Clark says 2002 statement about Iraq is consistent with current views

[stickdog]

http://www.nola.com/iraq/index.ssf?/newsflash/get_story.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0725_BC_Clark-Iraq&&news&emergency

LONDONDERRY, N.H. (AP) -- Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark said Monday a statement he made in 2002 about connections between Iraq and al-Qaida was consistent with his belief that Saddam Hussein was not linked to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In an October 2002 news conference in which he endorsed a New Hampshire Democrat for Congress, Clark said, "Certainly there's a connection between Iraq and al-Qaida."

According to a videotape provided by a rival campaign, Clark said, "It doesn't surprise me at all that they would be talking to al-Qaida, that there would be some al-Qaida there or that Saddam Hussein might even be, you know, discussing, 'Gee, I wonder since I don't have any scuds and since the Americans are coming at me, I wonder if I could take advantage of al-Qaida? How would I do it? Is it worth the risk? What could they do for me?"'

Campaigning in New Hampshire, Clark said Monday the two-year-old statement is not inconsistent with views he expressed in a book and during his presidential bid.


Poor Clark. Running as the standard bearer of the Democratic party must be tough on him.

[La_Serpiente]

1. link?

[AnnitaR]

2. Grasping at straws!

I love it!

People who think that crap like this and the constant "oh my lord he's a repub" are going to stop the Clark campaign are out of their minds!

Neither of the arguments will have the traction to slow Clark down. People see that he's the alternative to plug that hole in his resume Dean and the best hope we have to beat Bush. These attacks only give Clark more airtime to keep getting his message out!

[dfong63]

4. plug the hole? Clark's resume is nothing but a hole

... when it comes to electoral politics, getting elected, being accountable to the voters. Clark has a big fat vast zero as a track record, both as a politician and as a democrat. the closest thing he has to a track record is what he's said (not what he's done). and what he's said is either not self consistent or not consistent with dem principles.

[digno dave]

5. Are these the democratic principles you speak of?

You mean the democratic principles like zero gun control and the destruction of Medicare? Those democratic priniciples? Sealing of government records for 12 years? Those democratic principles? Born into money and going gimpy in the draft? Those democratic principles?

[digno dave]

3. no inconsistency

He has maintained that there were possibly low level contacts between the two. Also, if things played them self out where Iraq would be invaded by the US then the possibility existed that Saddam would encourage AL Queda to become involved. He would try to get the Mormon Tabernacle Choir involved if he thought they would distract or deter american forces.

What he has been saying during the primaries is that there was no connection between Al Queda and Saddam in regards to 9-11 or in any capacity that involved transfer of weapons or information.

Next smear please.....

[PATRICK]

6. Pre-political career

Being out of the loop and a very passionate commentator for the news, Clark's only failing seems in imaginative leaps- opinions no more important than a sportscaster as far as policy creation is concerned. If only one of the brilliant people up there had the right horse about the blatant, even ham-handed fraud being perpetrated to start the war I would be much more confident in their future judgment. The reasons why it was so tough for people up there to conceive and detect the bs when all the world pretty much got it(even the world leaders who sold out)are universally alarming, not just a criticism of Clark.

How amusing it is for any of the news media to be casting stones from their blood soaked hands.