[newsperson999]

Thank God he didn't Win the election
IRAQ NEWS HERE

[Oldeconomybuyer]

	Former Vice President Al Gore speaks at a hotel in San Francisco, Monday, Sept. 23, 2002. In his first major speech on the Iraq situation, the once and possibly future Democratic presidential candidate harshly criticized President Bush's push for war against Iraq, saying it has hurt the United States' standing and could dangerously undermine the rule of law around the world. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) - Sep 23 5:20 PM ET
	Former Vice President Al Gore and his wife Tipper Gore, left, are greeted at a hotel in San Francisco, Monday Sept. 23, 2002. In his first major speech on the Iraq situation, the once and possibly future Democratic presidential candidate harshly criticized President Bush's push for war against Iraq, saying it has hurt the United States' standing and could dangerously undermine the rule of law around the world. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) - Sep 23 5:03 PM ET

[VaBthang4]

5

[Coop]

The vast majority of those who sponsored, planned and implemented the cold blooded murder of more than 3,000 Americans are still at large, still neither located nor apprehended, much less punished and neutralized.

Gee, I hope I don't offend anybody here when I say Al Gore is LYING!!

A couple of months ago President Bush reported on approximately 2,000 captured terrorists and another 2,000 dead ones. A U.S. News article for next week reports that 1/3 of the Al Qaeda leadership is confirmed dead or captured. No telling how many are buried under rubble either.

[Jim Robinson]

"Like all Americans I have been wrestling with the question of what our country needs to do to defend itself"

Thank God this idiot was rejected! Can you imagine Gore as our Commander in Chief?

[Coop]

[Great countries] do not jump from one unfinished task to another.

Well, Al, some of us are capable of doing more than one thing at a time.

But, in this case, you lucked out! Attacking Iraq is an integral part of the war on terror. So no worries, you Alpha Male!

[The Great Satan]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- From the Oval Office, President Clinton told the nation Wednesday evening why he ordered new military strikes against Iraq.

The president said Iraq's refusal to cooperate with U.N. weapons inspectors presented a threat to the entire world.

"Saddam (Hussein) must not be allowed to threaten his neighbors or the world with nuclear arms, poison gas or biological weapons," Clinton said.

Operation Desert Fox, a strong, sustained series of attacks, will be carried out over several days by U.S. and British forces, Clinton said.

"Earlier today I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces," Clinton said.

"Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors," said Clinton.

Clinton also stated that, while other countries also had weapons of mass destruction, Hussein is in a different category because he has used such weapons against his own people and against his neighbors.

'Without delay, diplomacy or warning'

The Iraqi leader was given a final warning six weeks ago, Clinton said, when Baghdad promised to cooperate with U.N. inspectors at the last minute just as U.S. warplanes were headed its way.

"Along with Prime Minister (Tony) Blair of Great Britain, I made it equally clear that if Saddam failed to cooperate fully we would be prepared to act without delay, diplomacy or warning," Clinton said.

The president said the report handed in Tuesday by Richard Butler, head of the United Nations Special Commission in charge of finding and destroying Iraqi weapons, was stark and sobering.

Iraq failed to cooperate with the inspectors and placed new restrictions on them, Clinton said. He said Iraqi officials also destroyed records and moved everything, even the furniture, out of suspected sites before inspectors were allowed in.

"Instead of inspectors disarming Saddam, Saddam has disarmed the inspectors," Clinton said.

"In halting our airstrikes in November, I gave Saddam a chance -- not a license. If we turn our backs on his defiance, the credibility of U.S. power as a check against Saddam will be destroyed," the president explained.

Strikes necessary to stunt weapons programs

Clinton said he made the decision to strike Wednesday with the unanimous agreement of his security advisors.

Timing was important, said the president, because without a strong inspection system in place, Iraq could rebuild its chemical, biological and nuclear programs in a matter of months, not years.

"If Saddam can cripple the weapons inspections system and get away with it, he would conclude the international community, led by the United States, has simply lost its will," said Clinton. "He would surmise that he has free rein to rebuild his arsenal of destruction."

Clinton also called Hussein a threat to his people and to the security of the world.

"The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people," Clinton said.

Such a change in Baghdad would take time and effort, Clinton said, adding that his administration would work with Iraqi opposition forces.

Clinton also addressed the ongoing impeachment crisis in the White House.

"Saddam Hussein and the other enemies of peace may have thought that the serious debate currently before the House of Representatives would distract Americans or weaken our resolve to face him down," he said.

"But once more, the United States has proven that although we are never eager to use force, when we must act in America's vital interests, we will do so."

[Argus]

Where I stopped reading:

Like all Americans I have been wrestling with the question of what our country needs to do to defend itself

Anybody who has to "wrestle" with this question after 9/11/01 is simply an ineffectual blockhead with nothing useful to contribute.

[Poohbah]

[45Auto]

"Any offensive against Al Qaeda and its leadership without confronting their allied terror organizations and the states that fund and harbor them would be a fool's errand. Lamentations over whether a push into Iraq will "distract us from the war", omit the reality that Saddam's regime constitutes the soft underbelly, at least diplomatically, to be exploited in our effort to alter the terror nourishing dynamics of the Middle East."

