Gephardt is still talking about Saddam/nukes connection!

[barbaraann]

From the transcript of Hardball Sept. 18:

MATTHEWS: Looking back over the evidence that you had when you voted for the war resolution last fall-I know it was a difficult vote as a Democrat-to support the President on this thing, but did you. If you had the same information now that there were no ready to use weapons of mass destruction, there was no connection to 9/11, which the Secretary of Defense admitted yesterday, and the president admitted yesterday, would you have still gone to war, without an evidence of a connection to 9/11, without a connection to weapons of mass destruction. Would you still have gone to war?
GEPHARDT: Chris, I didn’t just listen to the administration. I went out to the CIA on two occasions. I had meeting with the top people at the CIA on a number occasions. I asked them a lot of questions. I asked a lot of questions of people who served in the security part of the Clinton administration. And I became convinced, not beyond a reasonable doubt, but I became convinced that we had worries about either weapons of mass destruction or components of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
(CROSSTALK)
MATTHEWS: Do you still have those worries?
GEPHARDT: Yeah, I do. Let me tell you what I’m worried about. I’m worried about our a-bomb in a Ryder truck in Washington, in New York. It cannot happen. We have to do everything we can to prevent that from happening.
MATTHEWS: But, isn’t that an al Qaeda threat, not an Iraq threat? Iraq’s never attacked America.
GEPHARDT: But the worry is that a country like Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, could easily pass the components of a weapon to the terrorists. We know the terrorists want to do this. It is their greatest wish.
So we’ve got to figure out, and it’s why I’m worried about North Korea. And it’s why I’m worried about Iran. It’s why I’m worried about loose nukes in Russia. This administration has got to have a better effort to keep these components out of the hands...
MATTHEWS: You don’t accept the argument the other day by Hans Blix, the U.N. weapons inspector, that he believes all the weapons were destroyed in 1991. You don’t believe that?
GEPHARDT: I don’t think we know the answer to that. We had lots of evidence after 1991 that they had weapons. We found weapons. We destroyed weapons. We didn’t have inspectors there for five years. So that leads to you wonder.
...
I cannot trust this candidate. I am not supporting anyone who wants me to base my politics on fear so that the military-industrial complex can maintain its iron grip on our nation.

[quinnox]

1. Gephardt opposed the first gulf war

So he isn't always hawkish. Meanwhile, Dean supported that same conflict.

[goobergunch]

2. I find Gulf War I easier to support than this invasion

In 1991, Iraq had attacked and was occupying a sovereign nation. Not so in 2003.

[Bushfire]

11. Kuwait was stealing Iraq's oil before Gulf War I

thru slant drilling, and Saddam warned us thru US Iraqi ambassador April Gillaspie of their intentions to attack Kuwait over this. We told Iraq that we have no interest their regional issues. Poppy lied to Iraq, and had his excuse to build up the military industrial machine. This not only cost thousands of innocent lives, but universal healthcare for OUR citizens. The spin also included babies being thrown out of incubators in Kuwait City, and Iraqi tanks on the border of Saudi Arabia; both proved to be false though too late to stop our involvement.

Gebhardt knew of these lies used to justify Gulf War I, yet swallowed the spin used for Gulf War II. He's not worthy of my primary vote, but if tapped to be our nominee I will reluctantly vote for him.

[Q]

3. Geppy is either dumb as a rock...

...or is complicit in Bush* illegal wars and doctrine of 'preemptive' strikes against any country that MAY BE a threat in the future.

[FauxNewsBlues]

4. Ironic isn't it?

The first Gulf War was arguably more defensible. Even though the Kuwaitis are tin pot tyrants, their country was annexed by Hussein. We actually did build a coalition to get him out of Kuwait, and we did stop at that point. I think Bush Sr. dropped the pooch with April Gilespie giving Saddam a seeming go ahead, but there actually was an invasion of another country there.

So, Gephardt opposed that one, but is gung ho still to this day, even after nothing was found. I find that fascinating. I opposed the first war, but I can accept one being for Iraq out of Kuwait, and opposed to this one more readily. Gephardt seems to have it assed backwards for those who are in the mushy middle on usage of force.

[quinnox]

5. That is one point of view

I accept that, it could be argued Gephardt was on the wrong side of both those wars, but I just wanted to point out he isn't always hawkish.

[wuushew]

6. Also ironic is that Kerry made the same mistake as Gephardt

No to Gulf War I = when Iraq attacked another nation and DID have a WMD program

Yes to Gulf War II = he believed the lies

[barbaraann]

10. That is really strange.

Perhaps Gep's support of Gulf II was because he thought it would help in his run for the Presidency. The other possibilities seem to me to not be very savory.

[Cha]

7. geppy ...with bush

[wuushew]

8. If that is the photo I think it is weren't there more democrats present?

That photo has nothing to do with the IWR

President Bush Wedensday signed Congress' war-making resolution and told wary world leaders to "face up to our global responsibility" to confront Saddam Hussein.

"Those who choose to live in denial may eventually be forced to live in fear," Bush said as the United Nations Security Council began a bitter debate over his plans to disarm and oust Saddam.

With dozens of lawmakers on hand for the East Room ceremony, Bush used the speech to press the United Nations to adopt a new resolution compelling Iraq to submit to unconditional weapons inspections.

Among the dozen lawmakers who were invited to stand onstage with Bush at the signing ceremony were Sens. Joseph Lieberman, D- Conn., John McCain, R-Ariz., Joseph Biden, D-Del., and John Warner, R-Va., as well as Minority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.

Absent from the list was Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., and House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., who had scheduling conflicts.

[Cha]

12. This was the caption under the picture.

"President, House Leadership Agree on Iraq Resolution
President George W. Bush along with bipartisan leaders from the House and Senate announced the Joint Resolution to authorize the use of the United States Armed Forces against Iraq. "The statement of support from the Congress will show to friend and enemy alike the resolve of the United States," President Bush said during the announcement in the Rose Garden, Wednesday, October 2, 2002. White House photo by Paul Morse."

[TacticalPeek]

9. Call me cynical,

I detect a strong smell of political expedience and raw position jockeying in both G's and K's 'wrong on both wars' situation.

(But I'll vote if nom'd, yadayada)