Democratic debate in Columbia SC: on War & Peace

Bob Graham: Iraq invasion was about liberating Iraqi people

We have an opportunity [in post-war Iraq] to rehabilitate relationships that have been severely damaged. And we have a chance to show the world that we were in fact in Iraq for the right reasons. And we were there for the purpose of liberating the Iraqi people. This was not about the expansion of American power, that this was not about oil. But the president has that test going forward. And we ought to lay this marker down, and we ought to hold him to that. Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

Carol Moseley-Braun: Iraq war costs too much when Americans are suffering

We ought to talk about the cost of this war, and how we can rebuild America. If we can have job fairs in Iraq, we ought to be able to have job fairs in South Carolina. The unemployment rate is up at 6% under this president. The budget deficits have exploded. They have ruined this economy. We are not creating new jobs or new wealth in this country. There’s a health care crisis. We have all of these issues.

[The war has cost] in excess of $200 billion dollars the last time we looked. And the American people are hurting. So I think the question in this race is whether or not Democrats can steer a course for America that is more in keeping with America’s interests and America’s values: Building our relations, working well with others in the world, building international institutions, trying to address those problems that cause war in the first place and undermine our security in the first place.

Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

Howard Dean: Happy that Saddam is gone; keep a strong military; but...

Q: On March 19 Pres. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq. Was that the right decision at the right time?

KERRY: I would have preferred if we had given diplomacy a greater opportunity, but I think it was the right decision to disarm Saddam Hussein, and when the president made the decision, I supported him, and I support the fact that we did disarm him.

Q: Gov. Dean, you’ve criticized Sen. Kerry on the campaign trail saying he’s tried to have it both ways on the issue of Iraq.

DEAN: I’m delighted to see Saddam Hussein gone. I appreciate that we have a strong military in this country, and I’d keep a strong military in this country. But this was the wrong war at the wrong time because we have set a new policy of preventive war in this country. Sooner or later we’re going to see another country copy [that policy].

Q: But do you believe Kerry is still trying to have it both ways?

DEAN: That’s not up to me to judge that. That’s up to the voters to judge that, and I’m sure they will.

Source: [X-ref from Kerry] Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

John Kerry: Preferred diplomacy, but supported invading Iraq

Q: On March 19 Pres. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq. Was that the right decision at the right time?

Q: Gov. Dean, you’ve criticized Sen. Kerry on the campaign trail saying he’s tried to have it both ways on the issue of Iraq.

Q: But do you believe Kerry is still trying to have it both ways?

DEAN: That’s not up to me to judge that. That’s up to the voters to judge that, and I’m sure they will.

Source: [X-ref to Dean] Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

John Kerry: Disarm Saddam, but war should be a last resort

I’m the only person running for this job who’s actually fought in a war. I’m not ambivalent about the war [in Iraq]. I believe that before you go to war, it ought to really be the last resort and you should exhaust your diplomatic remedies, but I was in favor of disarming Saddam Hussein, and I’m glad we did. There’s no ambivalence. I believe I bring strength to this ticket: strength about how we maintain a military that is strong, but make ourselves stronger in the world. Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

Joseph Lieberman: Be tough, but no preventive war

Don’t mistake my opposition to this war because of its preventive nature for a lack of toughness. The commander in chief has to be tough. This president is not executing the war on homeland security the way he should be. 98% of the containers that come into this country are uninspected. The president promised billions of dollars to states and local government which have not been delivered. We can be a lot tougher than this president is being on homeland security, and we will be. Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

Joseph Lieberman: Saddam was a threat; we did the right thing by invading

Q: Gov. Dean said just today that Saddam was really not much of a threat to the US and had never been one. By getting rid of Saddam, we’ve made things more dangerous for America. Do you agree?

LIEBERMAN: Oh, I absolutely disagree. Saddam Hussein was a threat to the US and, most particularly, to his neighbors. Remember, this was a man who said he wanted to rule the Arab world, and he invaded two of his neighbors in pursuit of that goal, using chemical weapons against them. We have evidence also over the last several years that he was cooperating with terrorists and supporting them.

We did the right thing, and we gave him 12 years and tried everything short of war to get him to keep the promises he made to disarm at the end of the Gulf War. We did the right thing in fighting this fight, and the American people will be safer as a result of it. And incidentally, no Democrat will be elected president in 2004 who is not strong on defense, and this war was a test of that strength.

Source: Democratic Debate in Columbia SC May 3, 2003

The above quotations are from First Democratic presidential primary debate, May 3, 2003, at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. All 9 declared Democratic candidates for the presidency, in a 90-minute debate moderated by George Stephanopoulos.. Click here for definitions & background information on War & Peace. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Howard Dean on War & Peace. Click here for more quotes by John Kerry on War & Peace.
*2012 Presidential contenders on War & Peace:*
	*Democrats:* Pres.Barack Obama(IL) V.P.Joe Biden(DE) *Republicans:* Gov.Mitt Romney(MA) Rep.Paul Ryan(WI)	*Third Parties:* Green: Dr.Jill Stein(MA) Libertarian: Gov.Gary Johnson(NM) Justice: Mayor Rocky Anderson(UT) Constitution: Rep.Virgil Goode(VA) Peace+Freedom: Roseanne Barr(HI) Reform Party: André Barnett(NY) AmericansElect: Gov.Buddy Roemer(LA)
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Page last updated: Apr 16, 2013