Resorte
14th April 2003, 15:10
Those comments may not undermine the President as he leads us into war, and they may not give comfort to our adversaries, but they come mighty close.
Dennis Hastert, 3/18/02
This destructive rhetoric does nothing more than demoralize our troops and second-guess our commander in chief.
Tom Delay, 3/20/03
With countless attacks like these on Democratic leaders, Republicans set a very high standard for patriotism: if you question the President of the United States while our troops are in danger, then you are not patriotic enough. But how do these same Republicans fare under their own standards?
On March 24, 1999, NATO began a strategic bombing campaign that resulted in the ouster of Slobodan Milosevic, a vicious tyrant currently in jail for his crimes against humanity.
Republicans fail their own "patriotism test." As our troops faced danger overseas, Republicans were strident in their criticism of President Clinton and his foreign policy, even going as far as criticizing the military campaign itself.
President (then-candidate) George W. Bush
"Bush, in Austin, criticized President Clinton's administration for not doing enough to enunciate a goal for the Kosovo military action and indicated the bombing campaign might not be a tough enough response. 'Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is,' Bush said." [Houston Chronicle, 4/9/99]
Attorney General (then-Senator) John Ashcroft
"A lackluster air campaign has given the Serb dictator Milosevic time to achieve most of his strategic goals in Kosovo." [New York Times, 4/8/99]
House Majority Leader (then-Whip) Tom DeLay
"I cannot support a failed foreign policy... But before we get deeper embroiled into this Balkan quagmire, I think that an assessment has to be made of the Kosovo policy so far. President Clinton has never explained to the American people why he was involving the U.S. military in a civil war in a sovereign nation, other than to say it is for humanitarian reasons, a new military/foreign policy precedent." [Congressional Record, "Removal of United States Armed Forces from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," 4/28/99]
House Speaker Dennis Hastert
"Many may question the path that has taken us to this point. I have my own questions about the long term strategy of this campaign." [Dallas Morning News, 3/25/99]
Senator (then-Assistant Majority Leader) Don Nickles
"The Administration, and NATO as a whole, greatly miscalculated the response Slobodan Milosevic would have to a bombing campaign. As I predicted, the Administration has escalated what was guerilla warfare into a much more serious conflict. The bombings have unleashed an evil reign and resulted in a humanitarian disaster." [Senator Don Nickles, Press Release, 4/21/99]
Senator Judd Gregg
"I don't believe that a ground war in Kosovo using American troops is going to be very successful." [NBC, "Meet the Press," 4/18/99]
Senator Richard Lugar
"This is President Clinton's war, and when he falls flat on his face, that's his problem." [New York Times, 5/4/99]
Dennis Hastert, 3/18/02
This destructive rhetoric does nothing more than demoralize our troops and second-guess our commander in chief.
Tom Delay, 3/20/03
With countless attacks like these on Democratic leaders, Republicans set a very high standard for patriotism: if you question the President of the United States while our troops are in danger, then you are not patriotic enough. But how do these same Republicans fare under their own standards?
On March 24, 1999, NATO began a strategic bombing campaign that resulted in the ouster of Slobodan Milosevic, a vicious tyrant currently in jail for his crimes against humanity.
Republicans fail their own "patriotism test." As our troops faced danger overseas, Republicans were strident in their criticism of President Clinton and his foreign policy, even going as far as criticizing the military campaign itself.
President (then-candidate) George W. Bush
"Bush, in Austin, criticized President Clinton's administration for not doing enough to enunciate a goal for the Kosovo military action and indicated the bombing campaign might not be a tough enough response. 'Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is,' Bush said." [Houston Chronicle, 4/9/99]
Attorney General (then-Senator) John Ashcroft
"A lackluster air campaign has given the Serb dictator Milosevic time to achieve most of his strategic goals in Kosovo." [New York Times, 4/8/99]
House Majority Leader (then-Whip) Tom DeLay
"I cannot support a failed foreign policy... But before we get deeper embroiled into this Balkan quagmire, I think that an assessment has to be made of the Kosovo policy so far. President Clinton has never explained to the American people why he was involving the U.S. military in a civil war in a sovereign nation, other than to say it is for humanitarian reasons, a new military/foreign policy precedent." [Congressional Record, "Removal of United States Armed Forces from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia," 4/28/99]
House Speaker Dennis Hastert
"Many may question the path that has taken us to this point. I have my own questions about the long term strategy of this campaign." [Dallas Morning News, 3/25/99]
Senator (then-Assistant Majority Leader) Don Nickles
"The Administration, and NATO as a whole, greatly miscalculated the response Slobodan Milosevic would have to a bombing campaign. As I predicted, the Administration has escalated what was guerilla warfare into a much more serious conflict. The bombings have unleashed an evil reign and resulted in a humanitarian disaster." [Senator Don Nickles, Press Release, 4/21/99]
Senator Judd Gregg
"I don't believe that a ground war in Kosovo using American troops is going to be very successful." [NBC, "Meet the Press," 4/18/99]
Senator Richard Lugar
"This is President Clinton's war, and when he falls flat on his face, that's his problem." [New York Times, 5/4/99]