Attacks

SENATOR KERRY: “Kerry offered an across-the-board critique of the administration’s foreign policy. ‘It’s reluctant. It’s shifting. It’s inconsistent . . . It’s reactive, not proactive.’” (Dan Balz, “Democrats Speak Up On Foreign Policy,” The Washington Post, July 15, 2002)

SENATOR EDWARDS: “[W]e still don’t have bin Laden. And we still don’t have a lot of the top levels of the al Qaeda leaders. . . . Well, I’m not satisfied that we’re doing everything we can do.” (Senator Edwards, CNN’s “Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer,” July 14, 2002)

SENATOR KERRY: “Mr. Bush, ‘when given the opportunity to destroy Al Qaeda in the mountains Tora Bora,’ should not have turned the task over to Afghan warlords, thus allowing many members of the terrorist network to escape.” (Adam Nagourney, “Democratic Aspirants Accuse Bush Of Economic Blunders,” The New York Times, July 30, 2002)

Reality

An ABC News Poll, Conducted September 12-14, 2002, Of 760 Adults, With A Margin Of Error Of +/-3.5 %, Revealed That 91% Think It Is Very Or Somewhat Important For The U.S. To Force Hussein From Power. (ABC News Poll, September 16, 2002)

President Bush Is Making Progress Toward Achieving Peace In The Middle East. “Arab foreign ministers expressed satisfaction in their talks Thursday with President George W. Bush on efforts to achieve Middle East peace.” (“Bush, Arab Talks Positive,” United Press International, July 18, 2002)

The Bush Administration Consulted With Middle Eastern Nations On The Possibility Of War With Iraq. President Bush and his National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice met privately with Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia for about an hour on August 27, 2002. Discussions focused on prospects for peace in the Middle East and the war on terrorism and Saudi Arabia’s cooperation in it. (Leigh Strope, “Bush Holding Talks At Ranch With Saudi Ambassador In Effort To Highlight Ties,” The Associated Press, August 27, 2002)

President Bush Consulted With Congress On The Possibility Of War With Iraq. “Bush met Wednesday with congressional leaders at the White House, a first step as he tries to persuade lawmakers, the American people and the world that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his weapons programs must be stopped.” (Ken Guggenheim, “Congress Reassured By Bush Commitments On Iraq, But Still Wary Of War,” The Associated Press, September 5, 2002)

Senator Kerry Praised The Administration For The Success Of The War On Terrorism. “I think our guys are doing a superb job. I think we’ve had, things break for us, the way, one would want them to, but in addition, I think the people you just heard, they are trained, they are ready. I think we have been smart, I think the administration leadership has done it well and we are on right track.” (Senator Kerry, CNN’s “Larry King Live,” December 14, 2001)

Senator Lieberman Fully Supported President Bush’s Call To Action To Members Of The United Nations Regarding Saddam Hussein. “President Bush today delivered a powerful and convincing indictment of Saddam Hussein and the grave threat he poses not just to the United States and the people of the world, but to the legitimacy and authority of the United Nations, which Saddam has outrageously defied and deceived for more than a decade. I fully support the President's call to action to the members of U.N . . .” (Senator Lieberman, “Lieberman Calls Bush Speech Powerful Indictment Of Saddam Hussein,” September 12, 2002)

Senator Kerry Acknowledged How “Difficult” A Place Tora Bora Is And How “Elusive” Bin Laden Is. “The bottom line is that the closest we came was in Tora Bora. . . . But the fact is that it is a difficult place. [bin Laden] is elusive. I think they are doing the maximum amount right now possible to try to track him down.” (Senator Kerry, CNN’s “Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer,” January 20, 2002)

Defense Secretary Rumsfeld Believes The War On Terrorism Is About Much More Than Just Capturing Bin Laden. “So, your characterization as having as our goal the capture of a single individual is an inaccurate characterization. We have problems that are much bigger than any one person, and trying to personify the problem is catchy for headlines, but it’s not terribly useful in the global war on terrorism.” (Defense Secretary Rumsfeld, Department Of Defense Briefing, June 27, 2002)