Kerry's plan against terrorism

[Chiwas]

CNN
Inside Politics

Kerry: Iraq a 'diversion' in terror war

Friday, September 24, 2004 Posted: 1554 GMT (2354 HKT)

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry faulted President Bush on Friday for pursuing Saddam Hussein instead of September 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden, a choice Kerry contended had made defeating terrorism more difficult.


John Kerry outlines his plan for defeating terrorism Friday during a speech in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"The invasion of Iraq was a profound diversion from the battle against our greatest enemy, al Qaeda," Kerry said in a speech at Temple University. "There's just no question about it. The president's misjudgment, miscalculation and mismanagement of the war in Iraq all make the war on terror harder to win."

Kerry said Iraq has become a haven for terrorists since the war, and he offered a detailed strategy to contain terrorism while drawing a sharp distinction between his and the president's views on national security.

"George Bush made Saddam Hussein the priority. I would have made Osama bin Laden the priority," Kerry said. "I will finish the job in Iraq and I will refocus our energies on the real war on terror."

While campaigning Friday in Lafayette, Louisiana, Vice President Dick Cheney told supporters, "John Kerry is trying to tear down and trash all the good that has been accomplished."

A day earlier, Kerry told The Columbus Dispatch that the president's actions in Iraq and elsewhere show Bush masquerading as a mainstream conservative while pursuing extremist policies.

"I don't view these people as conservatives," Kerry said. "I actually view them as extreme, and I think their policies have been extreme, and that extends all the way to Iraq, where this president, in my judgment, diverted the real war on terror -- which was Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda -- and almost obsessively moved to deal with Iraq in a way that weakened our nation, overextended our armed forces, cost us $200 billion and created a breach in our oldest alliances."

Kerry also mentioned a blurring line between the separation of church and state and the growth of federal budget deficits.

To douse the spread of terrorism, Kerry proposed policies aimed at denying individuals and groups the ability to organize and attack. Kerry said he would build a better military and intelligence apparatus to go after enemies, deny terrorists weapons and financing, move against worldwide terrorist havens and recruitment centers, and promote freedom and democracy in Muslim nations.

The Bush-Cheney campaign said the president is already following that course. "He is copying the president's plan at the same time he is attacking the president," said spokesman Steve Schmidt.

Kerry has repeatedly argued that the war in Iraq has distracted attention and resources from the pursuit of terrorists, including bin Laden.

The Bush-Cheney campaign said Kerry has held conflicting positions on that point. They point to instances where Kerry said the former Iraqi leader acted like a terrorist and said that the war on terrorism should be seen as an operation bigger than the conflict in Afghanistan.

Kerry visited the Pennsylvania battleground before a quick trip home to Boston and then several days spent preparing for the presidential debates. Kerry told the Dispatch that he has to present himself "clearly, forcefully to the American people with a clear set of priorities."

"I think a lot of people will tune in," he said. "There are undecideds. A lot of folks will try to measure our character and our vision, so I think it's an important moment."

[Drbio]

I don't know exactly what Kerry's plan to fight terrorism will entail, but I am fairly certain that it involves the fetal position and a phone call to Chiraq.

[capitalcity]

Originally posted by: Chiwas
CNN
Inside Politics

Kerry: Iraq a 'diversion' in terror war
"George Bush made Saddam Hussein the priority. I would have made Osama bin Laden the priority," Kerry said.

Translation: "I would have invited Osama to Paris - so we could have a peace summit to figure this whole infidel thing out."

[u2sarajevo]

The assumption that Bush abandoned the pursuit of Osama is false. And I have a personal friend in Afghanistan to prove it. Osama will be dealt with, I am certain of it.

That is a ridiculous statement by Kerry.

[Mavdog]

It is a true statement that the capture of bin Laden would not signal the end to the war on terror, yet the capture of bin Laden would provide a huge success for the war on terror.

The failure to capture bin Laden is providing to the terrorists a facade that they are capable of committing their acts with impunity. There should be no place that he could hide from us, and unfortunately he is.

[dude1394]

[b]To douse the spread of terrorism, Kerry proposed policies aimed at denying individuals and groups the ability to organize and attack. Kerry said he would build a better military and intelligence apparatus to go after enemies, deny terrorists weapons and financing, move against worldwide terrorist havens and recruitment centers, and promote freedom and democracy in Muslim nations.[/quote]

Bush agrees and he started with iraq.

[dude1394]

The dems are really ratcheting up the absuridites. Just lately it's, the draft, letting bin laden go (even though he's arlready dead) and now a "secret" plan to cut milk subsidies.

Not to mention the kerry stupidity of "I'll never cut social security benefits, raise the eligibility age". And won't ever raise taxes either to do it.

Now Kennedy says that bush has made us more susceptible to a nuclear bomb! Wasn't it just last week that kerry and edwards (and the media) were crying about what cheney said, even though they took it out of context.

The party is way too irresponsible to hold power.

Howard Dean? Howard? Is that you in kerry's body?

[madape]

"Peace through surrender and dishonor" sums it up pretty well. Don't you think?

[dude1394]

Let's think about this osama bin laden canard the nutty kerry is throwing out there. So his "plan" to fight the war on terror is that it is more productive for 145,000 american troops to scour every cave and look under every rock to try and find some blown-up-tissue and dna it rather than getting rid of what the world knows was a danger to everyone.

I guess that he wants to get evidence so he can get a warrant or something.

Just think how irrational that whole theory is.

[Chiwas]

The plan point by point:

1.- Policies aimed at denying individuals and groups the ability to organize and attack.

2.- Build a better military and intelligence apparatus to go after enemies, deny terrorists weapons and financing.

3.- Move against worldwide terrorist havens and recruitment centers.

4.- Promote freedom and democracy in Muslim nations.


Being fair, it is not bad. The key for this to happen and succed is: INTELLIGENCE. The US is plenty of Intelligence resources, even within the armed forces. I think that what is needed is the political will and the precise organization. And of course, the precise objective, without pretexts, without distractions.

[dude1394]

Let's do look at it point by point.

Originally posted by: Chiwas
The plan point by point:

1.- Policies aimed at denying individuals and groups the ability to organize and attack.

How....Pre-emption or do we wait until attacked. What policies?

2.- Build a better military and intelligence apparatus to go after enemies, deny terrorists weapons and financing.

Ok, great, how and what is different than what bush is doing?

3.- Move against worldwide terrorist havens and recruitment centers.

Agreed...All together now....Afghanistan.....Iraq....

4.- Promote freedom and democracy in Muslim nations.

Again agreed. How...Maybe we could go overthrow the taliban and Sadaam Hussein.

Again, sure it's great, it's.............................................B ush...

But.......and there is a GREAT BIG BUT...

No one believes him.