Clinton Claims He Opposed Iraq War From The Beginning

But like his wife, the former president supported giving President Bush the authority needed to go to war.

"I supported the President when he asked the Congress for authority to stand up against weapons of mass destruction in Iraq," said Clinton in 2003 while delivering commencement remarks at Tougaloo College in Jackson, Miss.

Read article here

Comments

[Nyland8]

Well, there can be no doubt about one thing. Clinton DID oppose the war from the beginning. He spent eight years at the helm and there is no indication whatsoever that he intended to invade and occupy Iraq.

During the 90's, Iraq was a festering wound, an open septic gash in the Middle East that had been left that way by Bush the First. It was widely reported that Saddam was draining the country of its meager resources, and that the trade embargo was taking a heavy toll in Iraqi lives. Both sides of the aisle, but especially the Republican held congress, were feeling pressure to correct the catastrophe that Bush the Elder had left. So-called "conservative" think tanks were advocating a re-invasion to "correct" Bush's mistake of leaving Hussein still in charge. Pressure mounted until, in January of '98, PNAC wrote an open letter to President Clinton beseeching him to invade Iraq. Even though the weapons inspectors had been kicked out some years before and we had little verifiable intelligence about what was going on inside Iraq, Clinton stood his ground and refused to invade. He knew better than to become embroiled in the mess in Messopotamia.

So yes, we know that Clinton was opposed to the war from the very beginning, because he was the commander in chief right after Papa Bush. Clinton was perfectly content to continue to enforce the Northern and Southern no-fly zones, and to continue to use cruise missiles for the occasional targetting of Saddam Hussein, but he had no interest in, no stomach for, and no megalomaniacal designs on invading and occupying Iraq, just to put Saddam out to pasture. He knew what was at stake, and he made the right decisions.

But all of that is quite different from empowering the President to act in our interests if an "imminent threat" to our nation had been discovered by the Bush administration.

Two different things.

8

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[CitizenDeux]

The President requires the authority to act as Clinton defended in 2003. Unhappiness with our entrance into Iraq is immaterial. Those who opposed our action failed to make their case. The issue illustrated by this discussion (presidential authority) would be vigorously defended by any candidate.

[pennyfortheguy]

All of this internecine bickering will lead to eight more years of Republican domination. Then there'll be nothing left of this tattered 'democracy' of ours. Congratulations whiners.

[THISTLE]

President Bill Clinton was a great President,
I was and am a strong supporter of President
Bill Clinton. Hillary Clinton is NO BILL
CLINTON. For Hillary Clinton to say, she is
"the most experienced" is insulting and laughable. What has she achieved in the Senate,
other than using it as a steping stone for her
real goal - President?
She has ZERO experience, visiting "81 or 82
counties" as "First Lady" is NOT foreign
policy experience. She has achieved NOTHING
on her own - she would be just another lawyer,
if not for her husband. She would have never
been elected to the Senate without him.
Senator Biden is clearly the most experienced,
the most respected by world leaders, the most
honest, and the most tested in his personal
life. He also has the domestic experience
actually writing bills that helped millions
of people - women, children. His bill put
100,000 cops on the street. A few weeks ago,
when Pakistan was in chaos, Bhutto & Mushariff
called Senator Biden - NOT HILLARY CLINTON.
And they called him - before they called BUSH.
His work as Chairman of Foreign Relations,
Chairman of the Judiciary Committee make him
the most qualified on every single area -
foreign policy, Supreme Court, Domestic issues,
what has Hillary done - ZERO.
Wake up people...

[fivecard]

Just more doublespeak from Billary. I can see the Republican ad now: "Hillary was for the war before she was against it." It'd be just like 2004 all over again.

America, we need a fresh start, not a rehash of the past. Go Barack Obama.

[Queenhuh]

The Clinton duo has fast turned into a fiasco. Hillary comes across more as a neo-con hawkish wannabe Democrat who will pander to anything for a vote. There are no "values" here. Anyone who voted for war at anytime must be considered a racist, murdering Republican with values tied to a bank. Only Dennic Kucinich has the guts and foresight to perpetrate actual change. But Americans don't want real change. The status quo is just fine. Minister Louis Farrakhan said it best, "Whether it's Hillary or Obama, they won't change the Machine".

[Rhydderch69]

Not surprising. Clinton seemed to enjoy the Imperial Presidency when he was in the White House. At least he's honest about the prerogatives of office.

That said, WE need to consider whether the president -- of whatever gender or party -- should hold so much power.

[Witchitalineman]

I am tired of the argument of who supported the authority to go to war and who did not. We did and that's that. What is there to be gained by the rehash? We know that most Americans supported the war BASED on what we were told by the president and his administration. We have learned since then lying is commonplace. We must hold ourselves accountable for this horrible, horrible situation not only with Iraq but being so apathetic as to what is happening here at home and around the world. Virtues of honesty and principle seem to be diminishing very quickly in our society. I still believe that the majority of Americans are good and want to do the right thing! We just need to stop sleepwalking.

[geobushono]

I see we have hair-splitters continuing to defend obfuscation.
bill could have defended the Constitution rather than the Executive. Period!

But thanks bill.....just another reminder of the clinton family values.

John Edwards for President.

[pennyfortheguy]

This hairsplitting is such a bore, and is one of the reasons Democrats and Progressives find it difficult to bring new blood into the fold.

[MRb1000]

Here we go again it what is is is is!!!!!!!!!!!

[peterg76]

"From the beginning" means opposing it when it was a horrible idea, not waiting until it was a horrible idea and opinion polls were against it.

Though in fairness the situation was a little more complicated than more people seem to remember: some action was called for, and if the resolution helped persuade Hussein to let in the inspectors, then it served a legitimate purpose. The problem was that it was done in the form of a blank cheque to a weak-minded insecure sociopath, which is inexcusable.

[IdleMinds]

Anyone else notice how slow the Clinton bashers are. They can't come up with any intellectual argument or conversation so they result to kindergarten style attacks. (Billary, Clintushes, I was for it before I was against it, etc.) Nothing but a bunch of rhetoric and hogwash.

P.S. I dont care if our president has sex in the white house. That is his personal affair and not for public consumption. Just because some of you are undersexed relgious judgemental a-holes doesnt mean you have the moral compass to rip the best president we've had since Rosevelt. Yeah I said it.

Thanks for your time.

[imperfectfilms]

They are both such goddamn weasels! They both whole heartedly supported the war until her campaign began. C'mon, man! Don't let them get away with this!

[JohnSmart]

More nonsense from the Obamingtonpost. Whenever Obama has bought a banner ad on this site the misleading clinton bashing headlines follow.
This is more crap from this blog. It really does not matter because clinton will be the nominee. But the Obama delusion so many still have a year into his weak run could have lethal effects on the party. His campaign is not hopeful in any real sense. It is poison. An illusion of change from a man who has accomplished nothing.
Of course he has the right to run. What sickens me is that 20% of Democrats think he is a good choice. They are so many other, better, non hillary choices. Supporting Obama is a fools errand. And yes i just called the obama supporters what they are: Fools. Get this thru your thick skulls - Obama will not win.