Does it matter when someone opposed the war. Or why?

[bigtree]

Why is there so much critisism from some of us who were opposed to the war from the start for those who reverse their support? Isn't that reversal what we are trying to effect in our protests?

Like Kerry.

Wouldn't it be a better strategy to accept his anti-war stand and invite him into the struggle instead of complaining about his Senate vote?

What about others who supported the war at the beginning, and have changed their view. Do they deserve any respect?

I think they do.

[wryter2000]

1. If people have had an honset change of heart

They're fine with me. And as much as I love Dean, he didn't have to make that choice. What I can't abide (and this "dem" candidate knows who he is) are people who still insist that the war was the right thing to do.

[bigtree]

8. I hear you

And Kerry's still pushin it. Although, you might concede that there are serious questions about how we will withdrawal our force from there.

Do you have to support immediate withdrawal to be considered against the war, or is something in-between acceptable?

[adolf bush]

2. i second that

it doesn't matter when you see the light, just as long as you see it.

[saline]

3. good point,...

I would agree with the idea that it's better late than never. This is difficult to say for lots of people especially about something as important as a war. I would expect some kind of public admission of making a mistake or even regret, but I'm just being bitter.

I do hate how politicians are expected to keep one mind about things and never change their minds. HOWEVER, it can at times make the candidate seem insincere and only interested in attaining the office for power instead of using the office to help the people.

[adolf bush]

4. what angers me is

that even though more and more people are getting upset with our government, they will probably never be held accountable for what they have done. at least they are having inquiries in england.

[Newcastle]

5. The problem is

many of us are not convinced of Kerry's sincerity. We see him as pandering to what he perceives to be the mood of the times. Waxman I can deal with. Kerry seems more of an opportunist without an independent mind.

[maggrwaggr]

6. I could tell it was bullshit and I'm not a Senator. That's why

It was all so obviously a truckload of lies and bullshit. Yet Kerry, supposedly an intelligent man and a Senator, fell for it?

Why's that? Am I smarter than Kerry? Probably not.

I don't see Kerry as a leader but a panderer. He's holding his finger in the wind all the time, letting the political "climate" decide where he should go.

A leader leads. He doesn't follow

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

7. What??

Kerry said yesterday that he didn't regret his vote on the IWR, so I don't see where he's changed his mind. If he did, I'd surely welcome it.

[bigtree]

11. True

He says he wouldn't withdrawal now but I don't think it is inconsistent to say that he thought this thing was going to be done through the UN

I don't think he thought the vote to authorize war would lead us into a full-scale invasion so soon, alone, without the UN.

Would you have supported a UN sanctioned invasion if inspections had been stymied by saddam instead of Bush?

[maggrwaggr]

14. Then he's naive or wasn't paying attention

both of which aren't good.

It was obvious from the get-go that the US policy was to invade Saddam with or without the UN. They said as much. Cheney gave a speech over a year ago which made it perfectly fucking clear.

If someone who's a Senator didn't get that, he's either a fool, or incompetent, or both, or he's fucking LYING now.

[Iverson]

9. "why" is really important

If opposition to war is merely on technocratic grounds when it is otherwise unjustified, then of course the reason matters.

In the current case, pre-emptive invasion fails some pretty basic moral and legal tests. Shouldn't we expect Senator Kerry to grasp this?

[poskonig]

10. Repent and ye shall be saved!

Unfortunately, Kerry, Edwards, and Rose Gephardt give the impression that they support the war and are just giving us anti-Bush stuff now to win the primary.

[Pastiche423]

12. Rose Gephardt

I love it!

[JustJoe]

13. 256 men & women in House voted against the war resolution

It's worth remembering that fact & those who, in
the face of the rush to war, showed the courage to vote
against the insanity & slaughter:

House votes for & against:
http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2002&rollnumber=455

Senate votes against: (scroll down)
http://www.socqrl.niu.edu/forest/peace/tide.html

[maggrwaggr]

15. Good point. It's not like Kerry was living in some vacuum

He sniffed the winds and decided to go along with the crowd. Which is what he always seems to do.

That's not leadership