Posted on 09/20/2004 2:16:00 PM PDT by areafiftyone
NEW YORK(AP) Staking out new ground on Iraq, Sen. John Kerry said Monday he would not have overthrown Saddam Hussein had he been in the White House, and he accused President Bush of "stubborn incompetence," dishonesty and colossal failures of judgment. Bush said Kerry was flip-flopping.
Less than two years after voting to give Bush authority to invade Iraq, the Democratic candidate said the president had misused that power by rushing to war without the backing of allies, a post-war plan or proper equipment for U.S. troops. "None of which I would have done," Kerry said.
"Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who deserves his own special place in hell," he added. "But that was not, in itself, a reason to go to war. The satisfaction we take in his downfall does not hide this fact: We have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure."
Bush responded in kind, interpreting the comment to mean that Kerry believes U.S. security would be better with Saddam still in power. "He's saying he prefers the stability of a dictatorship to the hope and security of democracy," the Republican incumbent said.
"Today, my opponent continued his pattern of twisting in the wind," Bush said at a New Hampshire rally. "He apparently woke up this morning and has now decided, No, we should not have invaded Iraq, after just last month saying he would have voted for force even knowing everything we know today."
Kerry called on Bush to do a much better job rallying allies, training Iraqi security forces, hastening reconstruction plans and ensuring that elections are conducted on time. But his speech was thin on details, with Kerry saying Bush's miscalculations had made solutions harder to come by.
Bush cited Kerry's four-point plan and dismissed it as proposing "exactly what we're currently doing."
Both candidates addressed partisan crowds, drawing cheers and hoots as they stretched each other's records and rhetoric _ mixing facts with political creativity toward the same goal: raising doubts about the other man's credibility.
This needs to be shouted from the mountain tops...
No. Senator Ketchup doesn't have a problem with tyrants who kill their own people, threaten their neighbors and collaborate with (and provide training for) terrorists who kill Americans.
Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
Can't wait to hear what he says next week.
Wait this is the guy who yesterday said he wants us to invade the Sudan unilaterally to stop the genocide in darfur!!!
This idiot opens himself to the obvious question - then would he put him back in power if he becomes President and, if not, why not? Kerry is not competent enough to be a U.S. Senator much less seek the highest position in the land.
It looks like Kerry, in desperation, is trying to shore up his base. He is forgoing the middle and making sure the Deaniacs don't jump ship.
And john kerry flip-flops again. Like thats a big suprise.
I am so sick of this crap.
Now would be a perfect opportunity to begin Saddam's trial.
"Furthermore," Kerry continued, "I never wanted to be President. I always wanted to be....a lumberjack!"
Wow. How many Iraqi men, women and children would be in prison, being tortured and raped, if John Kerry had his way? And this is what Democrats cheer. Sick.
Its horrible what is happening there and something should be done about it, but I hate to say this Kerry only said that to pander to the Black vote.
Bad link.
Staking out new ground on Iraq, Sen. John Kerry said Monday he would not have overthrown Saddam Hussein had he been in the White House!
Because he is a raving lunatic, he thinks that statement will make him our president!
But what will be believe TOMORROW?
Now I have to get an updated CD from www.kerryoniraq.com.
sounds like mr. FLIP FLOP is going after the Naderites
Dave he is playing to his base.....his internals must be showing the base is leaving him.
Kommie Kerry has not believed in anything since coming back from Nam. In fact I wonder if he's sure he is John Kerry!
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