LIEBERMAN STATEMENT ON CLARK IRAQ TESTIMONY

Drudge ^ | 1/15/04

[areafiftyone]

MANCHESTER, NH -- Joe Lieberman issued the following statement in response to the Drudge Report's discovery of congressional testimony from September 2002 in which Wes Clark made the case for war in Iraq. The report provides evidence directly contradicting Clark's repeated claims that he has been "very consistent" on the war "from the very beginning."

Statement by Joe Lieberman

"Yesterday, Wesley Clark attacked me for pointing out his multiple positions on the war in Iraq. It is no longer credible for Wesley Clark to assert that he has always had only one position on the war - being against it. His own testimony before Congress shows otherwise.

"He may think it is 'old-style politics' to point this out, but the only thing old here is a candidate not leveling with the American people. If we want to begin anew and replace George Bush, we need to level with the American people, which is what I have done in this campaign and throughout my career. You may not always agree with me but you will always know where I stand."

#

Yesterday on Good Morning America, Host Charlie Gibson told Wes Clark that "Joe Lieberman [is] saying Wes Clark had six different positions on the war."

Clark responded, "Well, has he ever named the six different positions, Charlie? I meant that's just -- that's old-style politics. You can go back to my record. I've even been on your show - while I couldn't t when I was on CNN. But, I was consistently against this since the guys from the pentagon told me two weeks after 9/11 we were attacking Iraq. It didn't make any sense to me. And I have been very, very consistent on this. This was a war we didn't have to fight. It was an elective war. I have said it at almost every opportunity."

[Wphile]

LOL! Glad Joe is calling him on the carpet for this. Clark is such a liar. His pervarication makes Clinton look like a straight talker.

It's also amazing that it took this long, and it took Drudge, to dig this up. Well, come to think of it...given our lazy-ass press, it isn't so amazing.

I'm so glad that Michael Moore has now seen the light and agrees with preemptive, unilateral action since he's such a advocate for Clark now. But even Clark said that the Iraq war should not be considered preemptive! Man, this guy is all over the map. Shouldn't be trusted.

[MJY1288]

Stick a fork in Wesly Clark, He's done!

[MEG33]

Liar,liar,pants on fire!

[Dog]

But, I was consistently against this since the guys from the pentagon told me two weeks after 9/11 we were attacking Iraq

Wes is a loon..

[expatpat]

"There's no requirement to have any doctrine here. I mean this is simply a longstanding right of the United States and other nations to take the actions they deem necessary in their self defense," "Every president has deployed forces as necessary to take action. He's done so without multilateral support if necessary........."And, I want to underscore that I think the United States should not categorize this action as preemptive. Preemptive and that doctrine has nothing whatsoever to do with this problem. As Richard Perle so eloquently pointed out, this is a problem that's longstanding. It's been a decade in the making. It needs to be dealt with and the clock is ticking on this." - Clark, Sept 2002

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

the only thing old here is a candidate not leveling with the American people

. . . and doing things like completely reversing one's position on important issues after being offered a place on the national Democratic ticket.

Yeah, Joe, that is old

At least as old as your reversal on school choice after accepting the '00 VP nod . . .

[Per-Ling]

"I think (Saddam's WMD) will be found. There’s so much intelligence on this." -- Wesley Clark

"I think there are some mass destruction capabilities that are still inside Iraq. I think there's some weapons that have been shipped over the border to Syria. But I don't think we're going to find that their capabilities provided the imminent threat that many feared in this country. So I think it's going to be a tough search, but I think there's stuff there." -- Wesley Clark on 6/15/03

"There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat... Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But the United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture than we were before September 11th of 2001... He is, as far as we know, actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn't have nuclear warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we." -- Wesley Clark to Congress on September 26, 2002

"Retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley Clark said Wednesday he supports a congressional resolution that would give President Bush authority to use military force against Iraq, although he has reservations about the country's move toward war. Clark...endorsed Democrat Katrina Swett in the 2nd District race. He said if she were in Congress this week, he would advise her to vote for the resolution, but only after vigorous debate." -- The Associated Press, 10/9/02

"Certainly there’s a connection between Iraq and Al Qaeda. It doesn’t surprise me at all that they would be talking to Al Qaeda, that there would be some Al Qaeda there or that Saddam Hussein might even be, you know, discussing gee, I wonder since I don’t have any scuds and since the Americans are coming at me, I wonder if I could take advantage of Al Qaeda? How would I do it? Is it worth the risk? What could they do for me?" -- Wesley Clark, 2002

"I think there's no question that, even though we may not have the evidence as Richard (Perle) says, that there have been such contacts (between Iraq and al Qaeda). It' s normal. It's natural. These are a lot of bad actors in the same region together. They are going to bump into each other. They are going to exchange information. They're going to feel each other out and see whether there are opportunities to cooperate. That's inevitable in this region, and I think it's clear that regardless of whether or not such evidence is produced of these connections that Saddam Hussein is a threat." -- Wesley Clark to Congress on September 26, 2002

