Kerry Says President Is Weak on Defense

[DemMother]

The LA Times front page story on Kerry's speech at UCLA

snip
"Democrat John F. Kerry charged Friday that President Bush sent troops to war unprepared and pursued policies that have undermined the U.S. military and the nation's safety — one of his harshest attacks yet on Bush's national security credentials.
In an address at UCLA days before the California primary, the front-runner for his party's presidential nomination derided what he termed the administration's "armchair hawks." And he said, "George Bush inherited the strongest military in the world. And I know and members of the military know … that George Bush has in fact weakened that military by overextending it."

snip
"Far too often, troops have been going into harm's way without the weapons and the equipment they depend on…." Kerry said. "Families across America have had to collect funds from their neighbors to buy body armor that is state-of-the-art for their loved ones in uniform, because George Bush has failed to provide it."

<http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/2004/la-na-kerry28feb28,1,876192.story?coll=la-home-headlines>

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[jpgray]

1. And he's right (nt)

[barbaraann]

2. Bush: Weak on defense; strong on defense profiteering.

Nobody in the history of the world has been as successful at war profiteering as George W. Bush. He's the gold standard.

[mojo2004]

3. Kerry makes some great points....

we are overextended. But isn't Kerry's voting record going to come back and haunt him with the weak on defense attack?

[DemMother]

6. See Slate Article--John Kerry's Defense Defense

Slate has a terrific article refuting attacks on Kerry's defense voting record. It's by Fred Kaplan--Setting the Record Straight.

<http://slate.msn.com/id/2096127/>

[MasonJar]

4. From what I have read Kerry voted against a bill of which the

military budget was a relatively small part; other things were voted against.

[Nancy Waterman]

5. Best form of defense is an offense

Brilliant strategy. Bush is trying to say Kerry is weak on defense. Instead of getting defensive (no pun intended here), Kerry is turning the tables on Bush. Great strategy.

Article worth reading by David Corn:

What's Right about Kerry

http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20040315&s=corn

[Guaranteed]

7. Hmmmm...where'd he pick that one up from? nt

[blm]

11. He's been saying so for two years. Refresh your memory, Bull....

Just because you weren't paying attention, doesn't mean Kerry wasn't out there pounding on Bush LONG before others piped up and were given the microphone by the media.


Kerry Shows Courage In Challenging Bush
Thursday, August 8, 2002 By: Joe Conason

New York Observer
>>>>>>
But it was John Kerry who delivered the most interesting, substantive and challenging message. His subject was George W. Bush's shortcomings as a world leader.
The New York Times reported that Mr. Kerry "offered a long attack on Mr. Bush's foreign policy," although the paper gave short shrift to the details in the Senator''s speech. What he began to articulate was a Democratic critique of this administration''s blunt and myopic unilateralism, and a vision that restores international alliances to the center of American diplomacy.

He agrees with the objective of removing Saddam Hussein, but objected to the vague plans for what will replace the Iraqi dictatorship. He called the latest arms treaty with Russia a "cosmetic" one that inadequately safeguards decommissioned weapons. He denounced the "Cold War" approach to North Korea that has undone the progress achieved by the Clinton administration. He expressed scorn for the administration''s disengagement from the Middle East crisis before Sept. 11.

>>>>>>>>>
He is, however, no naïïve internationalist who abhors military force. As he has done before, Mr. Kerry wondered aloud why the President didn't muster sufficient firepower in Afghanistan to destroy Al Qaeda''s army when the chance arose at Tora Bora.

And he sought to connect the trouble America encounters abroad to the oil-dominated energy policy of this oilmen's government. "We must search for clean, renewable resources," he said, "not just because it is in the interests of our environment, but because it is a demand of national security." Liberating the nation from oil "can liberate our foreign policy and empower the United States to tell the truth throughout the Middle East."
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There is, however, at least one benefit for Mr. Kerry in speaking out on those faraway places and problems. While his rivals sound as if they''re campaigning for the offices they already occupy, he sounds as if he is running for President.

In a sense, Mr. Kerry enjoys an unfair advantage that mitigates the burden of his home state. He''s a decorated Vietnam veteran whose Navy service may help shield him from attacks on his patriotism. Throughout his years in the Senate, that credential has allowed him to investigate and criticize disturbing excesses of American policy abroad, as he did when he probed U.S. aid to the contra gangsters in Nicaragua. (That rather lonely crusade made him a target of the notorious Arkansas Project, funded by Republican billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife to bring down President Clinton.)

Whether Mr. Kerry can engage the electorate in a discussion of America''s global responsibilities is far from certain. His own dispassionate style may hinder him. Yet he deserves great credit for reclaiming international leadership for his party when others cannot or will not.
>>>>>>>>>

And during that same timeframe we have Howard Dean's response to Russert after being shown clips of Kerry criticizing Bush's military strategy:


 MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe the military operation in Afghanistan has been successful?
       
       GOV. DEAN: Yes, I do, and I support the president in that military operation.
       
       MR. RUSSERT: The battle of Tora Bora was successful?
       
       GOV. DEAN: I’ve seen others criticize the president. I think it’s very easy to second-guess the
       commander-in-chief at a time of war. I don’t choose to engage in doing that.

[Crachet2004]

8. "Great strategy"...

I agree. Kennedy had his 'missle gap' and Kerry has justifiably pointed out a 'body armor gap'...I am sure there are many other gaps as well.

A split video of John Kerry walking through the jungles of Vietnam, with one of Bush talking, with a stupid look on his face, about Kerry being weak on defense-with the trailor "Now who do you believe", will destroy the GOP on this issue.

Given Bush's service record, he simply has no credibility on this issue.

And what they are saying about Kerry's voting record are distortions and outright lies. They are just digging their own grave deeper. They want to run on national security, but do not have the moral authority.

In the end, George Bush will be stripped of every issue, except gay marriage. He hates gays. Fine. I think they hate you too.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

9. "one of his harshest attacks yet "

and they will get even harsher!

[ninkasi]

10. Absolutely true

I'm glad Kerry is speaking out; what he's saying is the truth. The whole illegal Bush presidency has been a disaster for us and the rest of the world. I knew he would be bad, since I'm from Texas; what I didn't count on was the removal of our Dem leader's spines for so long.

I hope they continue to attack his record, and are relentless in doing so. Maybe some of the ones who have kept quiet will realize what's at stake and find their voices, as well.

[blm]

12. Actually, when they did speak out earlier the media didn't report it.

Or they were mocked for speaking up. That was the case throughout most of 2002.

[phillybri]

13. Kick

:kick:

[JoFerret]

14. Hit them where they live John

- and where they make us weak. Good campaign theme.

[Serendipity36]

15. This isn't the first time

I remember Somolia and Bosnia.

When will the violence end and the peoples of the world live in peace and harmony?

[leesa]

16. The POINT is that the war is wrong and should be ended immediately

Kerry...same old, same old...more weapons, more death...the Merikan way! What a surprise that someone who voted to authorize Bush to rain down terror wherever he felt like it would call for more guns, more violence, more hate.