Did Hillary Check Her Facts Before Voting For Kyl-Lieberman Iran Resolution?

Hillary Clinton did not bother to read the National Intelligence Estimate before voting to give George Bush authority to go to war in Iraq. The report raised serious doubts about whether Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destructions.

Hillary still won't apologize for her vote, claiming it was "a sincere vote based on the facts and assurances that I had at the time." What "facts"? The claims of Bush and Cheney?

Recently Hillary voted for the Kyl-Lieberman Resolution declaring Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the core of Iran's national army, a terrorist organization. Virginia Democratic Sen. Jim Webb -- former Secretary of the Navy under President Reagan -- called the Resolution "tantamount to a declaration of war."

Hillary justified her support for the Kyl-Lieberman Resolution by stating, "The Revolutionary Guards are deeply involved in Iran's nuclear program." What intelligence was Hillary basing this statement on? The National Intelligence Estimate now states clearly that Iran abandoned its nuclear weapons program in 2003. Was Hillary again willing to place her trust in Bush and Cheney's false assertions?

Will Hillary now apologize for voting for the Kyl-Lieberman Resolution, which was based on factual assertions that have proven to be false?

If not, what does that say about Hillary's much-touted foreign policy experience as first lady and her judgment in matters of war and peace?

Hillary is clearly the most hawkish of the Democratic presidential contenders. Yet her hawkishness, like so many of her policies, seems based more on political calculation than on facts.

Democratic primary/caucus voters -- particularly in Iowa and New Hampshire which will likely determine if Hillary is "the inevitable nominee" -- should take this into account in deciding whether Hillary has the experience and judgment to lead the country in matters of war and peace.

Comments

[GuiltyByStander]

This is why Joe Biden is the only sensible choice in this election. Compared to Biden, the other candidates are just messing around in foreign policy.

See what he had to say last night on Hardball:

http://www.joebiden.com/hardball

[ljsfolly]

As with her Iraq vote when she failed to read what she was given to make a qualified vote and to vote againest it, she again fails to read or do anything regarding background and the potential outcomes. She just voted for war and more power for the president and if she votes without review of the facts what would she do as president?

[fourex]

No she didn't. Her handlers and the DLC told her what position to take, and that makes her Bush Lite.

[WASanford]

Just the name of this legislation should have warned her not to support it, Kyle-Lieberman? I know Hillary is intelligent and has a good mind. She just doesn’t appear to be using it!

[peachfuzz]

Hillary says she supports diplomacy yet she declared another group as 'terrorists'.

Just another lie, as she says one thing, yet does another, hoping people will not look close enough at what she says VS what she does.

It's shameful and John Edwards is absolutely right to call her out on it and voters need to wake up and smell the Hillary bullshit.

[Halsey]

Hilary is Scoop Jackson..for those old enough to remember...a military industrial complex democrat. She does whatever seems politically expedient.­.period.an­d it's about time that bites her in the butt.

I, too, am looking more at Biden..yes..his vote on the bankruptsy bill is troubling..can we get him to apologize..as statistics PROVE most people file due to medical bills...

But in the bigger picture..we KNOW Biden..my gawd..he's been around forever..I used to hate that..but with what's facing this country and the world...I think we do need his brand of experience.. I could definitely live with a Biden/Obama ticket..

[ElkoJohn]

come on,,, Hill is a Hawk, and REAL Hawks don't ever apologize, ya got that dove-niks ??
`

[Tellmethetruth]

In October, when President Bush raised the specter of World War III with Iran because of its pursuit of a nuclear weapon, he knew that our own intelligence community had concluded months earlier that Iran had halted its weapons program in 2003.

This is as outrageous as it is irresponsible. It's exactly what he did in the run up to the war in Iraq in consistently exaggerating intelligence suggesting that Iraq had WMD while failing to tell the American people about intelligence concluding that it did not.

For many reasons, war with Iran is not just a bad option, it would be a disaster. So I want to be crystal clear on this: if the President takes us to war with Iran without Congressional approval, I will call for his impeachment.

The President's actions further undermine America's credibility around the world -- and the government's credibility here at home -- at a time when that credibility is at an all time low. And it injects more tension and instability into the Middle East at a time when we should be doing everything in our power to prevent that region from spiraling out of control.

