Exclusive: Scott Ritter on John Kerry’s Iraq Plan

[kerrygoddess]

Exclusive: Scott Ritter on John Kerry’s Iraq Plan
April 28th, 2006 @ 2:48 pm

Yesterday morning I had the pleasure of meeting Scott Ritter, who has been an outspoken critic of the war in Iraq since before it started. Ritter is in Los Angeles to promote his book, Iraq Confidential. He came to my daughter’s high school to speak to students about the war in Iraq and getting involved in the future of their nation.

I had the opportunity to speak with Scott Ritter before the event. Scott Ritter had been tough on John Kerry’s vote on the Iraq War Resolution before the 2004 election, in an OP/ED in the Boston Globe on August 5, 2004, Ritter said:

Kerry needs to publicly reexamine the reasoning for his vote for war and articulate a clear strategy for Iraq that includes not only a plan for reengagement with the international community but also disengagement of American soldiers.

As John Kerry has done exactly what Ritter had suggested in his August ‘04 OP/ED, I was curious to find out what Ritter’s thoughts were on Kerry’s recent Iraq proposal. So, I asked him…

Ritter told me that he felt that John Kerry’s Iraq plan was “rational, sound and plausible, however it was not enough unless he takes responsibility for his vote.”

“He has,” I told Ritter, “repeatedly starting in late October with his speech at Georgetown University and most recently with his “Dissent” speech, this last Saturday in Boston.” I told Ritter, I would be happy to send him copies of Kerry’s statements and speeches to verify this,

“Then, under those circumstances,” Ritter told me, “I would be behind his plan.”

MORE & LINKS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2793

[LittleClarkie]

1. Why do people call for things that have already happened

and criticize someone they don't pay attention to. That bugs me.

[kerrygoddess]

2. He obviously has not been paying attention

It was a big success to get his backing on the plan and we should all be pleased. The past is past. I think it took someone taking the time to explain things to him yesterday as I did.

[karynnj]

3. You did a greatthing in explaining things to him.

Also, unless what I read at one time is untrue, Ritter himself should show more humility. Although he was a voice saying Bush was lying in 2002, he was one of the people who exaggerated things in the late 90s. So, for people who heard him earlier - the question would be how trust worthy he was. It was uncertainty from the 90s that made a compelling case for needing the inspectors and making it harder to vote no.

[kerrygoddess]

4. Thank you. N/T

[wisteria]

8. Thank you for your efforts. I suppose with so much going on and

everyone being busy, it is easy for someone like Ritter to have a difficult time keeping current. That is where it is good you were able to speak with him and set him straight. I just wish people like Ritter would refrain from criticizing Kerry and other Dem's when all their facts and information are not up to date.

[kerrygoddess]

13. I don't know

that Ritter has been critical of JK in recent months. He didn't mention him when speaking to the students - I would have prefered that he told them there were Dems with plans, but he did not go there. He's been critical of Dems in general as well. He's an admitted conservative Republican.

[JI7]

6. me too, i don't think much of Scott Ritter

if he cared then he would have been following this already. and who gives a shit about whether KErry apologized or regretted or whatever the vote.

the war is still going on. isn't it more important to stop it than to get some feel good apology for their ego. fuck him.

[JohnKleeb]

10. Agree

Yep no doubt in my mind that this war was a mistake but as I've learned atoning for the mistake is better than simply apolgozing for it. I think Kerry's atoned for his mistake with his criticism of the war and this resolution. These people simply want him to apologize to as you say inflate their ego and say yeah I was right and they were wrong! Thats not what fixing this mistake is about to me anyway,

[kerrygoddess]

14. Ritter is an important member

of the anti-war community. He carries a lot of weight because he served in the Marines for 12 years, was a UN weapons inspector and is a republican.

He was very amiable and open and thanked me for the info I had given him and for my involvement with JK. I'm really glad I was able to hear him speak, and also glad for the fact that he took the time from his busy schedule to speak to the high school students. Look beyond his "issue" with JK and see that he does the anti-war movement a great service and he's a needed member of the movement.

[JI7]

21. he doesn't do the anti war movement any service

if he doesn't even give a shit about Kerry's plan to get out and would rather talk about an apology.

sorry, but i don't think much of him.

[kerrygoddess]

23. What I wrote about was a private conversation

with Ritter, that he okayed my publishing. I brought up Kerry to Ritter, because in the past he has been unflattering. My intent was to see if I could change his mind and I did.

Other than that, Ritter is well spoken, well informed and does a great service to the anti-war movement by among other things speaking around the country at high schools. If I let myself be blinded by his unwillingness to talk about Kerry, I never would have gone and been able to talk to him about things he was not fully aware of.

Sorry, but I think highly of the fact that he was willing to listen to me. Maybe no one has actually tried to talk to him the way I did. I don't know. But he was not hostile with me about JK, he was warm, friendly and FYI had some very nice things to say about him. We all need to look beyond the holding of grudges and holding people accountable if we are going to make a difference.

[JI7]

24. i'm glad you talked to him

but my views about Ritter aren't about any personal grudges. i just don't think much of him because i don't think he is truly anti war as in wanting to stop the war as much as about his own ego.

if he does care, then i'm glad. but for now i hold the same view of him as i had before.

[kerrygoddess]

25. well when he was talking to those students

there was no ego there - likewise when I talked to him. I didn't agree with everything he said, but guess was, he's been out there against this friggin war publicly since before it started and he's respected in the anti-war circles and quite frankly although I disagree with those in the anti-war movement who have dissed JK publically, I have proudly marched alongisde many of them in the past. It was an honor to talk with Ritter the other day and hopefully I got somewhere with him on behalf of JK. It takes one person to make a difference sometimes but you can't do it with a closed mind.

