I'm tying to sleep here you know!

So I wake up to my cell phone going off at 10:06AM because someone sent me an instant message (they can go to my cell phone when i'm not signed on).

---

hilduff11: who is this

hilduff11: who is this

hilduff11: hello

hilduff11: are you there

(by now I'm scrambling out of bed, because this person, who I don't know, has now spent $.40 on my next cell bill!! I managed to make it online before the next demand.)

inabeanpod: hello?
hilduff11: who is this
inabeanpod: you don't know me?
hilduff11: no
inabeanpod: why send me messages then?
hilduff11: boy or girl
inabeanpod: inabeanpod.com will let you know everything you need to know about me.
hilduff11: huh

hilduff11: ?????????????
inabeanpod: hmm... most people like to go to my webpage. But if you don't want to, you don't have to.
hilduff11: who are you
inabeanpod: why do you care? you are the one sending me messages!!
hilduff11: no im not when i signed on you were talking to me
hilduff11: WHO ARE YOU
inabeanpod: whatever. your first 4 messages went to my cell phone because I was not online at the time.

inabeanpod: if you want to know who I am, go to my webpage.
hilduff11: kk

hilduff11: it dosent say who you are where do go to know who you are
inabeanpod: try this: inabeanpod.com/aboutme.html
hilduff11: kk
hilduff11 disconnected 10:25

---

Not even a goodbye or anything! You wake me up, demand to know who I am and then don't even say goodbye? Kids these days (shakes head).

Apple - Pro - Tip of the Week

Apple - Pro - Tip of the Week: "Expos� Show-off Trick #1"

Heh! If this isn't worth switching for, nothing is.

It’s fun to watch their face as it changes from “cool!” to “why doesn’t Windows have that?”

City Bans Indoor Nudity

Alarmed by glimpses of sweaty citizens in the buff, the city council in the southeastern city of Villahermosa has adopted a law banning indoor nudity, officials confirmed on Wednesday.

Pulido said she was confident that citizens who catch a glimpse of offenders would report them to police -- though the law also threatens jail for peeping Toms.

3 ways to wind up in jail in Villahermosa Mexico:

1. Report seeing someone in the buff and go to jail you dirty peeping tom!
   
2. Be the person the dirty peeping tom saw.
   
3. Feel gulty for taking a shower/bath and turn yourself in.

Time Warner Cable is raising the speed of its broadband

MacDailyNews - Apple and Mac News - Welcome Home: "'As part of an ongoing race in the cable industry, Time Warner Cable is raising the speed of its broadband Internet offerings to 5 and 8 million bits per second without increasing prices,' The Associated Press reports. 'The higher speeds are available in New York City starting Tuesday and will roll out to the rest of the country in January.'"

Good deal! I'm looking forward to it!

Target : Blue Q Chastity Underwear

Target : Blue Q Chastity Underwear: "In fact, we might go so far as to recommend NOT wearing them..."

Yup that's right, buy these panties... er "chastity underwear", but don't wear them. As long as we've got your money, we don't care what you do with the product. Why oh why would anyone make these? Or try to sell them by telling you not to ware them!?

Great Ball's of Fire!

Times Online - Britain

To keep the testicles at an ideal temperature — and for greater comfort — men naturally sit with their legs further apart than women. When working on a laptop, however, they will adopt a less natural position in order to balance it on their laps, which results in a significant rise in body heat between their thighs.

IS that so? I thought I naturally sat with my legs further apart than women because there is something there that I don't want to SMASH! I've never thought to myself, man my ball's are hot, I better open my legs wide to cool them off. But I guess I'm pretty much infertile because I tend to always carry my work cell phone in my left pocket, personal cell phone in my right pocket and my key chain has one of those remote car door unlockers on it. I also happen to use a laptop at work and own a Powerbook and an iPod.

Is this why girls don't throw them selves at me? They see me and think to them selves, he's got a cell phone, he's infertile, ignore him.

Whatever.

More Bad News: Mobile Phone Radiation Harms DNA, New Study Finds Remember, I've got one in each pocket.

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Exploding Lava Lamp Kills Man

FOXNews.com - U.S. & World - Exploding Lava Lamp Kills Man: "Exploding Lava Lamp Kills Man"

Tuesday, November 30, 2004

KENT, Wash. — A man who placed a lava lamp (search) on a hot stovetop was killed when it exploded and sent a shard of glass into his heart, police said.

Philip Quinn, 24, was found dead in his trailer home Sunday night by his parents.

"Why on earth he was heating a lava lamp on the stove, we don't know," Kent Police spokesman Paul Petersen said Monday.

After the lamp exploded, Quinn apparently stumbled into his bedroom, where he died Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

Police found no evidence of drug or alcohol use.

Two things: 1) My father is from Kent Washington. 2)I have a lava lamp collection.

Snowing Again

It's snowing again in KC. Third time this winter. Below are some pictures of the first snow... a 6 inch "dusting". It snowed just a bit yesterday before midnight and now it's going at it again. :)

Real Obnoxious

For those of you looking for Ashlee Simpson lip-synch on SNL, the Star Wars Episode 3 Teaser Trailer, or the Thug Ball Brawl, in the RealPlayer format, read this: Jogin.com :: Real Obnoxious.

Yahoo! News - Pacers Brawl With Fans During Pistons Game

Yahoo! News - Pacers Brawl With Fans During Pistons Game: "Pacers Brawl With Fans During Pistons Game"
You know, there is a reason I call it Thug Ball.

Indiana's Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson charged into the stands and fought with fans in the final minute of their game against the Detroit Pistons on Friday night...

Thug Ball, what a pathetic excuse for a sport.

More... Suspensions Fly, A Thug Denies!

"I didn't start it. I just played the game," Wallace said Saturday before learning of his suspension.

Wallace began the fracas by delivering a hard, two-handed shove to Artest after Wallace was fouled on a drive to the basket with 45.9 seconds remaining.

So let me get this straight, a hard two-handed shove in retaliation of a foul isn't starting the brawl?

Even More Quoth the Thugs

"We've seen this stuff happen before with Monica Seles and different things, and baseball. It's not just the NBA. What can we do with this? That's something that the league has to talk about and that's what society has to talk about." — Charlotte Bobcats guard Steve Smith.

"You can't blame a player for reacting that way. You can't blame anybody. ... He was protecting himself. Nobody wants to be disrespected like that. You can say what you want as long as you don't put your hands on somebody else or touch him. You can't blame him." — Toronto Raptors guard Vince Carter defending Ron Artest.

"If you're a fan, and you step on the court, guys are going to come after you. I'm not saying the players did the right thing, but if you step on the court, then you are fair game. Players don't know if you're carrying a knife or something. You can hurt somebody." — Cleveland Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Do what we say not what we do. Quoth the Thugs.

---

Also in the sporting news... Europeans act like Europeans at a soccer match.

Spanish coach Luis Aragones stirred up trouble BEFORE the game by calling Arsenal ace Thierry Henry a black s***.

Nikon D70 - Popular Photography Magazine Camera of the Year

Nikon D70 - Popular Photography Magazine Camera of the Year: "Nikon D70 - Popular Photography Magazine Camera of the Year"

Yeah baby! That's what I'm talking about, says the proud owner of a Nikon D70 :)

Popular Photography Magazine has been awarded the Nikon D70 'Camera of the Year' status.

'The Nikon D70 was precisely the camera that the photography world needed this year.
A revolution began in 2003 with the Canon EOS Digital Rebel—its $899 sticker, its 6.3-megapixel sensor, and its attitude of "Everybody into the digital SLR pool; the water's fine!"

The question for '04 was how quickly a camera maker would seize on this revolutionary fervor, and add some sophistication, features, fine-tuning, and, well, "maturity" to what the D Rebel had wrought…without pushing the price to a pro-caliber level.

Nikon worked fast, and we had our hands on a nearly completed D70 in time for our May issue. As that article and our lab test of a production model in our June issue showed, Nikon got it right.'

E III

Download Quicktime and then view the Teaser Trailer at Starwars.com

So there you have it. A nice quick link to see the new Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith teaser trailer in all of its much more superior than Real Player, Quicktime format glory. That's right, Quicktime is better than Real Player or RealOne or whatever they are call that crummy software now. Quicktime good, Real bad. iTunes good, Real Player bad. Star Wars good, filling your desktop with Real Player icons bad.

CNN Names Photo Of President Bush Asshole.jpg

CNN Names Photo Of President Bush Asshole.jpg: "CNN Names Image Files For

President Bush: Asshole.jpg; Moron.jpg"

I guess this would be an example of CNN's unbiased news coverage.

More thoughts on this here.

Yahoo! News - Naked man climbs into LA jet

Yahoo! News - Naked man climbs into LA jet: "Naked man climbs into LA jet

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Canadian man, angry that he was refused a plane ticket to Australia at Los Angeles International Airport, stripped naked, sprinted across the tarmac and climbed into the wheel well of a moving jumbo jet, officials say."

Lesson of the day: When in LA be mindful of angry, naked, crazy Canadian's!!

quoth a moonbat

DRUDGE REPORT 2004�: "'Serious news will not appear first on the DRUDGE gossip website,' senior Kerry adviser Joe Lockhart told reporters."

ROTNLMBO!

Landslide

Remember my prediction? Well, it wasn't quite right. Not reallyl a landslide as far as the Electoral Collage points went. Oh well. My guess wasn't any worse that the Professional Polling People did :)

CBS.SportsLine.com - Auto Racing Morgan McClure fires Spencer following arrest

CBS.SportsLine.com - Auto Racing Morgan McClure fires Spencer following arrest: "Morgan McClure fires Spencer following arrest

Oct. 27, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports



CORNELIUS, N.C. -- Jimmy Spencer was fired by Morgan McClure Motorsports on Wednesday, just days after he was arrested and accused of interfering with police officers as they attempted to serve a warrant on his son.

Spencer, 47, has driven 25 races for the team this season without posting a top-10 finish. He ran 29th in Sunday's race at Martinsville Speedway. The team didn't indicate whether the firing was because of Spencer's arrest.

'Over the past several weeks there has been a steady and gradual improvement in the Morgan McClure race car and Spencer has been an integral part of this drive for success,' team owner Larry McClure said Wednesday in a statement. 'While his part has been greatly appreciated by everyone here at Morgan McClure Motorsports, it has been decided, by mutual agreement, that it would be beneficial to both the team and to Jimmy Spencer to release him so that he may pursue other driving opportunities within the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.'

On Sunday night, officers went to Spencer's home to arrest James Jonathan Spencer Jr., 18, on a misdemeanor charge of injury to personal property, police records show. He is accused of pouring paint on two cars at a Cornelius home Oct. 6.

The elder Spencer was charged with two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and resisting a public officer."

Told ya he was a jerk!

Thank You!

Just wanted to send out a big fat THANK YOU to Ashlee Simpson, Saturday Night Live, Google (Google Ranking) and Chris (I watched SNL on his TV) for bringing in over 100 views of my InaBeanBlog!

Quick update, 102 Unique Visitors on Monday, 134 Unique Visitors on Tuesday, Wednesday, back to normal.

CONNECTICUTT

Hi

I thought you might like this - a Poll showing state by state who is likely to win the election.

http://www.birthdayalarm.com/bushorkerry

Even more interestingly it shows how people from other countries would vote if they had a vote.

This is my favorite part of the poll "CONNECTICUTT Bush-4 (44.4%) Kerry-5 (55.6%) Undecided-0 (0%)". Connecticutt with 2 "T's"! LOL, they spell like I do!

SNL lip synch nightmare

DRUDGE REPORT 2004: "SATURDAY NIGHT TAPED: Ashlee Simpson in SNL lip synch nightmare... Performer runs off stage, blames band for gaffe... Developing..."

LOL, I saw this happen, live I guess... I'm not sure how the saturday night live show works. Anywho, the lip synch track stared but Ashlee didn't. As the vocal track was turned down she appeared to be very confused. Her band continued to play as the show must go on, but Ashlee, still confused though that it might be best to "dance" a bit. When that failed to bring the vocal track back for her to lip synch along with, she then ran off stage! The band did their best to cover the obvious fact that something was wrong by totally rocking for 15 seconds before the SNL producers cut to comercials. At the close of the show, Ash blamed the band for playing the "wrong song".

This one wonders why she didn't reconize her own song, even if it was the wrong one, and sing it anyway? This one also wonders what happens when this very thing happens at a concert were the groupies all over paid for their ticktes? It wasn't very profesional and was more along the lines of something you might see at a highschool talent show.

But then if the point of SNL is to make me laugh at Ashlee Simpson, it worked.

UPDATE Ashlee Simpson to Sing Live Again Tonight

We'll see. Actually I wont see, I'll be at work. And I don't think I'd waste my time on the "Radio Music Awards". I'll be watching Ocean's Eleven and The Transporter, my two newest DVD's :)

More - Ashlee Vanilli

So far, the only thing that hasn't been blamed is a wardrobe malfunction. But she still has to make it through tonight's performance at the Radio Music Awards, which will no doubt draw a large audience of viewers watching for a second mishap--so don't count that out yet.

Let's just hope that Ashlee's band has the right set list, her computers have been upgraded, she has a pocket full of Rolaids, and someone pushes Play on the right voice-over track this time around.

--Jennifer Guevin

'60 MINUTES' CAMERAS CAPTURED ASHLEE SIMPSON INCIDENT FROM BACKSTAGE AT 'SNL' -- Drudgereport.com

'60 MINUTES' CAMERAS CAPTURED ASHLEE SIMPSON INCIDENT FROM BACKSTAGE AT 'SNL'
Thu Oct 28 2004 15:43:44 ET

When Ashlee Simpson ran off the "Saturday Night Live" stage last week after her lip-sinc flap, 60 MINUTES cameras were there to record her embarrassing exit and the reaction from show creator Lorne Michaels and other shocked staff members of the show. The exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the incident will be part of a Lesley Stahl report about the making of the venerable comedy program to be broadcast on 60 MINUTES Sunday, Oct. 31 (7:00-8:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Stahl and her cameras were also present for the dress rehearsal of Simpson's performance when she also ran off stage because her voice failed her, necessitating the now notorious live lip-sinc performance that backfired.

60 MINUTES was at the show last Saturday night because Stahl had been shooting footage and interviews all week for a report on how the show is put together. Viewers this Sunday will learn and see how the show is conceived, written and produced each week.

Developing...

So if you have not gotten enough of Ashlee Simpson's lip-sync booboo, check out 60 Minutes on halloween. I won't watch as CBS tends to make stuff up and claim that its true, but that doesn't mean you can't watch!

Good readin'!

The October 23rd posts on scrappleface.com are good. Very good. Go read them! Links here and here.

'Star Wars Episode III' trailer to debut with 'Incredibles' | MacMinute News

'Star Wars Episode III' trailer to debut with 'Incredibles' | MacMinute News: "'Star Wars Episode III' trailer to debut with 'Incredibles'
October 22, 2004 - 10:44 EDT The first teaser trailer for 'Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith' will make its theatrical debut with Pixar's 'The Incredibles' on Nov. 5. Members of the official Star Wars site, however, can watch the full teaser beginning on Nov. 4 in QuickTime format. This is not the first time that Lucasfilm and Pixar have teamed up. In 2001, the trailer for 'Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones' could be seen in theaters prior to the showing of Pixar's Monsters, Inc. Apple CEO Steve Jobs purchased Lucasfilm's computer graphics division for US$10 million and formed Pixar in 1986."

Now the question is, if I am to remain spoiler free for episode III, should I see the trailer or not?

Florida, you didn't have it so bad!!

