On Sunday, 4/18/04, in a "Meet the Press" attempt to have it both ways, Democratic Candidate John Kerry directed criticism toward President Bush for an ineffective foreign policy. Kerry criticized Bush's April 14th surprise reversal of long-standing US policy, agreeing to Israel's permanent annexation of settlements in the West Bank. However, Kerry said he AGREED with Bush's position!
The next day, Kerry campaigned in Florida with Joe Lieberman, who told the crowd that Kerry will always support Israel. Lieberman, who is a Jew, spoke on the day after Israel assassinated yet another leader of Hamas, an organization created by Israel.
Kerry went on to say that as president he will "return to the United Nations ... and rejoin the community of nations." The candidate did not, however, explain whether his international good citizenship would include recognition and support for enforcement of UN Resolutions 242 and 338, Resos signed by the US, which demand that Israel withdraw from all the territory captured in the 1967 War, including the West Bank,Gaza and East Jerusalem.
Considering such hypocrisy and doublespeak from John Kerry, there is little reason to prefer him over the current incompetent.
Quotes from the AP story by Mike Glover:
http://www.whas11.com/topstories/stories/WHAS11_TOP_KerryCriticizesBush.13e76da79.html" 'I think this administration has proven, frankly, stunningly ineffective in diplomacy,' he [Kerry] said."
"Kerry cited Bush's policy change on Israel last week in which he endorsed a plan by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to hold on to lands seized in the 1967 Middle East War. 'There were Arab leaders that were taken by surprise by this announcement,' Kerry said, although he also said he endorsed the move."
"'I will immediately reach out to other nations in a very different way from this administration,' he said. 'Within weeks of being inaugurated I will return to the U.N. and I will rejoin the community of nations.'"
"One of Kerry's former rivals for the nomination, Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., joined Kerry for a rally at Palm Beach before Kerry took his campaign to Atlanta. Lieberman is likely to play an important role in Kerry's bid to win the state that decided the 2000 election for Bush, largely because he has a strong following in Florida's Jewish community."