ABC News poll
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| Fri, 10-01-2004 - 2:56pm |
I keep hearing that polls are showing Kerry the winner, but in this poll at least, more people feel it was a tie or that Bush was the winner than that Kerry won.
Personally I thought Kerry was the better debater, but when people go back and think about his responses they'll find that he's not said anything different, just polished up the act a bit. He still wants to put the UN in charge of our national security, he still claims both that Saddam was a threat yet insists that Bush misled the American people on that very issue, he still has no plans for Iraq that differ from the president's, aside from his boasting that he will get other countries to share the burden, even though they have repeatedly said they won't no matter who is president, he still claims to be better at building alliances even as he disrepsects the very allies who supported us and disrespects our vital ally Prime Minister Allawi. He claims nuclear proliferation is our biggest threat but he wants to dismantle one of OUR nuclear programs, a "bunker buster" bomb that could be crucial to deterring nuclear strikes for the folks who actually LIVE in bunkers (aka terrorists), so I guess he's still back with those who felt a nuclear freeze was the best way to end the Cold War. After all these years he still doens't understand the doctrine of peace through strength.
Bush as usual did not express himself very well, but his positions are better for the country IMO.

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And I totally agree with Kerry on that dumb new bomb. How hypocritical of us to growl at North Korea and Iran, as we arte building better nukes. Quite frankly, we should be ashamed of doing building such things.
As for the poll you linked to, it says Kerry won by 9 points... hardly a tie.
Edited 10/1/2004 3:17 pm ET ET by rayeellen
He said that any military action needs to "pass the global test". That's a fundamental difference between Kerry and the President. While the president welcomes the support of our allies he doen't believe we need their permission when he feel our national security is threatened. John Kerry once agreed with that position, incidentally, but now seems to want to clear our national defense with the UN before proceeding.
Given the anti-Anerican sentiment in the world today I find it amazing anyone could not support such a move. Our troops could be tried and executed for war crimes by countries who hate us. Thank goodness President Bush will not give away our national sovereignty in that way. One more reason to vote for him over Kerry!
Once again, a fundamental difference. The fact that North Korea and Iran have or soon have nukes is even MORE reason for us to have the latest technology. Once again, it appears that some have learned nothing from the Cold War. You may find some satisfaction in our not being "hypocritical", I'd rather protect us from nuclear attacks. The difference is that North Korea and Iran are likely to USE nuclear weapons in aggression against their neighbors, whereas we are not. Despite how the rest of the world would like to portray us, some of us still believe we're the good guys.
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Kerry clearly stated he reserved for the presidency the right to act, but that we ultimately are accountable to our own citizens and to the world... he is right on in this view. We are not above anyone else. Yes, we can protect ourselves, but I didn't see Saddam bombing NY, did you?
>>Given the anti-Anerican sentiment in the world today I find it amazing anyone could not support such a move. Our troops could be tried and executed for war crimes by countries who hate us. Thank goodness President Bush will not give away our national sovereignty in that way. One more reason to vote for him over Kerry!<<
And why is there anti-American sentiment in the world? In the early 1960's, one could pick up National Geographic, and would see in story after story of lands around the world, someone had a picture of JFK in their home. He was a symbol of hope... and this president has now achieved the exact opposite view of America. Yay for George... we appreciate the world thinking we are asses.
>>Once again, a fundamental difference. The fact that North Korea and Iran have or soon have nukes is even MORE reason for us to have the latest technology. Once again, it appears that some have learned nothing from the Cold War. You may find some satisfaction in our not being "hypocritical", I'd rather protect us from nuclear attacks. The difference is that North Korea and Iran are likely to USE nuclear weapons in aggression against their neighbors, whereas we are not. Despite how the rest of the world would like to portray us, some of us still believe we're the good guys.<<
We have enough bombs to blow up the world like 10 times over... more than every other country combined times who knows what number. There was a story in the Washington Post last week about how memos are circulating in the White House (under the protective cover of drafts) about taking action against Iran... if he does that, this country is in jeopardy because it will send the entire middle east into war. He can't be that ignorant.
We have to lead by example... if you tell another country "no nukes," don't be designing new ones, it looks... and smells... bad.
I personally felt that Kerry did present his case in a more coherent manner, but then again, we all know that Bush is not the worlds best debater.
I was against this war from the first hint of an idea about one, but was totally surprised that there was no real plan for the aftermath... thought sure they would have had that well prepared, especially given how we approached Japan and Germany. That we didn't says much... scary much. No thought given to the factions within Iraq and holding them together, no thought to getting services up and running, no thought to employment... we lost the Iraqi people with our lack of planning in the first six months. Had we been ready to deal with these things, it might have been different. We acted like spoiled brats, and wanted the spoils because we fought. I'd love to see an accounting of every Iraqi dollar from oil revenue... where it has gone since the war. Bet Iraqi's would as well, and if we were doing things right, we could have stopped such suspicion by publicising the information.
I read a story in the NY Times magazine last week called "Fern Holland's War." I posted it on the Feminism Today board, and if you scroll back a bit can find and read it. It is rather lengthy, and is not about our actions, rather about this remarkable woman, but there are things in there that give a view from within on why this has all gone wrong.
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