MSNBC: Analysis of Howard Dean's flip flops

MSNBC ^

[jmcclain19]

Excerpted from MSNBC

Attack Iraq — with U.N. 'permission'

One of Dean’s rivals, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, has criticized a statement Dean made on Monday in which he said he “would not have hesitated” to launch an attack on Iraq this year “had the United Nations given us permission and asked us to be part of a multilateral force.”

But such an attack on Iraq is hard to square with Dean’s consistent argument that a war was entirely unnecessary.

In his speech on Monday, Dean said, “I have never found the evidence convincing that Iraq was ever a significant threat to the United States.”

Dean has angrily denounced Kerry and other Democrats who voted for last October’s congressional resolution authorizing President Bush to use force against Iraq.

In November of 2002, the United Nations Security Council approved Resolution 1441, declaring Saddam Hussein's regime "in material breach of its obligations" to account for all its weapons programs and warned that Iraq "will face serious consequences as a result of its continued violations of its obligations."

Despite efforts by Secretary of State Colin Powell last February, Security Council members France, Germany and Russia refused to approve a resolution that would have specifically authorized use of military force.

Dean’s position on going to war — but only with U.N. “permission” — does not square with Dean’s statement last October that he supported a resolution drafted by Sens. Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind.

Attack Iraq — without U.N. permission

The Biden-Lugar measure would have authorized Bush to use military force against Iraq for the purpose of eliminating Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, not for the purpose of toppling Saddam Hussein.

The Biden-Lugar measure would have given Bush the go-ahead to use force to compel “the dismantling or destruction of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program and its prohibited ballistic missile program.”

The proposal would have required Bush to seek a new U.N. resolution, but if the Security Council chose to not pass one and Bush decided that Iraq posed a grave threat to the United States or allied nations, it would have authorized him to order an attack.

Thus, last October — in contrast to his current stance — Dean’s position was support for an attack on Iraq, even without U.N. "permission."

[billorites]

It would empower Bush were he to run against a more credible candidate in the general election.

A Bush blow-out over Dean will only result in more conspiracy cr*p about Bush being "selected not elected."

[gunnedah]

This is one crazy dude or he thinks Americans are stupid.
Maybe most liberals are liars and that is why they like him.I dont know of anything else that would attract them unless it is jist pure hatred for Bush.

[Always Right]

Thus, last October — in contrast to his current stance — Dean’s position was support for an attack on Iraq, even without U.N. "permission."

Hey now, let's not bring up the facts. Dean has every right to change his position based on hindsight and slutting himself to the anti-war crowd if he so desires. Who cares what his position actually was? He can change if it makes a difference in getting the nomination or not.

[Always Right]

This is one crazy dude or he thinks Americans are stupid.

Not all Americans. He just thinks the Dems are stupid enough.

[Cicero]

Hillary must have instructed MSNBC to attack Dean. It's turning into a full-court press.

I especially loved this bit: “We need to somehow figure out how we are going to de-corporatize medicine,” he observed. “Making everything bigger, more corporate, and better organized and more efficient does not lead to the kind of spiritual quality that we need in our lives.”

[Prime Choice]

No doubt about it...ol' Howard the Dean is one bad egg!

[thucydides]

Is there some talented person out there who can photoshop Dean in a tinfoil hat?

[gnawbone]

I dont know of anything else that would attract them unless it is jist pure hatred for Bush

uhhhhhhhhhh, yes, I believe you've got it ...

[Fenris6]

"We need to somehow figure out how we are going to de-corporatize medicine,” he observed. “Making everything bigger, more corporate, and better organized and more efficient does not lead to the kind of spiritual quality that we need in our lives.”

OMG. Dean actually said that? Who's running his campaign, Barbara Streisand? ROTFL!

[bdeaner]

When is Dean going to pull his head out of his butt?