Op-Ed by John Edwards: I was Wrong

[AmericanDream]

The Right Way in Iraq

By John Edwards
Sunday, November 13, 2005; B07

I was wrong.

Almost three years ago we went into Iraq to remove what we were told -- and what many of us believed and argued -- was a threat to America. But in fact we now know that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction when our forces invaded Iraq in 2003. The intelligence was deeply flawed and, in some cases, manipulated to fit a political agenda.

It was a mistake to vote for this war in 2002. I take responsibility for that mistake. It has been hard to say these words because those who didn't make a mistake -- the men and women of our armed forces and their families -- have performed heroically and paid a dear price.

The world desperately needs moral leadership from America, and the foundation for moral leadership is telling the truth.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101623_pf.html

[aquart]

1. I want to hear more of these.

Especially from the Senators from New York.

[Montauk6]

2. And there's nothing mealy-mouthed about doing this anyway.

I still think one of the great tough-guy moments was Richard Clarke being his testimony before the 9/11 commission with his apology to the American people (particularly the families of the victims).

[aquart]

15. Me, too.

The characters John Wayne played in the movies would have done it.

[ClevelandSportsCurse]

3. Now he says so...

Would have been much better had he said so before the 2004 election.

Come on, these Senators have access to more info than we do, yet we were able to figure out from our limited sources that the case for war was a crock of shit. Edwards voted for it for pure political posturing. Shame on him.

He stuck his finger in the wind and went with it. Now that the wind is heavily blowing the other way, he is regretful.

I welcome him to our camp to help us do something to get out of this mess, but he could have been of so much greater help last year.

[phillysuse]

4. Sounds like he's been listening to Wes Clark!

Good for Edwards to come aboard now in support of
General Clark's plan.

[AmericanDream]

5. Actually, Edwards offered a similar plan of exit in the 03 primaries....

You should go look up his speeches to see that for yourself... the media just wouldn't pay attention to him.

[dogman]

9. Here's what he said to Matthews in Oct. '03.

Snip>Let me ask but the war, because I know these are all students and a lot of guys the age of these students are fighting over there and cleaning up over there, and they’re doing the occupation.
Were we right to go to this war alone, basically without the Europeans behind us? Was that something we had to do?

EDWARDS: I think that we were right to go. I think we were right to go to the United Nations. I think we couldn’t let those who could veto in the Security Council hold us hostage.
And I think Saddam Hussein, being gone is good. Good for the American people, good for the security of that region of the world, and good for the Iraqi people.

MATTHEWS: If you think the decision, which was made by the president, when basically he saw the French weren’t with us and the Germans and the Russians weren’t with us, was he right to say, “We’re going anyway”?

EDWARDS: I stand behind my support of that, yes.

MATTHEWS: You believe in that?

EDWARDS: Yes.<snip
edit to add link.
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3131295

[AmericanDream]

12. Look at the primary debates and he offers his plan for success ....

What are you trying to say through that excerpt? I was talking about the plan for success.. and Edwards was offering different solutions way before clark got into the race.

As for his support, umm... I believe Clark was also the one who attended a republican event and praised Bush's leadership on the war on terror after the iraq war. As for edwards, he admits he was wrong, but the solutions he is offering are some of the same ones he has been talking about for a long time now...

[dogman]

13. Once again, I ask for a link.

In the primary debates he was still defending his vote for the IWR.

[AmericanDream]

14. Yup he was defending his vote AND Offering a plan for success.

Now he feels the vote was a mistake, but we still need a plan to succeed and get out.

As for the link, I believe you can google it... but if and when I find the time, I'll go look for a link for you.

[neuvocat]

6. I never thought I'd hear anything like that.

Good for him to say so though.

[Liberty Belle]

7. Kicked and nominating

Glad to see Edwards speaking the truth. Every Democrat and honest Republican should do the same.

[Maggie_May]

8. Moral leadership what a concept

This administration doesn't understand the meaning of moral. Edwards is right they should have never give to President authority to go to war.

[Danascot]

10. Praise the Lord!

Who else is saved?!

See the light and testify Dems!

Yeah, too bad if they didn't speak up earlier, but if they come around now, I'm delighted ... the more the merrier!

[kevsand]

11. Good for him! Seriously, bravo! /nt

[KoKo]

16. And pulling the American Companies like Halliburton Out! Great News!

Excellent. And, I hope all of our Dems one by one will come out as forcefully as he has and support his proposal. Getting the Private Contractors out will be a huge step...I wonder if anyone else will go that far, though.

[Fluffdaddy]

17. Way to go John

[yurbud]

18. how did he write the whole fucking thing without mentioning OIL?

Are people dense? If democrats don't talk about that, we'll end up in the same or worse mess, only with subtler leaders at the wheel.

Someone needs to ask everyone doing these mea culpas if we should give the Iraqis the option of honoring Saddam's oil contracts with France and Russia rather than the new ones with American companies they were coerced into.

This is fundamental to the whole deal, and just because we aren't talking about it here doesn't mean the Iraqis and Arab world are fooled.