Record Eighth Typhoon Kills 66 in Japan...

...Well, ok, you do have it bad! GORE TO FLORIDA IN CAMPAIGN FINALE

Eight minutes from the heart of downtown Boardman, Ohio

Kerry hunting
Pool Report
October 21, 2004
Eight minutes from the heart of downtown Boardman, Ohio"

I got a kick out of reading it, you should too.

Webmail Startup Will Pay Users To Receive Spam

Webmail Startup Will Pay Users To Receive Spam: "Startup Affini launched a free email service on Wednesday that will eventually pay users to receive advertisements."

That's an interesting idea and all, but I don't see how Affini will collect any money from the spamers. If they fail to collect, thus fail to pay me, I'll probably not bother to check the email account anymore. Or what happens if they fail to collect, but pay me anyway... how long until they go broke?

Yahoo! News - Statement of Teresa Heinz Kerry

Yahoo! News - Statement of Teresa Heinz Kerry: "sincerely sorry"

To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Sarah Gegenheimer of Kerry Edwards 2004, 202-464-2800

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 20 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Teresa Heinz Kerry released the following statement today:

"I had forgotten that Mrs. Bush had worked as a school teacher and librarian, and there couldn't be a more important job than teaching our children. As someone who has been both a full time mom and full time in workforce, I know we all have valuable experiences that shape who we are. I appreciate and honor Mrs. Bush's service to the country as First Lady, and am sincerely sorry I had not remembered her important work in the past."

Take that Dan Rathergate!

Spymac :: Gallery :: Bush in 2004!!!!!!!

Spymac :: Gallery :: Bush in 2004!!!!!!!

I thought this pic was great! If it doesn't show up or the link doesn't work or something, let me know and I'll post it again.

Catholic World News : Kerry said to be excommunicated

Los Angeles, Oct. 18 (CWNews.com) - A consultant to the Vatican has said Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has incurred the penalty of excommunication from the Catholic Church.

The consultant made his statement in a highly unusual letter to Marc Balestrieri, a Los Angeles canon lawyer who formally sued John Kerry in ecclesiastical court for heresy.

Balestrieri, who launched his case earlier this year by filing a heresy complaint in Kerry's home archdiocese of Boston, told EWTN's "World Over" program on Friday that he had received an unusual, indirect communication from the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith regarding the pro-abortion stance.

That communication provides a basis, he said, to declare that any Catholic politician who says he is "personally opposed to abortion, but supports a woman's right to choose," incurs automatic excommunication. It also provided a basis for Balestrieri to broaden his canonical actions and file additional complaints against four more pro-abortion Catholic politicians: Democrat Senators Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Tom Harkin of Iowa; Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine; and former New York Governor Mario Cuomo, a Democrat.

As a Catholic, can you vote for someone who just got kicked out of your church?

Update: Vatican Says Anti-Kerry Lawyer Hoodwinked Them

That reminds me...

http://rejectproject.blogdrive.com/ has some posts that remind me of some stuff that I have on my webpage.

What Women Really Mean
Question: Can men ever win?
Top ten things you'll NEVER hear one woman say to another woman
Advice from Men to Women

I could add them to my webpage, but I'm to lazy to steal them.

True Colors

Steve at wholewheatblogger.com must have been reading my mind.

Out of touch

Umm... Looks like Flipper is so out of touch with the commen man that he doesn't know you are supose to drop your pants before sticking your head up your butt!

But he has cheating at the debate down pat. Although, this one wonders if Presiden Bush is soooo dumb, why did Flipper need a cheat sheet? I mean come on! I really, really, really hope he wasn't cheating. But I wouldn't be supprised if he did. Nor would I be supprised if he said he didn't cheat before he did...

Crummy Software

Viral movies possible with RealPlayer flaw
Published: October 1, 2004, 4:25 PM PDT
By Robert Lemos
Staff Writer, CNET News.com

A software slipup in RealNetworks' music player means that Windows, Mac and Linux computers could be compromised by a fake movie file, a security company said Friday.

The problem means that fake movie files could be created that, when played by vulnerable Real software, would run a program instead. The flaw appears in RealPlayer 10 for Windows and Mac OS X, the RealOne Player for Windows and Mac OS X and the Real Helix Player for Linux.

"Anyone who has RealPlayer is affected, and there are many people with RealPlayer," said Marc Maiffret, chief hacking officer at software security company eEye Digital Security, the company that discovered the security issue.

RealNetworks could not be reached for comment.

That's another reason not to use realplayer!!

But... but... but... but!

10/1/2004: Bush vs. But-Head

John Kerry made some strong and sensible statements during the debate last night, but did you notice what the next word usually was? Here are some Kerry quotes:

• “I’ll never give a veto to any country over our security. But...”

• “I believe in being strong and resolute and determined. And I will hunt down and kill the terrorists, wherever they are. But...”

• “We have to be steadfast and resolved, and I am. And I will succeed for those troops, now that we’re there. We have to succeed. We can’t leave a failed Iraq. But...”

• “I believe that we have to win this. The president and I have always agreed on that. And from the beginning, I did vote to give the authority, because I thought Saddam Hussein was a threat, and I did accept that intelligence. But...”

• “I have nothing but respect for the British, Tony Blair, and for what they’ve been willing to do. But...”

• “What I want to do is change the dynamics on the ground. And you have to do that by beginning to not back off of the Fallujahs and other places, and send the wrong message to the terrorists. You have to close the borders. You’ve got to show you’re serious in that regard. But...”

• “I couldn’t agree more that the Iraqis want to be free and that they could be free. But...”

• “No president, through all of American history, has ever ceded, and nor would I, the right to pre-empt in any way necessary to protect the United States of America. But...”

• “I’ve never wavered in my life. I know exactly what we need to do in Iraq, and my position has been consistent: Saddam Hussein is a threat. He needed to be disarmed. We needed to go to the U.N. The president needed the authority to use force in order to be able to get him to do something, because he never did it without the threat of force. But...”

Maybe Kerry misunderstood when someone told him he needed to have the “qualifications” to be president. But it’d inspire a lot more confidence if he had followed any of these remarks with a “therefore” clause instead of a “but” one.

You Go Boy!

You Go Boy!

Why I dumped Internet Explorer by Charles Cooper

End of the World!

Well, it looks like Mount Saint Helens just blew up and and the entire West Coast has now fallen into the Pacific Ocean.

Kids do the right thing, Parents no so sure.

Yankees, bank reward kids who return found playoff tickets

Oct. 1, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

SUMMIT, N.J. -- Talk about temptation: box-seat tickets for New York Yankees playoff games lying on the street.

Not for these nine youngsters. They just gave the tickets to the police.

"It's a real tribute to their honesty and total integrity," Yankees owner George Steinbrenner said Friday in a statement through spokesman Howard Rubenstein.

The tickets belonged to Wachovia bank. Only four of 70 tickets in a package worth $20,000 that apparently fell off a delivery truck Monday are still missing, Wachovia bank spokeswoman Fran Durst said.

"I am absolutely amazed by their honesty," Durst said. "What a temptation, just to take these tickets and go to the game. But they did the right thing."

Since the tickets -- some worth $2,600 each -- are for bank customers, the bank will treat the boys and their parents to a New Jersey Nets game Dec. 10 against New Orleans from its luxury box at the Continental Airlines Arena, Durst said.

The Yankees also gave the boys and their parents tickets to Thursday night's 6-4 win over the Minnesota Twins that captured the AL East title. The boys were honored before the game at Summit City Hall. They also will be sent Yankee memorabilia, Rubenstein said.

"I was very happy that they were rewarded," Corey's mother, Elizabeth Platt, said Friday. "But I'm a little nervous ... that the next time he does something right and doesn't get this reaction, he might not do the right thing the third time."

Now that's confidence in your child! I guess you won't be holding him to a high standard now. And if he goes on a killing spree, well, that's not your fault, or his fault, that the city of New York didn't reward him enough.

The Facts for Debate 1, Thursday, September 30th, 2004

The Facts for Debate 1
Thursday, September 30^th, 2004

Question One: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: The Bush Administration Has Shown Disdain For Allies, Treaties And International Organizations.

The Facts:

• Kerry Dismissed Coalition Partners As "Window Dressing" And Claimed They're Not Sharing Burden Of War And Reconstruction. (CNN's "American Morning," 3/2/04)

  • Kerry Mocked Coalition As "Coerced" And "Bribed." (Herbert A. Sample, "Kerry Blasts Bush On Iraq Effort," Sacramento Bee, 3/14/03)

  A Multinational Force Of Some 30 Nations Continues To Help Secure A Free Iraq. PRESIDENT BUSH: "The multinational force of some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq, and we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all." (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

  In Addition to the United States, Other Coalition Members Are Providing Approximately 25,000 Troops To Assist Our Efforts In Iraq. (Robert Burns, "U.S. Offensive Hinges on Iraq Elections," The Associated Press, 9/29/04)

  37 Nations Are Contributing Troops To The NATO-Led Force In Afghanistan. (NATO in Afghanistan Factsheet, NATO, http://www.nato.int/issues/afghanistan/040628-factsheet.htm)

  NATO Is Training Iraqi Security Forces And The United Nations Is Helping Iraq Prepare For Elections. (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

Kerry's Claim: Compared To Our Coalition Partners, America Is Bearing A Disproportionate Amount Of The Burden In Iraq. 90 Percent Of The Casualties Are American.

The Facts:

• A Multinational Force Of Some 30 Nations Continues To Help Secure A Free Iraq. PRESIDENT BUSH: "The multinational force of some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq, and we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all." (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

  In Addition to the United States, Other Coalition Members Are Providing Approximately 25,000 Troops To Assist Our Efforts In Iraq. (Robert Burns, "U.S. Offensive Hinges on Iraq Elections," The Associated Press, 9/29/04)

  The U.S. Army General In Charge Of Training Effort In Iraq Says "Iraqi Security Forces Are In The Fight" And Have Made Tremendous Sacrifices. "Most important, Iraqi security forces are in the fight -- so much so that they are suffering substantial casualties as they take on more and more of the burdens to achieve security in their country. Since Jan. 1 more than 700 Iraqi security force members have been killed, and hundreds of Iraqis seeking to volunteer for the police and military have been killed as well." (Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, US Army, "Battling for Iraq," Washington Post, 9/26/04)

  Kerry Dismissed Coalition Partners As "Window Dressing" And Claimed They're Not Sharing Burden Of War And Reconstruction. (CNN's "American Morning," 3/2/04)

  Kerry Mocked Coalition As "Coerced" And "Bribed." "'If the federal government can find billions of dollars for the "coalition of the coerced and the bribed," why can't it provide vital aid for schools, health care and law enforcement?' asked Kerry." (Herbert A. Sample, "Kerry Blasts Bush On Iraq Effort," Sacramento Bee, 3/14/03)

  In First Dem Debate, Kerry Strongly Supported President's Action In Iraq. KERRY: "I said at the time 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." (John Kerry, Remarks At Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)

  Kerry Previously Questioned Where Russia And France's Backbone To Stand Up To Saddam Was. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "So clearly the allies may not like it, and I think that's our great concern – where's the backbone of Russia, where's the backbone of France, where are they in expressing their condemnation of such clearly illegal activity, but in a sense, they're now climbing into a box and they will have enormous difficulty not following up on this if there is not compliance by Iraq." (CNN's "Crossfire," 11/12/97)

  NATO Is Training Iraqi Security Forces And The United Nations Is Helping Iraq Prepare For Elections. (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

Kerry's Claim: The President Is Fueling Anger At America.

The Facts:

• In First Dem Debate, Kerry Strongly Supported President's Action In Iraq. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "I said at the time 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." (ABC News, Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)

  British Prime Minister Tony Blair Called The War On Terror An "Effective Multilateral Action Against WMD." "Britain, America and our partners are determined to stop the threat of weapons of mass destruction. We have played a leading role in the International Atomic Energy Agency, with our closest allies, on the issue of Iran and nuclear weapons. We strongly support the six party talks on North Korea. We have enforced Security Council resolutions relating to Iraq. We have played a leading role in the Proliferation Security Initiative designed to interdict the passage of cargoes which could be used in WMD programs. These actions show that we are serious about effective multilateral action against WMD." ("Text Of Blair's Address Concerning Libya," The Associated Press, 12/19/03)

  The 9/11 Commission Judged That International Cooperation In The War On Terror Is Now "On A Vastly Enlarged Scale." (9/11 Commission Report, p. 365)

Kerry's Claim: Just 5,000 Iraqi Soldiers Have Been Fully Trained, And Of The 35,000 Police Now In Uniform, Not One Has Completed A 24-Week Field-Training Program.

The Facts:

• 
  Video: Kerry Calls Coalition Partners "Window Dressing."
  

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  The U.S. Army General In Charge Of Training Effort In Iraq Says There Are "164,000 Iraqi Police And Soldiers (Of Which About 100,000 Are Trained And Equipped) And An Additional 74,000 Facility Protection Forces." "Today approximately 164,000 Iraqi police and soldiers (of which about 100,000 are trained and equipped) and an additional 74,000 facility protection forces are performing a wide variety of security missions. Equipment is being delivered. Training is on track and increasing in capacity. Infrastructure is being repaired. Command and control structures and institutions are being reestablished." (Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, US Army, "Battling for Iraq," Washington Post, 9/26/04)

  The 5,000 Number Kerry Cites Is Just The Number Of The Iraqi Army That Have Been Trained And Excludes, The Iraqi National Guard, Intervention Force, Special Ops, Air Force And Coastal Defense Forces.

  The State Department's Iraq Weekly Status Report That Kerry Was Relying On Clearly States That Nearly 42,000 Members Of The Iraqi Armed Forces Have Been Trained. More than 14,000 Iraqi armed forces members are currently in training. Kerry's math also doesn't account for the fact that more than 56,000 members of the Iraqi military are already "on hand" or "on duty." (http://www.defendamerica.gov/downloads/Iraq-WeeklyUpdate-20040915.pdf)

  That Report Also Showed That Over 100,000 Iraqi Police Forces On Duty, Over 50,000 In The Process Of Being Trained, And Another 50,000 That Have Completed Their Training. Again, Kerry hand-picked a single cell of a larger chart to play into his message of pessimism and defeat.

  Kerry Advisor Richard Holbrooke Says French Troop Contribution in Iraq is "Not Realistic." HOLBROOKE: "Well, I don't think that anyone expects Chirac to call up the White House next January and say, 'How many divisions in Iraq?' That's not realistic, and John Kerry knows it." (Fox News', "Fox News Sunday," 9/12/04)

Question Two: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: Instead Of Using U.S. Forces To Capture Osama Bin Laden, The President Outsourced The Job To Afghan Warlords, Who Let Bin Laden Slip Away.

The Facts:

• Former Centcom Commander General Tommy Franks, US Army (Ret.), Said There Was No Hesitation At Tora Bora. QUESTION: "This is second-guessing Afghanistan: Do you believe Osama bin Laden may have been killed or captured had we not hesitated in Tora Bora?" GEN. FRANKS: "[I]t's difficult for me to look back and talk about any, sort of, hesitation. I guess I would say that those people who were on the ground and involved in that operation didn't themselves sense any hesitation and neither did I." (Remarks by General Tommy R. Franks, West Palm Beach, FL, 11/12/02)

  Tommy Franks Says It's "Absolutely Incorrect" That Resources Were Diverted From Afghanistan. GEN. FRANKS: "I caught just a part of a news conference that [Kerry] gave wherein he talked about how bad it was that the Commander-in-Chief had taken troops away from me and put those out of Afghanistan and put those troops to work in Iraq. Sean, that's absolutely incorrect. You know, hey, my name's Tommy Franks, and I don't lie. Reading my book the way you have, I would refer you to page 386 of my book where we go ahead and we talk about the fact that the President used to stress to me every day his concern that we should not distract from Afghanistan and the fight there while we were conducting Iraq. We entered Iraq with 9,500 troopers in Afghanistan. And by the time we finished major combat in Afghanistan-or in Iraq-we had 10,000 troops in Afghanistan." (ABC Radio's "The Sean Hannity Show," 9/21/04)

Question Three: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: The Iraq War Lacked The Sanction Of The United Nations.

