Attacking Iraq: the Presidential Debate
By Andrea Salisbury, 10.07.04

The presidential candidates debated for the first time at the University of Miami on Thursday, on the central issue – the war on Iraq.

In an aggressive comeback, Senator Kerry accused President Bush of making “a colossal error in Judgment,” in the war on Iraq. Bush defended his actions following the attack on Sept. 11, and said Kerry is using “a pre-September 10th mentality.”

Jim Laher, anchor and executive producer of PBS’s “The Newshour,” moderated the 90-minute debate. In the first question Laher asked Kerry, if he could prevent another 9/11 type attack.

Kerry said that he will work to keep the country safe by improving foreign relations. “I believe America is safest and strongest when we are leading the world and we are leading strong alliances,” Kerry said. “This president has left them [alliances] in shatters across the globe.

In the rebuttal, Bush said that war in Iraq is a needed step in the war on terrorism. According to Bush, the next step was to capture the Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. 

“September the 11th changed how America must look at the world. And since that day, our nation has been on a multi-pronged strategy to keep our country safer,” Bush said. “In Iraq, we saw a threat, and we realized that after September the 11th, we must take threats seriously, before they fully materialize.”

Laher asked Bush if the election of Kerry would lead to another attack America. Bush quickly answered, “No” because Kerry is not going to win.

“I'm going to win, because the American people know I know how to lead. I've shown the American people I know how to lead,” Bush said.

Kerry was quick to respond by defending his character and discrediting Bush’s plan in Iraq.

“I believe in being strong and resolute and determined. And I will hunt down and kill the terrorists, wherever they are,” Kerry said. “Smart means not diverting your attention from the real war on terror in Afghanistan against Osama bin Laden and taking if off to Iraq.”

The 9/11 commission found no connection between Iraq and the attacks on the United States, Kerry said. The reason for going to war was to find weapons of mass destruction, not to remove of Saddam Hussein, he added.

“This president has made, I regret to say, a colossal error of judgment,” said Kerry. “And judgment is what we look for in the president of the United States of America.”

As Kerry talked Bush made a puckered face and rolled his eyes. Bush said that Kerry was thinking in “a pre-September 10th mentality.”

“He [Hussein] was hoping we'd turn away. But there was fortunately others beside himself who believed that we ought to take action,” Bush said. “We did. The world is safer without Saddam Hussein.”

The “biggest disaster” would be that the United States did not succeed in Iraq, Bush said.

“We will succeed. We've got a plan to do so,” Bush said. “And the main reason we'll succeed is because the Iraqis want to be free.”

Kerry, who took notes during the president’s speech quickly responded.

“The president just talked about Iraq as a center of the war on terror. Iraq was not even close to the center of the war on terror before the president invaded it,” said Kerry.

Kerry changed the focus to address the soldiers in Iraq. He said that soldiers should know when they enter a war that there is a set course of action. Troops should have been sent to Iraq as a last resort, Kerry said.

“You've got to be able to look in the eyes of families and say to those parents, ‘I tried to do everything in my power to prevent the loss of your son and daughter.’”

Bush assured that the troops will be sent home once Iraq is secure, after the elections in January. Kerry told the soldiers that hope is on the way if he is elected. He promised an exit strategy at the end of six months.

Bush used his platform to accuse Kerry of changing opinion.

“You cannot lead the war on terror if you keep changing positions on the war on terror,” Bush said. “And say things like, ‘Well, this is just a grand diversion.’ It's not a grand diversion."

Both candidates agreed that the single most threat going into the White House, is weapons of mass destruction. Bush had four years to disarm countries and failed to do so, Kerry said.

“North Korea has got more weapons; Iran is moving toward weapons,” Kerry said. “At his pace, it will take 13 years to secure those weapons in Russia.”

Kerry plans to have bilateral talks with North Korea, while Bush said that those actions will not help.

“It's precisely what Kim Jong Il wants,” Bush said. “It will cause the six-party talks to evaporate.”

The candidates will debate for a second time on Friday, Oct. 8 at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.