John Kerry Flip Flops On Terrorism

10 Mar, 2004 by John Hawkins

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After feeling the sting of all the GOP attacks that target his wimpy defense record and his history of trying to slash key defense programs along with the intelligence budget, John Kerry is “cowboying up” to try to compete with President Bush on security issues…

“That status of war led me to find it impossible to suggest I wouldn’t want to blow Osama bin Laden’s brains out and treat him as an enemy,” he said in an interview with the Tribune while visiting the Chicago area for several campaign stops.

“…terrorism is war. And I have always understood the law of justifiable homicide in the context of war–self-defense.”

Well, I must admit that’s it nice to hear the Democratic candidate for President treating the war on terrorism like what it is — a war. But, since we’re talking about John Kerry here, I’m sure you can guess that there’s a hitch. Guess what it is…no seriously, guess…that’s right…he’s flip-flopping on the war again. Less than 2 months ago Kerry said,

“Under a Kerry administration…the fight against terrorism “will involve the military now and then,” but it will be “primarily an intelligence-gathering, law enforcement operation.”

“It’s a great big manhunt,” Kerry explained. “[The Bush] administration has translated that legitimate threat into a completely wrongheaded kind of full-fledged military response.”

So are we “at war” or is this “primarily an intelligence-gathering, law enforcement operation”? Does Kerry “think you destroy the enemy” because we’re “at war” or was the Bush administration “completely wrongheaded” because of their “full-fledged military response”?

Also, while I heartily approve of blowing Osama Bin Laden’s brains out, I can’t help but note that John Kerry’s position on the death penalty for terrorists has been…let’s be generous and say “very fluid” over the years…

“In 2002, according to the Boston Globe, (Kerry) repeatedly argued that he supported the death penalty for terrorists. Yet in an examination of his voting record from 1989 forward, he has voted repeatedly to exempt terrorists from the death penalty and in 1996 in a debate with former Massachusetts Governor William Weld he publicly scorned the idea of executing terrorists.”

So does Kerry really want to “blow Osama bin Laden’s brains out” and treat the war on terrorism like what it is — a war — as opposed to a law enforcement operation? Given his voting record, my guess is “no”. Although since Kerry’s positions on the war seems to change radically month to month and sometimes even week to week depending on who he’s speaking with and what his poll numbers look like, it’s hard to really tell.