made him look like a ten year old schoolboy!


10 posted on 06/17/2004 2:10:42 PM PDT by mallardx
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To: Socratic

Lieberman has been pretty consistant, even when he was campaigning. But his actions after accepting Gore's VP offer in 2000 was disgraceful


11 posted on 06/17/2004 2:14:21 PM PDT by MJY1288 (Dubya Loves his Country and All Who Defends Her, While the Democrats Jeopardize it for Legal Tender)
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To: MJY1288

"But his actions after accepting Gore's VP offer in 2000 was disgraceful"

And that's a prime example which demonstrates his cowardice, or maybe "politcal opportunism" would be more accurate in this case.


12 posted on 06/17/2004 2:18:03 PM PDT by Socratic (Yes, there is method in the madness.)
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To: MadIvan
absolutely no chance he would be the Democrat nominee.

Sad if true. But Lieberman is exactly the kind of non-radicalized Democrat that the party may have to turn to after getting slaughtered in November. I really feel that Bill Clinton gutted the Democratic party. His politics of polarization pushed the Left and the Right much further apart, with him at the fulcrum in the center wielding much more power than would have otherwise been possible.

Now what are the Democrats left with, a few good Senators and a bunch of wacko leftists from safe seats in the House. Most of the moderates have left. The party will have to really reinvent itself if it's ever going to compete seriously for the Presidency.

13 posted on 06/17/2004 2:18:09 PM PDT by DJtex
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To: quidnunc

At least in some areas, Lieberman gets it.

I wonder if he knows that the enemy in "knowing our enemy" includes the person with which he ran, and the person for which he will vote in November?

I see him in the middle between Zell Miller and YYYEEAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!


14 posted on 06/17/2004 2:20:01 PM PDT by Christian4Bush (I approve this message: character and integrity matter. Bush/Cheney '04)
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To: wishuponastarr
wishuponastarr wrote: Link leads to "Document not found". Would love to read the whole speach. Heard a little of him on Hannity today.

The link works perfectly for me — and I tested it several times.

Search on Google for "Foundation for Defense of Democracies" and the speech will be on the home page.

Here's the URL of the speech:

http://www.defenddemocracy.org/in_the_media/in_the_media_show.htm?doc_id=228970&attrib_id=7377

15 posted on 06/17/2004 2:22:14 PM PDT by quidnunc (Omnis Gaul delenda est)
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To: DJtex
I think that while the Democrats picked Kerry, Howard Dean is their real front man. He represents them in their hysterical anger, their pretentions to power, their bitterness and spite. He is closely followed by Al Gore in terms of being an appropriate icon for them.

Regards, Ivan

16 posted on 06/17/2004 2:23:48 PM PDT by MadIvan (Ronald Reagan - proof positive that one man can indeed change the world.)
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To: quidnunc

Thanks much, URL worked perfectly (and was on the original posting if I'd have been thinking).


17 posted on 06/17/2004 2:32:42 PM PDT by wishuponastarr
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To: Steve_Seattle
Lieberman is the only Dem who doesn't sicken me. (Damning with faint praise?) LOL

Zell Miller. :)

18 posted on 06/17/2004 2:59:37 PM PDT by TBarnett34 (Pres. Ronald Reagan (1911-2004): Rest in Peace)
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To: quidnunc
What we are fighting against is an Islamic terrorist totalitarian movement

Has President Bush ever used the words "Islamic" and "terrorism" together just as Lieberman does so (correctly) here??

19 posted on 06/17/2004 3:19:18 PM PDT by Charlotte Corday
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To: Steve_Seattle

How about Zell Miller who is a dem and IS supporting W?


20 posted on 06/17/2004 3:29:09 PM PDT by jnarcus
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