Reply #10: This Article Smears Kerry, Too [View All]

[DrFunkenstein]

"Kerry is the most disingenuous of the group. He has joined the bandwagon of those saying that Bush misled the American people into war. Kerry, however, was saying much the same things about Saddam, not only before this war, but in support of a similar 1998 congressional authorization of force for President Clinton.

Kerry now says he only voted for the war resolution to strengthen Bush's diplomatic hand. But no sentient member of Congress could have voted for that authority without knowing that Bush was going to use it."

---

Kerry has consistently followed the principle that Clinton laid out in 1998:

"The credible threat to use force, and when necessary, the actual use of force, is the surest way to contain Saddam's weapons of mass destruction program, curtail his aggression and prevent another Gulf War."

This was Kerry's position going back at least to 1997. That said, Kerry also strongly advocated being honest and clear with the American people about the only legitimate rationale of military action - ensuring unfettered inspections leading to disarmament as per the terms of the Gulf War resolution Saddam signed.

Kerry never felt the threat was imminent, but felt Saddam was failing to allow unfettered access. However, Kerry did not believe this constituted the exhaustion of a peaceful solution before blood and treasure were committed.

Kerry was tortured over his vote, but felt that he had given the most responsible vote in a no-win situation. As reluctant as he was, he had to trust the UN process to tangle up Bush enough to see that justice was done. He had overwhelmingly preferred Biden-Lugar until Gephardt and Lieberman cut the legs from under it. Unfortunately, when you have to actually vote in a position of responsibility, you are confronted with nothing more than two shitty options.

Both Kerry and Dean were right - Bush had misled America into war. Had Bush misled Kerry into voting for authorization? The answer is no. Kerry voted over his own clear reservations because he felt it was the responsible vote to demand Saddam's compliance.