NYT: Kerry Urges Bush to Share Responsibility w/ UN in Iraq

[DeepModem Mom]

Kerry Urges Bush to Share Responsibility With U.N. in Iraq
By DAVID M. HALBFINGER

Published: April 15, 2004


Senator John Kerry urged President Bush yesterday to share responsibility for Iraq with the United Nations, saying the administration's "stubborn" insistence on controlling the reconstruction there was costing Americans money and lives....

***

Mr. Kerry said Mr. Bush ought to "just come out and say, `I want the United Nations to be a full partner,' " and offer to turn over civil authority in Iraq.

"That's the argument right now," he said. "Whether or not we're prepared to turn the authority over, whether they're prepared to come in without the authority. That's the fight. And the question is why the president won't do that."

Mr. Kerry asked why Lakhdar Brahimi, a United Nations special envoy, was charged only with handling the transition of government authority "and not the reconstruction and not the full authority for the transformation of government."...

(Much more in the article about Kerry's day in New York.)


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/15/politics/campaign/15KERR.html

[DeepModem Mom]

1. Adding WP: Kerry Says Bush's Stubbornness Hurts Troops

Kerry Says Bush's Stubbornness Hurts Troops
Policy in Iraq 'Costing Us Money And . . . Lives'
By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 15, 2004; Page A02


NEW YORK, April 14 -- Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.) said here Wednesday that President Bush's stubbornness in refusing to share authority and decision making with the United Nations and other countries has put U.S. forces at greater risk, unduly burdened American taxpayers and made success in Iraq far more difficult.

"I think the approach of this administration has been consistent and stubborn in the way that it persists in this American occupation and in proceeding down its own road," Kerry said. "It has made that mistake from Day One, and it is costing us money and I think it is costing us lives."

In his most extended comments about Iraq since the eruption of new violence there that has left more than 80 American soldiers dead this month, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee charged that Bush failed in his news conference Tuesday night to offer a clear exit strategy or to show any willingness to cede authority to gain greater international cooperation.

Kerry said withdrawal of U.S. forces should be determined by whether Iraq has been stabilized, not whether it has achieved democracy. Democracy "shouldn't be the measurement of when you leave," Kerry told reporters at an afternoon news conference. "You leave with stability. You hope you can continue the process of democratization -- obviously, that's our goal. But with respect to getting our troops out, the measurement is the stability of Iraq."....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12944-2004Apr14.html

[liarliartieonfire]

2. Great Call Kerry!

Very Smart indeed. Timing is perfect. What are you going to do George?!
Is George too stubborn and arrogant to follow Kerry's advice and do one reasonable thing?

[dusty64]

3. Glad to see Kerry

is still out there, I've seen and heard VERY little of him in the last week and a half.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

4. John F. Kerry has actually lead men under fire

and he has spent a career looking out for the best interests of both our enlisted forces and veterans. If I were in the military it would seem the choice for prez this year is a no brainer.