These comments are from a speech on July 22, 2003 at the San Francisco Bar Association.
"It's a new world, with manifold new dangers ? from global terror, to the recklessness of rogue dictators, to international crime and drug-running that rips at the very fabric of freedom.
That is why, in the days and weeks after September 11th, I closed ranks and supported President Bush. I make no apologies for supporting the war in Iraq. And I still hope and pray for the president's success in world affairs. In a very real sense, the lives and livelihoods of our people are in his hands."
Gephardts web page also has a section entitled "Ask Chrissy" in which Gephardts Daughter, whose name is, I believe, Magnolia, answers questions.
" Ken, my father was Democratic Leader in the House when America was deciding on whether to go to war with Iraq. In the days leading up to our declaration of war, my dad visited the CIA twice and met with former Clinton intelligence experts on several occasions. My dad says that he became convinced after meeting with these experts and officials, that Saddam Hussein was a formidable threat and that he was positioned to use his weapons of mass destruction. My dad made a tough decision to do what was right to keep the American people safe.
In addition, he strongly encouraged George Bush to go to the United Nations to get their support in this effort. Despite my father's efforts, Mr. Bush did not engage the United Nations. Instead, he insisted that we go into Iraq alone to take on Saddam Hussein. My father will always make decisions on what he believes is right and to keep the American people safe. "
Gephardts other ideas on Iraq, going forward, are difficult to tease out. He does think that whoever becomes President should have Foreign Policy Experience. Which presumably he thinks he has.
He also had this statement, from the speech to the San Francisco bar earlier.
"If I were president, I'd ask NATO to join with us immediately to secure peace and stability in post-war Iraq. And I'd go the U.N. right now and ask for a Security Council mandate, so countries like India and Russia and France and Germany will join us.
According to news reports, some in this administration are pressing right now for the president to go back to the U.N. to finally get a real U.N. mandate, but others believe it would be 'humiliating.' I'll tell you what's humiliating ? putting American lives on the line without the help and support and additional troops we need to do the job right.
Even in the best scenario, it's going to be a long and arduous road to Iraqi democracy ? a phrase that, historically speaking, has been a contradiction in terms. We've got 147,000 Americans there now; we're spending $4 billion a month in Iraq; it's not mere machismo to resist asking allies for help ? it's absolute insanity."
Oh, and I know that Gephardts daughter name is really Chrissy. Just my little joke.
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