Kennedy on DSM: "We never should have gone to war for ideological reasons"

[paineinthearse]

Excerpt: "We never should have gone to war for ideological reasons driven by politics and based on manipulated intelligence...."

Once again my senior Senator comes through! :yourock:

http://tedkennedy.com/journal/98/senator-kennedy-on-the-downing-street-minutes

Senator Kennedy on the Downing Street Minutes
Cross-posted at www.dailykos.com

“The contents of the Downing Street Minutes confirm that the Bush Administration was determined to go to war in Iraq, regardless of whether there was any credible justification for doing so. The Administration distorted and misrepresented the intelligence in its attempt to link Saddam Hussein with the terrorists of 9/11 and Osama bin Laden, and with weapons of mass destruction that Iraq did not have.

In addition, the Downing Street Minutes also confirm what has long been obvious – that the timing of the war was linked to the 2002 Congressional elections, and that the Administration’s planning for post-war Iraq was incompetent in all its aspects. The current continuing crisis is a direct result of that incompetence.

Many of you have worked hard for the American people, the media and those in government to speak out about the Downing Street Minutes and the Iraq war. You can join me in speaking out as well.

The policy of “shoot first, ask questions later” took us into an unjustified war, and without a clear concept of what “winning the war” actually means.

President Bush constantly talks about the “progress” that is being made in Iraq against the insurgency, but he’s looking for good news with a microscope. All anyone can see is “Mission Mis-accomplished” and the continuing losses of American lives, the deaths of thousands of innocent Iraqis, the torture scandal, and the ominous decline in our nation’s moral authority in the world community.

We know the Administration had been planning to invade Iraq for many months before the invasion actually began. We know the Administration twisted the intelligence to make the facts fit their plan. We know that the Administration never really intended to give the U.N. weapons inspectors a reasonable chance to succeed. The Downing Street Minutes demonstrate that the Administration knew their case for war was paper thin, and that in order to go into war with the support of our allies, we had to demonstrate some willingness to go along with the UN inspection process. But the Administration continued to misuse its intelligence, distort the facts and pay only lip-service to the UN’s role in disarming Iraq.

We never should have gone to war for ideological reasons driven by politics and based on manipulated intelligence. The Downing Street Minutes provide even more proof that this is exactly what happened on Iraq. The Administration’s dishonesty, lack of candor, and lack of planning have brought us to where we are today, with American soldiers dying, Iraqi civilians living in constant fear, and with no clearer picture of our strategy for victory in Iraq than when we started. ”

Send your thoughts to Senator Kennedy - http://www.tedkennedy.com/downingstreet

[Al-CIAda]

1. Say what we know you know Mr. Kennedy, PNAC. n/t

[paineinthearse]

3. You're preaching to the choir. Send your thoughts to Kennedy.

Send your comments via http://www.tedkennedy.com/downingstreet

[AFSCME girl]

7. Thanks for the link,

paininthearse...I just emailed the Senator! :bounce: :hi:

AFSCME girl

[Dr Fate]

9. Kennedy is the one preaching to the choir. Only DEMs go to his website.

This needs to be "on the TV" where EVERYONE can see it.

[LunaC]

4. How 'bout it!

I'm damn sick and tired of our fearless leaders talking AROUND the PNAC all the time!

On a more positive note, a caller on C-Span's Washington Journal referred to the PNAC during yesterday's discussion about the 911 Commission's recent criticisms, so it IS percolating in the depths of public consciousness.

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. I suspect that those who know of PNAC aren't saying anything

about it because they would have the public believe that the administration is full of incompetents and nothing is going the way the administration wants.

The truth is that despite the incompetents, they've got just about everything going according to plan. It's the plan itself that is evil, but it is well written and sounds scholarly so people who are exposed to it could be convinced that it is a good thing, if they don't work their way below the surface.

Their elitists think the common people would not question PNAC. Our elitists don't think the common people have to perspicacity to see through it.

That's why we need Howard Dean.

[Kat45]

17. I seem to remember Clark mentioning the PNAC during his campaign

I think he's the only one I heard speak of it.

[paineinthearse]

18. I'd like to read any quotes/speeches

After the election, Clark and Perle did hook up in a series of debates, in which Clark blew Perle out of the water!

[AuntiBush]

25. And should IGNORE Negative Statements made about Dean!

Right on! PNCA: Something we should talk more about to friends, neighbors, etc...

[welshTerrier2]

2. "the ominous decline in our nation’s moral authority in the world"

the loss of US prestige and credibility, will, in the long run, put our nation and world PEACE at much greater risk ...

the loss of American troops, the suffering of the Iraqi people and the destruction of international standards for invasion are very tangible and very horrible tragedies to be sure ...

but, i fear, it is the loss of the US credibility and bush's failure to reflect the values of individual American citizens in his foreign policy conduct that will ultimately do the most damage ..