The Facts:

• The UN Security Council Unanimously Passed Resolution 1441, Which Mandated "Serious Consequences" Against Saddam Hussein's Regime. DR. RICE: "Remember the clear logic of Resolution 1441 -- which passed unanimously. 1441 posed a test -- a final test -- of Saddam Hussein's willingness to disarm and comply with his obligations. Saddam Hussein refused to meet that test. 1441 mandated serious consequences if Iraq refused to comply. A coalition of nations ensured that these would not be empty words." (Remarks by Dr. Condoleezza Rice, 10/8/03)

  "Iraq…Violated More Than Seventeen United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs)" Was In "Material Breach Of Disarmament Obligations." ("Saddam Hussein's Defiance Of UNSCRs," U.S. Department Of State, http://www.state.gov/p/io/rls/fs/2003/18850.htm, 3/20/03)

  A Multinational Force Of Some 30 Nations Continues To Help Secure A Free Iraq. PRESIDENT BUSH: "The multinational force of some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq, and we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all." (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

  In Addition to the United States, Other Coalition Members Are Providing Approximately 25,000 Troops To Assist Our Efforts In Iraq. (Robert Burns, "U.S. Offensive Hinges on Iraq Elections," The Associated Press, 9/29/04)

  Kerry Opposes Pre-Emptive Doctrine, Which Is Vital For National Security. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "[A]s long as this administration leaves a preemptive doctrine on the table, as long as our administration is proceeding down the road to develop nuclear bunker-busting weapons, and as long as we remain a country that will conduct a preemptive war, we're inviting people to do the very thing that we don't want them to do." (Sen. John Kerry, CNN's Democrat Candidate Debate, 10/9/03)

  Kerry Would Leave U.S. Foreign Policy In Hands Of United Nations. "[Kerry] said that if the administration cannot gain sufficient votes within the Security Council for a second resolution authorizing military action, it should 'take the time, for a period of time, to continue to build [support] at this particular moment.' He said war should be a last resort, arrived at only after taking the time to build legitimacy and consent within the country and around the world." (Glen Johnson, "Facing Antiwar Push In Calif., Kerry Is Sparing In Remarks In Key Electorate," The Boston Globe, 3/16/03)

  And Kerry Would Give French And Russians Veto Power Over Use Of Force. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "I would have done what was necessary to know that you had exhausted the available remedies with the French and the Russians." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 10/20/03)

  NATO Is Training Iraqi Security Forces and the United Nations is Helping Iraq Prepare for Elections. PRESIDENT BUSH: "We're helping to transform the NATO Alliance, which is…providing training assistance for Iraqi security forces… In Iraq, the U.N. is helping that newly sovereign nation to prepare for free and fair elections, and will help to draft a new constitution." (Remarks By The President In Swearing-In Of John C. Danforth, 7/1/04)

Kerry's Claim: Iraqi Reconstruction Is Too Expensive, The $200 Billion Should Be Spent In America.

The Facts:

• Kerry Previously Said We Should Increase Funding To Iraq "By Whatever Number Of Billions Of Dollars It Takes To Win." MR. RUSSERT: "Do you believe that we should reduce funding that we are now providing for the operation in Iraq?" SEN. KERRY: "No. I think we should increase it." MR. RUSSERT: "Increase funding?" SEN. KERRY: "Yes." MR. RUSSERT: "By how much?" SEN. KERRY: "By whatever number of billions of dollars it takes to win. It is critical that the United States of America be successful in Iraq, Tim...." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 8/31/03)

Kerry's Claim: Compared To Our Coalition Partners, America Is Bearing A Disproportionate Amount Of The Burden In Iraq. 90 Percent Of The Casualties Are American.

The Facts:

• 
  Video: Kerry Pledged to Fund Iraq Reconstruction "Whatever Number" of Dollars It Took
  

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  A Multinational Force Of Some 30 Nations Continues To Help Secure A Free Iraq. PRESIDENT BUSH: "The multinational force of some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq, and we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all." (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

  In Addition to the United States, Other Coalition Members Are Providing Approximately 25,000 Troops To Assist Our Efforts In Iraq. (Robert Burns, "U.S. Offensive Hinges on Iraq Elections," The Associated Press, 9/29/04)

  The U.S. Army General In Charge Of Training Effort In Iraq Says "Iraqi Security Forces Are In The Fight" And Have Made Tremendous Sacrifices. "Most important, Iraqi security forces are in the fight -- so much so that they are suffering substantial casualties as they take on more and more of the burdens to achieve security in their country. Since Jan. 1 more than 700 Iraqi security force members have been killed, and hundreds of Iraqis seeking to volunteer for the police and military have been killed as well." (Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, US Army, "Battling for Iraq," Washington Post, 9/26/04)

  Kerry Dismissed Coalition Partners As "Window Dressing" And Claimed They're Not Sharing Burden Of War And Reconstruction. (CNN's "American Morning," 3/2/04)

  Kerry Mocked Coalition As "Coerced" And "Bribed." "'If the federal government can find billions of dollars for the "coalition of the coerced and the bribed," why can't it provide vital aid for schools, health care and law enforcement?' asked Kerry." (Herbert A. Sample, "Kerry Blasts Bush On Iraq Effort," Sacramento Bee, 3/14/03)

  In First Dem Debate, Kerry Strongly Supported President's Action In Iraq. KERRY: "I said at the time 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." (John Kerry, Remarks At Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)

  Kerry Previously Questioned Where Russia And France's Backbone To Stand Up To Saddam Was. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "So clearly the allies may not like it, and I think that's our great concern – where's the backbone of Russia, where's the backbone of France, where are they in expressing their condemnation of such clearly illegal activity, but in a sense, they're now climbing into a box and they will have enormous difficulty not following up on this if there is not compliance by Iraq." (CNN's "Crossfire," 11/12/97)

  NATO Is Training Iraqi Security Forces And The United Nations Is Helping Iraq Prepare For Elections. (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

Kerry's Claim: Former Military Officers Are Supporting Kerry.

The Facts:

• The President Has Been Endorsed By Over 250 Flag Officers.

Question Four: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Went Into Iraq Without A Plan To Win The Peace.

The Facts:

• Kerry Voted Against The $87 Billion Supplemental, Which Contains Funds For Iraq's Reconstruction, Including The Training And Equipping Of Iraqi Security Forces. PRESIDENT BUSH: "This legislation also includes nearly $20 billion to help build stable democratic societies in Iraq and Afghanistan. We will help train and equip the growing number of Iraqis and Afghans who are fighting and dying to defend and secure their rights. We'll help to upgrade hospitals and schools and repair infrastructure and improve basic services, including water, electricity and sanitation." (Remarks By The President At Signing Of HR 3289 - The Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act For Defense And For The Reconstruction Of Iraq And Afghanistan, 11/6/03, Available At http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/11/print/20031106-4.html)

  Former Centcom Commander General Tommy Franks, US Army (Ret.), Says "There Was Actually Excellent Planning" For The Post-War Reconstruction. BLITZER: "Why was there such poor planning for the post-war reconstruction of Iraq?" "GENERAL FRANKS: "I don't think there was poor planning. I think there was actually excellent planning. I think if you take a look at the book, what you see is the use of the term 'catastrophic success' or 'catastrophic victory.' I think what we saw, Wolf, was that the combat forces moved up to Baghdad, isolated and removed the regime very, very quickly." (CNN's "Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer," 8/15/04)

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Rushed To War Without Fully Equipping Our Troops With Body Armor.

The Facts:

• 
  Video: Kerry Said, "I Actually Did Vote for The $87 Billion Before I Voted Against It."
  

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  "All Front Line Troops In Iraq Had Interceptor Body Armor During Offensive Operations In Iraq In Early 2003." "All soldiers and Defense Department civilians and contractors in Iraq have had interceptor body armor since January 2004." (House Armed Services Committee, "Talking Points: Protecting Our Troops," 3/24/04)

  Every Solider And Marine In Iraq Had Body Armor, But Only Some Had Brand New Interceptor Body Armor, While Others Had Older Model. JOINT CHIEFS VICE CHAIRMAN PETER PACE: "Every soldier and Marine on the ground over had body armor. The difference is, is that our industry has produced an even better body armor than what we have, so what the folks went over to the war with is what we've been wearing for several years, which is body armor that's very, very good against a certain caliber of munition. The new body armor is better against large caliber munition, industry produced it and Congress funded it and industries producing as fast as they can and as fast as they're making it we're getting it to Iraq. The projection is that by December of this year [2003] everybody in Iraq will have the new armor, so everybody has armor it's the difference between whether they have the most recent capacity armor or the armor that we've been wearing – body armor that we've been wearing for a couple years." (U.S. Department Of Defense Website, "Secretary Rumsfeld And Gen. Pace Stakeout At The House Of Representatives," http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2003/tr20031021-secdef0805.html, 10/21/03)

  At Beginning Of War, Troops Had At Minimum Same Body Armor Troops Have Worn For "Past 10, 15, 20 Years," And All U.S. Troops And Civilians In Iraq Now Have New Interceptor Body Armor. NPR'S JUAN WILLIAMS: "Senator Kerry, who, as you know, is running for president, has made the charge that American servicemen and women have had to reach into their own pockets to pay for some body armor. Is that true?" JOINT CHIEFS VICE CHAIRMAN PETER PACE: "Those of us in uniform do not talk about politics nor should we. The fact of the matter is that there have been some units that in the early stages of the war had the kind of body armor that we have had for the past 10, 15, 20 years and that as the war was beginning we had a new prototype that the Army was trying out called SAPI Armor, that in fact was, when field-tested, much better than the body armor that everyone else had. Now in the Gulf region every single American, civilian military who's over there serving our country, has available to them a set of this SAPI Armor." (NPR's "Morning Edition," 3/18/04)

  The $87 Billion Supplemental Funding Bill Kerry And Edwards Voted Against Provided "Extra Money For Body Armor For Soldiers …" ("Highlights Of Iraq, Afghanistan Measures," The Associated Press, 10/17/03; S. Rept. 108-160, Conference Report On S. 1689, 10/2/03)

  Kerry Had Characterized A Vote Against The Funding As "Irresponsible." (CBS' "Face the Nation," 9/14/03)

  Kerry Later Offered A Tortured Explanation Of His Vote Against The $87 Billion To Support Troops In Iraq. "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." (Richard W. Stevenson And Adam Nagourney, "Bush's Campaign Emphasizes Role Of Leader In War," The New York Times, 3/17/04)

  Kerry Said He Was "Proud" That He And Edwards Voted Against $87 Billion In Funding For U.S. Soldiers, Then Said His Vote Against Body Armor And Supplies For Troops Was "Complicated." (John Kerry, Remarks At "Women's Voices: A Luncheon With John Kerry," Boston, MA, 7/12/04; MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 7/15/04)

  Kerry Even Said His Vote For The War And Against Funding For Our Troops Was "Not A Flip-Flop."(CBS' "Evening News," 7/21/04)

  Kerry Then Defended His Vote Against The $87 Billion By Saying President Bush "Didn't Have A Plan To Win The Peace, It Was Irresponsible To Give [President Bush] A Blank Check That Gave $20 Billion That Was Going To Go…To Halliburton And All These Other Companies." (Mike Allen And Lois Romano, "Closing Laps In Race To November," The Washington Post, 9/4/04)

  Kerry Said He's "Glad" He Voted Against The Iraq Supplemental. (CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman," 9/20/04)

Kerry's Claim: The Bush Administration Should Deploy More Troops To Iraq.

The Facts:

• Kerry Called For More Troops Before. "Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Tuesday he would expand the U.S. military within his first 100 days as president, contending 40,000 more troops are needed to meet America's responsibilities around the world. Kerry told supporters at Drake University that the occupation of Iraq as well as the global war against terrorism require more troops." (Mike Wilson, "Kerry Would Expand Military As President," The Associated Press, 12/17/03)

  • Then Denied Ever Making Such A Proposal. REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH): "You said you want to send 40,000 more troops [to Iraq]." SEN. JOHN KERRY: "I have never said that." KUCINICH: "You never said you wanted to bring 40,000 more troops ever?" KERRY: "No …" (CNN/Los Angeles Times, Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Los Angeles, CA, 2/26/04)

  September 2003: Kerry Said Voting Against The $87 Billion Supplemental Would Be "Irresponsible." (CBS's "Face the Nation," 9/14/03)

  October 2003: Kerry Voted Against The $87 Billion Supplemental Supporting Our Troops.

  President Bush Is Listening To Our Commanders To Make Sure They Have The Troop Levels They Need. QUESTION: "And what's your answer to General John Abizaid's statement that, 'I think we will need more troops than we currently have?'" PRESIDENT BUSH: "If that's what he says -- he was in my office this morning; he didn't say that to me, but if he were to say that, I'd listen to him, just like I've said all along, that when our commanders say that they need support, they'll get support, because we're going to succeed in this mission." (President Bush and Prime Minister Allawi Press Conference, 9/23/04)

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Rushed To War Without Fully Equipping Our Troops With Body Armor.