"Can anything be more moving than the joyous throngs swarming the streets of Baghdad? Memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the defeat of Milosevic in Belgrade flood back. Statues and images of Saddam are smashed and defiled...President Bush and Tony Blair should be proud of their resolve in the face of so much doubt. And especially Mr. Blair, who skillfully managed tough internal politics, an incredibly powerful and sometimes almost irrationally resolute ally, and concerns within Europe. Their opponents, those who questioned the necessity or wisdom of the operation, are temporarily silent, but probably unconvinced." -- Wesley Clark in a London Times editorial on 4/10/03

"At the time, I probably would have voted (to give Bush authorization to go to war), but I think that's too simple a question." -- Wesley Clark before he backtracked on this the next day

"I think I've been very consistent...I've been against this war from the beginning. I was against it last summer, I was against it in the fall, I was against it in the winter, I was against it in the spring. And I'm against it now." -- Fox News/Congressional Black Caucus Democrat Candidate Debate, 10/26/03

[Dog]

Amazing comment...wonder how the loons at DU are taking this bit of news.

[expatpat]

It's also amazing that it took this long, and it took Drudge, to dig this up.

I'll bet F'Kerry et al had it and were saving it up until just before the NH primary.

[Graymatter]

The only thing consistent about Clark is his inconsistency.

Ever notice? Clark has an unusually symmetrical face. Life's funny that way.

[ZGuy]

Here are some audio cuts that some may find interesting. To listen instead of download go to : http://www.gop.com/News/GOPRadio.aspx

Wesley Clark Making the Case for War in Iraq: Cut 6
Clark notes that the problems in Iraq are coming to a head.

Length: :23 seconds
| Download It

• Wesley Clark Making the Case for War in Iraq: Cut 5
  Clark voices his support to Congress for President Bush’s “clear determination,” to take action against Hussein if the United Nations will not.
  
  Length: :43 seconds
  | Download It
  
  
  
• Wesley Clark Making the Case for War in Iraq: Cut 4
  Clark describes Hussein’s pursuit of additional weapons of mass destruction.
  
  Length: :31 seconds
  | Download It
  
  
  
• Wesley Clark Making the Case for War in Iraq: Cut 3
  Clark gives his assessment of Hussein’s standing on the world stage.
  
  Length: :02 seconds
  | Download It
  
  
  
• Wesley Clark Making the Case for War in Iraq: Cut 2
  Clark tells Congress that Saddam Hussein does, indeed, have weapons of mass destruction.
  
  Length: :24 seconds
  | Download It
  
  
  

[TommyDale]

Stand by .... it looks like almost all the leading candidates are imploding. Who knows what will be revealed before the 'cauci' (or is it 'cockeye'?) on Monday!

[MEG33]

I just read that Michael Moore has endorsed Clark....;)

[areafiftyone]

OOOOH thanks so much!!! I will listen when I go home. I am in a cubie at work now! :-)

[Dog]

The DU crowd is tearing into Lieberman for bringing this up...kool aid drinkers.

[Per-Ling]

"It may come as a surprise to some of his supporters, but Democratic Presidential candidate Wesley K. Clark still hasn't joined the Democratic Party. According to the Pulaski County (Ark.) Voter Registrar's office, the former four-star general remains a registered independent. Even though he has been a declared candidate for the Dem nomination for two weeks now, he has yet to officially change his party affiliation." -- October 1, Businessweek

"And I'm very glad we've got the great team in office, men like Colin Powell, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice... people I know very well - our president George W. Bush. We need them there." -- Wesley Clark, May 11, 2001

"(A)t a conference in Switzerland, (Wesley Clark) happened to chat with two prominent Republicans, Colorado Gov. Bill Owens and Marc Holtzman, now president of the University of Denver. 'I would have been a Republican,' Clark told them, 'if Karl Rove had returned my phone calls.'" -- Newsweek, 9/29/03. Clark claimed he was joking, Holtzman says he wasn't

"President George Bush had the courage and the vision... and we will always be grateful to President George Bush for that tremendous leadership and statesmanship." -- Wesley Clark, May 11, 2001

"We were really helped when President Ronald Reagan came in. I remember non-commissioned officers who were going to retire and they re-enlisted because they believed in President Reagan. That's the kind of President Ronald Reagan was. He helped our country win the Cold War. He put it behind us in a way no one ever believed would be possible. He was truly a great American leader. And those of us in the Armed Forces loved him, respected him, and tremendously admired him for his great leadership." -- Wesley Clark, May 11, 2001

[Wheee The People]

Wes has run so far into the fog of the left he can't remember what he's said or didn't say.

[Howlin]

Stand by .... it looks like almost all the leading candidates are imploding. Who knows what will be revealed before the 'cauci' (or is it 'cockeye'?) on Monday!

And God only knows what we'll hear between now and then. I'm scared to leave the TV and FR!

I may give somebody my cell phone number if I leave the house.......LOL.

[Howlin]

the guys from the pentagon told me two weeks after 9/11 we were attacking Iraq

Didn't he already have to retract THAT statement, too?