Should Kerry make a trip to Iraq?

[bobbyboucher]

To see for himself what is going on and show the country who the real coward is? Risky, but why not?

[Raya]

1. He should. But he needs his own private special forces protection.

I would not trust Rumsfeld not to pull something really dirty.

[Machiavelli05]

34. Come on now..

I realize how this board is, and that I am new - but i am not new to politics and I really think comments like these cause the Dems and Dem activists in general to lose a lot of credibility. I do not believe it is even a plausibly debatable point that the administration would plot against the life of Kerry.

[RobinA]

37. You ARE New,

aren't you?

[RobinA]

38. You ARE New,

aren't you?

[Machiavelli05]

47. Only to the board

I sincerely hope you, nor no one here is going to get teenybopper-ish and start bashing on "newbies" because I assure you I may be new to the board - but that doesnt mean I dont know anything.

[GreenArrow]

2. Yes

He should absolutely do it. He doesn't even need to publicize it. The act will create its own publicity. The sooner the better. And it shouldn't be plastic turkey photo-ops with hand picked audiences; it should be out where the action is, with ordinary soldiers, and in military hospitals.

[LiberalBushFan]

3. Yep, that's what I've been thinking.

It couldn't hurt.

[mitchtv]

4. yes

.

[Quixote1818]

5. Yes, it would draw big press coverage!

[Quixote1818]

6. Also, then Kerry could attack based on first hand experience. Something

Bush would not have!

[Kimber Scott]

7. NO!

Bush goes to Iraq for photo-ops, Kerry doesn't stoop so low.

[bobbyboucher]

21. Expected as much.

Thanks.

[madmax]

8. Sounds like a Mission Accomplished stunt

to me. The election is around the corner. He should spend his time here talking about his plans for us. Iraqis in Iraq aren't going to the polls in November to decide the US Presidential election.

Just my 2 cents.

[Quixote1818]

15. Look, Iraq is a mess and what happens their effects our kids and my pocket

book. We are now tied to Iraq and it's a legitimate part of this election. This is nothing like the Mission Accomplished Stunt. Not even close. Kerry needs to take away the spotlight from Bush and thats what this would do.

[cheshire]

9. No not until Jan. He is not president until then.

[Quixote1818]

17. So what senators go to Iraq all the time and Kerry needs first hand

experience with the place to make educated decisions if he becomes president.

[faithfulcitizen]

25. yes, but with care -nt

[goclark]

41. Many of the Senators have visited Iraq

IMO, he has every right to go whenever he wants to.
It would be great if he could visit some of our soldiers.

[oasis]

10. No.

[Quixote1818]

11. This is an AWESOME idea!! Here is why!!!!

If Kerry made a trip to Iraq and surveyed the area and talked to the locals and troops he would gain huge press coverage, be seen as proactive, brave, a leader and then he could make jabs at Bush's Iraq policy based on first hand experience. It would then be Kerry taking the spotlight off Bush and Kerry setting the agenda in Iraq!!! If you agree then please call the Kerry campaign and tell them about this idea. GREAT IDEA, bobbyboucher!!!

Contact National Headquarters
Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc.
P.O. Box 34640
Washington, DC 20043
202-712-3000
202-712-3001 (fax)
202-336-6950 (TTY)

[Quixote1818]

12. Also, ANYTHING that gets people thinking about Iraq is a plus for Kerry

It reminds them that Iraq is a mess because of Bush.

[rndmprsn]

13. Kerry going to Iraq...

and talking to military people and seeing how the place is such a mess might give him just enough political cover he needs to change his stance on the war...and then the real campaign begins.

not sure if that is whats going to happen, but whatever...it needs to be bold.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

14. Yes!! Several House and Senate members have made the trip...

He would be comfortable in the setting, talking with the front line soldiers, he would not need Rove to direct his every move, he would look great. Furthermore, he could show GWB what being a leader who visits the front line REALLY look like.
He'd be comfortable in his flak vest, and would also, if necessary, look like he could handle say, an M-16. All and all, this would really point up differences between the two. MKJ

[Leilani]

16. He is already in trouble for his trip to Paris

If he goes, he better have the govts OK.

Doubt he would go, anyway.

[Kahuna]

18. No!!!!!!!!!!!!

:wtf:

[liberalpragmatist]

19. Is the security situation good enough?

Seriously - I think it would be a great idea, but it's getting quite close to the election now. He'd have to make sure that time spent in Iraq is going to be valuable and isn't going to be a net loss when compared to the time he could've been campaigning in Ohio, Florida, or Pennsylvania.

