Kerry Credits Failed Leadership by Bush & Rummy for Bad Body Armor

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry Credits Failed Leadership by Bush and Rumsfeld for Troops Not Having Body Armor That Can Save Lives
January 10th, 2006

This weekend a secret Pentagon report was released by the NY Times that showed that “as many as 80 percent of the marines who have been killed in Iraq from wounds to the upper body could have survived if they had had extra body armor.”

While traveling on a 12 day tour of Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Senator John Kerry issued a statement on that report today, calling for an investigation and immediate delivery of new body armor:

“There is simply no excuse for our troops not having the body armor that can save their lives. It’s a tragic and stark reminder of the very real human cost being paid for this administration’s mistakes. Failed leadership by the President and Secretary of Defense is no excuse and no solace.

“My thoughts and prayers go out to those families whose hearts are breaking again with this news.

“Congress has appropriated billions of dollars for this very need—the failure is the administration’s. It’s time for them to hold people accountable and deliver. No more rhetoric, no more lip service. Our troops deserve no less.”

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1610

[Ian David]

1. But... but... NewsMax says "The Troops" have TOO MUCH Body Armor! n/t

[sasha031]

2. thanks for posting this kerrygoddess

“My thoughts and prayers go out to those families whose hearts are breaking again with this news.

We know when he says it he means it,

[LittleClarkie]

3. Sen. Kerry voted against that armor, the flip flopper

:sarcasm:

I can just about here the freepers now. As if that made any difference. The money went through. Where was it spent? Oh wait, let me guess. Halliburton ate it.

[FrenchieCat]

4. Thanks!

:hi:

Also see...

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59106
http://tinyurl.com/asgxt
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/1/10/175339/011

[Mass]

15. Great - The more people go after that, the better.

[Jacobin]

5. Oh fer cryin out loud

body armour might keep someone from being killed, but they'll be blown limb from limb anyway and end up with a torso and head and with probably brain damage. How wonderful, a torso with a vegetable brain.

Body armour is the LEAST of the problems. Getting OUT of Iraq which Kerry has done nothing to help is what needs to happen.

I'm sick of criticisms from kerry when he voted to allow the goddamned thing anyway.

Fuck him

[LittleClarkie]

7. I would darling, but Teresa would beat me up

Nothing? Nothing at all? How about getting part of his veterans bill of rights passed. How about his withdrawl plan. How about the fact that he's over there right now. Nothing!?

And why are people so selective about who they're sick of hearing from. Reid voted for the thing. But you'd never know it by any Reid thread. Why isn't there someone to pipe up about how he voted for the IWR every damn time his name is mentioned hmmm? Is it a popularity thing? "Oh, but we LIKE Reid."

He said he was wrong. He apologized for his part in getting us in Iraq. He proposed a way out. What else do you want? What!?

[karynnj]

9. Kerry put forth the first detailed exit plan - it was over a year

not Murtha's 6 months, but it immediately moved the soldiers out oif the 2 most dangerous tasks - policing and Search and destroy.

[sandnsea]

14. Here's what I know

In 2004 John Kerry laid out a plan to begin disengagement and troop withdrawal in summer 2005. When that opportunity passed, he laid out another plan to bring 20,000 troops home over the 2005 holidays and the majority of troops home in 2006. He gets bashed instead of supported. People can live in their out now fantasylands if they want to, but that only guarantees Bush gets his endless war. If people truly wanted this war to end, they'd support any and all plans to end it. That they don't says volumes about true motives and agendas.

[MH1]

16. Oh fer cryin out loud

Plenty of troops' lives have been saved by body armor.

Why don't you make your statement to the parents of one of those troops? Or the spouse? Or the child that still has a parent because of body armor?

Then take your statement to the parents, spouse and child of someone who didn't have body armor and probably would've been saved if they had.

Of course, you don't want most of the Congress to criticize this war (anyone who voted Yes on IWR - which was not a "vote for the war" anyway but why let facts get in the way - based on your statement about Kerry), so what does that mean about where you stand on it?

[JanusAscending]

19. Read much?

Try it, your brain will thank you !!!

[Supersedeas]

30. Hmmmm....

[PresidentObama]

6. Bash Kerry, Bash Kerry, Bash Kerry

No matter what he does, some of you are hell bent to bash him.

He voted for the war, yes. But he also came out, and said he regretted it. And yes, he is doing something about us getting out of there. No he didn't call for an immediate withdrawl. But he did call for a withdrawl nonetheless. Maybe it's a slower withdrawl, but honestly the mainstream of America or the Congress wouldn't support a immediate withdrawl. So isn't it better then anything? At least he's trying to help the situation, which is more then I could say about the White House.

...But you continue to bash Kerry. The new Democratic anti-christ.

Sheesh.

EDIT: And kudos to Kerry. With all due respect to our Democratic friend above, body armor does make a hell of a lot of difference. Especially in a life or death situation. Kerry's not saying anything we didn't already know, he's just pointing out the Bush administrations blunders. Excuse him for trying to make a difference. Damn him he lost. He should just sit down, and shut up.

[Tom Joad]

22. You should be writing Kerry and telling him that he would

have more friends if he were calling for immediate withdraw.

The war is more than something that is being mismanaged.

His "benchmarks for success" really sucks. Just get the hell out.

Could you cite where he said he would vote against the resolution if he knew then what he knows now? I thought he said he would vote the same way, but if you have a quote from him otherwise, please post.

[Mass]

24. Just for you, because your memory is so short

Out of his Georgetown speech last October.

