The Kerry Line: John Kerry's Retreat And Defeat
"John Kerry's latest position on Iraq is to advocate retreat and defeat in the face of terror. This sends the wrong signal to our troops, our allies and our enemies. The American people understand the stakes and Prime Minister Allawi understands the need to defeat the terrorists trying to destroy the approach of freedom in the Middle East. President Bush has made it clear that we will complete this mission and has made it clear that the status quo is unacceptable in a region that can produce killers capable of flying planes into buildings."
- Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman
John Kerry's Military Advisor Says U.S. Must Consider Withdrawal
Kerry Military Advisor Retired Admiral William Crowe Raises The Possibility Of Leaving Iraq. "'Our leaders must explain why we're going to stay, and what type of progress must be made,' he said in a speech here Thursday. 'That is the No. 1 lesson of Vietnam. We must decide if we're paying a larger price at home then justifies the gains made in Iraq.' 'Time and again in Vietnam we ignored reality,' he said in the speech to members of the University of Oklahoma Presidents Associates. 'We paid a high price for that in people and treasure.'" ("Crowe Speaks Out Against Bush Policy," The Associated Press, 9/17/04)
Kerry On "Retreat And Defeat":
Kerry Pledged To Significantly Reduce Troops In Iraq, Surprising Aides. "In an NPR interview Friday, Kerry said: 'I believe that within a year from now, we could significantly reduce American forces in Iraq, and that's my plan.' His comments took several aides by surprise." (Jim VandeHei And Mary Fitzgerald, "Kerry Defends Position on Iraq," The Washington Post, 8/8/04)
Kerry Said The People Running The Iraqi Election "Just Can't Do It At This Point In Time." (MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 9/15/04)
Kerry Said Our Troops Are Not Doing The Training Necessary "To Establish The Security" In Iraq. (MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 9/15/04)
Kerry: "I Believe This Administration And Its Policies Is Actually Encouraging The Recruitment Of Terrorists." (CNN's "American Morning," 8/2/04)
Kerry Said President "Didn't Learn The Lessons" Of Vietnam And Is Putting Soldiers "At Greater Risk." (Pete Yost, "Bush, Kerry Honor Veterans On Memorial Day," The Associated Press, 5/31/04)
Kerry Wrote That Iraqis Are "Lashing Out" At U.S. Soldiers For Bush Failures. (Sen. John Kerry, Op-Ed, "A Strategy For Iraq," The Washington Post, 4/13/04)
John Kerry Called Iraq's Liberation "Wrong War ? At The Wrong Time" And Declared The Coalition "Phoniest Thing." (Patricia Wilson, "Kerry On Iraq: Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time," Reuters, 9/6/04)
Kerry's Surrogates On "Retreat And Defeat ":
John Edwards Said "Iraq Is A Mess." (Jennifer Bundy, "Edwards: No Military Draft If Dems Win," The Associated Press, 9/15/04)
Kerry Foreign Policy Advisor Richard Holbrooke Said "The Situation In Iraq Is As Bad As The More Pessimistic Observers Have Said." (Dan Balz and Jim VandeHei, "Polar Views Of Iraq Are Defining Election," The Washington Post, 9/19/04)
Kerry Surrogate Max Cleland Called Iraq A "Nightmare" That Is "Going South." (Scott Kraus, "Disabled Vet, Former Lawmaker Campaigns For Kerry In Whitehall," The Morning Call [Allentown, PA], 9/18/04)
* Cleland Said Iraq Is "Descending Into Civil War And Chaos" And "We Have Another Vietnam In The Making In Iraq." (Paul J. Nyden, "Bush's Health Plan Unpatriotic, Veteran Says," Charleston Gazette [West Virginia], 9/17/04)
Kerry Surrogate Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) Accused The Administration Of "Misrepresenting And Distorting The Progress That's Being Made Over There." (Mark Scolforo, "Kennedy Campaigns For Kerry At Union Convention," The Associated Press, 9/17/04)
Kerry Surrogate Retired General Merrill McPeak Called Iraq "A Wall-To-Wall Disaster" That Is "Likely To Get Worse." (CNN's "Inside Politics," 9/16/04)
Kerry Surrogate Wesley Clark Called Iraq A "Grand Strategic Blunder." (Jake Bleed, "Clark Calls On Cheney To Address Job Losses," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette [Little Rock], 9/14/04)
Kerry Foreign Policy Adviser Richard Holbrooke Said: "The Situation Is Clearly Getting Worse, And There Is No End In Sight, And There Is No Strategy Either For Success Or For Victory Or For Exit." (FOX News' "Fox News Sunday," 9/12/04
"John Kerry's latest position on Iraq is to advocate retreat and defeat in the face of terror. This sends the wrong signal to our troops, our allies and our enemies. The American people understand the stakes and Prime Minister Allawi understands the need to defeat the terrorists trying to destroy the approach of freedom in the Middle East. President Bush has made it clear that we will complete this mission and has made it clear that the status quo is unacceptable in a region that can produce killers capable of flying planes into buildings."
