Challenging Biden on Iraq War Vote, Sanders Denounces Bloated Trump Pentagon Budget During

[Uncle Joe]

Democratic Debate

"I think... I am the only person up here to have voted against all three of Trump's military budgets," the Vermont senator said to applause. "I don't think we have to spend $750 billion a year on the military when we don't even know who our enemy is."

(snip)

"I think that what we have got to do is bring this world together—bring it together on climate change, bring it together in fighting against terrorism, and make it clear that we as a planet, as a global community, will work together to help countries around the world rebuild their struggling economies and do everything that we can to rid the world of terrorism," said Sanders.

(snip)

Sanders also took aim at former Vice President Joe Biden's support for the Iraq War, a record Biden attempted to obfuscate in the days leading up to Thursday's debate in Houston.

"You talked about the big mistake in Iraq and the surge. The truth is, the big mistake, the huge mistake, and one of the big differences between you and me, I never believed what Cheney and Bush said about Iraq," said Sanders, addressing Biden. "I voted against the war in Iraq and helped lead the opposition."

As Common Dreams reported in August, Sanders has called for slashing America's enormous Pentagon budget and using the funds to invest in domestic priorities like healthcare, tuition-free college, and assistance for the poor.

(snip)


https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/09/13/challenging-biden-iraq-war-vote-sanders-denounces-bloated-trump-pentagon-budget

[bigtree]

1. Sanders failed to communicate his objections effectively, I think

...he has a good case to make about the efficacy and wisdom of military engagements across sovereign borders.

However, he presented his objections in kind of a jumble of words that didn't get much response from that college crowd, which would be his best constituency for any anti-war sentiment. Less agitation, more focus needed, imo, to get his message across.

He also seemed to be suffering from some kind of allergic reaction affecting his voice. Hope he's okay.

[lapucelle]

2. Start with cuts in the funding of F-35 fighter jets.

What Went Wrong with the F-35, Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter?

The F-35 was billed as a fighter jet that could do almost everything the U.S. military desired but has turned out to be one of the greatest boondoggles in recent military purchasing history

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-went-wrong-with-the-f-35-lockheed-martins-joint-strike-fighter/

Bernie Sanders Loves This $1 Trillion War Machine

https://www.thedailybeast.com/bernie-sanders-loves-this-dollar1-trillion-war-machine

F-35 opponents protest outside Sanders' office

https://www.wcax.com/content/news/F-35-opponents-protest-outside-Sanders-office-514385231.html