Kennedy: Iraq war based on politics

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/14/kennedy.iraq/

U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, an elder statesman among liberal Democrats, slammed President Bush and his administration for going to war in Iraq based on political considerations.

In a speech Wednesday, Kennedy said the decision to invade Iraq was grounded in the "gross abuse of intelligence," an "arrogant disrespect for the United Nations" and the GOP's desire to seize control of both houses of Congress in 2002.

The senator from Massachusetts spoke to the Center for American Progress, a liberal advocacy group, at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington.

He was flanked by Brian and Alma Hart, whose son John was killed in Iraq, and Army Sgt. Peter Damon, who lost both arms serving in Iraq.

[joeybee12]

1. What else can I add? He's absolutely right!

[BuckeFushe]

13. Full text of speech here

http://www.americanprogress.org/site/apps/s/custom.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=20550

<snip>
The citizens of our democracy have a fundamental right to debate and even doubt the wisdom of a president's policies. And the citizens of our democracy have a sacred obligation to sound the alarm and shed light on the policies of an Administration that is leading this country to a perilous place.

I believe that this Administration is indeed leading this country to a perilous place. It has broken faith with the American people, aided and abetted by a Congressional majority willing to pursue ideology at any price, even the price of distorting the truth. On issue after issue, they have moved brazenly to impose their agenda on America and on the world. They have pursued their goals at the expense of urgent national and human needs and at the expense of the truth. America deserves better.

The Administration and the majority in Congress have put the state of our union at risk, and they do not deserve another term in the White House or in control of Congress.

<snip>

[Malva Zebrina]

2. that's nice--thanks Teddy

where are the rest of the Democrats?

[frank frankly]

12. most democrats are mailing it in

or covering their ass.

they are near worthless.

[kendric]

32. so is kennedy

"most democrats are mailing it in" or covering their ass. they are near worthless

During Clinton's term Ted Kennedy told Tim Russert that America could no longer tolerate Saddam's intransigence. "I don't think we should rule anything out, even military force. Those sites have to be accessible. They have to be available. They have to be inspected...I support the president's movement of military forces into the region and I think it has to be very, very clear to Saddam Hussein that those sites are going to have to be accessible and available, otherwise there's — nothing will be ruled out."

[kath]

25. The rest of the Democrats are dancing around in their lovely pink tutus,

as usual.

[Clark4VotingRights]

3. Yup, when he's right he's right.

And Teddy's usually right.

[robbedvoter]

4. And he can say it too: he TRULLY opposed the war!

> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030131/ap_on_go_co/congress_iraq_4
>
> Two senior Democratic senators, Robert Byrd
> of West Virginia and Ted Kennedy of
> Massachusetts, this week proposed separate
> bills on the matter. Byrd's would require President
> Bush (news - web sites) to seek a fresh vote
> in the U.N. Security Council before attacking Iraq;
> Kennedy's would require new votes in
> Congress before doing so.
>
> But the chance of approval for either
> measure is slim, given GOP control of the Senate and a
> lack of enthusiasm from Democratic
> congressional leaders.
>
> The bills aren't supported by any of the
> four Democratic members of Congress running for
> president: Sens. John Kerry of
> Massachusetts, Joe Lieberman (news - web sites) of
> Connecticut and John Edwards of North
> Carolina, and Rep. Richard Gephardt (news, bio,
> voting record) of Missouri.
>
> "We authorized the president as commander in
> chief to take action," Lieberman said. "These
> decisions ultimately can't be made by 535
> members" of Congress.
>
> At a news conference Thursday, Byrd and
> Kennedy conceded that most senators don't
> support their proposals, but said they hope
> that will change as debate continues.
>
> "We're not in a minority out there where the
> people are," Byrd said.
>

[IndianaGreen]

17. Unlike Kerry, Gephardt, Lieberman, and Edwards

I hope and pray that none of the pro-IWR candidates wins the nomination.

[patricia92243]

5. Does anybody know if the speech is going to be repeated on c-span

[joanski01]

7. On C-Span2 tonight

at 8:25 p.m. I hope you can get C-Span2.

[never cry wolf]

10. Actually C-span schedules it at 8:01 pm eastern

But this page lets you watch streaming video whenever you want.

http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,

on edit: it was a GREAT speech, he touched on everything almost, the PNAC, the Plame outing, etc. MUST SEE TV!!!

[54anickel]

26. Thanks much! I just finished watching. GREAT!!! I had read the

transcript, but it was great to see and hear his passion.

[veganwitch]

6. im listening to the replay

on cspan radio right now.

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. "If the American people knew the truth"?

I'd love to hear more about that part. If Ted knows the truth would he please tell the rest of us and maybe we can stop this madness?




He said the decision to go to war, "could well become one of the worst blunders in more than two centuries of American foreign policy."