The country and the Congress were misled into war. I regret that we were not given the truth; as I said more than a year ago, knowing what we know now, I would not have gone to war in Iraq. And knowing now the full measure of the Bush Administration’s duplicity and incompetence, I doubt there are many members of Congress who would give them the authority they abused so badly. I know I would not.

I dont like the formulation "benchmarks for sucess" either, but at least, this is a plan that tries to find solutions that would not screw the Iraqis totally while the US once again leave a mess behind them. That is more than most, even if I could do without the marketing.

[Tom Joad]

28. I wasn't "misled", but maybe he is just not up on current events.

Still, he would have voted for the war resolution.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52839-2004Aug9.html

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz., Aug. 9 -- Responding to President Bush's challenge to clarify his position, Sen. John F. Kerry said Monday that he still would have voted to authorize the war in Iraq even if he had known then that U.S. and allied forces would not find weapons of mass destruction.

At the same time, the Democratic presidential nominee said that his goal as president would be to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq during his first six months in office through diplomacy and foreign assistance.
*******
there are some of us who are calling not for "reduction" but a total withdrawal of US forces from Iraq, just as soon as the planes can carry the troops out and their infernal weapons with them. It should take no more than a few weeks, maybe a month or 2.

Will such a policy make it look like the US occupation was defeated in Iraq? I sure as hell hope so.
Better now than 10 years down the line.

[Mass]

29. NO, he just says the opposite in the text I posted.

HE WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR THE RESOLUTION.

The post you post is more than one year old. Read his Georgetown speech three months ago. I understand that the position he took is not the one you have , but he says clearly in the few lines I quoted he would not have voted for the resolution. I am not sure why you are stuck on something that is now old and obsolete.

[Tom Joad]

31. What Kerry says: Bring some troops home depending on what happens

to the Iraqi regime. Kerry opposes an unconditional withdraw, and it is unfair (to Kerry, and on the other side anti-war activists) to imply he does. This is at odds with what millions of people do want, an immediate withdraw is the only honarable way to end this illegal war.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/11/17/cnna.kerry/index.html
KERRY: I have laid out a plan where we could withdraw some 20,000 troops around the holidays, based on the fact -- not as a rigid timetable -- linked to the success of the election. (Full story)

We have about 160,000 troops in Iraq today, Wolf. We had 138,000; it went up for the purpose of making Iraq safer for the referendum and the election.

My benchmark is, if you have a successful election after having had a successful referendum, we've done our part with those extra troops; they should come home, taking us back to the level that we were at before that.

Then you set a target for the taking over of security responsibilities in Baghdad and another province ... in a sort of step-by-step basis. You set out a timetable, not for withdrawal, but for success, that allows you to withdraw. And I believe if you do the right things, and I've laid out what they are, we can bring the bulk of our combat troops home over the course of next year.

[Mass]

32. I never said anything of the sort. You are distorting what I said.

I will stop there because it is useless to discuss when we dont talk about the same thing (and that we actually have the same position - I do not agree with Kerry on this issue, I just refuse to let lies stand).

[NoFederales]

8. Not only body armor, but how about all those armored-up hummers that

the Pentagon doesn't want to send overseas? Stories like this fall off the table continuously without follow ups. Who are the people with Oversight? These people need serious flogging from sun-up to sun-down until the accounting is satisfactory. And yes, I know we shouldn't even be in Iraq, but goddamn anyone who intentionally ADDS risk to those who are there.

Why is so-called blue-collar crime so roundly denounced by law enforcement, the press, & the public while the Delays and Kenny-boys and Abramoffs get winks and protection from public vehemance? The same goes for the military types.

What am I witnessing?

NoFederales

[radio4progressives]

10. I'm so impressed... it's dated January 10th. 2006..

think maybe this should get a gold star greatest hit recomendation?

[Mass]

11. Just to make you happy, I gave it the 5th vote.

:sarcasm:

And thanks for your interesting and constructive POV.

[jillan]

12. And once again, Kerry was right. How many times did he say this

during the campaign?

BUT - this is actually one time that I wish he wasn't right. This is just too heartbreaking to even believe.

[politicasista]

13. kicked and nominated

No Dem bashing from me. :kick:

[ohtransplant]

17. Hang him from the highest yardarm!

Is that how it goes?

No one else has consistently and forcefully held *'s feet to the fire at every turn. He's taken the lead repeatedly. We shouldn't frag him for it.

Flame on about the '04 election but this guy is growing into the role of President right in front of our eyes. . Review his activities since then. I don't ever recall seeing this before.

Look at his itinerary for this trip. He's meeting with Generals and heads of state. How you you think junior feels about that?

[LittleClarkie]

18. About as good as Junior felt the last time

esp. when Kerry met the new Palestinian president before he did. And got a better reception overseas as well. I still rememember the little kid in Syria who drew a picture of Kerry as a general, and said she wished he was president. Mostly people's reaction was "Me too, kid. Me too."

[ohtransplant]

20. Me too! Me too! n/t

[karynnj]

27. Also liked that Kerry gently corrected her

saying he had been much lower than a general. The pictures were great though - the world leaders and our soldiers really looked like they were impressed with him.

[Mass]

25. How does he dare? Calling for the troops to be protected if they go

in combat? This is such a regressive measure.

He must be pro-war to suggest that. :sarcasm:

[Tom Joad]

21. Kerry, now is the time to call for an immediate withdraw!

[kerrygoddess]

23. He's on his way there

to assess what's happening on the ground.

Kerry will meet in Iraq next week with Gen. George Casey, commander of coalition forces. He will also visit with Iraqi government officials and Massachusetts troops who are stationed near Ramadi.

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1604

[leesa]

26. The issue is the illegal, immoral war...will you get on message please?