Bob Kerrey invokes 9/11 to justify invading Iraq. Harold Ford calls it today's Spotlight idea.

[madfloridian]

Harold Ford's DLC links to it from its new Ideas Primary which is replacing the Blueprint Magazine. Actually it is today's Spotlight.

Ideas Primary: The Left's Iraq Muddle.

It was an opinion piece in the WSJ by New School president and Democrat, Bob Kerrey.

I would say to Mr. Kerrey that any excuse is a good one when you just can't make stuff up anymore. When it's all falling down around you, any old excuse will do.

No matter how incompetent the Bush administration and no matter how poorly they chose their words to describe themselves and their political opponents, Iraq was a larger national security risk after Sept. 11 than it was before. And no matter how much we might want to turn the clock back and either avoid the invasion itself or the blunders that followed, we cannot. The war to overthrow Saddam Hussein is over. What remains is a war to overthrow the government of Iraq.

The Left's Iraq Muddle

See what I mean? Still trying to connect Iraq to 9/11, even doing it in such an ingenuous way.

He goes on to say that:

Yes, it is central to the fight against Islamic radicalism.

Now the ultimate stretch...perhaps if we had not gone after Saddam, the Shiites or Kurds might have done so. Unbelievable. Then he gives us liberals a lecture.

Suppose we had not invaded Iraq and Hussein had been overthrown by Shiite and Kurdish insurgents. Suppose al Qaeda then undermined their new democracy and inflamed sectarian tensions to the same level of violence we are seeing today. Wouldn't you expect the same people who are urging a unilateral and immediate withdrawal to be urging military intervention to end this carnage? I would.

American liberals need to face these truths: The demand for self-government was and remains strong in Iraq despite all our mistakes and the violent efforts of al Qaeda, Sunni insurgents and Shiite militias to disrupt it. Al Qaeda in particular has targeted for abduction and murder those who are essential to a functioning democracy: school teachers, aid workers, private contractors working to rebuild Iraq's infrastructure, police officers and anyone who cooperates with the Iraqi government. Much of Iraq's middle class has fled the country in fear.

Mr. Kerrey, are you aware that the middle class fled Iraq, their home country because of fear of us? How dare you justify our invasion by spouting such nonsense.

Here is a little about the horrible things we did in Fallujah. I hear we are about to do the same things to Sadr City. We apparently killed civilians indiscrimately and did not do body counts. Read all about it.

"Send in the Clown"...a look at the horrors we did in Fallujah.

I have been very upset all day about the games our Democrats and Republicans are playing with the lives of the military over an invasion based on lies.

Reading your column was the final straw today, and my anger is overwhelming.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Nebraska--land of bass-ackwards, confused politicians.

Kerrey, go get a motel room with Lieberman and leave us alone.

[acmavm]

2. Bob Kerrey covered for the administration in the panel investigation

911, why would anyone expect anything different from him now?

[tnlefty]

3. Thanks madfloridian! I tried to read all of the links, but I was

getting sick to my stomach. Perhaps tomorrow. I'm beyond angry, disgusted and tired of these asses lecturing. Ford is young enough to get in under the enlistment age limit so perhaps he should remove his suit and tie and take his ass to the recruiter's office, and I'm angry that because of loyalty to the Democratic party I worked to try to get him elected. I need a shower.

edited for spelling error

[madfloridian]

10. I will help you carry his ass to the recruiter's office.

I know how you must feel. It's been a rough day today, trying to understand.

[flyarm]

4. BoB Kerrey is a lying sac of shit!..he is responsible for the 9/11 coverup..and he is owned by the

MTF'ers in this administgration and the OCTOPUS..he is trash..worse than trash..

he is a filthy joke!

not a haha joke either!

fly

[madfloridian]

5. I wish you would just say what you mean.

B-)

Just kidding, I know how you feel. Hubby and I have tried all afternoon to justify and excuse, and we just can't.

I am on anger overload, I think.

[flyarm]

12. so am i..and i refuse to hold it in and have a freaking heart attack!!

i did a round table at Univ of Tampa with that sac of shit liar...15 people were chosen to ask him questions ..i and my hubby were two of the 15 ..and all he fucking did was lie...and i was a flight crew of one of the airlines..NYC based..in 2001..i was flight attendant of the year for the ny base of my airline that year..so i saked professional questions..and that fucker not only lied to me ..he lied to my husband..i thought my husband was going to get up and slug that bastard!

like i said..he is a lying sac of shit!

fly

[Benhurst]

7. What a total assclown Bob Kerrey has turned out to be.

:argh:

[wellst0nev0ter]

11. Those Who Slit An Old Man's Throat Just To Watch Him Die

tend to be total assclowns, and that's one of their good traits.

[flyarm]

15. he lied to the families of 9/11 victims and he lied to the American people..he is dog shit!

and i don't mean to insult dogs!!

fly

[sandnsea]

6. If Shi'ites overthrew Saddam

All by themselves, then Shi'ites could have called for UN peacekeepers and there would have been an international presence and the region and world would have pitched in and there would hopefully be a peaceful resolution by now.

That's what we SHOULD HAVE DONE, helped the Kurds and Shi'ite push Saddam out peacefully.

Bush wanted to show the world what a tough man he was, and wanted control of the oil, and that's why he invaded instead.

Kerrey is way off the mark here. That's also why it's important to look closely at the Democrats running for President and see which ones agree with him and which ones don't.

[yankeeinlouisiana]

8. You can't base foreign policy on

"what if's" or "suppose this or suppose that".

:eyes:

[Old and In the Way]

9. It's about the oil, Bob.

You know it...we know it. Stop with the non-sensical rationalizations. If you think we need to steal their natural resources, just say it. I could at least respect your honesty on the subject.