The Facts:

• "All Front Line Troops In Iraq Had Interceptor Body Armor During Offensive Operations In Iraq In Early 2003." "All soldiers and Defense Department civilians and contractors in Iraq have had interceptor body armor since January 2004." (House Armed Services Committee, "Talking Points: Protecting Our Troops," 3/24/04)

  Every Solider And Marine In Iraq Had Body Armor, But Only Some Had Brand New Interceptor Body Armor, While Others Had Older Model. JOINT CHIEFS VICE CHAIRMAN PETER PACE: "Every soldier and Marine on the ground over had body armor. The difference is, is that our industry has produced an even better body armor than what we have, so what the folks went over to the war with is what we've been wearing for several years, which is body armor that's very, very good against a certain caliber of munition. The new body armor is better against large caliber munition, industry produced it and Congress funded it and industries producing as fast as they can and as fast as they're making it we're getting it to Iraq. The projection is that by December of this year [2003] everybody in Iraq will have the new armor, so everybody has armor it's the difference between whether they have the most recent capacity armor or the armor that we've been wearing – body armor that we've been wearing for a couple years." (U.S. Department Of Defense Website, "Secretary Rumsfeld And Gen. Pace Stakeout At The House Of Representatives," http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/2003/tr20031021-secdef0805.html, 10/21/03)

  At Beginning Of War, Troops Had At Minimum Same Body Armor Troops Have Worn For "Past 10, 15, 20 Years," And All U.S. Troops And Civilians In Iraq Now Have New Interceptor Body Armor. NPR'S JUAN WILLIAMS: "Senator Kerry, who, as you know, is running for president, has made the charge that American servicemen and women have had to reach into their own pockets to pay for some body armor. Is that true?" JOINT CHIEFS VICE CHAIRMAN PETER PACE: "Those of us in uniform do not talk about politics nor should we. The fact of the matter is that there have been some units that in the early stages of the war had the kind of body armor that we have had for the past 10, 15, 20 years and that as the war was beginning we had a new prototype that the Army was trying out called SAPI Armor, that in fact was, when field-tested, much better than the body armor that everyone else had. Now in the Gulf region every single American, civilian military who's over there serving our country, has available to them a set of this SAPI Armor." (NPR's "Morning Edition," 3/18/04)

  The $87 Billion Supplemental Funding Bill Kerry And Edwards Voted Against Provided "Extra Money For Body Armor For Soldiers …" ("Highlights Of Iraq, Afghanistan Measures," The Associated Press, 10/17/03; S. Rept. 108-160, Conference Report On S. 1689, 10/2/03)

  Kerry Had Characterized A Vote Against The Funding As "Irresponsible." (CBS' "Face the Nation," 9/14/03)

  Kerry Later Offered A Tortured Explanation Of His Vote Against The $87 Billion To Support Troops In Iraq. "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." (Richard W. Stevenson And Adam Nagourney, "Bush's Campaign Emphasizes Role Of Leader In War," The New York Times, 3/17/04)

  Kerry Said He Was "Proud" That He And Edwards Voted Against $87 Billion In Funding For U.S. Soldiers, Then Said His Vote Against Body Armor And Supplies For Troops Was "Complicated." (John Kerry, Remarks At "Women's Voices: A Luncheon With John Kerry," Boston, MA, 7/12/04; MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 7/15/04)

  Kerry Even Said His Vote For The War And Against Funding For Our Troops Was "Not A Flip-Flop."(CBS' "Evening News," 7/21/04)

  Kerry Then Defended His Vote Against The $87 Billion By Saying President Bush "Didn't Have A Plan To Win The Peace, It Was Irresponsible To Give [President Bush] A Blank Check That Gave $20 Billion That Was Going To Go…To Halliburton And All These Other Companies." (Mike Allen And Lois Romano, "Closing Laps In Race To November," The Washington Post, 9/4/04)

  Kerry Said He's "Glad" He Voted Against The Iraq Supplemental. (CBS' "The Late Show With David Letterman," 9/20/04)

Question Five: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: The Bush Administration Has Cut Funding For Fire Fighters.

The Facts:

• President Bush Has Increased Funding For Firefighters By 400 Percent. President Bush's FY 2005 budget request allocates $500 million for Assistance to Firefighter Grants – a 400 percent increase over funding levels when he came into office. Indeed, President Bush has already awarded over $1.1 billion in firefighter grants in the last three years, providing 900 percent more firefighter grant funds than Clinton budgets did. (President's FY 2005 Budget Appendix, pg. 471; United States Fire Administration, Assistance to Firefighters Grant Awards FY 2001, at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fire-service/grants/afgp/awards/2001awards/01awards.shtm)

  President Bush Has Increased First Responder Funding By 680 Percent. President Clinton's last budget (FY 2001) provided $456 million for state and local funding. President Bush's FY 2005 budget request allocates $3.561 billion for states and local first responders. That is a $3.1 billion increase (680 percent) in funding levels for President Clinton's last budget. (President's FY 2005 Budget, Pg. 163)

Kerry's Claim: The Bush Administration Has Cut Funding For First Responders.

The Facts:

• Kerry Voted Six Times Against President Bush's Department Of Homeland Security, Stalling Its Creation By 112 Days. Kerry repeatedly sided with labor unions against President Bush in the creation of a Department of Homeland Security.

  • In 2003, Kerry Skipped Vote On $29.3 Billion Homeland Security Appropriations.

  President Bush Has Increased First Responder Funding By 680 Percent. President Clinton's last budget (FY 2001) provided $456 million for state and local funding. President Bush's FY 2005 budget request allocates $3.561 billion for states and local first responders. That is a $3.1 billion increase (680 percent) in funding levels for President Clinton's last budget. (President's FY 2005 Budget, Pg. 163)

  President Bush Has Nearly Tripled Homeland Security Funding. We have tripled overall homeland security funding – from about $10 billion in 2001 to more than $30 billion proposed for 2005 – and have trained 500,000 first responders. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2005/fiscal.html)

Kerry's Claim: Air Cargo Is Not Being Screened For Explosives.

The Facts:

• Kerry Voted Six Times Against President Bush's Department Of Homeland Security, Stalling Its Creation By 112 Days. Kerry repeatedly sided with labor unions against President Bush in the creation of a Department of Homeland Security.

  In 2003, Kerry Skipped Vote On $29.3 Billion Homeland Security Appropriations.

  One Hundred Percent Of Passengers And Passenger Bags Are Now Screened. TSA has implemented 100 percent screening of checked baggage. (http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?content=090005198002d52d; DHS Budget in Brief - Fiscal Year 2005, http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0391.xml)

  TSA Is Taking Measures To Identify All High-Risk Air Cargo. TSA has established a database of vetted shippers, which is then used in a risk-weighted freight screening system that will identify pieces of cargo requiring closer scrutiny before being loaded on passenger aircraft. TSA prohibits "unknown shipper" cargo from flying aboard passenger carriers. (DHS Press Release: "TSA Implements Random Inspections of Cargo," 11/17/2003, At http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=43&content=3014&print=true; http://www.dhs.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/OIG_DHSManagementChallenges0304.pdf)

  President Bush Has Vastly Increased Funding To Improve Screening Technology. The President's FY 2005 Budget includes $85 million for air cargo security systems – a huge increase from the FY 2003 budget of $5 million. Funding includes $30 million for the "known shipper" program, $55 million to improve cargo screening and inspections, and funds to hire an additional 100 staff to audit shipper compliance. (DHS Budget In Brief - Fiscal Year 2005, http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/editorial/editorial_0391.xml; http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?theme=43&content=1817&print=true)

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Has Not Done Enough To Secure Chemical Plants Under Pressure From The Chemical Industry.

The Facts:

• Kerry Voted Six Times Against President Bush's Department Of Homeland Security, Stalling Its Creation By 112 Days. Kerry repeatedly sided with labor unions against President Bush in the creation of a Department of Homeland Security.

  In 2003, Kerry Skipped Vote On $29.3 Billion Homeland Security Appropriations.

  Kerry Has Raised More Money From Paid Lobbyists Than Any Other Senator Over the past 15 Years. (Jim VandeHei, "Kerry Leads In Lobby Money," The Washington Post, 1/31/04)

  The President Backs Legislation That Would Increase Security Standards. President Bush supports passage of legislation that would provide strong authority for DHS to require chemical facilities to have security plans and strong enforcement measures to ensure compliance.

  The Bush Administration Has Already Made Critical Infrastructure Protection Its #1 Homeland Security Priority. In February of 2004, Tom Ridge announced that critical infrastructure protection would be the Department of Homeland Security's #1 priority during its second year of existence. (Fact Sheet: The U.S. Department Of Homeland Security, February 2004, http://www.alec.org/meswfiles/pdf/hsmemo.pdf)

  DHS Has Already Enhanced Security At The Nation's Top 17 Chemical Sites. The Department of Homeland Security is already in the process of identifying all at-risk critical infrastructure throughout the country, and has announced that it will complete this process by December of 2004. It has already identified the nation's highest-risk chemical sites and partnered with industry to enhance protections at those sites, improving safety for over 13 million Americans. (Testimony Of Frank Libutti, 3/04, http://appropriations.senate.gov/hearmarkups/record.cfm?id=218572)

Kerry's Claim: Security Is Poor Along The Canadian Border.

The Facts:

• Kerry Voted Six Times Against President Bush's Department Of Homeland Security, Stalling Its Creation By 112 Days. Kerry repeatedly sided with labor unions against President Bush in the creation of a Department of Homeland Security.

  In 2003, Kerry Skipped Vote On $29.3 Billion Homeland Security Appropriations.

  President Bush Has Added More Than 1,000 Border Patrol Officers. The Border Patrol has increased its strength from 9,788 on September 11, 2001 to 10,835 on December 1, 2003. (Statement Of Robert C. Bonner Before Committee On Government Reform, July 22, 2004; White House, "Principles Of Immigration Reform," At http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/immigration/more-immigration.html)

  Tripled Border Patrol Agents On The Northern Border. The United States shares a 4,000-mile border with Canada, much of it sparsely populated. Prior to September 11^th, this vast expanse was policed by only 1,500 customs and immigration inspectors and 350 Border Patrol Agents. President Bush has nearly tripled the number of Border Patrol Agents assigned to the northern border to 1,000 and more than doubled the number of customs and immigration inspectors to 3,400. (Statement Of Robert C. Bonner Before Committee On Government Reform, 7/22/04; White House, "Principles Of Immigration Reform," At http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/immigration/more-immigration.html)

  President Bush Has Entered Into "Smart Border" Accords With Canada To Jointly Improve Security Along The Northern Border. Tom Ridge: "Smart border accords have significantly improved our coordination and our cooperation with Mexico and Canada." (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/09/20030902-7.html)

  Enhanced Security Measures At Cross-Border Bridges And Tunnels. The Free and Secure Trade (FAST) and NEXUS programs screen out low-risk shipments, allowing law enforcement to concentrate its efforts on cargo that poses the greatest threat. FAST and NEXUS have been implemented at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and at various cross-border bridges. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/09/text/20020909-3.html; http://ambassadeducanada.org/border/status-en.asp)

Kerry's Claim: Only Five Percent Of Seaborne Containers Entering The Country Are Inspected.

The Facts:

• Kerry Voted Six Times Against President Bush's Department Of Homeland Security, Stalling Its Creation By 112 Days. Kerry repeatedly sided with labor unions against President Bush in the creation of a Department of Homeland Security.

  In 2003, Kerry Skipped Vote On $29.3 Billion Homeland Security Appropriations.

  All Containers Are Screened, 100 Percent Of High-Risk Containers Are Physically Inspected. (Testimony By Robert C. Bonner Before The House Ways And Means Committee, Trade Subcommittee, On The FY 2005 Customs Service Reauthorization, 6/17/2004)

  The President's 2005 Budget Increases Port Security 628 Percent Over 2001. The President has called for $1.9 billion in funding in 2005 to increase the security of our ports. That is a $224 million (13 percent) increase over 2004, and a $1.6 billion increase (628 percent) over funding levels from President Clinton's last budget. (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/02/20040205-5.html)

  The President Initiated The Container Security Initiative (CSI) To Screen High-Risk Containers At Foreign Ports, Before They Ever Get To The United States. CSI ensures that cargo destined for the United States is pre-screened while it still at foreign ports, well before it ever reaches our shores. CSI is being implemented today at the top 20 foreign ports, which account for more than 2/3 of the cargo entering the United States. The program is in the process of expanding to other ports as part of Phase II of its operations. The President has called for a 25 percent ($25 million) increase in funding for CSI in FY 2005, bringing funding for CSI to a total of $126 million. (http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/interapp/press_release/press_release_0178.xml; http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/02/20040205-5.html)

Kerry's Claim: The President Has Not Done Enough To Secure Our Railroads And Subways.

The Facts:

• Since 2003, The President Has Distributed More Than $115 Million In Grants Specifically Earmarked For Upgrading Mass Transit Security. More than $1.2 billion in Urban Area Security Initiative funds are also available to enhance rail and subway security. (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/docs/fy03uasigrant.pdf; http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/docs/UASIIIFY03GrantAppFinal.pdf; http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/docs/fy04uasi.pdf; http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/docs/uasitransit.pdf; http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/docs/UASIIIFY03GrantAppFinal.pdf)

  The President Is Developing New Screening Technology For Trains And Subways. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is allocated $5.6 billion in the President's FY 2005 Budget to develop new terrorism prevention programs, including an advanced multi-sensor chemical detection system. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is allocated $36 million in the FY 2005 Budget to develop technological improvements to tank car security, real-time passenger car manifest, and EDSs. (Testimony of Allan Rutter, House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, 5/5/04, available at http://www.house.gov/transportation/rail/05-05-04/rutter.pdf; http://www.dot.gov/bib2005/fra.pdf; http://www.dot.gov/bib2005/fta.pdf; http://www.fta.dot.gov/11227_11229_ENG_HTML.htm)

Question Six: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: There Is No End In Sight To The Iraq War.

The Facts:

• Kerry Voted Against $87 Billion Iraq/Afghanistan Supplement Funding Bill.

  Kerry Had Characterized A Vote Against The Funding As "Irresponsible." (CBS' "Face the Nation," 9/14/03)

  Kerry Later Offered A Tortured Explanation Of His Vote Against The $87 Billion To Support Troops In Iraq. "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it." (Richard W. Stevenson And Adam Nagourney, "Bush's Campaign Emphasizes Role Of Leader In War," The New York Times, 3/17/04)

  Kerry Said He Was "Proud" That He And Edwards Voted Against $87 Billion In Funding For U.S. Soldiers, Then Said His Vote Against Body Armor And Supplies For Troops Was "Complicated." (John Kerry, Remarks At "Women's Voices: A Luncheon With John Kerry," Boston, MA, 7/12/04; MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 7/15/04)

  On June 28, Full Sovereignty Was Transferred To The Iraqi People Through The Iraqi Interim Government.

  A New United States Embassy Is Up And Running In Iraq, Headed By John Negroponte.

  There Is An Ongoing And Active Partnership Between The Iraqi Government And The Coalition Forces To Build The Iraqi Security Forces. Today these forces number 96,000 fully trained Iraqi police and soldiers.

  By January 2005, There Will Be 159,000 Fully Trained And Equipped Iraqi Police And Soldiers Available For Duty On The Streets Of Iraq. By December 2005, there will be 238,000 fully trained and equipped Iraqi police and soldiers available for duty.

  The Goal Of Holding Elections By January 2005 Is Strongly Supported By Prime Minister Allawi And The Iraqi Interim Government.

  The UN Has Already Started Deploying A Team Of International Elections Experts To Iraq To Assist The Work Of The Iraqi Elections Commission.

  Allawi: "Across The Country There Is A Daily Progress." "But improving the everyday lives of Iraqis, tackling our economic problems is also essential to our plan. Across the country there is a daily progress, too. Oil pipelines are being repaired. Basic services are being improved. The homes are being rebuilt." (Prime Minister Allawi, Remarks To A Joint Session Of Congress, Washington, D.C., 9/23/04)

Kerry's Claim: Kerry Claims He Will Bring In More Allies.

The Facts:

• A Multinational Force Of Some 30 Nations Continues To Help Secure A Free Iraq. PRESIDENT BUSH: "The multinational force of some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq, and we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all." (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

  In Addition to the United States, Other Coalition Members Are Providing Approximately 25,000 Troops To Assist Our Efforts In Iraq. (Robert Burns, "U.S. Offensive Hinges on Iraq Elections," The Associated Press, 9/29/04)

  The U.S. Army General In Charge Of Training Effort In Iraq Says "Iraqi Security Forces Are In The Fight" And Have Made Tremendous Sacrifices. "Most important, Iraqi security forces are in the fight -- so much so that they are suffering substantial casualties as they take on more and more of the burdens to achieve security in their country. Since Jan. 1 more than 700 Iraqi security force members have been killed, and hundreds of Iraqis seeking to volunteer for the police and military have been killed as well." (Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, US Army, "Battling for Iraq," Washington Post, 9/26/04)

  Kerry Dismissed Coalition Partners As "Window Dressing" And Claimed They're Not Sharing Burden Of War And Reconstruction. (CNN's "American Morning," 3/2/04)

  Kerry Mocked Coalition As "Coerced" And "Bribed." "'If the federal government can find billions of dollars for the "coalition of the coerced and the bribed," why can't it provide vital aid for schools, health care and law enforcement?' asked Kerry." (Herbert A. Sample, "Kerry Blasts Bush On Iraq Effort," Sacramento Bee, 3/14/03)

  In First Dem Debate, Kerry Strongly Supported President's Action In Iraq. KERRY: "I said at the time 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." (John Kerry, Remarks At Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)

  Kerry Previously Questioned Where Russia And France's Backbone To Stand Up To Saddam Was. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "So clearly the allies may not like it, and I think that's our great concern – where's the backbone of Russia, where's the backbone of France, where are they in expressing their condemnation of such clearly illegal activity, but in a sense, they're now climbing into a box and they will have enormous difficulty not following up on this if there is not compliance by Iraq." (CNN's "Crossfire," 11/12/97)

  NATO Is Training Iraqi Security Forces And The United Nations Is Helping Iraq Prepare For Elections. (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

Kerry's Claim: The Department Of Defense's Contracting Process In Iraq Is Rife With Cronyism And Secrecy.

