If only Kerry hadn't supported the preemptive strike doctrine

[Casablanca]

That's the issue that has most of our potential allies up in arms, and I'm sure they weren't exactly comforted by him aligning with Bush on that. I wasn't.

Also, Kerry shouldn't have waffled on the challenge to set a specific timeframe to get our troops completely out of Iraq. He should use the incumbent advantage there and just set a timeframe of 6 months. The situation is so chaotic there that Kerry would still have credibility if he's at least moving on a withdrawal at that time.

He needs to show a clear, unambiguous, and *bold* distinction from Bush on this issue.

[Jim Sagle]

1. Chickenshit bullshit.

Kerry didn't support w's doctrine at all. He merely said every President has the right to attack a foreign power to smash a gathering threat. W's doctrine is really PREVENTIVE war - attacking an enemy because they might BECOME a threat.

Try again.

[The Traveler]

3. Good point

and an important distinction.

[Redleg]

5. Roger that.

Good rebuttal.

[The Traveler]

2. He's gotta

Because when your job is protecting America, you have to maintain that horrible option.

He could say, "Oh, we'll never do that." But that would be promising you that if we knew for sure China was gonna nuke us (not that I think that is likely) he wouldn't shoot first.

That is a promise he could not keep under those or similar circumstances.

Having said that, Kerry has made it clear that is an option that must be used judiciously ... the problem is not with the option but with the way this power mad drunkard in office has employed it.

[starroute]

4. "Pre-emptive strike" used to mean something a lot more reasonable

For centuries, what it meant was that if you had reason to believe an attack was imminent -- like if your enemy was massing troops on your borders -- you didn't have to wait for them to actually attack before you hit back at them.

It was only Bush who twisted it into meaning you could attack anybody you thought might be thinking about attacking you some day if he every got the chance. Hopefully, Kerry supports the traditional meaning and not the Bush-meaning.

[msmcghee]

6. What has them up in arms . .

. . is that he said he'd use war as a last resort and now everyone knows he had a hard on for Saddam long before the vote was taken - that *Bush said earlier we were "Gonna take him out."

Every one of our allies believes a nation has a right to pre-emptively strike another country if necessary to save lives of your own - like when there's an eminent threat of attack.

[xray s]

7. In what world do you live in?

If the US has real evidence that someone is about to strike the US, do you not agree that the president has the right, and the duty, to strike first and defend the US?