XPost: ny.politics, nj.politics, ca.politics 
 XPost: alt.politics.democrats 
 From: ob110ob@aatt.net 
  
 The Bush Vs. Kerry Briefs: The War In Iraq 
 10.25.2004 6:54 PM EDT 
  
 You've heard a lot of blah blah blah from both 
 campaigns about the war in Iraq, and let's face it, 
 it's confusing. So here's a concise comparison of the 
 two candidates' stances on the contentious issue: 
  
 Was the war justified? 
  
 President Bush believes that in a post-September 11 
 world where terrorists have declared war on America 
 that we must be ready to act first € and, if necessary, 
 alone € in order to defend America and its interests. 
 Bush believes the war in Iraq to be central to the war 
 on terrorism and that by removing Saddam Hussein and 
 attempting to bring democracy to Iraq, the U.S. has 
 made the world a safer place. 
  
 John Kerry initially supported the war in Iraq, based 
 on prewar intelligence that detailed weapons of mass 
 destruction held by Iraq. When that intelligence turned 
 out to be incorrect, Kerry agreed that removing Saddam 
 Hussein made the world safer, but said he felt it 
 wasn't enough to merit a pre-emptive strike on Iraq. 
 Kerry believes that the war in Iraq is a diversion from 
 the war on terror, which should be focused on capturing 
 Osama Bin Laden and destroying al Qaeda. 
  
 Was there a plan? 
  
 Bush insists that in the days leading up to the 
 invasion, he was assured by top military brass that 
 America had adequate troops and resources for the war. 
 When initial deployments proved inadequate, he asked 
 for an additional $87 billion from Congress for 
 military and reconstruction assistance, though little 
 of this money has been deployed due to continuing 
 instability in Iraq. 
  
 Kerry argues that while the president had a plan to win 
 the war in Iraq, he didn't have a plan to win the 
 peace. He says that because the president rushed into 
 war against the wishes of America's allies, the U.S. 
 has borne 90 percent of the casualties and financial 
 costs of the war. 
  
 Where do we go from here? 
  
 Bush believes the war in Iraq has improved the lives of 
 Iraqis and the security of the United States. He says 
 we must stay the course to ensure democracy and 
 security in the Middle East. This, he argues, will 
 cause terrorist threats against the United States to be 
 lessened. The president has said troops will remain in 
 Iraq until the Iraqi army is strong enough to keep the 
 peace. 
  
 Kerry believes that in order to achieve peace in Iraq, 
 the U.S. needs to successfully globalize its efforts. 
 Kerry says the only way to encourage other nations to 
 join us would be through a change of leadership, 
 because it is the president's leadership style that has 
 alienated most of America's traditional allies. 
  
 For more information on the candidates and their 
 positions, check back at ChooseorLose.com this week for 
 more Bush vs. Kerry briefs. And don't forget to vote on 
 November 2! 
  
 €MTV News staff report 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)