"Once Hussein attains nuclear capability, Iraq will then be a secure base from which terrorists can operate. This would clearly not be a welcome development for the United States, but I'm sure Osama (if he's still breathing) would love it. " - Lowell Phillips, TooGood Reports

[ChadGore]

Revised transcript:

INTRODUCTION
Blah, blah, blah, wubba, wubba, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, blah, blah

FIRST THING FIRST: TIPPER HATES ME
Blah, blah, blah, wubba, wubba, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, blah, blah

DANGERS OF ABANDONING REALITY
Blah, blah, blah, wubba, wubba, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, blah, blah

WHAT WOULD WILLY DO?
Blah, blah, blah, wubba, wubba, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, blah, blah

PRE-MATURE INDOCTRINATION INTO GREENIE PEACE
Blah, blah, blah, wubba, wubba, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, blah, blah

MY MISSION IN THE CEREAL ISLE
Blah, blah, blah, wubba, wubba, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, yadda, blah, wubba, blah, blah

[Cosmo]

Until article 51 is revised to allow for anticipatory self defense, the U.N. charter is nothing more than a suicide pact.
Feel the gin

[Real Cynic No More]

Remember when Carter was president, and the Iranian hostage crisis took all his energy and time? Our executive branch couldn't focus on anything else because Carter was so preoccupied with that issue. It looks as if Gore wants Bush to be focused solely on al-Qaeda, as if the whole world would stop while the anti-terrorist campaign is going on. That would lead to another stagnant period in our history, and Bush would be toast come 2004. I guess Gore really is playing politics with this issue!

[Oldeconomybuyer]

"...The Clinton Administration launched a massive series of air strikes against Iraq for the state purpose of setting back his capacity to pursue weapons of mass destruction...."

Major CYA.

[witnesstothefall]

Now that's leadership: "Let us wring our hands and wait for a sign to proceed from lefty globalists." Run, Al, run. Please run again.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Al Gore foreign policy would be to talk long enough, so he will put Saddam to sleep.

[finnman69]

Moreover, if we quickly succeed in a war against the weakened and depleted fourth rate military of Iraq and then quickly abandon that nation as President Bush has abandoned Afghanistan after quickly defeating a fifth rate military there, the resulting chaos could easily pose a far greater danger to the United States than we presently face from Saddam. We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country. We have no evidence, however, that he has shared any of those weapons with terrorist group. However, if Iraq came to resemble Afghanistan – with no central authority but instead local and regional warlords with porous borders and infiltrating members of Al Qaeda than these widely dispersed supplies of weapons of mass destruction might well come into the hands of terrorist groups. If we end the war in Iraq, the way we ended the war in Afghanistan, we could easily be worse off than we are today. When Secretary Rumsfield was asked recently about what our responsibility for restabilizing Iraq would be in an aftermath of an invasion, he said, “that’s for the Iraqis to come together and decide.”

HEY AL, WHAT THE FRUCK DO YOU THINK THESE GUYS ARE DOING IN AFGHANISTAN AS YOU SPEAK!


U.S. soldiers in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, salute their flag on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2002.

A German helicopter, part of the international peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan, hovers around the city of Kabul on September 19.

Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal (R) poses for group photo with (L-R) President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai, U.S. President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, September, 12, 2002. Gee Al, looks we are abandoning Karzai.

Afghan warlord Ismael Khan, left, and Governor Gul-Agha Sherzai of Kandahar shake hands after their meeting at Khan's home, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2002 in Herat, Afghanistan. General Dan McNeill, commander of all U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan, orchestrated and provided aircraft flights for the meeting between the oft-feuding Khan and Sherzai.

Afghanistan 1st battalion national guard stand at attention during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Kabul on September 21, 2002. The training of the 1st battalion Afghan national guard by Turkish army staff will start on September 21. The course will last 10 weeks and during this period, the Afghan personnel will be trained in areas such as basic, private and unit combat training at the tactical level.

U.S. soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division patrol a mountain trail in Afghanistan's Khost province near the Pakistan border in August. REUTERS/Scott Schonauer/Stars & Stripes/Pool

IS IT JUST ME OR IS GORE JUST LYING HIS ASS OFF!

[Jorge]

Gore has to be the most boring and uninspiring politician on earth.
I couldn't even get through the entire transcript.

Gore is really showing his political aptitude by opposing Bush on Iraq at a time when polls show 67% of Americans support Bush on Iraq.
What a total klutz.

[Joe Boucher]

Please oh please run again algore you dope. Let it all hang out for the world to see what a chump liberal sissy turd without a clue or a core belief you are.
Mr. Bush and Mrs. Bush are leap years ahead of you and tipper. They have class, solid beliefs and neither needs some N.O.W. focus froup to tell them anything about anything. Go climb back into your hotel in D.C. and continue to be a nothing. And tell Tipper to quit eating Cleveland.

[Big Guy and Rusty 99]

I say we make a deal with the dims. If they win the vote and the muslim scum attack, we get to show the dims the same compasion the Italians showed Mussilini after the Italy fell in World War Two.