Kerry's 4 Point Iraqi Peace Plan

Kerry's 4 Point Iraqi Peace Plan

Watched the debate last night --it wasn't Hollywood. It was a good perfunctory debate on Foreign Policy as styled by Mr. Lehrer -- one of three on different subjects. All the post commentary has been highlighting the looks of the candidates as if a command comparison to the Nixon-Kennedy imagery. So really, the dabate to some was boring -- maybe as if seeing their first debate with more expectations. To others it was a good but dry comparative of two different candidates. Kerry didn't hurt himself -but there was no attack certainly not any scathing attack. Mr. Bush, composed yet looking as if in a busy schedule (an engaged President) sustained himself. My biggest gripe was Mr. Kerry's "differences" regarding the war -- "Look at my plan for peace in Iraq." -- Well, why did he not articulate it in some form? Just last week he gave an impression on the campaign trail, of a spiteful partisan "wait for me" to gain peace in Fallujah while Iraqis and Americans and their allies died. But last night he only referred us to his plan. So to the plan -- I believe it may be in the Speech given to Yale -republished at the Kerry-Edwards website. http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0920.html 9/20/2004 His allegation of differences with the President on Iraq and Kerry's approach are ludicrous. In the speech above, he outlines 4 points -- 1. Call an international summit of involved nations -by which he will bring in more resolve, more troops and more money. He claims the now 'helping' nations have not paid their pledges. Iraq needs that money and debt relief and it is on the way as promised. Japan is leading that effort with a follow through of James Baker's mission. 2. Arm and train Iraqis -- as if the President is not? The quibble is over the monies allocated and no force yet realized and an allegaton of a lesser number trained than the President claimed. 3.Reconstruct Irag .. claiming again than only a small portion of monies has been spent and or mismanaged. "Sewage runs on the streets and HumVees drive in it to their ubcaps in Baghdad et al." (This would have ben a tragic Kerry gaffe to mention on the day ot the tragedy at a sewage treatment plant opening). Kerry instead, wants fast high image and big impact projects done quickly and -now- even if they are not substantial. 4.The President must secure Iraq and hold elections next year as soon as possible. They are scheduled in January and the President is committed with Prime Minister Alawai to a date as soon as next January 2005; as outlned and planned in the June 2004 protocol for sovereignty. There is now pending before Congress a request for diversion of appropriated funds (shift of purpose and re-authorization) shifting funds from the reconstruction budget to the security budget to protect and make permit those important elections. Finally, in the speech, Senator Kerry claims that that is what he would do today as President. To this observer and most of the news reading and viewing American public- it is what the incumbent President is earnestly doing now. President Bush's best remark last night was that rebuilding a nation and introducing democracy to a dictatorship of long standing was work - hard demanding work - time consuming work! So other than mismanagement quibbles, and "I could do it (the same thing) better"; there are no differences - Kerry's biggest complaint really is just Bush's mismanagement. That claim aside - or for the voters comparison, then Bush has done already, what Kerry would do or would have to do, and he has boxed himself in. No wonder he didn't articulate with specificity his plan for peace. He has no different plan; he'd just do the president's job better. Read the speech. Last week in Florida, he had a magic beans formula for peace in Fallujah. Let him deliver articulately specifically on the campaign trail and to his government. Actually, last night, he complimented the Presidency -- the incumbant presidency and Mr. Bush.