Eidted to add: Ritter came to my daughter's high school to speak as the guest of on eof the teachers. he wasn't there on paid gig promoting his book - he was there because as he told me he has kids too, and he cares about thier future. Just like I care about my kid's future. He didn't have to talk to me, he could have blown me off when I told who I was and stated frankly that I was Kerry supporter and volunteer write for the Kerry blog. He didn't.

[wisteria]

7. Your right, if you are going to criticize someone for a position at

least find out what the person's current opinions are on that position. It irks me too and happens much to often.

[TayTay]

5. Nice, nice work and a great interview

I hope this gets picked up by other blogs. It is NEWS.

Thanks for doing this.

[ProSense]

9. We can end this war!

Here is a view from as far left as politics can go.

We can end this war!

To end the war and occupation in Iraq, the peace movement must continue to press Congress to bring the troops home and support every effort to move them to act. Congressional Democrats under pressure from the peace movement have introduced various bills and resolutions that begin to move us in this direction.

The introduction of Sen. John Kerry’s Senate Joint Resolution 33 is the latest illustration of the power of the peace movement. It marks a significant advance in the movement to end the occupation despite its many flaws and assumptions.

The resolution calls on Bush to immediately convene a summit of Iraqi leaders, representatives of the United Nations, the Arab League and neighboring countries to reach a political solution for Iraq that will include forming a unity government. It further calls for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops. The resolution sets May 15 as the deadline for notifying the Iraqis of the beginning of troop withdrawal if Iraq is unable to form a unity government. The deadline will be December 2006 otherwise.

Snip...

If our goal is truly to end this occupation as soon as possible, we must use every available tool to build broad unity and divide the support for the war. To refuse support for the Kerry resolution or other measures that fall short of our ultimate goal is to put the goal on indefinite hold.

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/9046/1/319

[sandnsea]

11. Now that's a shock!

Leave it to a woman to have some common sense, or maybe she looked into those hazel eyes and has fallen under "the spell". :) Whatever, it's good news and it's good the how of getting out is becoming the focus. We could stand a little more attention to ending the "Bush Doctrine" too.

[kerrygoddess]

12. This is good to see

from one of the co-founders of United for Peace & Justice.

This makes so much sense, too: "If our goal is truly to end this occupation as soon as possible, we must use every available tool to build broad unity and divide the support for the war. To refuse support for the Kerry resolution or other measures that fall short of our ultimate goal is to put the goal on indefinite hold."

[Dr Ron]

16. At least they are supporting Kerry

"To refuse support for the Kerry resolution or other measures that fall short of our ultimate goal is to put the goal on indefinite hold."

Unfortunately those who bash Kerry on the war don't realize they are often just helping Bush. It serves Bush's interests to be able to claim that Kerry supported the war.

Sometimes when Kerry bashing comes up I do try to respond from the point of view that Kerry opposed the war from the start and to attack Kerry as opposed to those really responsible just unnecessarily divides the anti-war cause. In other words, if you want to oppose the war, shut up about Kerry and find common cause with all who are opposing it.

[Dr Ron]

18. Used for post at The Democratic Daily

Thanks for the link. Post at:

http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2813

[ProSense]

19. Cool!

You should post in GD! Thanks.

[karynnj]

15. self delete

[ProSense]

17. A post about

"Mission Accomplished"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1056180&mesg_id=1056180

[kerrygoddess]

20. Follow Up Post about Ritter's talk with the Students

Exclusive: Scott Ritter Talks Tough with High School Students About Iraq, Iran and the Future of Their Country
April 29th, 2006 @ 3:58 pm

One of the greatest catalysts for me to get involved with politics after years of political apathy, was my teenager. Her future lies in delicate balance as our country and the future of our children, continues to be sold out by the Bush administration and their supporters. Thursday morning I had the opportunity to join my daughter at her school to listen to Scott Ritter (see earlier post here) talk about Iraq, Iran and the need for our youth to get involved with their future and the future of our country.



Scott Ritter, who served in the Marines for 12 years, opened his talk with same group of students from North Hollywood High School, by telling them he had been talking to high school students across the country since before the war in Iraq started. “Four students” Ritter said, “who were at events before the war in Iraq, have died in the war since then.”

“The cost of war” Ritter said, “goes beyond the thousands in the hospitals around the country” who’s lives will never be the same, living with lost limbs, and PTSD. “The other cost of war” he told the students, “is that you have to shoot someone and they have lives just like you. You have to live with that. When you go to war, you are scared to death.”

On his flight to Los Angeles, Ritter said he spoke with Marines coming home from Iraq. They told him, it was now as if, “We’re going to war for the sole purpose of keeping our friends alive.”

“We are now heading towards a war with Iran,” Ritter told the students and it’s going to be ‘Your War.’” “Gas and oil prices are going to get worse. My generation let you down. Hopefully, you are going to get up and fix it” because he explained, “it’s your future.”

There were a few things I did not agree with Ritter on, one was telling the students that “Congress has failed it’s responsibility” in referring to the Iraq War. Ritter failed to explain to the students that Bush, stepped over Congress, in his rush to war and he also neglected to tell them that there are members of Congress who are working on plans to get us out of Iraq — like John Kerry, Jack Murtha and others.

MORE - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=2816

[Noisy Democrat]

22. Awesome

Thanks so much for sharing this bit of news. :)