The Right Way in Iraq (John Edwards)

[NVMojo]

By John Edwards
Sunday, November 13, 2005; B07

I was wrong.

Almost three years ago we went into Iraq to remove what we were told -- and what many of us believed and argued -- was a threat to America. But in fact we now know that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction when our forces invaded Iraq in 2003. The intelligence was deeply flawed and, in some cases, manipulated to fit a political agenda.

It was a mistake to vote for this war in 2002. I take responsibility for that mistake. It has been hard to say these words because those who didn't make a mistake -- the men and women of our armed forces and their families -- have performed heroically and paid a dear price.

The world desperately needs moral leadership from America, and the foundation for moral leadership is telling the truth.

While we can't change the past, we need to accept responsibility, because a key part of restoring America's moral leadership is acknowledging when we've made mistakes or been proven wrong -- and showing that we have the creativity and guts to make it right.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/11/AR2005111101623_pf.html

[Inspired]

1. Bravo Senator...eom

[halobeam]

2. First Three Words: I WAS WRONG.

THIS is exactly what we've been asking for. And then some.

I'm making copies galore and people are going to see this. The community college around here too, will have an ample supply of copies.

Bravo, indeed.

And then some.

[halobeam]

3. Kick

[callady]

4. For the record interview on Hardball Oct. 13th, 2003

MATTHEWS: If you knew last October when you had to cast an aye or nay vote for this war, that we would be unable to find weapons of mass destruction after all these months there, would you still have supported the war?

EDWARDS: It wouldn’t change my views. I said before, I think that the threat here was a unique threat. It was Saddam Hussein, the potential for Saddam getting nuclear weapons, given his history and the fact that he started the war before.

<snip>

MATTHEWS: Were you misled by the president in the State of the Union address on the argument that Saddam Hussein was trying get uranium from Niger?

EDWARDS: I guess the answer to that is no. I did not put a lot of stock in that.

<snip>

MATTHEWS: Would you have gone to Iraq?

EDWARDS: I would have gone to Iraq. I don’t think I would have approached it the way this president did. I don’t think-See I think what happened, if you remember back historically, remember I had an up or down vote. I stand behind it. Don’t misunderstand me.

Interview Here:
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3131295

[usregimechange]

5. Good for him, just improved his 08 chances.

[otohara]

6. How Comforting, Such A Departure From The Terra, Terra, Terra

we get from DimSon and his cabal of liars.

Three more depressing years of terra, terra, terra and no solutions, no coherent discussions.

[wellst0nev0ter]

7. Too Little. Too Late.

The John/John ticket's pathological obstinancy regarding their 2002 vote precluded whatever chance they had to distinguish themselves from Bush to the general public during the election, and the public went with the ones who can phone in phony terra alerts. They could have said repeatedly with total justification "he looked me in the eye and lied to my face," but instead they chose the "mee too" politics.

This is a good step, but no more am I supporting any enablers of the right-wing agenda again.

[DubyaSux]

11. Took the words...

....right out of my fingers.

If someone like me could figure out that Saddam would have needed massive production facilities - easily verified - to keep up with a supply of weapons with a very short shelf life (3 years for bio, 5 years for chemical), then Edwards should have been able to figure that out.

These cowards are wanting a do-over. Now they show their bravery. After >30K Iraqis and >2K Americans have died. I'm sorry, but these mea culpas are not credible. Edwards and his ilk voted for this war because of re-election - pure and simple. They did not want to have a "no" vote recorded if we were attacked again. It was politics over principle.

Go to hell Edwards. I would not vote for any son-of-a-bitch that has buyer's remorse when they should have known better.

I expected Bush to be a lying bastard. I didn't expect our Democratic leaders to start acting like they didn't know what they were doing.

I'm not sure who thinks we're the biggest idiots - Republicans or the Democrats that finally got a conscience.

[Triana]

8. This is something you will NEVER hear GWB or a member...

...of his crime cabal say: "I was wrong."

This is what seperates the wheat from the chaffe, the Democrats from the Republicans.

INTEGRITY.

[GL1]

9. bullshit

"The urgent question isn't how we got here but what we do now"

The urgent question is exactly how did we get here, and how do we punish those responsible.

Otherwise it is like a victim of a crime being taken care of by the criminal, without any punishment or responsibility for the guilty party. It just doesn't make sense or have integrity.

[mymomwasright]

10. Indeed!

The Dems need to take the "get back to the business of the American people" blurb and turn it around on them. Something like; "Does that mean not holding people in high office accountable for their actions, senator (Mr President, VP, Etc)?"

These guys gotta start fighting! Make these War-hawks loose their cool to expose the true colors!

[Liberal_Andy]

12. BRAVO JOHN!!!

:yourock:

I've been waiting for this, all is forgiven!

Liberal Andy

We love you, John and Elizibeth!

:hi:

[occuserpens]

13. Not that Edwards cares

Robert Scheer. On Leaving the LA Times

[yurbud]

14. 90% right, but missing three crucial letters: O-I-L

Until Dems demand Bush renounce claims to oil, and explicitly spell out that it's what they were after, my fear is that they really want to do the Iraq War "right" rather than give the country back to their own people.