Before;
Bill Clinton: “If Saddam rejects peace, and we have to use force, our
purpose is clear: We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by
Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.”
Madeleine Albright, Clinton Secretary of State: “We must stop Saddam
from ever again jeopardizing the stability and the security of his
neighbors with weapons of mass destruction.”
Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Advisor and Classified Document
Thief: “[Saddam will] use those weapons of mass destruction again as he
has ten times since 1983.”
Harry Reid: “The problem is not nuclear testing; it is nuclear weapons.
… The number of Third World countries with nuclear capabilities seems
to grow daily. Saddam Hussein’s near success with developing a nuclear
weapon should be an eye-opener for us all.”
Dick Durbin: “One of the most compelling threats we in this country face
today is the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Threat
assessments regularly warn us of the possibility that…Iraq…may
acquire or develop nuclear weapons.”
John Kerry: “If you don’t believe…Saddam Hussein is a threat with
nuclear weapons, then you shouldn’t vote for me.”
John Edwards: “Serving on the Intelligence Committee and seeing day
after day, week after week, briefings on Saddam’s weapons of mass
destruction and his plans on using those weapons, he cannot be allowed
to have nuclear weapons, it’s just that simple. The whole world changes
if Saddam ever has nuclear weapons.”
Nancy Pelosi: “Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of
weapons of mass destruction technology, which is a threat to countries
in the region, and he has made a mockery of the weapons-inspection
process.”
Sens. Levin, Lieberman, Lautenberg, Dodd, Kerrey, Feinstein, Mikulski,
Daschle, Breaux, Johnson, Inouye, Landrieu, Ford and Kerry in a letter
to Bill Clinton: “We urge you, after consulting with Congress and
consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary
actions, including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect
Iraqi sites to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq’s refusal
to end its weapons of mass destruction programs.”
Ted Kennedy: “We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is
seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction.”
John Kerry: “I will be voting to give the president of the U.S. the
authority to use force if necessary to disarm Saddam because I believe
that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a
real and grave threat to our security. … Without question we need to
disarm Saddam Hussein.”
Hillary Clinton: “In the four years since the inspectors left,
intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his
chemical and biological weapons stock. His missile-delivery capability,
his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to
terrorists including al-Qa’ida members. It is clear, however, that if
left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to
wage biological and chemical warfare and will keep trying to develop
nuclear weapons.”
There is more but you get the point.
Now, a little turn-around…
Sens. Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid and Dick Durbin;
“The Bush administration misrepresented and distorted the intelligence
to justify a war that America should never have fought.” Ted Kennedy
“We all know the Vice President’s office was the nerve center of an
operation designed to sell the war and discredit those who challenged
it. … The manipulation of intelligence to sell the war in Iraq…the
Vice President is behind that.” Harry Reid
“I seconded the motion Sen. Harry Reid made last week. Republicans in
Congress have refused, despite repeated promises, to investigate the
Bush administration’s misuse of pre-war intelligence, so Senate
Democrats are standing up and demanding the truth.” Dick Durbin, who
recently compared U.S. troops to the Nazis and Pol Pot.
I’d like to see very simple explainations of the reversals here. We can do without name-calling. Please just comment on the quotes. I have NOT stated my political view here. And I’m not picking on Dems. Did these folks believe there was a threat of WMD from Iraq and now they believe there were none? Just looking to clear this up if possible.