We Must Take Unilateral Action

[Sprayber]

Or So Dean said about Serbia



Politics is so very funny.


http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/...nia/index.html

But in 1995, Dean urged President Clinton to use American warplanes to support the embattled Bosnian Muslim government during that country's three-year civil war, according to a letter published Wednesday in USA Today.

Campaign spokesman Jay Carson said Wednesday that Dean opposed the Iraq war "because it was the wrong war at the wrong time, not because he believes military force should never be used."

Carson told CNN that Dean believes the United States should "always strive to act multilaterally."

In 1995, he told Clinton that it was "no longer possible" to act in conjunction with the NATO allies or the United Nations, and "I have reluctantly concluded that we must take unilateral action."

The civil war among Bosnia's Muslim, Croat and Serb populations was Europe's bloodiest conflict since the end of World War II, and Dean said the United States risked its moral credibility if it did not take action there.

Eventually, NATO did launch airstrikes against Serb forces besieging the capital, Sarajevo, and a U.S.-brokered peace treaty was signed later that year.

[The Emperor Fabulous]

Poor ideological Dean. Why would the US ever step out of its way to help a Muslim country?

[Sprayber]

He called Clark a republican Guess the chances of a Dean Clark or a Clark Dean ticket is getting dim

[Ned]

To be sure, Dean's position is that unitlateral action is necessary only if the war is otherwise justified and the UN or Nato refuses to act.

[Mr. President]

Dean is a *$^*%& idiot. When I say that I'm thinking mainly about his economic "ideas".

[Sprayber]

IIRC Bush approved of the actions against Serbia as well against the prevailing opinion of most conservatives.

[Ned]

Originally posted by Sprayber
IIRC Bush approved of the actions against Serbia as well against the prevailing opinion of most conservatives.

Possibly. However, Bush campaigned on the philosophy that interventions were not a good idea -- referencing Kosovo, IIRC.

It looks like Dean's and Bush's positions have flipped.

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by Ned


Possibly. However, Bush campaigned on the philosophy that interventions were not a good idea -- referencing Kosovo, IIRC.

It looks like Dean's and Bush's positions have flipped.

I know what he campaigned on but CNN showed an interview where he said he supported what was done there.

[Sprayber]

Like MTG said in another thread, no one campaigns supporting going to war or taking action. It's easy to critize something your opponant or predessor has done but when your in charge things begins to look different.

[monkspider]

We must take unilateral action to prevent shortages of carbonated beverages in our nation's supermarkets.

[Sprayber]

Originally posted by monkspider
We must take unilateral action to prevent shortages of carbonated beverages in our nation's supermarkets.

Drink iced tea.

[monkspider]

Originally posted by Sprayber



Drink iced tea.

Good advice.

[rah]

You know things are bad for Dean when a poll done by the chicago tribune shows that he would lose Illinois to Bush if the election was tomorrow. Illinois going republican in a presidential election is not normal these days.

[GePap]

Dean has been getting immensely negative press for about a month- I don;t see any other cadidate having every single thing they said scrutanized as completely-none of the other dems, certainly not Bush. NO wonder his numbers are down.

As for the comment-

Notice how he state we should strive to be unilateral- strive does not mean all the time, it means we should make it the regular tool- in 1995 he felt that was no longer an option (remembering the war begun in '91, and was a hot topic all of 93 and 94) after years of deliberating action. Compare that with Iraq and Bush's drive for multilateralism (all 4 months of it...).

Of course, that annalysis does not fit into a coy soundbite, so it will fall by the wayside.

[Ned]

GePap, I think Dean meant unilateral in that they US should act alone if justice required taking action. I don't think Bush has ever gone that far. I am sure that he would have backed off if he lost Britains supports. I read Dean's position is that we needed to act even if we were alone.

[GePap]

Originally posted by Ned
GePap, I think Dean meant unilateral in that they US should act alone if justice required taking action. I don't think Bush has ever gone that far. I am sure that he would have backed off if he lost Britains supports. I read Dean's position is that we needed to act even if we were alone.

NO, Bush was very clear that the US was willing to go at it alone, period. Brits or no Brits. Whether he would have acted politically in such a manner? quesitonable.

Again, Dean has said the US should strive for multilateral action- he has never said that precluded or excluded the posibility of unilateral action if all other means were exhausted. Bush in no way exhausted all means, specially if you take into account the disingenoues arguements he presented the international community. The press present this statement as some proof Dean is flip-floping. Read it carefully and you see it is not. But of course, reading carefully is a lost art. I don;t always read carefully, but at least I try. Sadly, a lot of the press doesn;t even try anymore.

[Ned]

What is Dean's position, then, on Iraq?

1) That unilateral action was not justified; or
2) that multilateral action was still possilble; or
3) No action was required, and that Saddam should have stayed in power?

[Ned]

Dean's position is clear

When intervention is justified

1) pursue action through the UN or NATO; and
2) if that fails after resonable attempts, pursue a US lead intervention (with a coalition if one can be formed.)

So, what is the basis for Dean's criticism of Iraq?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Dean definetly has a bad case of foot-in-mouth-itus, doesn't he?

[MrFun]

Well duh -- but try telling Chegitz that.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Banging my head against walls isn't something I like to do, Mr. Fun.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Banging my head against walls isn't something I like to do, Mr. Fun.

If that were the case, wouldn't you have me on ignore?

[Ned]

If Dean's position is that the war to remove Saddam was not justified and not legal, he should call for an immediate restoration of Saddam to power and a pullout of US forces.

[Nubclear]

I keep saying...if Dean gets the nomination, America is screwed no matter which way it turns.

Sorry

[monkspider]

It would be swell if we could all get behind Kuchinich, but hey, you win some, you lose some.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yeah, then we could really have a wacko in the White House, ms .

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yeah, then we could really have a wacko in the White House, ms .

But the reptilebeings from Planet Zarkon said that their going to vote for him.....

[monkspider]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Yeah, then we could really have a wacko in the White House, ms .

Wackos are our only hope.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Unfortunetly Perot isn't running.

[Ned]

Gephardt gave a speach today in Iowa noting all the inconsistencies between Dean's former positions and his current positions and accused him of at least being insincere.

It was the best speech I have ever heard Gephardt make. He does have some passion down there and is not completely boring.