Wesley Clark says, "He would have voted to invade Iraq"

[ElsewheresDaughter]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0919-01.htm
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 18 — Gen. Wesley K. Clark said today that he would have supported the Congressional resolution that authorized the United States to invade Iraq, even as he presented himself as one of the sharpest critics of the war effort in the Democratic presidential race.

Also See:
Wesley Clark: The New Anti-War Candidate? Record Shows Clark Cheered Iraq War as "Right Call"
FAIR 9/16/2003
What Must Be Done to Complete a Great Victory
by General Wesley Clark
Times/UK 4/10/2003


General Clark also said in an interview that he would probably oppose President Bush's request for $87 billion to finance the recovery effort in Iraq, though he said he could see circumstances in which he might support sending even more money into the country.


On both the question of the initial authorization and the latest request for financing, General Clark said he was conflicted. He offered the case on both sides of the argument, as he appeared to struggle to stake out positions on issues that have bedeviled four members of Congress who supported the war and are now seeking the Democratic presidential nomination

more...

[diplomats]

1. I think that FAIR bit has been posted before

[madmax]

3. At least 109 times

:eyes:

[StephNW4Clark]

2. Not completely accurate

His position (if you read the entire article) is more nuanced than that. He would have authorized a resolution permitting the president to declare war ONLY IF it included a provision requiring the president to return to Congress and give Congress had the final say in authorizing the declaration of war. Later on in the article, he said that the resolution should have been used as leverage in the United Nations.

From the same article.

General Clark said that he would have advised members of Congress to support the authorization of war but that he thought it should have had a provision requiring President Bush to return to Congress before actually invading. Democrats sought that provision without success.

"At the time, I probably would have voted for it, but I think that's too simple a question," General Clark said.

Also, on health care and Clark's position on where the money would come from (also in the same article)

General Clark said his domestic priorities would include health insurance and rolling back parts of Mr. Bush's tax cuts. "I don't see why we can't have health insurance for every single American," he said.

Asked how he would pay for it, General Clark said he was open to some cuts in the budget he is more familiar with — the Pentagon's. "The armed forces are a want machine," he said. "They are structured to develop want."

[instantkarma]

4. who is the "He" Mr. Clark is referring to?

are you sure it wasn't the writer of the article who uttered the quoted phrase included in your subject line, rather than Mr. Clark?

[Bertrand]

5. Sidenote

its funny to see some in the progressive community attack papers like the New York Times for being a shill for conservativism yet quote it when it fits their politics, not to mention when the title of the headline is misleading to the actual words spoken by clark.

[HPLeft]

6. Thank's General

For making it clear that you and John Kerry stand side-by-side in regard to that Iraq vote. Kerry also preferred the Biden-Lugar provision that didn't pass, but would have required that Dubya phone home before attacking Saddam.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

7. Super-Dupe

And I'm sure we'll see it again, too.

DTH