John Kerry's Statement on Iraq Before the War

[brendan]

http://www.independentsforkerry.org/uploads/media/kerry-iraq.html

TEXT FROM THE SPEECH JOHN KERRY MADE ON THE SENATE FLOOR
October 9, 2002 (BEFORE THE WAR)

As the President made clear earlier this week, "Approving this resolution does not mean that military action is imminent or unavoidable." It means "America speaks with one voice."

Let me be clear, the vote I will give to the President is for one reason and one reason only: To disarm Iraq of weapons of mass destruction, if we cannot accomplish that objective through new, tough weapons inspections in joint concert with our allies.

In giving the President this authority, I expect him to fulfill the commitments he has made to the American people in recent days--to work with the United Nations Security Council to adopt a new resolution setting out tough and immediate inspection requirements, and to act with our allies at our side if we have to disarm Saddam Hussein by force. If he fails to do so, I will be among the first to speak out.

If we do wind up going to war with Iraq, it is imperative that we do so with others in the international community, unless there is a showing of a grave, imminent--and I emphasize "imminent"--threat to this country which requires the President to respond in a way that protects our immediate national security needs.

Let there be no doubt or confusion about where we stand on this. I will support a multilateral effort to disarm him by force, if we ever exhaust those other options, as the President has promised, but I will not support a unilateral U.S. war against Iraq unless that threat is imminent and the multilateral effort has not proven possible under any circumstances.


flip-flopper???

[cookiepuss]

I'm not sure I understand what your point is with this post. What i got from that Kerry speech was that he supported the war as long as there was proof of weapons of mass distruction and that we had the support of other nations to adress that threat. As far as i know he still opposoes the Iraq war, so your "flip-flopper" in question marks, was that to say that he has not fliped on this issue?

I'm a bit tired of this "flip-flop" term anyway. I think it is good for people to change thier opinions as new facts arise. I would rather have a president who is intelligent enough to change his mind and roll with the punches rather than try to be America's Dictator. People who see flip flopping as week are people who want to be told what to do and to think.

[yeahwho]

People who see flip flopping as week are people who want to be told what to do and to think.

I think we have a bizarre election in the fact that one man is rigid, another is flexible. If Gumby was running for president of the USA in 2004, he'd win! Plus we'd get Pokey in the backseat. :)

[cookiepuss]

hee hee! yeah.. how can I get gumpy on the ballot? He sounds like the best candidate yet! :D

[brendan]

I'm not sure I understand what your point is with this post. What i got from that Kerry speech was that he supported the war as long as there was proof of weapons of mass distruction and that we had the support of other nations to adress that threat. As far as i know he still opposoes the Iraq war, so your "flip-flopper" in question marks, was that to say that he has not fliped on this issue?

I'm a bit tired of this "flip-flop" term anyway. I think it is good for people to change thier opinions as new facts arise. I would rather have a president who is intelligent enough to change his mind and roll with the punches rather than try to be America's Dictator. People who see flip flopping as week are people who want to be told what to do and to think.


my point is...his position (whether you agree with it or not) hasn't changed. and this non-stop flip-flop, "he's taken 10 different positions" bullshit is a joke.

[cookiepuss]

thanks of clarifiing (sp?) that's what I thought you meant but I wanted to be sure. :D

[yeahwho]

my point is...his position (whether you agree with it or not) hasn't changed. and this non-stop flip-flop, "he's taken 10 different positions" bullshit is a joke.

Nobody voting for Bush can understand that. What does that say about Bush supporters, they cannot decipher english language. Kerry must point out in a firm offensive tone, Bush is Lying to you about me! I am John Kerry, this is what my position is and has been. Then follow it up, call it what it is, A LIE to you from Bush. That will slow down anyone in debate, it puts them on the defensive. When your on the defensive your message is harder to deliver. Kerry must not go down this road again. Stop it early and define yourself. I would go after the Bush supporters if I was Kerry, he already has his core, go after W's core.

If Kerry lets Bush define him in the last debate, I have bad news for you.

[infidel]

Nobody voting for Bush can understand that. What does that say about Bush supporters, they cannot decipher english language.This was proved without doubt in the last debate after Kerry answered the abortion question when bush said, "I don't know how anyone can decipher that."
I understood clearly the point Kerry was trying to get across as would anyone with a semblance of intelligence. It reflects on the damage bush has done to himself by surrounding himself only with people who swear allegiance to him, he thinks the whole US is made up of morons.

[ASsman]

They are tools. A herd of sheep. As someone else pointed out "if the republicans ran a cheese sandwich for canadicy..."

[QueenAdrock]

THAT POST MADE ME WANT TO SMIRK

oh wait. it explained kerry's position perfectly and obliterates the idea of him flip-flopping on iraq. well...HE STILL HATES AMERICA!

[ASsman]

Actually he is still a flip-flopper. Because he floped from being a flip-flopper to not being one. So in Bush world, he still is.

[QueenAdrock]

TOUCHÉ

[drobertson420]

The Dems should run a Feather as their canidate.....oh, wait; they already have someone who goes which ever way the wind blows..... ;)

[drobertson420]

I think Repubs respond to everything with "flip flopper"

"Would you like some fries with that"

"flip flopper"

It looks like he supported the fact that Iraq needed to be disarmed which he was acting on from the false intelligence.

His position now is that we need to finish the mess Bush started...and hopefully with much better results, too bad the damage has been done.

Bush lied...Impeach!


You heard the Al Franken Bush Floopity-floppity thing?

[paulk]

It's gay, please don't post the link.

