An Open Letter to Al Franken: Why Did You Support the Iraq War?

[reprehensor]

From Minneapolis journalist, Eric Black;

Dear Al Franken,

Why did you support the Iraq war at the beginning? Why did you trust Colin Powell on the weapons question and not Hans Blix? And when did you change your mind? And why? And what U.S. policy do you favor now?

I ask you these questions in an open letter because you have declined my request for an interview. I regret that. But one way or the other, given the centrality of the Iraq issue and the muddled state of your past comments, I believe you must answer these questions before you can ask anti-war DFLers to get comfortable with the idea of you as their candidate, or as their senator.

On Almanac last month, Eric Eskola asked you about the evolution of your views on the war:

Franken: I was very torn in the leadup to the war. I really didn’t believe that an administration would deliberately mislead us into a war. And when that became clear, I became a very vocal critic against it. DFLers have heard me for years and years speak not only against the Bush policy but against what Norm Coleman did and didn’t do.

Eskola: Is there a year when you decided you were against it.

Franken: Yes, 2003.

I’ve reviewed dozens of statements you’ve made about Iraq since 2002. And I will gladly look at more if you believe that those I saw are not representative of your evolving views. But from what I’ve seen, a more accurate version of your answer would have been something like this:

Franken: I supported the war at first. I had my doubts. But on balance, I believed that Saddam had the WMD and I favored the decision to use military force to remove him. In 2003 and 2004, I put in a lot of work at documenting and popularizing the evidence of the lies the administration had told to get us into the war, and the corruption and incompetence of the conduct of the war. I also hit back hard at the right wing noise machine for trying to put a rosy spin on how it was going in Iraq. And I made several USO trips to entertain the troops.

But until 2005, I never really recanted my original support for the war. Now I agree that we shouldn’t have gone in. Until recently, I opposed deadlines for troop withdrawals. Now I favor a deadline for starting to withdraw and a non-binding deadline for getting all the combat troops out, changing the mission to training and other limited purposes, and encouraging regional diplomacy.

Continued...
http://www.ericblackink.com/2007/09/12/an-open-letter-to-al-franken-why-did-you-support-the-iraq-war/

[FARAFIELD]

1. hMMM

Not that Im against the truth, but posting this doesnt help Franken at all, If you would rather have Norm COleman, then please vote for him or at least say so. Yes Franken supported the war early, but I clearly remember him coming out (when none of the Presidential candidates would--- Obama wasnt a Senator till 2004) Strongly against Bush and the War. He was a most vocal opponent and a person that helped a lot of people find a voice on it. Besides RECANTING his original Support for it STILL something not a lot of people had done in 2005!!! Hillary still hasnt!!! We need more people like Al,

[Cary]

2. I can't answer for Al Franken, but. . .

I can answer for myself.

First off my lukewarm support for Bush, prior to the invasion, was in retrospect a mistake.

Even though I didn't vote for Bush and share little, if any, of his political vision, I am a citizen of the United States of America. While Bush wasn't really elected president he was nonetheless the president. And while my trust was misplaced you can hardly blame me for trusting my elected officials and my government.

The system breaks down without trust. Of course the current breakdown falls squarely on Bush's shoulders. He breached our trust.

We are, after all, ordinary citizens and ordinary people.

You can't expect to win anything without the moderates. In other words, even though we erred you need to trust us--at least until we cross you. This isn't an excuse, but do you really think Bush wasn't going to find a way to invade Iraq?

I think Al would make a great Senator.

[LSK]

3. this is constructive

[Frosty1]

4. More important what is your reason for posting this?

If you are from texas why would you care if Minnesota elects Al Franken? (And we will!)
:shrug:

[blondeatlast]

5. Oh, goody. Let's help the greater of two evils in Minnesota. How very progressive of us.

Not.

[Frosty1]

9. Please explain.

Who are the two evils? Who is the greater of two evils?
Just trying to understand.:hi:

[Cuauhtla]

6. On his radio show...

...he discussed this at length again and again. His evolving views are reflective of the process that most Americans went through. We Americans who opposed the war from the beginning were in the minority for quite some time.

[vireo]

7. By Senate standards, Al's all right by me

As an AAR host his timidity was sometimes irksome (e.g., not standing up against vote fraud) but he is a decent and honest man and I believe he would make an honorable additon to the U.S. Senate much in the mode of his late friend Paul Wellstone.

[RiverStone]

8. How is Al polling these days in MN? n/t

[Frosty1]

10. September poll

http://www.minnesotamonitor.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2421