- Steve Schmidt, Bush-Cheney '04 Spokesman
John Kerry's Military Advisor Says U.S. Must Consider Withdrawal
Kerry Military Advisor Retired Admiral William Crowe Raises The Possibility Of Leaving Iraq. "'Our leaders must explain why we're going to stay, and what type of progress must be made,' he said in a speech here Thursday. 'That is the No. 1 lesson of Vietnam. We must decide if we're paying a larger price at home then justifies the gains made in Iraq.' 'Time and again in Vietnam we ignored reality,' he said in the speech to members of the University of Oklahoma Presidents Associates. 'We paid a high price for that in people and treasure.'" ("Crowe Speaks Out Against Bush Policy," The Associated Press, 9/17/04)
Kerry On "Retreat And Defeat":
Kerry Pledged To Significantly Reduce Troops In Iraq, Surprising Aides. "In an NPR interview Friday, Kerry said: 'I believe that within a year from now, we could significantly reduce American forces in Iraq, and that's my plan.' His comments took several aides by surprise." (Jim VandeHei And Mary Fitzgerald, "Kerry Defends Position on Iraq," The Washington Post, 8/8/04)
Kerry Said The People Running The Iraqi Election "Just Can't Do It At This Point In Time." (MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 9/15/04)
Kerry Said Our Troops Are Not Doing The Training Necessary "To Establish The Security" In Iraq. (MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 9/15/04)
Kerry: "I Believe This Administration And Its Policies Is Actually Encouraging The Recruitment Of Terrorists." (CNN's "American Morning," 8/2/04)
Kerry Said President "Didn't Learn The Lessons" Of Vietnam And Is Putting Soldiers "At Greater Risk." (Pete Yost, "Bush, Kerry Honor Veterans On Memorial Day," The Associated Press, 5/31/04)
Kerry Wrote That Iraqis Are "Lashing Out" At U.S. Soldiers For Bush Failures. (Sen. John Kerry, Op-Ed, "A Strategy For Iraq," The Washington Post, 4/13/04)
John Kerry Called Iraq's Liberation "Wrong War ? At The Wrong Time" And Declared The Coalition "Phoniest Thing." (Patricia Wilson, "Kerry On Iraq: Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time," Reuters, 9/6/04)
Kerry's Surrogates On "Retreat And Defeat ":
John Edwards Said "Iraq Is A Mess." (Jennifer Bundy, "Edwards: No Military Draft If Dems Win," The Associated Press, 9/15/04)
Kerry Foreign Policy Advisor Richard Holbrooke Said "The Situation In Iraq Is As Bad As The More Pessimistic Observers Have Said." (Dan Balz and Jim VandeHei, "Polar Views Of Iraq Are Defining Election," The Washington Post, 9/19/04)
Kerry Surrogate Max Cleland Called Iraq A "Nightmare" That Is "Going South." (Scott Kraus, "Disabled Vet, Former Lawmaker Campaigns For Kerry In Whitehall," The Morning Call [Allentown, PA], 9/18/04)
* Cleland Said Iraq Is "Descending Into Civil War And Chaos" And "We Have Another Vietnam In The Making In Iraq." (Paul J. Nyden, "Bush's Health Plan Unpatriotic, Veteran Says," Charleston Gazette [West Virginia], 9/17/04)
Kerry Surrogate Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) Accused The Administration Of "Misrepresenting And Distorting The Progress That's Being Made Over There." (Mark Scolforo, "Kennedy Campaigns For Kerry At Union Convention," The Associated Press, 9/17/04)
Kerry Surrogate Retired General Merrill McPeak Called Iraq "A Wall-To-Wall Disaster" That Is "Likely To Get Worse." (CNN's "Inside Politics," 9/16/04)
Kerry Surrogate Wesley Clark Called Iraq A "Grand Strategic Blunder." (Jake Bleed, "Clark Calls On Cheney To Address Job Losses," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette [Little Rock], 9/14/04)
Kerry Foreign Policy Adviser Richard Holbrooke Said: "The Situation Is Clearly Getting Worse, And There Is No End In Sight, And There Is No Strategy Either For Success Or For Victory Or For Exit." (FOX News' "Fox News Sunday," 9/12/04