The Facts:

• FactCheck.org: Kerry's Attacks Against The Vice President's Ties To Halliburton "False." "A Kerry ad released Sept 17 once again attacks Cheney's ties to Halliburton, implying that Cheney is profiting from the company's contracts in Iraq. That's false. The ad isn't subtle. It says, 'As vice president, Dick Cheney received $2 million from Halliburton. Halliburton got billions in no bid contracts in Iraq. Dick Cheney got $2 million. What did we get?' And it implies that Cheney lied to the public when he said in a TV interview that 'I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind.' But as we document here, Cheney has insulated himself financially from whatever might happen to Halliburton. The Kerry ad misstates the facts." ("Kerry Ad Falsely Accuses Cheney On Halliburton," FactCheck.Org, 9/30/04, http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docid=261, Accessed 9/30/04)

  GAO Investigators Found Iraq/Halliburton Contracts Legal. "[I]n fact, investigators from the General Accounting Office (GAO) found Halliburton's no-bid contracts to be legal and probably justified by the Pentagon's wartime needs." ("Anti-Bush Ad Overstates Case Against Halliburton, Factcheck.org Website, www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docid=201, Accessed 6/21/04)

  At A June 2004 Government Reform Committee Hearing, "Six Defense Department Witnesses At The Hearing All Said They Knew Of No Cheney Influence." (Larry Margasak, "Official: Cheney Not Briefed On Iraq Work," The Associated Press, 6/16/04)

  At A March 2004 Government Reform Committee, Defense Department Witnesses Each Answer That Vice President Cheney Had "No" Influence Over Contracts. (T. Christian Miller, "Halliburton Contracts Focus Of Hearing," Los Angeles Times, 3/12/04)

  Clinton Procurement Official Steven Kelman Called Allegations Against Halliburton "Somewhere Between Highly Improbable And Utterly Absurd." (Steven Kelman, Op-Ed, "No 'Cronyism' In Iraq," The Washington Post, 11/6/03)

  Clinton's Undersecretary Of Commerce William Reinsch Said Halliburton Controversy Is Overblown. "'Halliburton has a distinguished track record,' he said. 'They do business in some 120 countries. This is a group of people who know what they're doing in a difficult business. It's a particularly difficult business when people are shooting at you.'" (James Rosen, "Is Iraq's Reconstruction Rigged?" The [Raleigh] News & Observer, 10/5/03)

  Halliburton Received No-Bid Contracts During Clinton Administration For Work In Bosnia And Kosovo. (Max Boot, Op-Ed, "Don't Blame Halliburton," Los Angeles Times, 4/22/04)

Kerry's Claim: The President Rejected UN Help After The Successful Entry Into Baghdad.

The Facts:

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  Video: Kerry Said It Would Be “Irresponsible” To Vote Against Funding Troops.
  

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  The UN Has Reestablished Its Iraq Mission. The UN Secretary General has appointed a new special representative to Iraq.

  On June 8, 2004, The UN Security Council Passed Unanimously Resolution 1546, Which Endorsed The Formation Of An Iraqi Interim Government And Democratic Elections By January 2005, And Defined The Status Of The Multinational Force And Its Relationship With The New Iraqi Government.

  The United Nations Has Been Helping Iraq Prepare For Elections. (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

  The UN Has Already Started Deploying A Team Of International Elections Experts To Iraq To Assist The Work Of The Iraqi Elections Commission.

  The UN Selected An Independent 7-Member Iraqi Elections Commission, From A Pool Of Over A Thousand Self-Nominated Candidates, This Past Spring. The Iraqi Elections Commission operates independently, with its own offices and budget, and will supervise the preparations for the national direct elections for the Transitional National Assembly, no later than January 31, 2005.

  In June, Leaders At The G-8 Sea Island Summit, The US-EU Summit, And The NATO Istanbul Summit All Voiced Strong, Unified Support For UNSCR 1546, The New Iraqi Government, And International Efforts To Assist The Iraqi People With The Reconstruction Of Their Country And Their Path Toward Free, National Elections.

  Today About 30 Countries Make Up The Multinational Force In Iraq; Recently The Overwhelming Majority Of Them Issued Statements Condemning Terrorism, Kidnappings, And Executions That Have Occurred In Iraq.

  At The June Summit, NATO Agreed To Prime Minister Allawi's Request For Assistance In Training Iraqi Security Forces. The NATO security team is already working in Iraq.

Question Seven: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: The Bush Administration Must Make The United Nations A Full Partner In Iraq.

The Facts:

• Kerry Dismissed Coalition Partners As "Window Dressing" And Claimed They're Not Sharing Burden Of War And Reconstruction. (CNN's "American Morning," 3/2/04)

  Kerry Called Coalition "Fraudulent" And Claimed President Did Not Properly "Honor" U.N. "Process." (Sen. John Kerry, Fox News/Congressional Black Caucus Democrat Candidate Debate, Detroit, MI, 10/26/03)

  Kerry Mocked Coalition As "Coerced" And "Bribed." (Herbert A. Sample, "Kerry Blasts Bush On Iraq Effort," Sacramento Bee, 3/14/03)

  On June 8, 2004, The UN Security Council Passed Unanimously Resolution 1546, Which Endorsed The Formation Of An Iraqi Interim Government And Democratic Elections By January 2005, And Defined The Status Of The Multinational Force And Its Relationship With The New Iraqi Government.

  The UN Has Reestablished Its Iraq Mission. The UN Secretary General has appointed a new special representative to Iraq.

Question Eight: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: Compared To Our Coalition Partners, America Is Bearing A Disproportionate Amount Of The Burden In Iraq. 90 Percent Of The Casualties Are American.

The Facts:

• A Multinational Force Of Some 30 Nations Continues To Help Secure A Free Iraq. PRESIDENT BUSH: "The multinational force of some 30 nations continues to help secure a free Iraq, and we are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all." (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

  In Addition to the United States, Other Coalition Members Are Providing Approximately 25,000 Troops To Assist Our Efforts In Iraq. (Robert Burns, "U.S. Offensive Hinges on Iraq Elections," The Associated Press, 9/29/04)

  The U.S. Army General In Charge Of Training Effort In Iraq Says "Iraqi Security Forces Are In The Fight" And Have Made Tremendous Sacrifices. "Most important, Iraqi security forces are in the fight -- so much so that they are suffering substantial casualties as they take on more and more of the burdens to achieve security in their country. Since Jan. 1 more than 700 Iraqi security force members have been killed, and hundreds of Iraqis seeking to volunteer for the police and military have been killed as well." (Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, US Army, "Battling for Iraq," Washington Post, 9/26/04)

  Kerry Dismissed Coalition Partners As "Window Dressing" And Claimed They're Not Sharing Burden Of War And Reconstruction. (CNN's "American Morning," 3/2/04)

  Kerry Mocked Coalition As "Coerced" And "Bribed." "'If the federal government can find billions of dollars for the "coalition of the coerced and the bribed," why can't it provide vital aid for schools, health care and law enforcement?' asked Kerry." (Herbert A. Sample, "Kerry Blasts Bush On Iraq Effort," Sacramento Bee, 3/14/03)

  In First Dem Debate, Kerry Strongly Supported President's Action In Iraq. KERRY: "I said at the time 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." (John Kerry, Remarks At Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)

  Kerry Previously Questioned Where Russia And France's Backbone To Stand Up To Saddam Was. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "So clearly the allies may not like it, and I think that's our great concern – where's the backbone of Russia, where's the backbone of France, where are they in expressing their condemnation of such clearly illegal activity, but in a sense, they're now climbing into a box and they will have enormous difficulty not following up on this if there is not compliance by Iraq." (CNN's "Crossfire," 11/12/97)

  NATO Is Training Iraqi Security Forces And The United Nations Is Helping Iraq Prepare For Elections. (President's Radio Address, 9/25/04)

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Misled The Nation About Weapons Of Mass Destruction.

The Facts:

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  Video: John Kerry For The War In Iraq
  

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  Video: Kerry for Removing Saddam Hussein
  

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  Kerry Voted For Use Of Force Resolution Against Iraq. Kerry and Edwards voted for the Congressional resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq.

  In Explaining His Vote, Kerry Called Those Who Would Leave Saddam Alone "Naïve To The Point Of Grave Danger." (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 10/9/02, p. S10171)

  In Explaining His Vote, Kerry Cited Saddam Hussein's Links To Terrorists As Justification For Military Action. "[Saddam Hussein] has supported and harbored terrorist groups, particularly radical Palestinian groups such as Abu Nidal, and he has given money to families of suicide murderers in Israel. … We should not go to war because these things are in his past, but we should be prepared to go to war because of what they tell us about the future." (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 10/9/02, p. S10171)

  Kerry Had Access To The Same Intelligence As The Bush Administration Before Voting For The Use Of Force Resolution. NBC'S TIM RUSSERT: "[Y]ou had access to the intelligence. You had access to the national intelligence estimate …" SEN. JOHN KERRY: "Absolutely." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 8/31/03)

  When War Began, Kerry Said "[S]addam Hussein Has Chosen To Make Military Force The Ultimate Weapons Inspections Enforcement Mechanism." (Glen Johnson, "Critics Of Bush Voice Support For The Troops," The Boston Globe, 3/20/03)

  Former Chief Weapons Inspector David Kay Said Iraq "Was Even More Dangerous Than We Thought." (David Kay, Senate Armed Services Committee, 1/28/04)

  Saddam Hussein Used WMD Against His Neighbors And His Own People. (David Kay, Senate Armed Services Committee, 1/28/04)

  Saddam Hussein Was In Material Breach Of International Obligations And Continued Activities Related to WMD. (Colin L. Powell, "What Kay Found," Washington Post, 10/7/03)

Kerry's Claim: The War In Iraq Is Merely Exacerbating Terrorism.

The Facts:

• August 1996: Kerry Cited Iraq As Terrorist-Supporting Country. "[I]t strikes me that none of these terrorist organizations could survive fundamentally – there will always be a terrorist entity of some kind or another with an interest – but that largest most dangerous of these entities survive with country support, the support of the country of Syria or country of Libya or country of Iran, Iraq and so forth." (Sen. John Kerry, Select Committee On Intelligence, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 8/1/96)

  February 1998: Kerry Warned Of Saddam's Ties To Terrorism. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "Saddam Hussein has already used these weapons and has made it clear that he has the intent to continue to try, by virtue of his duplicity and secrecy, to continue to do so. That is a threat to the stability of the Middle East. It is a threat with respect to the potential of terrorist activities on a global basis. It is a threat even to regions near but not exactly in the Middle East." (Sen. John Kerry, Press Conference, 2/23/98)

  December 2001: Kerry Called Saddam Hussein A Terrorist. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "The important thing is that Saddam Hussein and the world knows that we think Saddam Hussein is essentially out of synch with the times. He is and has acted like a terrorist, and he has engaged in activities … that are unacceptable." (Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," 12/11/01)

  December 2001: Kerry Ready To Include Saddam Hussein In War On Terror To "Keep The Pressure On Terrorism Globally." (CNN's "Larry King Live," 12/14/01)

  September 2002: Kerry Warned "Master Of Miscalculation" Saddam May Give WMDs To Terrorists. (CBS' "Face The Nation," 9/15/02)

  December 2003: Kerry Said Iraq "Is Critical" To Success Of War On Terror. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "Iraq may not be the war on terror itself, but it is critical to the outcome of the war on terror. And therefore, any advance in Iraq is an advance forward in that. And I disagree with the Governor [Howard Dean]." (Fox News' "Special Report," 12/15/03)

  September 2004: Kerry Said Those In Iraq Are Fighting "On Behalf Of Freedom In The War On Terror." (CNN's "Wolf Blitzer Reports," 9/7/04)

Question Nine: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: Kerry Claims He Has Only One Position On Iraq.

The Facts:

• Kerry Has Taken At Least 11 Positions On The Iraq War:

  • October 2002: Kerry Voted For Use Of Force Resolution Against Iraq. Kerry and Edwards voted for the Congressional resolution authorizing the use of force against Iraq. (H. J. Res. 114, CQ Vote #237: Passed 77-23: R 48-1; D 29-21; I 0-1, 10/11/02, Kerry Voted Yea)
  • April 2003: Kerry Promised Not To Attack President When War Began, But Weeks Later, With Troops Just Miles From Baghdad, Kerry Broke His Pledge And Called For "Regime Change In The United States." (Glen Johnson, "Democrats On The Stump Plot Their War Rhetoric," The Boston Globe, 3/11/03; Glen Johnson, "Kerry Says Us Needs Its Own 'Regime Change,'" The Boston Globe, 4/3/03)
  • May 2003: In First Dem Debate, Kerry Strongly Supported President's Action In Iraq. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "I said at the time 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." (ABC News, Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Columbia, SC, 5/3/03)
  • September 2003: Kerry Said Voting Against The $87 Billion Supplemental Would Be "Irresponsible." Doyle McManus (LA Times): "If that amendment does not pass, will you then vote against the $87 billion?" Kerry: "I don't think any United States senator is going to abandon our troops and recklessly leave Iraq to – to whatever follows as a result of simply cutting and running. That's irresponsible." (CBS's "Face the Nation," 9/14/03)
  • October 2003: Kerry Voted Against The $87 Billion Supplemental Supporting Our Troops. (S. 1689, CQ Vote #400: Passed 87-12: R 50-0; D 37-11; I 0-1, 10/17/03, Kerry Voted Nay)
  • January 2004: After Voting For War And Trailing Candidate Howard Dean In The Democrat Primaries, Kerry Says He Is Anti-War Candidate. CHRIS MATTHEWS: "Do you think you belong to that category of candidates who more or less are unhappy with this war, the way it's been fought, along with General Clark, along with Howard Dean and not necessarily in companionship politically on the issue of the war with people like Lieberman, Edwards and Gephardt? Are you one of the anti-war candidates?" KERRY: "I am -- Yes, in the sense that I don't believe the president took us to war as he should have, yes, absolutely." (MSNBC's "Hardball," 1/6/04)
  • August 2004: In Response To President's Question About How He Would Have Voted If He Knew Then What He Knows Now, Kerry Confirmed That He Would Still Have Voted For Use Of Force Resolution. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "Yes, I would have voted for the authority. I believe it's the right authority for a president to have. But I would have used that authority as I have said throughout this campaign, effectively. I would have done this very differently from the way President Bush has." (CNN's "Inside Politics," 8/9/04)
  • September 2004: Kerry: Iraq Is "The Wrong War In The Wrong Place At The Wrong Time." "Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry on Monday called the invasion of Iraq 'the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time' and said his goal was to withdraw U.S. troops in his first White House term." (Patricia Wilson, " Kerry on Iraq: Wrong War, Wrong Place, Wrong Time", Reuters, 9/6/04)
  • September 2004: Kerry Says There Were No Circumstances Under Which We Should Have Gone To War, But He Was Still Right To Vote For It. IMUS: "Do you think there are any circumstances we should have gone to war in Iraq, any?" KERRY: "Not under the current circumstances, no. There are none that I see. I voted based on weapons of mass destruction. The President distorted that, and I've said that. I mean, look, I can't be clearer. But I think it was the right vote based on what Saddam Hussein had done, and I think it was the right thing to do to hold him accountable. I've said a hundred times, there was a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it. The president chose the wrong way. Can't be more direct than that." (MSNBC's "Imus In The Morning," 9/15/04)
  • Kerry Said That The Removal Of Saddam Hussein Has Left America "Less Secure." KERRY: "Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who deserves his own special place in hell. But that was not, that was not in and of itself, a reason to go to war. The satisfaction – The satisfaction that we take in his downfall does not hide this fact: we have traded a dictator for a chaos that has left America less secure." (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks At New York University, New York, NY, 9/20/04)
  • Kerry On Whether The Iraq War Was Worth It: "It Depends On The Outcome." DIANE SAWYER: "Was the war in Iraq worth it?" KERRY: "We should not have gone to war knowing the information that we know today." SAWYER: "So it was not worth it?" KERRY: "We should not - it depends on the outcome ultimately, and that depends on the leadership." (ABC's "Good Morning America," 9/29/04)

Question Ten: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: Kerry Claims He Has A Plan To Win The Peace.

