John Kerry and the Iraq War

It seems that John Kerry is slowly finding his voice regarding Iraq. At New York University in Manhattan yesterday, he clearly outlined what George W. Bush is doing wrong in Iraq, and he also explained in full detail how he would have done things differently. Furthermore, Kerry emphasized that his vote in the Senate on the October 2002 Iraq resolution was not a vote to go war, but a vote to give Bush the authority to go to war if it was absolutely necessary - and Kerry made it clear that Bush rushed to war instead of exhausting every possibility to get Saddam Hussein to comply with United Nations resolutions.

There was only one problem with Kerry's speech, apart from the fact that you couldn't encapsulate his position on a bumper sticker - he suggested no alternative way of removing Saddam from power. Because how could sanctions - which backfired miserably, by the way - have forced him out?

Still, the speech was a start. And it contrasted quite vividly with Bush's bullying lecture to the United Nations General Assembly today defending his decision to go to war. He said nothing about the obvious problems in Iraq and how he planned to overcome them. Nor did he offer an olive branch to the major countries who opposed his policy from the outset.

Meanwhile, a group of protesters outside the UN's headquarters complained how Bush isn't spending enough time on domestic affairs. No, no, guys, you got it all wrong - I want Bush not to spend enough time on domestic affairs. Because if he does pay more attention to domestic policy, that will mean more budget cuts to hurt the poor and more tax cuts for the rich! Please, don't get Bush to pay more attention to his domestic agenda - you'll only encourage him! :-O