The case for Kerry

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Seldom do Americans have a presidential election that hinges on foreign policy. This is one of those times, and on this matter we cast our vote for John Kerry.

This page has other reasons to support Kerry. We agree with him on affirmative action, the right of abortion and his opposition to a federal marriage amendment. He opposes oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. We support his tough stand against the domination of the media by large conglomerates. In clear language, Kerry has said he would appoint FCC commissioners opposed to loosening controls on media giants. We are less enthusiastic about some other things, like his class-warfare rhetoric and his promises of expensive new programs. All of these issues have been swept aside by war.

War is the oldest activity of government. Unlike health insurance or Social Security, it is almost entirely in the hands of the president. Congress insisted on a vote on the Iraq war, but it was a high-pressure vote right before the 2002 elections. The result was to give Bush power to unleash America's military at his discretion. He did, and the troops performed extraordinarily well. The question now is not whether to support the troops. It is whether to support the man who sent them to Iraq.

His reason was to protect the United States from chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. When war was imminent, the weapons inspectors said Iraq didn't appear to have any such weapons. Bush ignored them. As it turned out, they were right.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/editorialsopinion/2002070412_johned24.html