Oh yeah...the Iraqi's don't want us occupying their country....all other considerations are irrelevant.

[LynnTheDem]

13. Suppose my pet tame teddy bear suddenl;y grew 40 feet tall

and ate humans whole... :eyes:

Jeebus ficking Cripes the number of stupid people in this country is frightening.

[spacelady]

14. Bob can take a flying fuck at a rolling donut.

I lived? in Nebraska during Bob Kerry's governorship & I LIKED
what I saw...but when he was head of the 911 FACT-finding, I find him increasingly irrelevant.



Bob can take a flying fuck at a rolling donut.

(hope Kurt Vonnegutt finds this plagarism apropos!)

edited for better OP line

[mmonk]

16. Bob Kerry, 9/11 whitewash commission member,

known for bad behavior in Vietnam, and in the pocket of those profiting from this mess. Bite me Bob.

[madfloridian]

17. Rush Limbaugh and Hot Air love Bob Kerrey so very much.

Just do a news search on his name. I won't link to Limbaugh's site, but he says Kerrey is right. One blog says Kerrey is calling out the moonbats.

He has appealed to the right wing. Amazing.

[sakabatou]

18. YOU FAIL!

[Warren DeMontague]

19. Good grief. What an incredible cartload of bullshit.

"Bush was right to attack a country that never attacked us... he just handled it wrong."

Anybody still want to argue that these DLC numbnuts are the answer to our electoral prayers? No wonder the "conventional wisdom" nabobs are so fucking clueless. Listen to the bullshit they actually believe.

[madrchsod]

20. makes ya just wanna say-what the fuck...

kind of depressing to wake up and read this ....oh well we can only do the best we can against the machine

[H2O Man]

21. There was a time

when I had some respect for Bob Kerrey. That time is long gone.

I'm a democrat, because I believe that the spirit of democracy and the intent of the U.S. Constitution is found primarily within the grass roots democrats and progressives. It is too often sadly lacking in the officials who are elected to office.

Kerrey once had a spine, and I thought he had an appreciation for the truth. That spine had deteriorated, and any quest for truth on his part is a faded memory.

[Hubert Flottz]

22. Another Joe Lieberman democrat!

These guys have sold their souls and sold their country out.

[TacticalPeek]

23. I get an impression that Kerrey overenjoys the kinky contrarian role.

Ideological challenge is one thing when the matters are budgetary or programmatic.

Being a smartass about war and peace is another thing.

[GeorgeGist]

24. Nice. Buffalo. Bob.

1. How obvious of you to connect the dots and conclude that Bush has succeeded in linking Iraq to 9/11. Afterall, doesn't just about everyone on the planet know that Bush created the dots?
2. How obvious a deception you create to justify creating more dots. Are you a disciple of Leo Strauss , or self taught?

[madfloridian]

25. Rush Limbaugh featured Kerrey on his website....great praise..picture.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_052207/content/01125113.guest.html

I am breaking my rule not to link there, but this should tell us something or the other.

Aren't you so proud, Bob Kerrey? I bet you are just busting your buttons over this praise.

And Harold Ford should be proud as punch for recognizing him as well.

When the DLC features you on its website as the Spotlight Idea of the day, and when Rush Limbaugh features you....well...what can I say.

[Richard Steele]

26. WTF? ??? -"What remains is a war to overthrow the government of Iraq. "

Um, would that be the same Iraqi government that we claim
we are fighting FOR? You know, the one we pretty much hand
picked? The "fledgling democracy" that we're told we have
to stay and protect from them eevool insurgents?

Seriously, WTF?

[dogman]

27. Maybe he'll apologize and you all can support him for President.

Of course he wont need to unless he decides to run and checks the prevailing wind.

[SusanaMontana41]

28. This former Nebraskan

is terribly embarrassed by Nebraska's former senator. And Nebraska's current senators, come to think of it, though Hagel gets more respect from me than DINO Nelson.

[plgoldsmith]

29. Kerrey's a member of the Carlyle Group

To me that says it all. Sell out is too kind.

[madfloridian]

30. Apparently Kerrey has a campaign fund of $437,000

http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=484

" Remember how I said Bob Kerrey wasn't going to run? I may have spoken too soon. No links, just rumors I'm hearing.

This race is growing increasingly bizarre, and Chuck Hagel is playing his cards very close to the vest right now. There's no telling what direction he's leaning, and his indecisiveness might just cost him the Republican nomination for Senate.

On the Democratic side, things are still difficult to read. Mike Fahey has long been considered the top candidate for the Democrats, but recently has started to make a move toward a reelection bid for mayor. Scott Kleeb is talking a lot about running for office again someday, but it's not quite clear what office, or when. And Bob Kerrey said there was only a 1% chance that he would run. But, for what it's worth, Kerrey still has an active campaign committee with $437,000 cash on hand.

The last several weeks in this race have been a gold mine for political junkies like myself. But, make no mistake, this is the most important race in Nebraska in 2008. Whether Hagel runs or not, there's a strong possibility that the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate will be Jon Bruning. That's simply a scary thought. There is no greater opportunity for Nebraska Democrats than this race. And if we fail to field a strong candidate, we fail as a party."

[tlazz32]

31. Bob Kerrey ... WHAT?

Why do 98% of OUR elected officials brush us, the citizen's off like we don't matter! I'm absolutely tired of this!

[pberq]

32. Thanks for posting this - Kerrey is beyond shameless

[madfloridian]

33. I tend to agree on that.

But hey, invoking 9/11 works for Little Boots, so Bobby Kerrey thought he'd try it.