Kerry considering changes in Iraq plans. WP Sunday. Hooorah!

[hansolsen]

Here is the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31726-2004Sep18.html

This is what many of us have been saying for weeks.

Polar Views of Iraq Are Defining Election

Despite the Pitfalls for Bush and Kerry, Candidates Stay on Topic

By Dan Balz and Jim VandeHeiWashington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, September 19, 2004; Page A01

Democratic challenger John F. Kerry plans an aggressive attack on President Bush and his policies in Iraq, seeking to put the president on the defensive over an issue that has plagued Kerry's candidacy for months.
Bush has tried to emphasize Iraq's progress toward democracy, but events there have undermined that message in a week that has included car bombs, kidnappings and more U.S. casualties. Kerry advisers said they have concluded that they must engage directly on the issue of Iraq, despite their hopes of shifting attention to the economy, health care and other domestic issues, and say that renewed concerns among the American public about the situation in Iraq provide a fresh opening to challenge Bush more directly.
*********
Kerry has run into two problems of his own making, aides say: He voted to authorize the war in 2002, says today the war is wrong but will not take back his vote; and he has yet to detail a markedly different strategy than Bush's for ending the conflict. This has allowed the president to argue -- with great success, Democrats say -- that Kerry and Bush basically agreed on the need to go to war and see eye to eye on how to get out.

[mike_c]

1. a real alternative to the PNAC plan for Iraq is exactly...

...what the Kerry campaign needs, IMO.

[Catt03]

2. Iraq, Iraq, Iraq

and how it hurts the economy, economy, economy: $135,000,000,000 so far.

www.costofwar.com

[SeekingTruth]

4. The spent money is a losing issue...

we must let go of the funding issue...that is a losing cause. Already the repugs are pointing out that one American life is priceless. Instead of pointing out how much the Iraq war is costing, we need to point out that almost ten billon is missing; that the proper equipment was given to coaltion forces before ours and so on....

[DaveinMD]

3. he's been hitting hard

on Iraq for the past week.

By the way, I've been emailing Balz on many of our complaints. He's a stand up guy who been willing to send me replies to my messages. We even discussed the polling discrepencies. He didn't believe the Gallup poll.

[oasis]

6. I'm glad I read your post concerning Balz. I'd given up on the guy.

[Catt03]

8. Thanks for note that you have been writing Balz

[seabeyond]

5. why doesnt everyone in middle east, but saudi, grow some balls

all the middle east and european countries say out loud for the whole world to hear that they will work with kerry if u.s. will vote out bush. no way are they gonna be involved with the incompetent bush, but will give kerry the chance

oh wouldnt that be sweet

[Mojambo]

7. Foreign nations are VERY careful not to do as you suggest

As great as it would be, it's a BAD precedent to set.

And it would be received very poorly by the electorate IMO. The American people do not want EVEN the hint that the opinion of a foreign nation might have any bearing at all on the election.

Bush is our mess to clean up.

[nicktom]

9. Exacty right. Bush is our mess to clean up. n/t

[kentuck]

10. I am not his adviser but.....

I would advise him to address the "flip-flop" issue at the same time. Because he knows that will be their attack on him if he seems to change position on Iraq. He could say: "Listen, Mr Bush likes to talk about "flip-flopping" but no one has flip-flopped more on issues than George w Bush. At first, he was even against Homeland Security. Then he was for it. He was against the 9/11 Commission at first, then he was for it. Then he thought the war could be won, Then he thought it couldn't be won. Then, after some advise from his handlers, he thought it could be won again. So, when it comes to "flip-flopping", Mr Bush is the master "flip-flopper" of all times. They should put him in the Guinness Book of World Records."