Reply #93: Kennedy's speech...

[Peace Patriot]

He gave a very fine speech, as the opener for the day by Dems.

He said Rice's qualifications are all well and good for appointment as Sec of State "except for the Iraq war."

Rice was "principle architect and advocate" of invading Iraq, while the threat of Al Q and OBL had not been dealt with. There must be ACCOUNTABILITY for that mistake.

He mentioned Rice's statement just prior to Senate vote on Iraq in '02, "I don't want that 'smoking gun' to turn into a mushroom cloud." But Rice had denied the Senate info that there was great dissent on Iraq nukes within intel community. She assured Senate that BushCon had informed UN inspectors of all potential WMD sites, but in reality they had not done so.

"Had Dr. Rice shared all info. with the Senate, the rush to war would have been stopped," 1,400 troops would not be dead, 10,000 not wounded, and we would have been able to keep faith with our allies.

There were no WMDs of any kind in Iraq. Now Iraq is a breeding ground for terrorists, we are less secure, there is more Al Q, and US is hated around the world.

In order to repair the disaster of Iraq, Bush and Rice must ACKNOWLEGE MISTAKES. (F.i., Gen. Shinseki advised higher troop strength going in. Rice said troops sufficient.) And there has been no disavowal of torture.

There was no reason to go to war in Iraq. Rice "the principle architect of a failed policy."

We now need a clearer vision and better strategy, to stabilize Iraq, and regain lost respect around the world.

DR. RICE'S FAILED POLICY IN IRAQ MAKES HER UNQUALIFIED FOR SEC. OF STATE.