Yesterday I gave a major address in Iowa outlining a plan to keep Iran from producing the material that could one day be used for a bomb -- without using force. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read that plan on my website:

http://www.joebiden.com/getinformed/speeches?id=0091

[strangelet]

So, was she supposed to check the facts with her own private intelligence service? Right up to yesterday, the NIE said Iran was vigorously pursuing nuclear weapons. Turns out, the agencies have changed their minds, several months after the Kyl-Lieberman vote. I can't bring myself to believe that precognition is a requirement to be President (handy though it might be).

If you want to knock Clinton for voting for the Iraq Force Resolution (which was, in fact, a vote for war; unlike the K-L amendment), carry on. She deserves criticism for that. But criticizing her for not being able to foresee that the NIE on Iran was going to change is ridiculous.

[Tellmethetruth]

Joe Biden make comments today that Hillary Clinton was just dead wrong. For one - this vote wasn't about whether one could trust Iran or not. It was about whether you could trust Bush/Cheney not to start another war. Biden said no, you can't trust them which is why he has said in the last two debates if they attempt to use any kind of military action to start a war with Iran - he will do everything he can to get them both impeached.

The second reason he gave as to why the vote was wrong is right after this vote the price of oil went up $30 a barrel. Americans will pay for this legislation in heating oil and at the gas pump and in the food they eat. The American people will pay for a symbolic vote that only irrated the situation, but wasn't a dialogue for peace or would better the relations with Iran. Joe Biden believes in opening the dialogue with Iran - working them for peace in the Middle EAst and acknowledging them as a player at the table in dealing with Iraq. He calls it the politics of reality.

The more I listen to him, the more he makes sense to me.

[marinemomof3]

HILLARY = George Bush

in a pants suit!

DEAR GOD, PLEASE DO NOT HAVE HER WIN THE NOMNINATION, PLEEEEEEEEEASE!

[Countess]

Mrs. Clinton talks like a hawk, she votes like a hawk so we must assume she is a hawk.

[scooperss]

I wonder sometimes just how isolated from the rest of us these politicians are. Do they even know how many people use computers to get their news. Do they know how many people know THEIR every vote, speech,mistake.
Today isn't 10 years ago. You can hear/read politicians words every day. What you miss you can find someone to show where to find it. What you miss, there will be someone to enlighten you.

Do they even have a clue how closely we're watching them now?

[Nonamnesiac]

She didn't read the NIE prior to voting my family's lives and limbs into Iraq, ignoring the overwhelming evidence that Saddam had no WMDs, was an enemy of al Qaeda and that attacking Iraq would be catastrophic for the U.S. -- instead listening to Bush and she allowed Bush to hide this NIE when she voted for Kyl-Lieberman. She voted against the majority of her Party in Congress when she voted to invade Iraq -- which is what that vote was about and she, and everyone else, knew it then.

When will Democrats see she is simply a warmongerer with an incredibly limited, partially neo-Con world view? She is a danger to any family like mine who has members in the military.

She is not her husband -- not nearly as smart as he was in international affairs and matters of war and peace.

Voting her in is replacing one warmongerer with another.

[Pdubya]

No, she checked in with her LOBBY.

Democrats for Ron Paul
Find the true candidate for peace, freedom, and ethics in government
Hillary Obama Ron
Paul
Introduced bill to end Iraq War in 2007 No No YES
Iraq exit strategy: “We should just come home.” No No YES
Denounces doctrine of pre-emptive warfare No No YES
Took off the table future pre-emptive strike on Iran No No YES
Took off table future escalation of Afghanistan war No No YES
Calls to bring US military home from all foreign nations No No YES
Calls for foreign policy of military non-interventionism No No YES
Will reduce foreign military expense by $500 billion No No YES
Voted against the Iraq war 2002 No Not in Congress
in 2002 YES
Calls to repeal “Patriot” Act No No YES
Voted against the “Patriot” Act in 2002 No Not in Congress
in 2002 YES
Supports ending all gov’t subsidies to corporations No No YES
Doesn’t receive millions from big corporations No No YES
Wants to end the “inflation” tax which hurts the poor No No YES
Wrote bill to protect Social Security fund No No YES
Would end federal war against medicinal marijuana No No YES
End income tax on tips and gratuities No No YES
Opposes delegation of Congressional authority to President No No YES
Supports ending failed federal war on marijuana users No No YES