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ZAHN: Is there a contradiction with your support of allowing the troops to go over to Iraq and now being so highly critical of this post-war...
KERRY: No, none whatsoever. There's no contradiction at all.
I am absolutely convinced I voted for the security of the United States of the America with the assurance of the president that he was going to go to the United Nations and build a international coalition, that he was going to make a plan to win the peace, that he would do the preparations, he would respect the U.N. process and that he would go to war as a last resort.
The president set the date for the start of this war. Not us. And he did not go as a last resort. He broke his word to the American people. He broke his word to the Congress and through us, the American people themselves. And he rushed to war. He doesn't have a plan. We need to go to the United Nations, Paula. We need to get the sense of American occupation off the table. We need to strengthen America by taking the target off our troops and bring the world to the table to help us.
ZAHN: But even you have to acknowledge that is a very tough challenge. You talk to anybody at the State Department...
(CROSSTALK)
KERRY: It doesn't have to be a challenge.
ZAHN: ..and they said the most troops you could get out of Europe right now is 2,000 and maybe at best out of Asia 15,000.
KERRY: And the reason for that, Paula, is because the president hasn't done the diplomacy, because the president has proceeded with arrogance.
Look at his speech just the other day. He went to the United Nations. Did he really invite them in in an inviting way? Did he indicate any kind of sort of humility in the approach? None whatsoever. And you know what? He walks out of there, doesn't even listen to the other people speak, and sends a message that turns everybody off. That's not the way to bring other countries to the table.
ZAHN: You have consistently been critical of the Bush administration...
KERRY: Because they have done a terrible job.
ZAHN: ...reconstruction plan.
KERRY: Yes.
ZAHN: Do you think Donald Rumsfeld should be asked to resign?
KERRY: Yes. Absolutely. He did not do the planning. He rushed this to war. He has not listened to the military personnel. Our military is weaker today. They're overextended. He and Mr. Wolfowitz proceeded with false assumptions. And in their arrogance they didn't listen to General Shinseki. They kicked him out of the way. They stomped on his reputation. And he was right. It did take more troops.
These people, I think, have proceeded in an arrogant, inappropriate way that has frankly put America at jeopardy, put a young Americans -- I mean, this is not -- you know, this is -- these are young Americans who are now in greater jeopardy in Iraq than they had to be, and it looks more serious for the longterm than it had to be.
ZAHN: Secretary Rumsfeld called for a greater humility in an op- ed piece today. Do you see any scenario under which...
(CROSSTALK)
KERRY: Well they didn't show it yesterday. They didn't show it at the U.N. Where is the humility if you're not prepared to say to people some of the things you need to bring them to the table? If they had -- when that statue fell in Baghdad, that was the ripest moment for us to say we need help now in managing the peace. And other countries would have flocked to our side providing we're willing to share some of the power.
But right now America is treating Iraq as a prize. It's a country, and it deserves to be treated within the community of nations through the United Nations. That is the only way ultimately for the United States to get rid of this sense of American occupation and get the target off our troops, and get this administration's hand out of the taxpayers' pocket, so we share expenses.
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