The Facts:

• Kerry’s Plan For Iraq Is “No Different In Large Measure From Bush Administration Policies.” “[Kerry’s] prescriptions are…no different in large measure from Bush administration policies…. Kerry's four big points for the future are more or less Bush's points, too. [1] Get Iraqi troops and police trained and equipped, he says. He's apparently been reading the speeches of Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. They've been saying this is a priority and pointing to some numbers that show progress, although not as much as might be hoped. [2] Do a better job of reconstruction, Kerry instructs the administration, as if it hasn't been trying… [3] Proceed with elections, Kerry demands. Has he not noticed this is the repeatedly stressed goal of the administration?... [4] Get the United Nations, NATO and every other possible ally in the world to provide more money and manpower to lessen the U.S. load in Iraq, to help those elections take place and to ensure a reasonably prompt U.S. exit. The Bush administration has been working overtime on this project….” (Jay Ambrose, “Kerry speech: Worthy of respect?,” Scripps Howard News Service, 9/21/04)

Question Eleven: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: The Bush Administration Should Deploy More Troops To Iraq.

The Facts:

• Kerry Called For More Troops Before. "Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry said Tuesday he would expand the U.S. military within his first 100 days as president, contending 40,000 more troops are needed to meet America's responsibilities around the world. Kerry told supporters at Drake University that the occupation of Iraq as well as the global war against terrorism require more troops." (Mike Wilson, "Kerry Would Expand Military As President," The Associated Press, 12/17/03)

  • Then Denied Ever Making Such A Proposal. REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH): "You said you want to send 40,000 more troops [to Iraq]." SEN. JOHN KERRY: "I have never said that." KUCINICH: "You never said you wanted to bring 40,000 more troops ever?" KERRY: "No …" (CNN/Los Angeles Times, Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate, Los Angeles, CA, 2/26/04)

  September 2003: Kerry Said Voting Against The $87 Billion Supplemental Would Be "Irresponsible." (CBS's "Face the Nation," 9/14/03)

  October 2003: Kerry Voted Against The $87 Billion Supplemental Supporting Our Troops.

  President Bush Is Listening To Our Commanders To Make Sure They Have The Troop Levels They Need. QUESTION: "And what's your answer to General John Abizaid's statement that, 'I think we will need more troops than we currently have?'" PRESIDENT BUSH: "If that's what he says -- he was in my office this morning; he didn't say that to me, but if he were to say that, I'd listen to him, just like I've said all along, that when our commanders say that they need support, they'll get support, because we're going to succeed in this mission." (President Bush and Prime Minister Allawi Press Conference, 9/23/04)

Kerry's Claim: Just 5,000 Iraqi Soldiers Have Been Fully Trained, And Of The 35,000 Police Now In Uniform, Not One Has Completed A 24-Week Field-Training Program.

The Facts:

• The U.S. Army General In Charge Of Training Effort In Iraq Says There Are "164,000 Iraqi Police And Soldiers (Of Which About 100,000 Are Trained And Equipped) And An Additional 74,000 Facility Protection Forces." "Today approximately 164,000 Iraqi police and soldiers (of which about 100,000 are trained and equipped) and an additional 74,000 facility protection forces are performing a wide variety of security missions. Equipment is being delivered. Training is on track and increasing in capacity. Infrastructure is being repaired. Command and control structures and institutions are being reestablished." (Lt. Gen. David H. Petraeus, US Army, "Battling for Iraq," Washington Post, 9/26/04)

  The 5,000 Number Kerry Cites Is Just The Number Of The Iraqi Army That Have Been Trained And Excludes, The Iraqi National Guard, Intervention Force, Special Ops, Air Force And Coastal Defense Forces.

  The State Department's Iraq Weekly Status Report That Kerry Was Relying On Clearly States That Nearly 42,000 Members Of The Iraqi Armed Forces Have Been Trained. More than 14,000 Iraqi armed forces members are currently in training. Kerry's math also doesn't account for the fact that more than 56,000 members of the Iraqi military are already "on hand" or "on duty." (http://www.defendamerica.gov/downloads/Iraq-WeeklyUpdate-20040915.pdf)

  That Report Also Showed That Over 100,000 Iraqi Police Forces On Duty, Over 50,000 In The Process Of Being Trained, And Another 50,000 That Have Completed Their Training. Again, Kerry hand-picked a single cell of a larger chart to play into his message of pessimism and defeat.

  Kerry Advisor Richard Holbrooke Says French Troop Contribution in Iraq is "Not Realistic." HOLBROOKE: "Well, I don't think that anyone expects Chirac to call up the White House next January and say, 'How many divisions in Iraq?' That's not realistic, and John Kerry knows it." (Fox News', "Fox News Sunday," 9/12/04)

Kerry's Claim: The Administration Has Spent Less Than $1 Billion Of The $18 Billion It Received From Congress For Iraq Reconstruction.

The Facts:

• Billions Of Dollars For Iraq Reconstruction Have Already Been Dedicated To Projects. Of the $18.4 billion appropriated by Congress, $7.4 billion has been "obligated," or bound under a binding legal agreement for specific purposes. (Iraq Project Contracting Office website, http://www.rebuilding-iraq.net/portal/page?_pageid=35,62867&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL)

  Admiral David Nash, Head Of The Iraq Project And Contracting Office, Says Contractors Aren't Paid Until Work Is Done. "[Retired Admiral David Nash, head of the US Project and Contracting Office,] said that while little of the US reconstruction money has been spent, nearly $6 billion has been 'obligated' through signed contracts. Over half of the 2,300 projects are 'tasked out and obligated,' he added. 'We don't pay until the work is done.'" (Bryan Bender, "US Hiring Goals Fall Far Short in Reconstruction," The Boston Globe, 7/11/04)

  Kerry Voted Against Senate Passage Of Iraq/Afghanistan Reconstruction Package. "Passage of the bill that would appropriate $86.5 billion in fiscal 2004 supplemental spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill would provide $10.3 billion as a grant to rebuild Iraq, including $5.1 billion for security and $5.2 billion for reconstruction costs. It also would provide $10 billion as a loan that would be converted to a grant if 90 percent of all bilateral debt incurred by the former Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein has been forgiven by other countries. Separate provisions limit reconstruction aid to $18.4 billion. It also would provide approximately $65.6 billion for military operations and maintenance and $1.3 billion for veterans medical care." (S. 1689, CQ Vote #400: Passed 87-12: R 50-0; D 37-11; I 0-1, 10/17/03, Kerry Voted Nay)

Kerry's Claim: Prime Minister Allawi Is Not Credible And His Optimism About Iraq During His Visit To America Is Contradicted By His Statements Days Before.

The Facts:

• Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, Sen. Dick Lugar, Criticized Kerry's "Political Attack On Prime Minister Allawi" As "Clearly Inaccurate And Untimely." SEN. LUGAR: "I am surprised that Senator Kerry would rush to wage a political attack on Prime Minister Allawi that was clearly inaccurate and untimely. Fortunately, Democratic Party Senators at the lunch with Allawi indicated their strong support for staying the course and their appreciation for his courage and his candor." (Statement of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Dick Lugar, 9/23/04)

Question Twelve: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Misleadingly Links Iraq And al Qaeda.

The Facts:

• Kerry Warned Of Saddam's Ties To Terrorism. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "[T]here are set of principles here that are very large, larger in some measure than I think has been adequately conveyed, both internationally and certainly to the American people. Saddam Hussein has already used these weapons and has made it clear that he has the intent to continue to try, by virtue of his duplicity and secrecy, to continue to do so. That is a threat to the stability of the Middle East. It is a threat with respect to the potential of terrorist activities on a global basis. It is a threat even to regions near but not exactly in the Middle East." (Sen. John Kerry, Press Conference, 2/23/98)

  Kerry Said Iraq "Is Critical" To Success Of War On Terror. SEN. JOHN KERRY: "Iraq may not be the war on terror itself, but it is critical to the outcome of the war on terror. And therefore any advance in Iraq is an advance forward in that. And I disagree with the Governor [Howard Dean]." (Fox News' "Special Report," 12/15/03)

  Kerry Said Those In Iraq Are Fighting "On Behalf Of Freedom In The War On Terror." "Today marks a tragic milestone in the war in Iraq. More than 1,000 of America's sons and daughters have now given their lives on behalf of their country, on behalf of freedom in the war on terror. I think that the first thing that every American wants to say today is how deeply we each feel the loss." (CNN's "Wolf Blitzer Reports," 9/7/04)

  Kerry Called Those Who Would Leave Saddam Alone "Naïve To The Point Of Grave Danger." (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 10/9/02, p. S10171)

  Kerry Said Saddam's Miscalculations Is Biggest Concern, Not "Actual" WMD. KERRY: "Those are the things that–that I think present the greatest danger. He may even miscalculate and slide these weapons off to terrorist groups to invite them to be a surrogate to use them against the United States. It's the miscalculation that poses the greatest threat." (CBS' "Face The Nation," 9/15/02)

  February 2002: John Edwards Called Iraq "Most Serious And Imminent Threat To Our Country." (CNN's "Late Edition," 2/24/02)

  The Bush Administration Never Claimed A Direct Link Between Saddam Hussein and 9/11; Did Correctly Point To Iraq's Contacts With Al Qaeda. DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE: "I think that the administration has made it clear that we have no evidence and have never claimed a direct link of Saddam Hussein and his regime to the events of September 11th, saying that he planned them or controlled them or something. It is very clear that he had links to terrorism that were broad and deep, including numerous contacts with al Qaeda, including an al Qaeda associate, a man named al Zarqawi, who was operating his network out of Baghdad. The network that ended up ordering the killing of an American citizen, an American diplomat in Jordan, Mr. Foley." (Interview Of Dr. Condoleezza Rice By WTVT-TV, Tampa, Florida, 11/14/03, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/11/print/20031114-14.html)

  Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) Said It's "Undisputed" That Saddam "Has Also Given Aid, Comfort, And Sanctuary To Terrorists, Including Al-Qaida Members." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Congressional Record, 10/10/02, p. S10288)

  Vice Chair Of The 9/11 Commission Lee Hamilton (D-IN): "[T]here Were Contacts Between Al Qaeda And Iraq Going Back Clear To The Early 1990s When Osama Bin Laden Was In Sudan, Then When He Was In Afghanistan. I Don't Think There's Any Dispute About That." (ABC's "This Week," 6/20/04)

  Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) Acknowledged Iraq-Al Qaeda Relationship: "The Relationship Seemed To Have Its Roots In Mutual Exploitation. Saddam Hussein Used Terrorism For His Own Ends, And Osama Bin Laden Used A Nation-State For The Things That Only A Nation-State Can Provide." (Stephen F. Hayes, "An Intelligent Democrat …," The Weekly Standard, 12/15/03)

Kerry's Claim: Instead Of Using U.S. Forces To Capture Osama Bin Laden, The President Outsourced The Job To Afghan Warlords, Who Let Bin Laden Slip Away.

The Facts:

• Former Centcom Commander General Tommy Franks, US Army (Ret.), Said There Was No Hesitation At Tora Bora. QUESTION: "This is second-guessing Afghanistan: Do you believe Osama bin Laden may have been killed or captured had we not hesitated in Tora Bora?" GEN. FRANKS: "[I]t's difficult for me to look back and talk about any, sort of, hesitation. I guess I would say that those people who were on the ground and involved in that operation didn't themselves sense any hesitation and neither did I." (Remarks by General Tommy R. Franks, West Palm Beach, FL, 11/12/02)

  Tommy Franks Says It's "Absolutely Incorrect" That Resources Were Diverted From Afghanistan. GEN. FRANKS: "I caught just a part of a news conference that [Kerry] gave wherein he talked about how bad it was that the Commander-in-Chief had taken troops away from me and put those out of Afghanistan and put those troops to work in Iraq. Sean, that's absolutely incorrect. You know, hey, my name's Tommy Franks, and I don't lie. Reading my book the way you have, I would refer you to page 386 of my book where we go ahead and we talk about the fact that the President used to stress to me every day his concern that we should not distract from Afghanistan and the fight there while we were conducting Iraq. We entered Iraq with 9,500 troopers in Afghanistan. And by the time we finished major combat in Afghanistan-or in Iraq-we had 10,000 troops in Afghanistan." (ABC Radio's "The Sean Hannity Show," 9/21/04)

Kerry's Claim: The President Has Allowed The Nuclear Danger Posed By North Korea To Mount Under His Watch.

