Kerry on National Defense at Faneuil Hall

Senator John Kerry is providing leadership in America!

On the eve of the 5th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, Senator Kerry spoke at Faneuil Hall and had this to say about the Bush Administration's Iraq policy:

"We have a Katrina foreign policy, a succession of blunders and failures that have betrayed our ideals, killed and maimed our soldiers, and widened the terrorist threat instead of defeating it."

He also commented, bringing back memories of Vietnam discussions, pointing out

"It is immoral for old men to send young Americans to fight and die in a conflict without a strategy that can work," Kerry said. "It is immoral to lie about progress in that war to get through a news cycle or an election. It is immoral to treat 9/11 as a political pawn."

He went on:

"There is simply no way to overstate how Iraq has subverted our efforts to free the world from global terror," Kerry said, according to the prepared text. "It has overstretched our military. It has served as an essential recruitment tool for terrorists. It has divided and pushed away our traditional allies. It has diverted critical billions of dollars from the real front lines against terrorism and from homeland security."

Also Saturday, in a letter printed by the UnionLeader, Kerry wrote:

"Iraq has made America less safe. The terrorists are not on the run. Terrorist acts tripled between 2004 and 2005. Al-Qa-da has spawned a decentralized network operating in 65 countries, most of them joining since 9/11. Only Dick Cheney could call this a success."

Kerry urged an emphasis on the struggle in Afghanistan against the Taliban:

"The situation in Afghanistan deteriorates steadily. The Taliban now controls entire portions of southern Afghanistan, and across the border Pakistan is one coup away from becoming a radical jihadist state with nuclear weapons. Only George Bush could declare this “mission accomplished.”

It’s time to refocus our military efforts from the failed occupation of Iraq to what we should have been doing all along: destroying al-Qaida. We need to redeploy troops from Iraq — keep up the training and counter-terror operations, establish an over the horizon military capacity — and free up resources to fight the War on Terror."

Kerry concluded:

"We must send significant reinforcements to Afghanistan: at least 5,000 more troops, equipment, and reconstruction funds. Five years after 9/11, the politics of deception and smear stalks this land. But this cynical strategy can not redeem a Katrina foreign policy or re-elect a rubberstamp Congress. Americans see the truth through the fog of fear.

On the other side, the only thing they have to offer is fear itself. It’s up to us to offer a new course that will actually win the war on terror."

Thank you Senator Kerry! While we have this President and Vice-President parading across the networks proclaiming how we 'haven't had an attack in five years since 9/11' let this nation not forget that it was on this President's watch that we were struck. Do not ever let this President forget about the briefing that was on his desk: "Bin Ladin Determined to Strike in U.S.". So soon we forget.

Thank you Senator Kerry! America needs to be safe again. We need to have leadership that knows in which direction the enemy lies. Not a President that initiates a war against the wrong party with the wrong reasons.

Keep on coming John! We have got your back!

Bob