NYT:Cheney Attacks Kerry's Record on Military("security threat")

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT, Page One:

In Speech, Cheney Attacks Kerry's Record on the Military
By NICK MADIGAN and KATHARINE Q. SEELYE

Published: March 18, 2004


SIMI VALLEY, Calif., March 17 — In a blistering critique of Senator John Kerry's record on military issues, Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday portrayed the Democratic presidential candidate as weak, inconsistent and a threat to the security of the nation....

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(Cheney)...began a review of Mr. Kerry's voting record, finding inconsistencies in his 1991 vote against the first gulf war and his subsequent vote in 2002 to authorize military use against Saddam Hussein. "Had the decision belonged to Senator Kerry, Saddam Hussein would still be in power today in Iraq," Mr. Cheney said. "In fact, Saddam Hussein would almost certainly still be in control of Kuwait."

He said Mr. Kerry had voted numerous times against weapons systems, but "fortunately, on matters of national security, he was very often in the minority."

In an acknowledgment of Mr. Kerry's speech Wednesday morning, Mr. Cheney skewered Mr. Kerry for complaining that Mr. Bush had not supplied enough body armor for the troops and yet voting against the $87 billion that Mr. Bush sought for reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan and equipment for the troops....


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/18/politics/campaign/18CHEN.html