The Facts:

• North Korea Is Hoping For Kerry To Beat President Bush And Soften America's Resolve. "Pyongyang, analysts say, is rooting for Sen. John F. Kerry, Sen. John Edwards, the Rev. Al Sharpton - in fact, virtually anyone other than George W. Bush - to be the next U.S. president. … 'North Korea is waiting for its own regime change – in D.C.,' said Pang Zhongying, professor of international relations at China's Nankai University." (Mark Magnier and Barbara Demick, "N. Korea May Be In 'Anybody But Bush' Camp," Los Angeles Times, 2/25/04)

  North Korean Radio Touts Kerry's Policy Proposals. "Mr Kerry was first introduced to North Korea's information-starved people in early February, when Radio Pyongyang reported that opinion polls indicated he was likely to defeat Mr Bush. A few days later, the station broadcast comments by Mr Kerry criticising Mr Bush for deceiving the world about Iraq's elusive weapons of mass destruction. Later in February, KCNA welcomed Mr Kerry's pledge to adopt a more 'sincere attitude' towards North Korea if elected. 'Senator Kerry, who is seeking the presidential candidacy of the Democratic Party, sharply criticised President Bush, saying it was an ill-considered act to deny direct dialogue with North Korea,' said the news agency. Pyongyang's friendly attitude towards Mr Kerry contrasts with its strong anti-Bush rhetoric." (Andrew Ward Seoul and James Harding, "North Korea Warms To Kerry Presidency Bid," The Financial Times, 3/4/04)

  Under President Bush's Leadership, the International Community Is Insisting That North Korea Dismantle Its Nuclear Program. PRESIDENT BUSH: "In the Pacific, North Korea has defied the world, has tested long-range ballistic missiles, admitted its possession of nuclear weapons, and now threatens to build more. Together with our partners in Asia, America is insisting that North Korea completely, verifiably, and irreversibly dismantle its nuclear programs." (Remarks by the President on Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation, 2/11/04)

  Kerry Said He "Will Renew Bilateral Negotiations Immediately." KERRY: And as president…I will renew bilateral negotiations immediately with North Korea. (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks To Council On Foreign Relations, New York, NY, 12/3/03)

  Kerry Wants To Return To the Failed Clinton Administration Policy of Direct Talks. MR. McCLELLAN: "Senator Kerry would have us return to the failed Clinton administration policy. That failed policy allowed North Korea to dupe the United States. It would be the wrong approach to go down that road again. ... North Korea did not abide by [the 1994 Agreed] Framework. They said that they would agree to a freeze on their nuclear weapons programs. And we found that they, in fact, did not freeze their nuclear weapons programs. …That failed bilateral approach is the wrong way to go." (Press Gaggle, 9/13/04)

  The Washington Post Suggested The Use Of Force In Iraq "May Have Encouraged North Korea To Compromise." "The success of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq also may have encouraged North Korea to compromise, according to South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun. He said Thursday that he thought the U.S. advance had terrified North Korea, which fears it will be attacked next by the United States." (Doug Struck, "North Korea Drops Its Demand For One-On-One Talks With U.S.," The Washington Post, 4/1/03)

  Despite Speculation Before The War In Iraq, North Korea Has Not Tried "To Take Advantage" Of US Focus On Iraq To "Take Provocative Actions." NPR'S JOHN YDSTIE: "[S]ome analysts had feared North Korea might try to take advantage of the fact that the US was preoccupied with the war in Iraq and take provocative actions, but I guess that hasn't really happened, has it?" NPR'S ERIC WEINER: "No, it hasn't. They did launch a short-range missile a few weeks ago, but that was seen as fairly innocuous. What's more interesting, as you say, is what they have not done. They haven't launched any long-range ballistic missiles as some fear they may have. They have not conducted an underground nuclear test, another concern." (NPR's "All Things Considered," 4/12/03)

  American Enterprise Institute's Nicholas Eberstadt Says Progress In Iraq Has Strengthened The U.S. Position Not Only With North Korea But Also With North Korea's Neighbors. "Nicholas Eberstadt, an authority on North Korea at the American Enterprise Institute, said the swift U.S. progress in Iraq had increased both its bargaining position with North Korea and its sway over the friends and allies in the region that it would need to cooperate in securing arms-control pledges from Pyongyang. 'Shock and awe hasn't only happened in Iraq,' Eberstadt said. 'It's happening all through the axis of evil and even beyond.'" (Mike Allen, "Bush: Iraq War Drove N. Korea To Concede," The Washington Post, 4/14/03)

  Former Clinton Administration Foreign Policy Official Dennis Ross Acknowledges Our Success In Iraq Is Forcing Other Regimes, Like North Korea, To Change Their Tone. "Everyone sees a new reality, and they're figuring out how to best adjust to it ... Even if it's just maneuvering, it shows they are prepared to look differently at how things should be done." (Barbara Slavin, "In Wake Of War, U.S. Adversaries Change Their Tone," USA Today, 4/14/03)

  NPR's Eric Weiner Suggested Bush Administration Actions Have Kept North Korea In Check. "We don't know why they've been quiet, but one possibility is that the US has beefed up its military presence here to send the message to North Korea that although the US is involved in a war in Iraq, it has not forgotten about North Korea and it's watching the situation closely." (NPR's "All Things Considered," 4/12/03)

Kerry's Claim: The President Has Allowed The Nuclear Danger Posed By Iran To Mount Under His Watch.

The Facts:

• In 1994, Kerry Listed Iran Among "Outlaw Nations." (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 6/16/94, p. S7014)

  However, In 2002 Kerry Said He Would Not Have "Lumped" Iran "In With Iraq" In Axis Of Evil And Suggested Phrase "Helps To Strengthen The Anti-American Hand" In Iran. (MSNBC's "Hardball," 2/5/02; Dave Boyer, "Daschle Takes Back Criticism Of Bush's 'Axis Of Evil,'" The Washington Times, 2/13/02)

  • In 2003, When Asked What He Would Do As President If Given "Solid Evidence That Iran Is Developing Nuclear Weaponry," Kerry Said He Would "Go To The United Nations." (CNN Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
  • In 2003, Kerry Criticized The Bush Administration For "Stubbornly Refus[ing] To Conduct A Realistic, Non-Confrontational Policy With Iran …" (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks To Council On Foreign Relations, New York, NY, 12/3/03)

  Under President Bush's Leadership, the International Community Is Working To Ensure That Iran Does Not Develop Nuclear Weapons. PRESIDENT BUSH: "[T]he government of Iran is unwilling to abandon a uranium enrichment program capable of producing material for nuclear weapons. The United States is working with our allies and the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that Iran meets its commitments and does not develop nuclear weapons." (Remarks by the President on Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation, 2/11/04)

  Kerry Campaign Sent Email Republished In Tehran Times That Pledged More Friendly Relations With Iranian Regime. "In fact, on Feb. 8, the Tehran Times published in full an e-mail sent by the Kerry campaign to a government news agency promising that a President Kerry would try to restore relations 'at risk' due to 'the actions and attitudes' of the Bush administration. 'Disappointment with the current U.S. leadership is widespread,' the e-mail said, 'extending not just to the corridors of power and politics, but to the man and woman on the street as well.'" (Diana West, "Kerry's Axis," The Washington Times, 3/12/04)

  One Of Kerry's Top Fundraisers Advocates More Open Relations With Iranian Regime. Iranian-American businessman Hassan Nemazee is a fundraising vice chair for John Kerry's presidential campaign who has raised at least $100,000 for the campaign. "[M]r. Nemazee has a reputation for supporting the opening of trade relations with Iran." (IAPAC Website, "Mr. Hassan Nemazee," http://www.iranianamericanpac.org/leadership/p_nemazee.shtml, Accessed 2/8/04; John Kerry For President Website, "Vice Chairs," www.johnkerry.com/pdf/topfundraisers.pdf, Accessed 6/3/04; Eli Lake, "Kerry's Fund-Raiser Worries Advocates Of Iran Democracy," The New York Sun, 1/27/04)

  In December 2003, Kerry Said He Believes America Should Pursue A "Non-Confrontational" Policy Toward Iran. KERRY: "..[T]he Bush administration stubbornly refuses to conduct a realistic, non-confrontational policy with Iran, even where it may be possible, as we witnessed most recently in the British-French-German initiative. As president, I will be prepared early on to explore areas of mutual interest with Iran, just as I was prepared to normalize relations with Vietnam a decade ago…" (Sen. John F. Kerry, Speech at Council on Foreign Relations, 12/3/03; available at: http://www.cfr.org/campaign2004/pub6576/kerry/making_america_secure_again_settin g_the_right_course_for_foreign_policy.php)

Question Thirteen: Safety & Security and Environment & Energy

Kerry's Claim: Iraq Could Have Been Contained Through Sanctions.

The Facts:

• Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE): “Ultimately, As Long As Saddam Hussein Is At The Helm, No Inspectors Can Guarantee That They Have Rooted Out The Entirety Of Saddam Hussein’s Weapons Program.” (Joseph R. Biden, Jr., Op-Ed, “I Meant No Disrespect,” The Washington Post, 9/19/98)

Kerry's Claim: The President Has Not Done Enough To Stop Proliferation.

The Facts:

• President Bush Led The Establishment Of The G-8 Global Partnership. "President Bush spearheaded the establishment of the G-8 Global Partnership, which over 10 years will provide $20 billion in nonproliferation and weapons reduction assistance to the former Soviet Union. This represents a dramatic increase in US and allied efforts." ("Record of Achievement," The White House, http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/achievement/chap1.html)

  The Bush Administration Has Shortened The Timeline For Securing Weapons-Usable Nuclear Material. "In the former Soviet Union, 41 percent of the 600 metric tons of weapons-usable material that was previously determined to be vulnerable has been secured. US-Russian efforts have shortened by two years the timeline for securing weapons-usable nuclear material at 51 sites in Russia and other former Soviet states." ("Record of Achievement," The White House, http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/achievement/chap1.html)

  President Bush's Most Recent Department Of Energy (DOE) Budget Request To Congress Sought A Nonproliferation Budget Of $1.35 Billion. This is a nearly 75 percent increase over the last and largest budget request of the previous administration. ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

  In May 2004, DOE Secretary Spencer Abraham Announced The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI). This is removing and securing high-risk nuclear and radiological materials and equipment around the world that pose a threat to the United States and to the international community. ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

  Under The Global Threat Reduction Initiative, The Department Of Energy And National Nuclear Security Administration Will Continue Working In Partnership With Russia To Repatriate All Fresh And Spent Russian-Origin Nuclear Fuel That Currently Resides At Research Reactors Around The World. NNSA has worked with Russia on three recent highly enriched uranium (HEU) take-back missions, with more in the planning stages. ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

  The National Nuclear Security Administratio] "Has Accelerated Its Efforts To Secure 600 Metric Tons Of Weapons-Usable Material In Russia And Will Complete Upgrades By 2008." By the end of this fiscal year, NNSA will have secured almost 50 percent of this material and almost 80 percent of the sites." ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

Kerry's Claim: The Bush Administration Has Not Confronted Global Warming And Has Removed America From International Climate Treaty Negotiations.

The Facts:

• Kerry Repeatedly Blasts The Bush Administration For Walking Away From Kyoto. (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks At The John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, MA, 2/9/03)

  • Yet Kerry Voted Against Kyoto's Implementation Twice.

  Kyoto Would Kill 2.6 Million American Jobs. (Alexander F. Annett, "The Department Of Energy's Report On The Impact Of Kyoto: More Bad News For Americans," Heritage Foundation, 10/23/98)

  Kyoto Would Kill Up To 4.9 Million Jobs. (Energy Information Administration, Analysis Of Climate Stewardship Act)

  Kyoto Would Raise Gas Prices By 65 Cents Per Gallon. (Bernard J. Wolfson, "Study: Global Warming Treaty To Spike Energy Costs," Boston Herald, 6/26/98; Sen. John Kerry, Remarks At The John F. Kennedy Library, Boston, MA, 2/9/03)

  Kerry Voted for the Climate Stewardship Act Which Would Eliminate At Least 50,000 Coal Jobs. "What impact would this have had on the U.S. economy? According to an analysis by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the Congressional Budget Office, it would be disastrous. … Specifically, the proposed restrictions would drastically [reduce] the use of coal. Some environmental activists would applaud this, but it would likely eliminate more than 50,000 coal industry jobs." (Pete du Pont, Op-Ed, "Strike Four On Kyoto," The Washington Times, 11/2/03)

  The President Has Set A National Goal To Reduce The Greenhouse Gas Intensity Of The American Economy By 18 Percent Over The Next Decade. This approach will increase energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and allow the economy to grow. (Environmental Protection Agency, Press Release, "President Bush Announces Clear Skies & Global Climate Change Initiatives," 2/14/02, http://www.epa.gov/epahome/headline2_021402.htm)

Question Fourteen: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: The President Has Allowed The Nuclear Danger Posed By Iran To Mount Under His Watch.

The Facts:

• In 1994, Kerry Listed Iran Among "Outlaw Nations." (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 6/16/94, p. S7014)

  However, In 2002 Kerry Said He Would Not Have "Lumped" Iran "In With Iraq" In Axis Of Evil And Suggested Phrase "Helps To Strengthen The Anti-American Hand" In Iran. (MSNBC's "Hardball," 2/5/02; Dave Boyer, "Daschle Takes Back Criticism Of Bush's 'Axis Of Evil,'" The Washington Times, 2/13/02)

  • In 2003, When Asked What He Would Do As President If Given "Solid Evidence That Iran Is Developing Nuclear Weaponry," Kerry Said He Would "Go To The United Nations." (CNN Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Phoenix, AZ, 10/9/03)
  • In 2003, Kerry Criticized The Bush Administration For "Stubbornly Refus[ing] To Conduct A Realistic, Non-Confrontational Policy With Iran …" (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks To Council On Foreign Relations, New York, NY, 12/3/03)

  Under President Bush's Leadership, the International Community Is Working To Ensure That Iran Does Not Develop Nuclear Weapons. PRESIDENT BUSH: "[T]he government of Iran is unwilling to abandon a uranium enrichment program capable of producing material for nuclear weapons. The United States is working with our allies and the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that Iran meets its commitments and does not develop nuclear weapons." (Remarks by the President on Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation, 2/11/04)

  Kerry Campaign Sent Email Republished In Tehran Times That Pledged More Friendly Relations With Iranian Regime. "In fact, on Feb. 8, the Tehran Times published in full an e-mail sent by the Kerry campaign to a government news agency promising that a President Kerry would try to restore relations 'at risk' due to 'the actions and attitudes' of the Bush administration. 'Disappointment with the current U.S. leadership is widespread,' the e-mail said, 'extending not just to the corridors of power and politics, but to the man and woman on the street as well.'" (Diana West, "Kerry's Axis," The Washington Times, 3/12/04)

  One Of Kerry's Top Fundraisers Advocates More Open Relations With Iranian Regime. Iranian-American businessman Hassan Nemazee is a fundraising vice chair for John Kerry's presidential campaign who has raised at least $100,000 for the campaign. "[M]r. Nemazee has a reputation for supporting the opening of trade relations with Iran." (IAPAC Website, "Mr. Hassan Nemazee," http://www.iranianamericanpac.org/leadership/p_nemazee.shtml, Accessed 2/8/04; John Kerry For President Website, "Vice Chairs," www.johnkerry.com/pdf/topfundraisers.pdf, Accessed 6/3/04; Eli Lake, "Kerry's Fund-Raiser Worries Advocates Of Iran Democracy," The New York Sun, 1/27/04)

  In December 2003, Kerry Said He Believes America Should Pursue A "Non-Confrontational" Policy Toward Iran. KERRY: "..[T]he Bush administration stubbornly refuses to conduct a realistic, non-confrontational policy with Iran, even where it may be possible, as we witnessed most recently in the British-French-German initiative. As president, I will be prepared early on to explore areas of mutual interest with Iran, just as I was prepared to normalize relations with Vietnam a decade ago…" (Sen. John F. Kerry, Speech at Council on Foreign Relations, 12/3/03; available at: http://www.cfr.org/campaign2004/pub6576/kerry/making_america_secure_again_settin g_the_right_course_for_foreign_policy.php)

Kerry's Claim: The President Has Allowed The Nuclear Danger Posed By North Korea To Mount Under His Watch.