"No president of the United States should employ misguided ideology and distortion of the truth to take the nation to war," said Senator Kennedy. "In doing so, the president broke the basic bond of trust between government and the people. If Congress and the American people knew the whole truth, America would never have gone to war."


VOA News

[Mechatanketra]

9. Bah.

Maybe I've just succumbed to bitter cynicism, but I just don't buy this hypothesis anymore.

Congress knew (or at least had probable cause to suspect) the truth. Most Americans (likewise) knew the truth.

They just don't care.

That's why it's been pretty much impossible to use any level of factual or logical proof to dissuade anyone who supported the war that they f***ed up, why there's always some new excuse that it was really a good thing even if the last excuse doesn't hold: because it was never really about "terrorism" or "WMDs", even for the Joe Sixpacks pumping up the AOL polls -- it was about kicking someone else's ass to make us feel good and manly again after someone (else) popped our bubble of perceived invulnerability.

Your man on the street probably doesn't give a rat's ass for international law, war crimes, national sovereignity, preserving world peace, or any of the other ideological reasons to avoid the war. Just tell him "We'll win" and "You won't have to go there", and you've got his vote.

[bobbieinok]

18. on bad days I have to agree with you

they just don't care

they feel good because 'they' (hah) hit back

[FiveGoodMen]

33. Mechatanketra

That was the truth and nothing but the truth!

[Guaranteed]

21. I think he was referring to the ignorant ones

who still support the war.

[leftchick]

11. Ted will be on CNN at 7:00 AM Thurs.

with those puke whores on the "murica morning" show. Ted has more IQ than the two of them combined and will whip their whoring asses. Go Teddy!!! :)

[Cooley Hurd]

23. Yeah, and I love the write-up about it on CNN/AM's website...

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/american.morning/

<snip>
Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, joins us to defend his blistering attack on the war in Iraq. Does he really think President Bush wasn't honest with the nation?
</snip>

Pretty shameless...

[JohnyCanuck]

24. For Fucks sake CNN

Does he really think President Bush wasn't honest with the nation?

It's already been proven beyond any reasonable doubt Dubya is an incompetent lying son of a bitch. Too bad for you you've blown your own credibility all to hell by having your CNN whores trying to make us believe he was a cross between Honest Abe, Ike and FDR.

[leftchick]

29. That is the intro I heard when they announced the show....

it is shameless whoring. Why the fuck does he have to defend telling the TRUTH? Why the fuck are they defending a LIAR? I can't stand to listen to those two. Especially that solodad who sounds like she needs to blow her nose. I will watch for Ted's sake, I have faith that he will take charge. Sorry for the rant.... <sigh>

[sonias]

14. Thank You Senator Kennedy!

And Senator Robert Byrd too. They just call them as they see them.
Gross abuse of intelligence = lies.

Sonia

[54anickel]

15. It's on his webpage & there's an e-mail link. I sent an e-mail to thank

him. Think it helps when you let these reps know their appreciated.

[Guaranteed]

22. I did, too.

It was the first time in a while that I felt compelled to write a thank you letter to a politician.

[Kat45]

16. Another reason for me to be proud he's my senator. n/t

[Robbien]

19. The Washington Post now has this

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17897-2004Jan14.html

The headline reads: Kennedy call war a "Political Product" marketed by Bush

Wow!

[Guaranteed]

20. I read that speech. It was AWESOME.

It made me cry. He talked about everything the administration did in the lead up to the war...and in no uncertain terms. He wasn't playing around.

We've carried this burden for so long....to hear Ted Kennedy sticking up for us, and to see that our leadership is finally directly opposing the Bush administration, gives me real hope. :loveya:

[Clark4VotingRights]

28. Still try to catch it on CSPAN if you can Bull...

Damn it was fine.
Damn I say!

[saltpoint]

27. I'm jealous of --

-- the voters in Massachusetts and West Virginia because they have Kennedy and Byrd to represent them.

This summer in Boston, I have a feeling that Ted Kennedy will walk onto the stage to resounding welcome.

Bravo Ted Kennedy for calling Bush & Co. on their lies.

[Snappy]

30. Correct but...

I strongly feel that the Iraq invasion was also about Business. Expanding markets, oil control, wealth for Multi-nationals rebuilding Iraq,other resources, Corporate expansion and re-location and cheap labor. Iraq is the 1st domino of the countries to be dominated.

I read that 23 in Congress voted against the handing over a blank check. Kucinich, Byrd are two that I remember. Byrd was outraged and railed against it

[Chovexani]

31. Teddy kicking Katie's ass on the Today show atm

Teddy is righteously pissed off. KKKatie tried to bait him and he totally shut her down.

I don't care what anybody says I love him even if he looks like Jabba the Hutt. :)