Reply #11: Then it would stand to reason you agree that there is a need to assess and

[karynnj]

possibly change the policy? As to his words, he said them and he knew when he did that they would cost him dearly - but they were important to say. In doing so he made a change.

The fact is that there is huge pressure on President Obama to add 40,000 more troops to the 21,000 more troops added in March. The leaked McChrystal report and the comments of a few other military people are being used to make that a fait accompli. This is a potential turning point.

Kerry, along with Levin and Reed, are among the few powerful people publicly defending the President taking time before committing those troops. It seems obvious to me - and apparently to Rep McGovern and the author of the article, that Kerry is speaking to give Obama some cover and to possibly make this a turning point. One clue that the neo-cons fear he could help is the rapidity with which they attacked him in response. (Here is a link to their attack by a young neocon, who has the chutzpah to say that JK missed the lessons of Vietnam - http://blog.heritage.org/2009/09/29/senator-kerry-misses-the-lessons-of-vietnam/ )