Kerry Can’t Be Trusted To Fight The War On Terrorism

02 Feb, 2004 by John Hawkins

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If John Kerry is the nominee, one of themes you can expect to see the GOP hit is that the senator from Taxachusetts can’t be trusted to defend America from terrorists. Kerry can cry “Vietnam” all he wants, but RNC Research has the goods straight from Kerry’s long and undistinguished Senate record (Check out the link for the footnotes)…

“- Running For Congress In 1972, Kerry Promised To Cut Defense Spending. “On what he’ll do if he’s elected to Congress, Kerry said he would ‘bring a different kind of message to the president.’ He said he would vote against military appropriations.”

– Running For Senate In 1984, Kerry Called For Cancellation Of At Least 27 Weapons Systems And Reductions In 18 Other Systems. “[Kerry] recommended cancellation of 27 weapons systems including the B1 bomber, the cruise missile, MX missile, Trident submarine, Patriot air defense missile, F15 fighter plane, Sparrow missile, stealth bomber and Pershing II missile. He recommended reductions in 18 other systems including the joint tactical air system, the Bradley fighting vehicle, the M1 Abrams tank and the F16 fighter plane.”

– Upon Entering Senate, Kerry’s First Floor Speech Was In Opposition To Critical Missile Program And He Introduced Comprehensive Nuclear Freeze Bill. Kerry introduced: “A bill to provide for a comprehensive bilateral and verifiable freeze between the United States and the Soviet Union on the testing, production, and deployment of nuclear weapons systems.” The bill had no co-sponsors, and never made it to the Senate floor for a vote.

– Weapons Kerry Sought To Phase Out Were Vital In Iraq. “[K]erry supported cancellation of a host of weapons systems that have become the basis of US military might – the high-tech munitions and delivery systems on display to the world as they leveled the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein in a matter of weeks.”

– Kerry Voted Against At Least Eleven Military Pay Increases.

– As Senator, Kerry Also Pushed To Cut Intelligence Funding By More Than $2.58 Billion.”

On top of that, Kerry voted against the first Gulf War and although he voted for the war in Iraq, he flip-flopped all over the map on it during the primaries and then opposed funding the very war he originally supported (in other words, he voted against the $87 billion for Iraq).

Now, anyone who reads RWN knows I have pummeled Bush for his domestic policies. But, if the choice in 2004 is between a country club Republican who is dead serious about winning the war on terrorism and a Massachusetts liberal who isn’t — well, let’s just say that’s a really easy decision for anyone who believes we’ve got to do whatever it takes to prevent future 9/11s.