[brendan]

It's gay, please don't post the link.

http://airamericaradio.com/weblogs/alfrankenshow/index.php?/franken/old_entry_381/

Wednesday, August 18, 2004
TRANSCRIPT OF FLIPPITY-FLOPPITY SEGMENT

George W. Bush has a funny way of flip-flopping on the issues.

He was against a Homeland Security Department. FLIP

Then he was for it. FLOP
He was against the McCain Feingold campaign finance bill. FLIP

But then he was for it. FLIP-FLOP
Bush said he was for free trade. FLIPPITY

But then he put on steel tariffs. FLOP

Then he was against the tariffs again. FLIPPITY FLOP

Bush said the states should decide about gay marriage. FLIPPITY

Then he was for changing the Constitution. FLIPPITY FLOP, OR IS IT FLOPPITY FLIP?

Bush said he would put mandatory caps on Carbon Dioxide. FLOOPITY

Then he said he wouldn’t. FLOOPPITY-FLEE

Bush said he’d leave no child behind. FLOPITTY

But refused to fund it, leaving millions of children of behind. BYE BYE POOR CHILDREN, WE’RE LEAVING YOU BEHIND, SORRY. OH, I CAN’T SEE YOU NOW, YOU’RE SO FAR BEHIND. I’VE FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU.

Bush said he against an independent 9/11 commission. FLIIIIIIIIIIIIIP

But then reluctantly agreed to one. FLOPPITY FLOOP

Bush said we were going to war in Iraq to disarm Saddam Hussein. FLIPPITY

But when it turned out there weren’t any WMD’s, he said the war was to fight al Qaeda. FLIPPITY-FLOPPITY

But then he admitted there was no evidence of ties between Saddam and al Qaeda FLIPPITY-FLOOPITY-FLOOP

So then he said the war was to bring Western style democracy to the entire Middle East. FLIPPITY-FLOOPITY-FLOP, FLOP FLOP FLOP FLOP

He said he wouldn’t invade Iraq without a vote in the UN. FLIP

But then he invaded without a vote. FLOPPITY FLOOP

But now he wants to UN to save his butt. (to tune of: Off to See the Wizard) FLIPPITY FLOPITTY FLOOP. FLIPPITY FLOPPITY FLOOP, FLIPPITY FLOPPITY, FLIPPITY FLOPPITY. FLIPPITY FLOPPITY FLOOP

He said he was ushering in an era of personal responsibility. FLIPPITY

But refuses to take responsibility for all his flip-flops. FLIPPITY BYE BYE BUSH. SEE YOU IN FLIPPITY FLOPPITY LAND – THAT’S RIGHT – CRAWFORD FLIPPITY FLOOP TEXAS. FLOOP FLOOP!

[Schmeltz]

sisko, sometimes the comedy you provide is all that keeps me going. Well done, lad.

[59 Chrystie St.]

This is kind of off the subject a bit, but has anyone out there heard about Arnold Schwarzenegger being a possible candidate for President in 2008. Alex Jones did a piece on it. It's strange because you have to change the US Constitution do this. "No foreign born citizen can be president." Think this is conspiracy theory stuff or do you think there's some releveance in it ?

[infidel]

There is a republican supported bill for a Constitutional amendment that would allow foreign born citizens such as Arnie to run for prez. It will have a tough time passing Congress as a Constitutional amendment requires two thirds vote, not likely to happen.
Even if it does pass it will have to be ratified by two thirds of the states. The way the state ratifications usually move there is no way the law will change by 2008.
I personally feel it's a bad idea for the prez to be foreign born. What if the country he came from screws or attacks the US? It seems that no matter how long the prez has lived in the US that they would still harbor bias that a native born person wouldn't.

[59 Chrystie St.]

There is a republican supported bill for a Constitutional amendment that would allow foreign born citizens such as Arnie to run for prez. It will have a tough time passing Congress as a Constitutional amendment requires two thirds vote, not likely to happen.
Even if it does pass it will have to be ratified by two thirds of the states. The way the state ratifications usually move there is no way the law will change by 2008.
I personally feel it's a bad idea for the prez to be foreign born. What if the country he came from screws or attacks the US? It seems that no matter how long the prez has lived in the US that they would still harbor bias that a native born person wouldn't.

Thanks for the Congressional process and state ratification breakdowns. Good lookin' out.

[drobertson420]

This is kind of off the subject a bit, but has anyone out there heard about Arnold Schwarzenegger being a possible candidate for President in 2008. Alex Jones did a piece on it. It's strange because you have to change the US Constitution do this. "No foreign born citizen can be president." Think this is conspiracy theory stuff or do you think there's some releveance in it ?

Look, if both parties can dig up crazy amounts of dirt on each other now, IMAGINE the fun they could have with Arnold's Past!!!! Hell, there's a shot of Arnold Smokin' a Doober in Pumping Iron!!!! And all the Bodybuider Orgies in the 70s....He wouldn't make it to the Primaries ;)

[brendan]

True That!
Recently a tv show host asked him if going into Iraq was the right thing to do.
His reply was "it depends on the outcome"

explain to me what's wrong with that answer? so if iraq turns into a terrorist state...it was worth it??? or if they elect another monster into office...it was worth it??? or if it makes the middle east more radical and creates more hatred towards americans...it was worth it??? stick with the flip-flopping thing. truth and dealing with reality seem to be to complicated for you to comprehend. flip-flop, flip-flop, flip-flop

[infidel]

You have much more patience than me Brendan.

Having to explain such a simple concept to a person (gismo) indicates no matter how simple it is they'll still never understand.

[brendan]

You have much more patience than me Brendan.

Having to explain such a simple concept to a person (gismo) indicates no matter how simple it is they'll still never understand.

you're right...