We have the mandatory minimum of snark coming from the Boston Globe, but aside that, the article articulates the problem:
1/ Kerry has stated his position and his position is clear.
2/ Some Democrats are afraid of the GOP
3/ The GOP is too happy to exploit the dissension among Democrats.
Good to see the Kerry is negotiating with other Democrats to have more support.
And a good sign too (and a lot of thanks to Boxer): She co-sponsored Kerry's amendment.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/14/kerry_demands_us_troop_pullout/
Regrets his vote for war resolution
By Rick Klein, Globe Staff | June 14, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Senator John F. Kerry is placing himself at the center of congressional action over the war in Iraq this week with a crisply worded resolution to require President Bush to withdraw almost all US troops by the end of this year.
...
``My friends, war is no excuse for its own perpetuation," Kerry said before a group of cheering liberal activists who had gathered in Washington yesterday for a ``Take Back America" conference. ``It is essential to acknowledge that the war itself was a mistake -- to say the simple words that contain more truth than pride. . . . It was wrong and I was wrong to vote for that Iraqi war resolution."
It was a concise distillation of principles that Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat, did not produce in the presidential campaign, during which his language on Iraq prompted attacks from the Bush campaign that he was weak and inconsistent.
...
The proposal would keep US troops in Iraq to train Iraqis and a significant force elsewhere in the region. But the provision to withdraw almost all other troops from Iraq by the end of the year appears to be certain to fail in a lopsided vote. Democrats control only 44 of the 100 Senate seats, and even many Democrats say they do not believe setting a firm deadline for troop withdrawals is advisable, because it could encourage the insurgency. ...
...
Kerry said he is working with Senate Democratic leaders to negotiate possible changes to his resolution that could unite the Democratic caucus; a vote is likely to be held tomorrow . Several prominent Democrats have endorsed a gradual drawdown of troops, which they refer to as a ``phased redeployment," with a looser deadline than Kerry would set.
Article Tools
Yet Kerry said he is adamant that there be a firm date for troops to leave Iraq, so that responsibility for Iraqi security will clearly shift to Iraqis. Kerry's insistence on bringing his proposal up for a vote puts some Democrats in a difficult spot, and is likely to be viewed as an early test for 2008 Democratic presidential contenders.
...
Kerry's push for a quick withdrawal could help him with liberals, but it could also play into Republican hands. Republicans are eager to knock down Kerry's proposal -- particularly in the wake of the president's visit to Baghdad yesterday and the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- as a way to exploit Democratic divisions and portray the Republican Party as steadfast in its commitment to defeating terrorism.
...
Kerry said he is tuning out Republican criticism as ``scare tactics" designed to avoid a real discussion of the Bush administration's war position.
``It's time to stand up and make clear to them we're not going to get pushed around," he said in the interview.
...
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
