In their own words: Liberals opposed to war in Iraq, gung-ho about attacking Kosovo

The Congressional Record ^ | Feb. 7, 2003 | Jim Lakely

[seamus]

Thanks for getting through all of that. I found it fascinating, and would love to see the media present them with their previous views on the use of force, unilateralism, how much of a coalition is enough to satisfy them that we're not "going it alone," and the morality of going after brutal dictators.

They couldn't have changed their mind this year because there's a Republican in the White House, could they?

[dirtboy]

Nice work and a bump

[PhiKapMom]

Great work! I watched Kerry and the like question Powell and I couldn't believe their arrogance and condenscending attitude toward Sec Powell and this Administration.

[seamus]

Thanks. I just had to know -- for sure -- what these weasels' positions were on Kosovo so I could file it away.

Yes, many Republicans opposed the action in Kosovo, as I did, because I was not convinced that it was in our national interest to bail the U.N. out of its long failed policy in Kosovo. The irony is that our thanks for bailing out the U.N. and re-establishing its credibility is the back of their hand.

[VRWC_minion]

It may be much more basic than politics. It may be basic good vs. evil. Remember a divided house doesn't stand. It seems to me that those who I believe are motivated by evil seem to be supporting each other on this proposed war.

[finnman69]

They also seem gungho in attacking North Korea now.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/837523/posts

Democrats: Bush Ignoring N. Korea Threat (remember this when Bush goes after N. Korea)
AP ^ | 2/6/03 | KEN GUGGENHEIM


Posted on 02/06/2003 5:47 PM EST by finnman69


By KEN GUGGENHEIM, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Democrats said Thursday that President Bush (news - web sites), in a push for war against Iraq, is ignoring a potentially greater danger in North Korea (news - web sites)'s rapidly advancing nuclear program.

The White House, however, said it is has "robust plans for any contingencies" involving North Korea. Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) repeated that the United States has no plans to attack North Korea, but that Bush "has retained all his options."

Concern about the nuclear program has grown after North Korea announced Wednesday it was putting the operation of its nuclear facilities on a "normal footing." That could mean it is about to produce nuclear weapons.

Bush administration officials have said North Korea's program does not constitute a crisis, and Powell told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, "I still feel it is possible to find a diplomatic solution."

Democrats, though, said Bush was not taking the threat seriously enough. In contrast with their praise of Powell's presentation Wednesday on Iraq to the United Nations (news - web sites), they pounced on what they saw as weakness and inconsistency in the administration's North Korea policy.

"Mr. President Bush, please, please, if you don't want to enunciate it, in your mind Mr. President, treat this as a crisis because it is, if not contained now," Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record) of Delaware, the top Democrat on the committee, said in the Senate.

Added Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota: "The president should stop downplaying this threat, start paying more attention to it and immediately engage the North Koreans in direct talks."

At the committee hearing, Sen. John Kerry (news, bio, voting record), D-Mass., accused the administration of having a "fuzzy policy." Kerry, a declared presidential candidate, contended the administration had taken all options off the table, including the use of force and economic penalties.

Sen. Barbara Boxer (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., accused the administration of a policy of "designed neglect" toward North Korea and on other diplomatic fronts.

Powell said the administration, with its campaign against terrorism as well as stronger relations with Russia and China, had a foreign policy "geared to the problems we have in the 21st century."

Powell said in separate meetings Chinese and Russian foreign ministers in New York, he spent more time discussing North Korea than Iraq.

"We are deeply engaged in these issues. We are in touch with the North Koreans through a variety of channels," he said.

The two countries continue to exchange harsh words. On Wednesday, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld called North Korea a "terrorist regime." North Korea warned that any U.S. attack on nuclear facilities would "spark off a total war."

Presidential spokesman Ari Fleischer (news - web sites) expressed concern over that threat and said, "This kind of talk only hurts North Korea."

Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said this week that the Pentagon (news - web sites) may bolster U.S. forces in the Pacific in case North Korea tries to take advantage of Bush's focus on Iraq.

The administration has few promising policy options in North Korea.

North Korea has one of the world's largest armies and is believed to have one or two nuclear bombs. The United States has been reluctant to start direct talks with North Korea, saying it does not want to submit to blackmail.

Powell said Bush wants to help North Koreans, "who are starving, who are in economic distress, but we have to find a way to do it that does not suggest to the North Koreans that we are doing it because they have this tool, this weapon, that they use nuclearization of the (Korean) Peninsula as a way to get us to do it because we are threatened by them."

[jigsaw]

Nicely done!
Paging FoxNews!

[537 Votes]

They couldn't have changed their mind this year because there's a Republican in the White House, could they?

Like Mao attacking the Nationalist Chinese while the Nationalist Chinese are busy defending China from Japanese imperialism.

[eyespysomething]

Good stuff...

[Mustang]

Ditto...

In a nutshell it is this:

Liberal in White House...War Good.

Conservative in White House...War Evil.

(btw, the social justice..anti-freedom..American hater crowd are in full bliss now that the Pope has stated a war with Iraq would be immoral)...

Me thinks it's about time we as a nation review 101 reality. "If you don't stand for something..you'll fall for anything."

Mustang sends w/Best FReegards.

[Mustang]

Ditto...

In a nutshell it is this:

Liberal in White House...War Good.

Conservative in White House...War Evil.

(btw, the social justice..anti-freedom..American hater crowd are in full bliss now that the Pope has stated a war with Iraq would be immoral)...

Me thinks it's about time we as a nation review 101 reality. "If you don't stand for something..you'll fall for anything."

Mustang sends w/Best FReegards.

[Cicero]

The sad thing is that even a lot of Republicans and conservatives still don't understand what happened in Yugoslavia.

That was the world's first Politically Correct War, fought to help Muslims kill Christians in the sacred name of Multiculturalism. No wonder folks like Biden voted for it.

[labowski]

Exactly. I wish the pundits would actually ask these Dems what their plan is regarding N. Korea because they constantly bring up that the "threat" of N. Korea is greater than Iraq, but they don't offer a solution or alternative. I know this is usual Dem behavior, but I haven't heard them challenged on it once.
They want us to act UNILATERALLY with N. Korea, but we have to get the whole world on our side to deal with Saddam, brilliant!

[PhiKapMom]

(btw, the social justice..anti-freedom..American hater crowd are in full bliss now that the Pope has stated a war with Iraq would be immoral)...

I did not know that. I did know that he was meeting with Aziz from Iraq. I have said for years that the Pope should keep his nose out of United States foreign and domestic policy. Clean up his own house before talking about others!

[11th_VA]

THANK YOU so much for posting this!!!! I was trying to do some spade work myself.

[Mustang]

Please pardon the X2 post.

[Cindy]

"ARE THEY FOR US OR AGAINST US?" (Updated Daily.)

[GailA]

How did Teddy The Drunk do? I think he's been opposed to all the actions we've had for many, many years.

[seamus]

Actually, I tried hard to find any comments at all by Kennedy about the Kosovo war and came up with nothing. I find it hard to believe he didn't have a speech or two on war -- since he loves to take to the floor these days to bloviate about 'the greatest responsiblity we have in the Senate."

Actually, several times when people got up to speak about Kosovo, he'd take the floor right after them and give a speech about a "Patient's Bill of Rights" or some education boondoggle. For the record, however, he did vote against the McCain-Biden amendment (by voting "yes" to table it), so it's been hard to catch him in hypocricy -- but i'll keep trying.

[nutmeg]

bump to read later