Kerry: ‘I Was Wrong' On Iraq

CNSNews.com ^ | June 13, 2006 | Nathan Burchfiel

[fuyb]

Washington, D.C. (CNSNews.com) - U.S. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts on Tuesday told an audience at the liberal Take Back America conference that he was sorry for voting to authorize the war in Iraq, calling the entire mission "a mistake."

"We were misled, we were given evidence that was not true," Kerry said. "It was wrong, and I was wrong to vote [for it]."

Kerry, who led an unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2004, said it was necessary to admit mistakes because "you cannot change the future if you''re not honest about the past." He criticized supporters of the war, who label anti-war activists and politicians as unpatriotic and pessimistic.

"The true pessimists are those who will not accept that America''s strength depends on our credibility at home and around the world," Kerry said. "The true pessimists are those who do not understand that valuing our principles is critical to our national security and it is as critical to our national security as our military power itself."

He said questioning the war and fighting in it are "two sides of the very same patriotic coin" and compared the modern anti-war movement to the anti-war movement in the Vietnam War. Kerry, who served in Vietnam, returned to the United States and offered testimony to Congress, opposing the war and describing horrific war crimes he said soldiers committed there.

He said opposing the war is "a right and an obligation" because it was "founded on a lie [and] can never be true to America''s character."

Kerry also lashed out at war supporters who accuse anti-war activists of not supporting the troops. "The best way to support the troops is to oppose a course that destroys their lives," he said.

Kerry renewed his call for a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, saying that he supports setting a timetable for the removal in Iraq that is not "cut and run." Without saying when he would like troops removed from the war zone, Kerry said he believes "we need a hard and fast deadline."

Kerry made his comments during a speech at the annual Take Back America conference in the nation''s capital. Organized by the liberal Campaign for America''s Future, the conference has also feature U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton and U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. U.S. Sens. Russ Feingold and Barack Obama are scheduled to appear Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Republican National Committee was not immediately available for reaction to Kerry''s comments.

[jaycee]

Kerry is wrong on everything. Yeah, and he's ugly, too...

[Cinnamon]

Hell, his mother was wrong!

[OB1kNOb]

Kerry: ‘I Was Wrong'

THIS IS NEWS ??? ;-)

[JLO]

Thanks for the note. Do you recall the other site I mentioned, or are you just being polite? If polite, thanks.

Some folks here - are from before where I mentioned - PTSD101 - but they won't admit that for some reason.

[exit82]

Johnboy must be sucking on those gin-soaked raisins again.......

[fatima]

I never heard of PTSD101.I don't get out much:)

[citizensgratitude]

Mickey_1962

Thank God for those like your brother who gave all,

So that we could live in freedom.

My heart breaks for you and your family.

Thanks

[citizensgratitude]

Mickey_1962

Thank God for those like your brother who gave all,

So that we could live in freedom.

My heart breaks for you and your family.

Thanks

[citizensgratitude]

Mickey_1962

Thank God for those like your brother who gave all,

So that we could live in freedom.

My heart breaks for you and your family.

Thanks

[Allegra]

ScaryS(Kerry) picture!

[citizensgratitude]

Traitor he is !

Thanks for the levity....

[Wristpin]

Way back during the forgotten decade, Kerry actually advocated sending in ground troops to deal with Saddam. It was sometime around the DESERT FOX airstrikes.

[JLO]

I understand not getting out, believe me - me neither. But on-line activities can be your own venture.

Best to ya!

[fatima]

(((Hugs)))) Was talking about not getting out online beautiful.

[JLO]

Glad you read the link. Minnesota folks have done a lot for our troops. I've had that link as my tagline for quite some time.

Another really good place where folks all over can donate their freqent flier air miles to our military and family is:

Hero Miles. http://www.heromiles.org/

[JLO]

Ok, got ya!

[fatima]

:)

[JLO]

More than 540 million miles have been donated by the airlines and travelers throughout the USA, enough for over 22,600 round trip flights.

The men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families thank you.



One phone call does it all. I donated my miles, You can, too.

www.heromiles.com

Lord love our troops.

Easiest phone call, ever!

[Texas Eagle]

"We were misled, we were given evidence that was not true," Kerry said. "It was wrong, and I was wrong to vote [for it]."

But you didn't vote for it. Well, you sort of didn't. That is to say you sort of did and sort of didn't. I mean, you kind of in a roundabout way did but in the end you kind of in a roundabout way didn't.

So it's all good. No need to apologize. Unless, of course, you want to apologize for apologizing. That's not to say you'd be apologizing for apologizing about voting for something you quasi-pseudo-semi-voted for. You'd be apologizing for....

Ah, ferget it. I'm getting a headache.

[goldstategop]

Jean Francois Cheri was wrong then and he is wrong now. Back in 2003, he made the mistake of backing a war that we won with incredible swiftness. Today the French Poodle made the mistake of opposing a war that's nowhere close to being lost. You can give him credit for being consistent.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")