More Lies From Hillary Clinton About Her Iraq War Vote

Sweetness & Light ^ | February 10, 2007 | N/A

[Sam Hill]

From New Hampshire's Manchester Union Leader:

Hillary: I didn't vote for war

By JOHN DISTASO
February 9, 2007

MANCHESTER – New York Sen. Hillary Clinton said yesterday her 2002 vote for a resolution authorizing the invasion of Iraq was "not a vote for a pre-emptive war," but instead a show of support for further United Nations weapons inspections.

The Democratic Presidential front-runner, who has been criticized by hard-line anti-war groups for not apologizing for the vote, emphasized that distinction in a telephone interview from Washington...

"I will let others speak for themselves," she said. "I have taken responsibility for that vote. It was based on the best assessment that I could make at the time, and it was clearly intended to demonstrate support for going to the United Nations to put inspectors into Iraq."

She said that when she explained her vote four years ago, "I said that it was not a vote for pre-emptive war."

A Clinton campaign spokesman later noted that on the Senate floor on Oct. 10, 2002, Clinton stated that her vote for the resolution "is not, however, a vote for any new doctrine of pre-emption, or for unilateralism, or for the arrogance of American power or purpose -- all of which carry grave dangers for our nation, for the rule of international law and for the peace and security of people the throughout the world."

In the interview, the former first lady said the Bush administration forced an end to the final round of weapons inspections and invaded prematurely. The administration is responsible for the current status of the war, she said, and for being "grossly misinformed" or for having "twisted the intelligence to satisfy a preconceived version of the facts" before the invasion.

"Either interpretation casts grave doubt on their judgment," she said. "If they were so intent on pursuing military action, a pre-emptive action, which I said at the time I opposed, against Saddam Hussein, then why on earth were they not better prepared and more competent in its execution?"

Clinton said Bush and his administration "have performed a great disservice to our men and women in uniform, to our country, to our vital national security interests in the region and to the ongoing struggle against Islamic extremists."

Clinton spoke with the New Hampshire Union Leader on the eve of her first campaign visit to the first-in-the-nation primary state. She is scheduled to talk to voters today in Berlin and Concord and tomorrow in Manchester, Nashua and Keene...

Clinton said she has proposed capping the U.S. military force in Iraq at the Jan. 1 level and has "voted for more than a year and a half to begin redeploying our troops out of Iraq."

She does not "at this time" support a cut in funding for American troops in Iraq. She backs instead a cut in funding for Iraqi troops.

"We have got to get their attention," she said of the Iraqi leadership. She said they "do not fulfill their promises" and make "worthless" assurances.

She predicted that if Congress were to approve a funding cut, Bush would veto it.

"I hate to say that," she said, "but I think that shows the level of stubbornness and rigidity that we are confronting with this President." ...

Clinton said that after the United Nations Security Council supported sending inspectors into Iraq in November 2002, "Saddam Hussein was contained and there was no reason not to let the inspectors finish their job to find answers to the questions many people had."

She said Congress' authorization a month earlier "did not necessarily require the President to short-circuit the process to launch the invasion," adding, "The abrupt conclusion of the inspection process, I think, was a mistake."

She said an earlier Bush mistake came when he "diverted attention from Afghanistan and the war against al-Qaida and the opportunity to build a strong international alliance against extremism and terrorism" and focused on Saddam.

She said had she been President, "I think I would never had asked for" authority to invade Iraq because she would not have begun the war...

"What was not reasonable was manipulating the intelligence, which we now know occurred, and refusing to allow the inspectors under the edict of the United Nations to do their work." ...

Clinton said, "If we had known then what we know now about both the allegations concerning Saddam's intentions and capacity and about our own government's intentions, we would never have had a vote, and if there had been a vote, I certainly would never have voted to give the President authority," she said.

Hillary Clinton is a liar.

Once again, here are excerpts from my transcription of Ms. Clinton's remarks to (a hostile) CodePink, two weeks before the start of the Iraq War, which you can also watch via YouTube:

Hillary Clinton, March 6, 2003

... There is a very easy way to prevent anyone from being put into harm’s way, and that is for Saddam Hussein to disarm. And I have absolutely no belief that he will. I have to say that this is something I have followed for more than a decade...

And the very difficult question for all of us is how does one bring about the disarmament of someone with such a proven track record of a commitment if not an obsession with weapons of mass destruction. And I ended up voting for the resolution after carefully reviewing the information and intelligence that I had available, talking with people whose opinions I trusted, trying to discount political or other factors that I didn’t believe should be in any way a part this decision.

And it is unfortunate that we are at the point of a potential military action to enforce the resolution. That is not my preference, it would be far preferable if we not only had legitimate cooperation from Saddam Hussein and a willingness on his part to disarm and account for his chemical and biological storehouses, but that if we had a much broader alliance and coalition.

But we are in a very difficult position right now...

With respect to whose responsibility it is to disarm Saddam Hussein. I just do not believe that given the attitudes of many people in the world community today that there would be a willingness to take on very difficult problems were it not for the United States leadership.

