How Kerry should answer questions about his vote against first Gulf War

[dolstein]

While Kerry has been drawing contrasts between how the current president's war in Iraq and the far more successful war waged under the president's father, many Republicans are now drawing attention to the fact that Kerry voted against the earlier war.

Here's how Kerry should respond:

It's true that I voted against the Gulf War resolution. While I was prepared to use military force to expel Saddam's forces from Kuwait, I agreed with many military leaders and foreign policy experts at the time that military action was premature.

In hindsight, I realize that was the wrong approach. I learned some important lessons from the first Gulf War. I learned that there were limits to diplomacy, and that some heads of state respond only to force, or the threat of force. I also learned that military success could best be achieved with broad international support, overwhelming force, and a clear exit strategy. That's why I supported military action in Bosnia, as well as in Afghanistan immediately after 9/11. That's also why I voted in 2002 to authorize the use of force in Iraq. I knew that Saddam would not allow UN inspectors back into Iraq unless there was a credible threat to use military force. And it worked. With solid backing from the UN, we were able to restart the inspections process.

Unfortunately, this president ignored many of the lessons of the Gulf War. He didn't work to build broad international support for military action. He ignored the advice of his army chief of staff and failed to send in enough troops to stabilize Iraq. And he went in without an exit strategy.

[readmylips]

1. For impact, let Kerry attack bush first....

Place your last paragraph first and follow with mia culpa, the rest of your statements.

If Kerry doesn't answer with attacks to bush first, the media-bushies will take Kerry's words as sound bytes.

[dolstein]

2. Bump

NT

[Arancaytar]

3. It gets sad...

When the only way to win a debate is by avoiding answering the question fully and honestly, and instead twist it into an attack on your opponent.

On second thought...

I say kick debate ethics and go for it.

[w4rma]

4. Are you trying to hurt or help Dems, dolstein?

That crap has so many soundbites that Repugs would love to play over and over and over again it's ridiculous. Especially without the context.

Plus the whole thing is negative and demoralizing. Whose side are you rooting for?

And it addition to that, you're moving the battlefield over to where the Repugs WANT to fight it and on their terms, also.

[dolstein]

6. It's an honest and effective answer

Kerry has to be prepared to answer this question. Bush hammered away on this point yesterday, and it's likely to come up at some point. Kerry needs to be ready.

The fact is, Kerry DID vote against the Gulf War resolution. Kerry shouldn't try to waffle on this point. Instead, he should use it against Bush. My answer demonstrates (1) that Kerry can both admit and learn from his mistakes, which is something this president cannot do and (2) Kerry isn't nearly as dovish as the President portrays him. It also provides a crisp and coherent explanation for his vote in favor of authorizing force in Iraq, and why that vote is not inconsistent with his criticism of Bush's decision to use force.

[w4rma]

10. It's a bullcrap answer. And no it's neither honest nor effective, imho.

It's full of little soundbytes and Repugs will just characterize them as "flip-flops" plus they'll say "We're right and you're wrong". He wasn't wrong.

You should be more concerned with how Sen. Kerry needs to respond to the constant stream of lies that Bush is and will say about him. People believe those lies and big media doesn't point out that they are lies. Those lies are the basis of the Republican caricature of Sen. Kerry. You tear down those lies and Kerry wins in a landslide.

[creeksneakers2]

5. This would be a great response n/t

[liberal N proud]

7. Sounds Kerry-like. n/t

[The Chronicler]

8. Then Kerry should perform a gay marriage ceremony <nm>

[4_Legs_Good]

9. Remind them that Powell also thought we hadn't exhausted diplomacy

at the time of the invasion.

"Look: You never want to kill kids. You never want our boys and girls to die if they don't have to. So I, like Colin Powell at the time, thought that there were still diplomatic channels that could have been explored. While getting Saddam out of Kuwait was necessary, I didn't belive at the time that war was the only answer - at least not yet."

Something like that.

david

[el_gato]

11. The first gulf war was a scam

The U.S. state department gave Saddam the green light and then
subsequently acted shocked. It was a classic set up.

[venus]

12. I'm so glad Kerry voted against that war. Didn't realize that

Now I do have new respect for him. Thank you Senator.

[sonicx]

13. question: wasn't cheney against it?

not that that excuses kerry, but just wondering.