Oregon Ping
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Posted on 09/25/2004 4:02:24 AM PDT by kattracks
As a young Navy officer in World War II, I was one of the first Americans to see Hiroshima after the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. That experience lives with me today, and it helped to shape the view I held during my public service career: a view that war is wrong in nearly every circumstance.As Oregon's governor, I was the only governor in the nation who refused to sign a statement supporting President Johnson's Vietnam War policy.
As a senator, I joined with Sen. George McGovern in an unsuccessful effort to end that war. I was the only senator who voted against both the Democrat and Republican resolutions authorizing the use of force in the 1991 Gulf War.
In my final years in the Senate, I opposed President Clinton's decision to send American troops to Bosnia.
During my 30 years in the Senate, I never once voted in favor of a military appropriations bill.
I know that this record will cause many to wonder why I am such a strong supporter of President Bush and his policy in Iraq. My support is based on the fact that our world changed on Sept. 11, 2001, a day on which we lost more American lives than we did in the attack on Pearl Harbor.
I know from my service in the Senate that Saddam Hussein was an active supporter of terrorism. He used weapons of mass destruction on innocent people and left no doubt that he would do so again. It was crucial to the cause of world peace that he be removed from power.
Having seen atrocious loss in World War II, I understand the devastation of armed conflict. We have paid dearly with American and Iraqi lives for our commitment, but we cannot afford the alternative. Nor can we afford a president who puts a wet finger in the air and turns over his decisions to pollsters.
President Bush has indeed taken heat for his resolve in pursuing the war on terrorism and efforts in Iraq. His steadfastness and resolve in the face of his critics are deserving of praise.
As terrorists continue to plot against our country and our interests, the American people must choose between action and inaction, between security and insecurity.
I believe the choice is clear. I will proudly cast my vote for President George W. Bush.
Mark O. Hatfield served as a Republican U.S. senator from Oregon from 1967 to 1997.
Also, around here.. we are already way on warning that folks are lurking to find fault. Its a maxim that folks should stay with the facts.. and not get caught in wild speculations. Its insane how fast folks around here get to the nub. DU is not used to having the press pick their ideas apart. If the document forgery story had been against the Reps.. it would have been.. front page news without all of our work to strain out fonts and proportional spacing and such.. the standard we have to live with is "Beyond Any Reasonable Doubt." DU lives in world where the standard is "It Might Be Reasonably Supposed."
This can't help but disburse energy in lots of false tangents. I am thinking of all of the effort they waisted on Bush's Unit Citation.. arrf.. what a load of crap.. if someone had brought that up around here.. they would be promptly told.. so what... and it would die.. but they went after this for weeks..
Tellin' it like it is! I hope he has a quick recovery from his injuries.
He gets it. The war on terror is a fight for our survival.
This is good to see!
Oregon Ping
Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Oregon Ping List.
Ditto!
bump
I'm in the camp of those who believe him when he says the 9/11 changed everything for him.
I hope this gets some national coverage.
You're right about Carter, though. He's a total fraud who used 'religion' to get ahead politically, when many of his views were antithetical to Christianity.
Hatfield, I believe, was truly a pacifist......a viable, though wrongheaded Christian ideology.
And I believe he genuinely means what he has said here.
Well now that's certainly a record to be ashamed of. Thanks for weakening America's defenses for 30 years while you enjoyed the protection of our armed forces you bum.
If you are correct, at least Governor/Senator Hatfield gave his editorial much thought, many rich illustrations as examples and a reasoned, persuasive tone to his argument.
This is no Jimmy Carter post.
Is this guy a relative of yours? ;-)
No, actually, although my dad met him once. It's so weird to see my own name in print like that!
Good thinking and great response- in keeping with FR.
Thanks, Gramps!
It's very good to know the peacenik
Senator has been "Koched".
It's very good to see you. ;o)
Thanks! My prayers go out to him, and his family.
I believe this is going to sway a lot of votes in Oregon if it gets aired.
This apparently was an Oped in The Oregonian. The paper has subscribers across the state and is in news stands across the state.
Oregon Freepers can use the link below to send it to their family and friends in Oregon. Governor/Senator Hatfield still has a large group of fans/supporters in Oregon. This will help GW and hurt Kerry in a critical state.
http://www.freerepublic.com/^http://www.oregonlive.com/commentary/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/editorial/109594063089030.xml
Oregon Freepers might want to make copies of this to hand out up through the election.
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