[The_Casual_Observer]

5. However, the bush lovers will call this treason.

Any questioning of the bush doctrine of lies that lead to preemptive war are considered anti-troops and anti-American by that vocal bunch.

[paineinthearse]

6. That is why we must get the truth out to the vast, unwashed masses

Yes, the * fantaics are vocal, but their numbers are small. The vast majority of Americans today still have no knowledge of DSM.

Let them hear about it from us, not the spun version from faux and the RNC.

[JohnnyBoots]

11. Yeah, on CNN.com the politics page lists only these headlines

MORE NEWS

• Bush to announce Africa aid
• U.S.: N. Korea says it's committed to talks
• OAS members balk at U.S. plan
• Washington governor's vote upheld
• Bush promotes CAFTA

All pretty much of the same, when will these guys cover the important stuff. Any way to make them? Get arrested doing something outlandish and only talk about the DSM???? who knows what will work.

[paineinthearse]

15. What? No Michael Jackson? No Aruba abductions?

:wtf:

[Dr Fate]

10. GOOD. So long as they talk about it on mass media.

Hopefully this will goad RWers to talk about this on TV.

[paineinthearse]

14. Bring it on! It is NOT treason. We should welcome the dialogue.

Wiki:

Article Three defines treason as only levying war against the United States or "in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort," and requires the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act or a confession in open court for conviction. This safeguard may not be foolproof since Congress could pass a statute creating treason-like offences with different names (such as sedition, bearing arms against the state, etc.) which do not require the testimony of two witnesses, and have a much wider definition than Article Three treason. For example, some well-known spies have generally been convicted of espionage rather than treason. In the United States Code the penalty ranges from "shall suffer death" to "shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."

[Dr Fate]

8. But this is only on a website where the Base will see it.

What are DEMs doing to make EVERYONE aware of this, not just the donor base?

Fighting Bush means more than pointing to a blurb on a website and saying "See- we did adress that issue all you were so concerned about-didn't you see the website??? Now, about that check..."

[KansDem]

12. C'mon...say it! SAY IT!!! The "L" word!!!!!

LIE

There, it's been said..."distorted and misrepresented" is too nice for these criminals!

[paineinthearse]

16. This one was used, but retracted

LOSER

[paineinthearse]

19. .

Night :kick:

[unhappycamper]

20. Thanks for the heads up.

Here's what I sent Sen. Kennedy:

<snip>
Dear Senator Kennedy,

I laud your efforts to speak the truth about the United States’ march to an unjust war. Since the invasion of Iraq, 1, 682 soldiers have lost their lives. Over 100,000 Iraqis have been killed. The United States is rapidly becoming a pariah nation because of our use of torture throughout our gulag system.

I will support any and all of your efforts for finding the truth why the US went to war. I also want you to work bringing our troops home. Our very presence inflames the Iraqis, and the best way we can calm the populace down is to leave. Lastly, I want the persons responsible for our torture policies punished, preferably at the Hague.

I also ask that you vote against the budget supplementals used to fund this illegal war and urge your fellow Senators to do the same.

Thank you.

[paineinthearse]

21. Thank you for sharing your letter

It is a matter of hours or days before he will be making a landmark speech, focusing national attention. Wish this post were read by many more than as indicated by the responses so far.

[paineinthearse]

22. .

:kick:

[katinmn]

23. Great response!

Tahnks for sharing this.

[ET Awful]

24. Kicked and recommended for best page.

Go Ted!

[Bunny]

26. Kick!

Thanks Senator Kennedy - from someone who is stuck with Santorum!

[welshTerrier2]

27. many are missing one of the two key points of the DSM

it's critical to understand the DSM in the right context ... on the surface, it's about bush's lies and his war crimes in the lead-up to war ... those who only look at the politics seem blind (perhaps understandably so) to going beyond that ...

but it should also be used to leverage the case against remaining in Iraq ... viewing the memo in a vacuum allows the "we're stuck there crowd" to keep chanting their misguided mantra ...

WE ARE NOT STUCK THERE ... all the arguments made to support this idiocy are contingent on having well-meaning national leadership ... get this through your heads: bush is NOT well-meaning national leadership ... your belief that we have an obligation to "fix Iraq" is commendable ... your belief that remaining there with bush in power is totally naive !!!

[paineinthearse]

29. DU, think in 3 dimensions

The "X", "Y" and "Z"!

[Nothing Without Hope]

28. I hope this is followed by a strong public campaign to push for inquiry

and exposure of what Bush and his enablers have done. This is a good start, and now we will see how the resolution of congress members who are outraged about the contents of the DSM is translated into action.

Thank you for this post, Paine.

[2Design]

30. who voted for the war - even us at du knew it was a scam -

wake up congress

[paineinthearse]

31. There has not been a Congressional vote to commit the US to war since WW2

Not Korea, not Viet Nam, not Grenada, not Panama, not the Balkins, not Afghanistan, and certainly not Iraq.

[paineinthearse]

32. .

:kick:

For EMK.