And I’m talking specifically about what had to be done in Bosnia and Kosovo, where my husband could not get a Security Council Resolution to save the the Kosavar Albanians from ethnic cleansing. And we did it alone as the United States. And we had to do it alone...

I am willing to take a very difficult step for me to say we have to disarm this man...

As we have noted before, once the war was fought and won, the Iraqi regime overthrown and Saddam captured, Hillary Rodham was singing a vastly different tune before the Council On Foreign Relations:

Remarks by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Rodham Clinton

December 15, 2003
Council on Foreign Relations

…When we were attacked on September the 11th and when we lost nearly 3,000 men, women and children, for many Americans, that was also a loss of innocence and a sense of invulnerability. I remain absolutely confident in our eventual victory over the forces of terror, but I also believe that we have our work cut out for us and that what we face is a long-term challenge that not only is external but internal, as we define who we are, what our values should be in the face of this new threat...

It is essential that we win this war against these borderless terrorists...

I was one who supported giving President Bush the authority, if necessary, to use force against Saddam Hussein. I believe that that was the right vote. I have had many disputes and disagreements with the administration over how that authority has been used, but I stand by the vote to provide the authority because I think it was a necessary step in order to maximize the outcome that did occur in the Security Council with the unanimous vote to send in inspectors. And I also knew that our military forces would be successful...

Excerpted. Please read the rest of the article at Sweetness & Light...

[Sam Hill]

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[Sam Hill]

More Hillarity.

[somemoreequalthanothers]

If she doesn't understand what she is voting for as a senator, perhaps it doesn't speak well of her competence.

[stm]

Her vote is a matter of public record and yes Hildabeast, you did vote in favor of it. This witch, like so many of the dhimmicrats, re-invents reality to whatever suits here agendas. Every time she opens her piehole she shows the world what a total ass she is.

[PGalt]

"Let's Chat", "Let's Have a Conversation" lies?

Let's chat and have a conversation is a continuous never-ending lie.

Let's vote.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

she reminds me of my ex-wife..covers all her bases by talking out of both sides of her mouth so no matter what happens she can say she was for it, against it, waiting for more information, etc..etc..

[avacado]

"Every nation has to either be with us, or against us. Those who harbor terrorists, or who finance them, are going to pay a price."

Senator Hillary Clinton (Democrat, New York)
September 13, 2001
http://www.wavsource.com/news/20010911a.htm

[jackv]

Oh my. Her ability to lie so brazenly is stunning. She was very clear before the war on her views that hussein was not complying with the UN and needed to be stopped. She is sickening.
Hannity on America tomorrow night is going to display her
lies. Boycott the grammys and watch.
Does she really think we won't know the truth????

[Miss Didi]

My, my...what big hands you have, Hillary. I guess they come in handy for swiping files and hurling ashtrays.

[PatrickF4]

I would respect her more if she said, "I was wrong...". I wouldn't agree with her, but I would respect her more. All of this flimflam is political rhetoric - she voted for the war in the sense of forcing Iraq to disarm. She doesn't want to admit she believed the reports of WMDs, she doesn't want to admit to being wrong.

[neodad]

she reminds me of my ex-wife..covers all her bases by talking out of both sides of her mouth so no matter what happens she can say she was for it, against it, waiting for more information, etc..etc..

No, that was my ex-wife.

[roses of sharon]

For most Americans history begins when they wake up in the morning and listen to the TV.

Hillary and the MSM have over a year to rewrite history.

She knows that help from Hollywood, Academia, and all major media is coming, and is quite comfortable with her lies.

[avacado]

"the former first lady said the Bush administration... is responsible for the current status of the war, she said, and for being "grossly misinformed" or for having "twisted the intelligence to satisfy a preconceived version of the facts" before the invasion.

"CLINTON: Good evening.

Earlier today, I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq. They are joined by British forces. Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.

Their purpose is to protect the national interest of the United States,...

The hard fact is that so long as Saddam remains in power, he threatens the well-being of his people, the peace of his region, the security of the world.

The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people."

President Clinton
Oval Office Address to the American People
December 16, 1998


http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1998/12/16/transcripts/clinton.html

[Hoodat]

Just as every cop is a criminal,
and all the sinners saints.
As heads is tails, just call me Lucifer
'cause I'm in need of some restraint.
And if you meet me have some courtesy, some sympathy and some taste.
Bring along your well-learned politesse, or I'll lay your soul to waste.

[NoDRodee]

"instead a show of support for further United Nations weapons inspections"

Now what would she vote on further inspections if she knew Saddam didn't have chem weapons.

[jocko12]

Just doing the flopping part of flip flop but she will flip back soon.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

When I see her icy look, I can almost feel sorry for Bill. Almost.

[ex-snook]

Hillary why are you qualified to be President?

1) I can be duped
2) I can lie
3) I can blow a major decision
4) My name is Clinton

[popdonnelly]

You can tell a Clinton by the BS that comes out of their mouths.

[johnny7]

Hannity on America tomorrow night is going to display her lies

Better watch it... because you won't see this done by the DBM.

Obama has given her even more cover... his 'candidacy' is merely a DBM red herring foisted on the sheeple. They focus all eyes on him... while she skates free of questioning until primary-time.