Bill Clinton Tells Iowans: I 'Opposed Iraq' From Start

[Option D]

yeah, he'd pick an older wise running mate to even that out.

Oh ok, you think Hilary would run on his ticket as VP...

[240 is Back]

Oh ok, you think Hilary would run on his ticket as VP...

he wouldnt pick her.

he needs a white male for all those good ol boy voters.  plus they hate each other, and she has a higher dislike % than anyone not named Dubya right now.

[Dos Equis]

That's b/c you want to see a flip flop where one has clearly not occurred.  That's ok, you and a few million other people also thought kerry was a flip-flopper on the same subject. 

I'm glad that I could clear this up for you.

Here's the nutshell: support Bush to force Iraq disarmament, Bush breaks law, support is withdrawn

That's pretty easy to see.  I'm glad people can impose a simplistic conclusion on what turns out to be rather complex (notwithstanding my nutshell example)

Yes.  Clear as mud.     You don't see a contradiction here? 

2004
"So, you're sitting there as president, you're reeling in the aftermath of (Sept. 11), so, yeah, you want to go get (Usama) bin Laden and do Afghanistan and all that. But you also have to say, 'Well, my first responsibility now is to try everything possible to make sure that this terrorist network and other terrorist networks cannot reach chemical and biological weapons or small amounts of fissile material. I've got to do that.' That's why I supported the Iraq thing," he is quoted telling the magazine.

2007
"Even though I approved of Afghanistan and opposed Iraq from the beginning, I still resent that I was not asked or given the opportunity to support those soldiers," Clinton said, according to The Washington Post.

[Decker]

Yes.  Clear as mud.     You don't see a contradiction here? 

2004
"So, you're sitting there as president, you're reeling in the aftermath of (Sept. 11), so, yeah, you want to go get (Usama) bin Laden and do Afghanistan and all that. But you also have to say, 'Well, my first responsibility now is to try everything possible to make sure that this terrorist network and other terrorist networks cannot reach chemical and biological weapons or small amounts of fissile material. I've got to do that.' That's why I supported the Iraq thing," he is quoted telling the magazine.

2007
"Even though I approved of Afghanistan and opposed Iraq from the beginning, I still resent that I was not asked or given the opportunity to support those soldiers," Clinton said, according to The Washington Post.

You just proved my point.  He opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, like Kerry, b/c Bush broke the law to start the war.

Why is that so difficult to understand?

[Dos Equis]

You just proved my point.  He opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, like Kerry, b/c Bush broke the law to start the war.

Why is that so difficult to understand?

Oh I don't know.  Because he said "That's why I supported the Iraq thing" back in 2004?  He couldn't have been opposed to the war from the beginning while simultaneously "support[ing] the Iraq thing."   

[Decker]

Oh I don't know.  Because he said "That's why I supported the Iraq thing" back in 2004?  He couldn't have been opposed to the war from the beginning while simultaneously "support[ing] the Iraq thing."   

So he could not support giving Bush the authority to enforce Res. 1441 to disarm Iraq yet oppose the war once it started b/c Bush broke the law in doing so.

Now you are being intellectually muddied Beach Bum.  You know what I'm talking about and you know what Clinton meant.

To claim otherwise is pure sophistry.

Of course Clinton could speak with the specificity of a lawyer, but I'm sure you guys would villify him for that too.  It's a no win situation for the man b/c his opponents will do and say anything to hurt him.

[Dos Equis]

So he could not support giving Bush the authority to enforce Res. 1441 to disarm Iraq yet oppose the war once it started b/c Bush broke the law in doing so.

Now you are being intellectually muddied Beach Bum.  You know what I'm talking about and you know what Clinton meant.

To claim otherwise is pure sophistry.

Of course Clinton could speak with the specificity of a lawyer, but I'm sure you guys would villify him for that too.  It's a no win situation for the man b/c his opponents will do and say anything to hurt him.

First, I'm not a Clinton opponent, because I voted for him twice. 

Second, no he could not support using military force in Iraq in 2004 and then claim in 2007 that he was always opposed to the use of force in Iraq.  There is an inherent contradiction there.  You're choosing to put a positive spin on his comments.  I'm not.  I voted for the man, but we both know he will not hesitate to tell a fib or two. 

[Decker]

First, I'm not a Clinton opponent, because I voted for him twice. 

Second, no he could not support using military force in Iraq in 2004 and then claim in 2007 that he was always opposed to the use of force in Iraq.  There is an inherent contradiction there.  You're choosing to put a positive spin on his comments.  I'm not.  I voted for the man, but we both know he will not hesitate to tell a fib or two. 

He supported the inspections from the outset.  He did not support the illegal use of force from the outset. 

See how easy that was?

Now we can construe words differently but it seems to me that the above is what he meant when read in context.

I'm glad you voted for the man.  I do find it odd that you go out of your way to take shots at him whenever you can though. 

But hey, valid criticism makes us better. 

Too bad this flip-flop criticism is just another sophmoric hit piece....the trivia that rules our political discourse.

I rank this with concerns about a politician's apparent "authenticity".

[Dos Equis]

He supported the inspections from the outset.  He did not support the illegal use of force from the outset. 

See how easy that was?

Now we can construe words differently but it seems to me that the above is what he meant when read in context.

I'm glad you voted for the man.  I do find it odd that you go out of your way to take shots at him whenever you can though. 

But hey, valid criticism makes us better. 

Too bad this flip-flop criticism is just another sophmoric hit piece....the trivia that rules our political discourse.

I rank this with concerns about a politicians apparent "authenticity".

O.K.  That's your interpretation.   

And when exactly have I gone out of my way to take shots at Bill Clinton whenever I can?  News to me.  Don't confuse my dislike of Hillary with shots at her husband.  I never liked that woman.     

I think it's a fair criticism, because his wife is running for president and she has attempted the same revisionist history, along with all the other Democrats who were in favor of removing Saddam. 

[Decker]

O.K.  That's your interpretation.   

And when exactly have I gone out of my way to take shots at Bill Clinton whenever I can?  News to me.  Don't confuse my dislike of Hillary with shots at her husband.  I never liked that woman.     

I think it's a fair criticism, because his wife is running for president and she has attempted the same revisionist history, along with all the other Democrats who were in favor of removing Saddam. 

I am sorry about my charge.  I thought that you have slammed Clinton quite a bit.

Clinton did have the policy of removing Hussein.  So that US policy predated Bush. 

So is there any instance where any politician could have supported inspections yet opposed the Bush invasion?

[Dos Equis]

I am sorry about my charge.  I thought that you have slammed Clinton quite a bit.

Clinton did have the policy of removing Hussein.  So that US policy predated Bush. 

So is there any instance where any politician could have supported inspections yet opposed the Bush invasion?

No problem mang. 

Yes it is certainly possible to have supported inspections, yet opposed the war. 

[Deicide]

Brewing for years...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_Liberation_Act