The Facts:

• North Korea Is Hoping For Kerry To Beat President Bush And Soften America's Resolve. "Pyongyang, analysts say, is rooting for Sen. John F. Kerry, Sen. John Edwards, the Rev. Al Sharpton - in fact, virtually anyone other than George W. Bush - to be the next U.S. president. … 'North Korea is waiting for its own regime change – in D.C.,' said Pang Zhongying, professor of international relations at China's Nankai University." (Mark Magnier and Barbara Demick, "N. Korea May Be In 'Anybody But Bush' Camp," Los Angeles Times, 2/25/04)

  North Korean Radio Touts Kerry's Policy Proposals. "Mr Kerry was first introduced to North Korea's information-starved people in early February, when Radio Pyongyang reported that opinion polls indicated he was likely to defeat Mr Bush. A few days later, the station broadcast comments by Mr Kerry criticising Mr Bush for deceiving the world about Iraq's elusive weapons of mass destruction. Later in February, KCNA welcomed Mr Kerry's pledge to adopt a more 'sincere attitude' towards North Korea if elected. 'Senator Kerry, who is seeking the presidential candidacy of the Democratic Party, sharply criticised President Bush, saying it was an ill-considered act to deny direct dialogue with North Korea,' said the news agency. Pyongyang's friendly attitude towards Mr Kerry contrasts with its strong anti-Bush rhetoric." (Andrew Ward Seoul and James Harding, "North Korea Warms To Kerry Presidency Bid," The Financial Times, 3/4/04)

  Under President Bush's Leadership, the International Community Is Insisting That North Korea Dismantle Its Nuclear Program. PRESIDENT BUSH: "In the Pacific, North Korea has defied the world, has tested long-range ballistic missiles, admitted its possession of nuclear weapons, and now threatens to build more. Together with our partners in Asia, America is insisting that North Korea completely, verifiably, and irreversibly dismantle its nuclear programs." (Remarks by the President on Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation, 2/11/04)

  Kerry Said He "Will Renew Bilateral Negotiations Immediately." KERRY: And as president…I will renew bilateral negotiations immediately with North Korea. (Sen. John Kerry, Remarks To Council On Foreign Relations, New York, NY, 12/3/03)

  Kerry Wants To Return To the Failed Clinton Administration Policy of Direct Talks. MR. McCLELLAN: "Senator Kerry would have us return to the failed Clinton administration policy. That failed policy allowed North Korea to dupe the United States. It would be the wrong approach to go down that road again. ... North Korea did not abide by [the 1994 Agreed] Framework. They said that they would agree to a freeze on their nuclear weapons programs. And we found that they, in fact, did not freeze their nuclear weapons programs. …That failed bilateral approach is the wrong way to go." (Press Gaggle, 9/13/04)

  The Washington Post Suggested The Use Of Force In Iraq "May Have Encouraged North Korea To Compromise." "The success of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq also may have encouraged North Korea to compromise, according to South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun. He said Thursday that he thought the U.S. advance had terrified North Korea, which fears it will be attacked next by the United States." (Doug Struck, "North Korea Drops Its Demand For One-On-One Talks With U.S.," The Washington Post, 4/1/03)

  Despite Speculation Before The War In Iraq, North Korea Has Not Tried "To Take Advantage" Of US Focus On Iraq To "Take Provocative Actions." NPR'S JOHN YDSTIE: "[S]ome analysts had feared North Korea might try to take advantage of the fact that the US was preoccupied with the war in Iraq and take provocative actions, but I guess that hasn't really happened, has it?" NPR'S ERIC WEINER: "No, it hasn't. They did launch a short-range missile a few weeks ago, but that was seen as fairly innocuous. What's more interesting, as you say, is what they have not done. They haven't launched any long-range ballistic missiles as some fear they may have. They have not conducted an underground nuclear test, another concern." (NPR's "All Things Considered," 4/12/03)

  American Enterprise Institute's Nicholas Eberstadt Says Progress In Iraq Has Strengthened The U.S. Position Not Only With North Korea But Also With North Korea's Neighbors. "Nicholas Eberstadt, an authority on North Korea at the American Enterprise Institute, said the swift U.S. progress in Iraq had increased both its bargaining position with North Korea and its sway over the friends and allies in the region that it would need to cooperate in securing arms-control pledges from Pyongyang. 'Shock and awe hasn't only happened in Iraq,' Eberstadt said. 'It's happening all through the axis of evil and even beyond.'" (Mike Allen, "Bush: Iraq War Drove N. Korea To Concede," The Washington Post, 4/14/03)

  Former Clinton Administration Foreign Policy Official Dennis Ross Acknowledges Our Success In Iraq Is Forcing Other Regimes, Like North Korea, To Change Their Tone. "Everyone sees a new reality, and they're figuring out how to best adjust to it ... Even if it's just maneuvering, it shows they are prepared to look differently at how things should be done." (Barbara Slavin, "In Wake Of War, U.S. Adversaries Change Their Tone," USA Today, 4/14/03)

  NPR's Eric Weiner Suggested Bush Administration Actions Have Kept North Korea In Check. "We don't know why they've been quiet, but one possibility is that the US has beefed up its military presence here to send the message to North Korea that although the US is involved in a war in Iraq, it has not forgotten about North Korea and it's watching the situation closely." (NPR's "All Things Considered," 4/12/03)

Question Fifteen: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Is Not Doing Enough To Stop Genocide In Sudan.

The Facts:

• Under the President's Leadership, The United States Is Providing Hundreds Of Million In Aid To Sudan. "The United States is appalled by the violence in Darfur, Sudan. Our government has led the international effort to end the suffering there by speaking clearly about the crisis and sending assistance to the suffering. We have provided more than $211 million in aid and humanitarian relief, and we will provide an additional $250 million.." (President Bush's Statement on Violence in Darfur, Sudan, 9/9/04)

  Under The President's Leadership, The UN Security Council Adopted A New Resolution To Increase International Pressure On Sudan. PRESIDENT BUSH: "At this hour, the world is witnessing terrible suffering and horrible crimes in the Darfur region of Sudan, crimes my government has concluded are genocide…. The Security Council adopted a new resolution that supports an expanded African Union force to help prevent further bloodshed, and urges the government of Sudan to stop flights by military aircraft in Darfur. We congratulate the members of the Council on this timely and necessary action. I call on the government of Sudan to honor the cease-fire it signed, and to stop the killing in Darfur." (Remarks by the President at the UN General Assembly, 9/21/04)

  Not Until April 6, 2004 Did John Kerry Say "We Must Act To Prevent An Enormous Humanitarian Tragedy In The Darfur Region Of Sudan." (John Kerry For President, "Statement From Kerry On The Situation In The Darfur Region Of Sudan And The Lessons Of Rwanda," Press Release, 4/6/04)

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Has Overextended The Army And Is Using A Backdoor Draft With National Guard Troops.

The Facts:

• The $87 Billion Supplemental Funding Bill Kerry Voted Against Provided Health Benefits For Reservists And Guardsmen Called To Active Duty, As Well As Support For Their Families. ("Highlights Of Iraq, Afghanistan Measures," The Associated Press, 10/17/03; S. Rept. 108-160, Conference Report On S. 1689, 10/2/03; "FY 2004 Supplemental Request For Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), And Operation Noble Eagle (ONE)," U.S. Department Of Defense, 9/03)

  The $87 Billion Supplemental Funding Bill Kerry Voted Against Provided "Extra Money For Body Armor For Soldiers …" ("Highlights Of Iraq, Afghanistan Measures," The Associated Press, 10/17/03; S. Rept. 108-160, Conference Report On S. 1689, 10/2/03)

  As Senator, Kerry Voted At Least Twelve Times Against Increasing Pay For America's Hardworking Volunteer Military Personnel.

  Donald Rumsfeld Authorized The Army To Grow By 30,000 Troops. "Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, invoking emergency powers, has authorized the Army to grow temporarily by 30,000 troops above its congressionally approved limit of 482,000…." (Bradley Graham, "30,000 More Soldiers Approved by Rumsfeld," The Washington Post, 1/29/04)

  President Bush On August 16, 2004 Announced The Most Comprehensive Restructuring Of U.S. Military Forces Overseas Since The End Of The Korean War. By closing bases no longer needed to meet Cold War threats that have ended, this new initiative will bring home many Cold War-era forces while deploying more flexible and rapidly deployable capabilities in strategic locations around the world.

  President Bush Is Taking Steps To Help Reservists And National Guard Members:

  • Improved Mobilization Process. (President Bush's Remarks To The General Conference Of The National Guard Association Of The United States, 9/14/04, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/print/20040914-23.html)
  • Increased Pay For Our Military, Including The National Guard And Reservists. ("Supporting And Strengthening The Military And Military Families," Press Release, The White House, 8/18/04)
  • Improved Health Care For The Military And Military Families. ("Supporting And Strengthening The Military And Military Families," Press Release, The White House, 8/18/04)
  • Additional Job Training For National Guard Members And Reservists. ("Supporting And Strengthening The Military And Military Families," Press Release, The White House, 8/18/04)
  • Expanded Benefits For National Guard Members And Reservists. ("Supporting And Strengthening The Military And Military Families," Press Release, The White House, 8/18/04)
    
  • Enhanced Education Benefits For National Guard Members And Reservists. ("Supporting And Strengthening The Military And Military Families," Press Release, The White House, 8/18/04)

Kerry's Claim: The Army's Special Forces Capacity Should Be Doubled.

The Facts:

• Army Special Operations Command Has Already Significantly Increased The Numbers of Special Forces Trainees. GEN. KENSINGER: "Sir, on the Green Beret side, as you know from your visit it takes anywhere from 18 months to 24 months to put a soldier through the school house to have him at the basic level of Special Forces… In the school house itself, since before 911 the school house was pushing through about 9,000 students a year. We're up to 17,000. General Brown and the SOCOM staff is working very hard with us so that we can increase the capacity of the school house. We've gone from 450 graduates a year in the Green Berets to this year we should have over 550." (Lieutenant General Philip Kensinger, United States Army, Commanding General, United States Army Special Operations Command, Hearing Of The Terrorism Subcommittee Of The House Armed Services Committee, 3/11/04)

Question Sixteen: Health Care

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Is Restricting Funding For Stem Cell Research.

The Facts:

• President Bush Is The First President In History To Fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research. Prior to President Bush's August 9, 2001decision, there was no federal government funding for human stem cell research. There is no ban on private research of stem cells.

  Federal Funding of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research was $24.8 Million For FY 2003 And $190.7 Million In Human Non-Embryonic Stem Cells (adult stem cells, including cord blood, placental, bone marrow, etc.). This represents an increase of $14.1 million for embryonic stem cell research, or 132 percent, over Fiscal Year 2002 spending. ("Embryonic Stem Cell Research", www.hhs.gov, 7/14/04)

Question Seventeen: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: The President Has Not Done Enough To Keep Weapons Of Mass Destruction In Russia Out Of Terrorist Hands.

The Facts:

• President Bush Led The Establishment Of The G-8 Global Partnership. "President Bush spearheaded the establishment of the G-8 Global Partnership, which over 10 years will provide $20 billion in nonproliferation and weapons reduction assistance to the former Soviet Union. This represents a dramatic increase in US and allied efforts." ("Record of Achievement," The White House, http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/achievement/chap1.html)

  The Bush Administration Has Shortened The Timeline For Securing Weapons-Usable Nuclear Material. "In the former Soviet Union, 41 percent of the 600 metric tons of weapons-usable material that was previously determined to be vulnerable has been secured. US-Russian efforts have shortened by two years the timeline for securing weapons-usable nuclear material at 51 sites in Russia and other former Soviet states." ("Record of Achievement," The White House, http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/achievement/chap1.html)

  President Bush's Most Recent Department Of Energy (DOE) Budget Request To Congress Sought A Nonproliferation Budget Of $1.35 Billion. This is a nearly 75 percent increase over the last and largest budget request of the previous administration. ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

  In May 2004, DOE Secretary Spencer Abraham Announced The Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI). This is removing and securing high-risk nuclear and radiological materials and equipment around the world that pose a threat to the United States and to the international community. ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

  Under The Global Threat Reduction Initiative, The Department Of Energy And National Nuclear Security Administration Will Continue Working In Partnership With Russia To Repatriate All Fresh And Spent Russian-Origin Nuclear Fuel That Currently Resides At Research Reactors Around The World. NNSA has worked with Russia on three recent highly enriched uranium (HEU) take-back missions, with more in the planning stages. ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

  The National Nuclear Security Administration "Has Accelerated Its Efforts To Secure 600 Metric Tons Of Weapons-Usable Material In Russia And Will Complete Upgrades By 2008." By the end of this fiscal year, NNSA will have secured almost 50 percent of this material and almost 80 percent of the sites." ("Nonproliferation Spending and Activities Up Dramatically in this Administration," Press Release, National Nuclear Security Administration, 6/04)

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Has Not Done Enough To Stop Nuclear Proliferation.

The Facts:

• Gadhafi Says Iraq Influenced His Decision To Disarm. "The big story at the tail end of last year was Muammar el-Qaddafi's announcement that he was shelving Libya's program to build atomic weapons. He gave his reasons during a phone call to Italian president Silvio Berlusconi: 'I will do whatever the Americans want, because I saw what happened in Iraq, and I was afraid.'" ("Despite Bush's Victories, Dangers Lurk on Horizon," New York Observer, 1/12/2004)

  The President Led The Establishment Of The G-8 Global Partnership. President Bush spearheaded the establishment of the G-8 Global Partnership, which over 10 years will provide $20 billion in nonproliferation and weapons reduction assistance to the former Soviet Union.

  The President Is Working With Allies And Partners To Address The Proliferation Threat From Iran And North Korea. The United States is working with its allies and the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that Iran meets its commitments and does not develop nuclear weapons. Together with its partners in Asia, America is insisting that North Korea completely, verifiably, and irreversibly dismantle its nuclear programs.

  The President Led The Creation Of The Proliferation Security Initiative. President Bush led the creation of the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI), a broad international partnership of more than 60 countries that is interdicting lethal materials in transit. These nations are sharing intelligence information, tracking suspect international cargo, and conducting joint military exercises.

  Working With Allies, The United States Shut Down The A.Q. Khan Black Market Network. American and British intelligence officers uncovered and shut down a sophisticated black market network headed by A.Q. Khan, the architect of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program, which sold nuclear technologies and equipment to outlaw regimes stretching from North Africa to the Korean Peninsula.

  The UN Security Council Resolution Voted Unanimously To Approve The President's Proposed Resolution To Criminalize Proliferation. On February 11, 2004, President Bush called for swift passage of the resolution he proposed in September 2003, requiring all states to criminalize proliferation, enact strict export controls, and secure sensitive materials within their borders. In April 2004, the United Nations Security Council voted on this proliferation security resolution. The unanimous United Nations Security Council vote was a clear affirmation for the initiative the President launched to stop the spread of WMD.

Question Eighteen: Safety & Security

Kerry's Claim: President Bush Is Not Doing Enough To Promote Democracy In Russia.

The Facts:

• President Bush Has Clearly Expressed His Views About Democracy in Russia. PRESIDENT BUSH: “I talked to President Putin of Russia. I told him this country mourns the loss of life as a result of the terrorist attacks, the terrorist attack on the school. I told him we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them in fighting terror, that we abhor men who kill innocent children to try to achieve a dark vision. I'm also concerned about the decisions that are being made in Russia that could undermine democracy in Russia; that great countries, great democracies have a balance of power between central government and local governments, a balance of power within central governments between the executive branch and the legislative branch and the judicial branch. As governments fight the enemies of democracy, they must uphold the principles of democracy.” (Remarks by the President, 9/15/04)

  The Bush Administration Is Committed To Promoting Freedom And Democracy Throughout The World. Among other things, the Administration has moved support for democracy in the Middle East to top of regional agenda; achieved an unparalleled record of engagement in Africa that incorporates support for democracy, reform, respect for human dignity and peace on the continent; focused policy in Asia on assisting countries on the path towards democratization and long-term reform, and calling attention to those who fall short; and demonstrated commitment to democratic, constitutional governments in the Western Hemisphere through the Summit of the America's "Democracy Clause." (The White House, "Fact Sheet: President Bush Calls For A 'Forward Strategy Of Freedom' To Promote Democracy In The Middle East," Press Release, 11/6/03, Available At http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/11/20031106-11.html, Accessed 9/21/04)