Hall of Fame Phony

For those who still — despite nearly three years’ worth of examples that prove the contrary — are inclined to believe that the Democratic party and the mainstream media (but the Monitor repeats itself) are not guilty of crass political maneuvering on the Iraq war, perhaps this week’s column will serve to pierce the fog.

Liberal Massachusetts senator and failed presidential candidate John Kerry spoke earlier this month to the Council on Foreign Relations and delivered the now familiar Democratic talking points against the war and for a significant withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of 2006. Rick Richman, who blogs at jpundit.typepad.com and whose work occasionally graces the pages of The Jewish Press, exposed Kerry for the gold-plated fraud he is by simply comparing and contrasting the senator’s own words to the same group under different political circumstances.

"The United States needs to reduce its forces in Iraq by 'at least 100,000' by the end of 2006, sending a message to the Middle East that Americans are not interested in maintaining a permanent military presence in that country, Sen. John Kerry said Thursday."

“Adopting what is tantamount to a cut-and-run strategy would be a disaster and disgraceful betrayal of principle,” wrote Richman, “but you don’t have to take it from me. You just need to read John Kerry’s speech to the Council on Foreign Relations the last time he spoke there.”

Richman then quoted some interesting points from Kerry’s Dec. 3, 2003 address to the Council:

"Those of us who seek the Democratic presidential nomination owe the American people more than just anger, more than just criticisms of the Bush policy, or even piecemeal solutions. We need to convince America that we Democrats are responsible stewards of our national security and of America`s role in the world, and that we can follow in the great tradition of Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy."

And here’s how Kerry defined being “responsible stewards of our national security”:

"I fear that in the run-up to the 2004 election, the administration is considering what is tantamount to a cut-and-run strategy. Their sudden embrace of accelerated Iraqification and American troop withdrawal dates, without adequate stability, is an invitation to failure. The hard work of rebuilding Iraq must not be dictated by the schedule of the next American election.

"I have called for the administration to transfer sovereignty, and they must transfer it to the Iraqi people as quickly as circumstances permit. But it would be a disaster and a disgraceful betrayal of principle to speed up the process simply to lay the groundwork for a politically expedient withdrawal of American troops. That could risk the hijacking of Iraq by terrorist groups and former Ba`athists. Security and political stability cannot be divorced. Security must come first." [Emphasis added.]

There you have it. When he feared Bush might make an early exit from Iraq to bolster his chances for reelection the following year, Kerry insinuated that the administration would pursue what he termed a “cut-and-run strategy” and went on record as being unalterably opposed to a “politically expedient withdrawal of American troops.”

If shamelessness were a sport, Kerry’s number would have been retired a long time ago. His plaque would take up a place of honor in the Hypocrisy Hall of Fame, along with plaques bearing the names and likenesses of just about every big-name Democrat who for years warned of the danger of allowing Saddam Hussein to bolster his arsenal of WMD, which every Western intelligence agency was certain he possessed.

Now Kerry and his colleagues would have you believe that WMD were a figment of George Bush’s imagination or an invention born of his and Dick Cheney’s duplicity. But they want you to trust them when they say they have the national interest at heart. And at least half the population takes them at their word.

Jason Maoz is senior editor of The Jewish Press. He can be reached atjmaoz@jewishpress.com

Hypocrisy Hall of Fame

With the release of "Do as I say, not as I do" and the success it has had, I believe someone should start a Hypocrisy Hall of Fame

An online one would be very easy. And every year a slate of candidates for induction would be put up and visitors could vote on who got inducted.

Someone is going to run with this idea. I know it. Good luck to them. I will be a regular visitor to the Hall.

"I fear that in the run-up to the 2004 election, the administration is considering what is tantamount to a cut-and-run strategy. Their sudden embrace of accelerated Iraqification and American troop withdrawal dates, without adequate stability, is an invitation to failure. The hard work of rebuilding Iraq must not be dictated by the schedule of the next American election.
"I have called for the administration to transfer sovereignty, and they must transfer it to the Iraqi people as quickly as circumstances permit. But it would be a disaster and a disgraceful betrayal of principle to speed up the process simply to lay the groundwork for a politically expedient withdrawal of American troops. That could risk the hijacking of Iraq by terrorist groups and former Ba`athists. Security and political stability cannot be divorced. Security must come first."

I fear John Kerry may have Schizophrenia and or some MPD.

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