But the bigger question here is, what's the security situation like? I realize that he'd probably be safe, but I don't want to take any chances. Extremists would much rather than Bush win than Kerry - it's not inconceivable that Kerry would get killed by Sadrists. And that's something I definitely don't want to see happen.

[Jacobin]

32. You're kidding, right?

Yeah. The "security situation" (translate: we don't control 8 major cities and can't travel outside of the Green Zone without getting shot at) is non-existent. Not even worth discussing.

[liberalpragmatist]

44. Well, that's my point

Believe me, I know how f*cked Iraq is right now. The question is would Kerry be SAFE to visit Iraq right now. I don't think he would be. Of course, I do think he should visit, but I think only once he's elected President should he go - it's too risky right now.

[Dragon Turtle]

20. No

[bobbyboucher]

22. Very thoughtful, pragmatic, deep even.

Thanks for the input. You are wrong however. Kerry should go to Iraq and see what the fuck is going on over there. Spend about three days over there. Get a good look at what the story is and then come back and report it.

[TheDonkey]

23. Rethugs would love that

bring down his plane in Iraq. :wtf:

[DoYouEverWonder]

24. He should promise that one of the first things he will do

as President is to go to Iraq, to see first hand how bad the situation is and to start a dialog with the Iraqi people, in order to start the process of giving them back their country.

[IronLionZion]

26. They'll assassinate him

and "they" won't be Iraqis.

[catbert836]

27. Yes, but go without the press

And just ask the soldiers how they feel, what they could make them feel better, etc. Something Bush never bothered to do.

[Disturbed]

28. Yes, he should go there.

He should request a meeting with al Sistani, the actual "unofficial leader" leader of Iraq.

[Shuck and Jive]

29. Could be bad photo situation

Remember the troops snubbing Hillary Clinton at the dinner table.

This could backfire big time with a single photo. BAD IDEA

[Leilani]

30. He should have gone a long time ago!!!

And maybe he would have some answers on Iraq now.

Has he been to Afghanistan?

Some Senators & Reps have already made 3-4 trips over there.

Now it would look like a cheap stunt photo op.

[Jacobin]

31. What would be the point?

To highlight the fuck-up that it is.....that he did not vote against?

It would make a bad situation worse, put people unnecessarily in danger (I'm sure the insurgents would love to take a crack at any high level visitor) and be a stunt.

[Quixote1818]

39. I think he would be safe. They would not say where he was going to go.

There are hundreds of high level Americans over their including Generals. Also many Senators have gone over their including Hillary Clinton.

[Bleacher Creature]

33. Hell no

In a perfect world -- he absolutely should go there. But we all know how the hypocrites in the media will handle it. While they virtually ignored any criticism of *'s cheap photo-ops (e.g. plastic turkeys, Mission Accomplished), you know that Faux News, CNN, MSRNC will all jump on Kerry for doing it.

It's not fair, but it's true.

[gulliver]

43. Fox, CNN, MSNBC probably would not jump on him if he "embedded" them.

The RNC would paint it as "Kerry endangering the lives of soldiers" by pulling a stunt.

But on the other hand, what are they going to say when Kerry says, "Well, now. About Dubya's little turkey incident..."

[WI_DEM]

35. remember in '52 Ike said "I will go to Korea"

and he did right after the election. It probably won him the election. It is an intriguing idea.

[hexola]

46. Wow - good idea alert -

Great observation...perhaps for the debates...

[goodhue]

36. certainly

as should all senators

[Quixote1818]

40. Hilary Clinton went so why not Kerry???

[incapsulated]

42. NO!

First, I'm afriad he would come home in a box, and not because of the "insurgents and terrorists" either.

Second, it would look like he was grandstanding and the media would tear him to shreds over it (yes, I know what Bush does, but there is a double-standard, in case you haven't heard). Now, I'm all for the Kerry campaign to take more risks and be more aggressive, but not to the point of foolishness. Senators and the like are a different story, they aren't running for President.

He just needs to be more clear and aggressive on the ISSUE, he doesn't need to go over there.

[hexola]

45. Of course - right after his inauguration...nt

[LarryBaker]

48. Yes. Since he voted for it,

he better go and take a first-hand look at the mess he helped create.