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.

[Argus]

America''s strength depends on our credibility at home and around the world," Kerry said

It's actually the other way around, Frenchie. First you demonstrate the strength, and that gives you the credibility. But hey, you have the hat so nothing else matters.

[Darkwolf377]

His favorite song is "I forgot to remember to forget..."

[DTogo]

"We were misled, we were given evidence that was not true,"

That's what John's wives say...

[Christian4Bush]

"I said at the time I would have preferred if we had given diplomacy a greater opportunity, but I think it was the right decision to disarm Saddam Hussein. And when the president made the decision, I supported him, and I support the fact that we did disarm him."
John F. Kerry, May 3, 2003

"Those who doubted whether Iraq or the world would be better off without Saddam Hussein, and those who believe that we are not safer with his capture, don't have the judgment to be president or the credibility to be elected president."
John F. Kerry, December 16, 2003

(editorial comment: tru dat...)

"Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it's the right authority for a president to have. But I would have used that authority as I have said throughout this campaign, effectively."
John F. Kerry, August 9, 2004

Iraq was "the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time."
John F. Kerry, September 6, 2004

As much as I hate to quote Larry O Donnell, Mr. Kerry is a CREEPY LIAR!

[bitt]

stole THAT .gif...neat!

[msjhall]

Kerry is right when Kerry is wrong.

[Darkwolf377]

"No, see, there you go--I wasn't saying I was wrong when I said it was right to invade, I'm saying, I was right when I said I was wrong to say it was right."

[MikeA]

"I blew it by not supporting the side that would have left Saddam in power likely now working on WMD and with Al Qaeda as well as rebuilding his military with the sanctions long ago having faded away, Zarqawi, a top Bin Laden deputy prior to the Iraq invasion, would be alive and well and plotting out of the reach of the US in a cave somewhere and hundreds if not thousands of Al Qaeda troops we've killed would instead be alive to re-focus their attentions on us and the West elsewhere."

[bitt]

thaks, Tonk

LT ping, and who's got some new keywords for this guy today?

[FreedomCalls]

He never has released his "secret plan to end the war" that he claimed to have in the debates has he?

[GretchenM]

"At least, I should be."

/s/ John Kerry

[Diver Dave]

[Gucho]

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."

[Continental Soldier]

If John Kerry didn't have the MSM doing all it can to keep him in the public eye, and doing all it can to present him as a serious, responsible and sincere American, would anybody have even stopped to listen to his pathetic 'flip-flops?" In fact, would anybody have considered him anything more than a public traitor to a strong America and just another "blame America" voice among the disappointed Stalinists?

[Jaysun]

Does anyone else find it curious that Kerry has received four purple hearts since the war in Iraq began?

[Mikey_1962]

Christ, just put them in the PX is they mean so little.....

The guy IS, WAS, and ALWAYS BE, the thing he fears most about himself: A FRAUD!!!!!

Think about it: He actually took the time to read the rules and exemptions about PH's BEFORE he went to VN!!!

I am sure NONE of his CO's knew what the hell he was planning ALL ALONG!

Oh he WANTED the award, he just wasn't willing to pay for it. And that is the definitive characteristic of a fraud.

[eleni121]

stole THAT .gif...neat!


___________________________________________________________

Be my guest..I stole it too. I wish I knew how to do that stuff...

[Buggman]

They need time to stifle their laughter.

[depressed in 06]

As long as this numb skull is coming clean, he might as well sign his SF180.

[sgtbono2002]

Kerry still lying his ass off about being misled. If he is so stupid that he let Bush, who the Dems call stupid ,mislead him then he doesnt deserve to be Senator.

Kerry needs a slap in the chops.