The uber-conservative republican Wall Street Journal published an editorial today attacking Senator Hillary Clinton on Iraq (which now makes me wonder if perhaps she's doing something right.) In any case, Hillary's campaign has prepared a point-counterpoint of the charges made in the WSJ editorial. Since Hillary's position on Iraq has been a topic of lively debate of late, I'm publishing the campaign's response, in full.
Hillary on Iraq: What the WSJ Won't Tell You
The Wall Street Journal published a piece today on Hillary Clinton's statements on Iraq. They bill it as "a summary of the arc of Mrs. Clinton's public thinking on Iraq." Actually, it's a highly selective account designed to distort and simplify her actual views.
First, WSJ article provides one quote from Hillary before the war, selectively quoting from her speech on the use-of-force resolution and attempting to paint her as unequivocally in favor of invading Iraq. They leave out these other statements she made before the war:
JANUARY 2003: HILLARY SENDS LETTER TO POWELL, URGES HIM TO CONTINUE ROBUST INSPECTIONS: "If our words about supporting UN inspectors have any meaning and if we truly want the United Nations to be effective, we must act to support the UN arms inspectors and act to unite the UN Security Council behind the use of U2 aircraft in Iraq...Additionally if we are truly serious about supporting the UN inspections we should increase our intelligence support to the inspectors." [Letter to Colin Powell, 1/31/03]
MARCH 2003: HILLARY URGES 'PEACEFUL SOLUTION,' PUSHES BUSH TO 'ENLIST MORE SUPPORT' FROM ALLIES: "'It is preferable that we do this in a peaceful manner through coercive inspection'...[T]he senator said the Bush administration still had work to do at convincing the American public and the rest of the world that Hussein presented a real threat that might require military action. 'The administration should continue to try to enlist more support,' she added." [AP, 3/3/03]
Next, the WSJ selects one quote from a Council on Foreign Relations Speech in December 2003 attempting to paint her as completely supportive of President Bush's policies. The WSJ leaves out these other statements, also made in December 2003:
DECEMBER 2003: HILLARY SAYS WAR IS BEING RUN BY 'POORLY PREPARED PEOPLE' WHO ARE 'OBSESSED WITH IRAQ': "As a result, we are living with the consequences of refusing to admit the size of this undertaking. I've said on many occasions that it is bewildering to me how this administration, which is run by people who've been obsessed with Iraq and Saddam Hussein since the first Gulf War, could be so poorly prepared once the military success was assured." [Press Conference With Jack Reed, 12/1/03]
DECEMBER 2003: HILLARY SAYS BUSH HAS 'NOT LEVELED WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE' FROM 'THE VERY BEGINNING': "I think that the administration has from the very beginning not leveled with the American people. There is no doubt that we have seen a rather disastrous aftermath of the military action." [Meet the Press, 12/7/03]
DECEMBER 2003: HILLARY SAYS BUSH'S 'HAPPY TALK' IS 'NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR POLICY': "I think that one of the missing elements in our strategy thus far has been the president and the administration leveling with the American people about what it is we're up against, how long it's going to take, how much it's going to cost…No reasonable person looking at the facts can't see that there are some real problems that we have to deal with. I don't think happy talk, you know, is a substitute for a policy." [Face the Nation, 12/7/03]
DECEMBER 2003: HILLARY SLAMS BUSH FOR 'MISCALCULATION' AND 'INEPT PLANNING': "So, there was a lot of miscalculation and, and, frankly, inept planning that we're now living with the consequences. I regret the way the president has used the authority. I mean, it's one thing to say, you know, we're heading down a road that is rooted in the values and ideals and practicalities of what got us to this point, looking back at previous administrations, and there was an expectation about how that authority would be used, which, you know, frankly, I'm, you know, disappointed that it wasn't." [This Week, 12/7/03]
Finally, the WSJ selects on quote from a Larry King in late-April 2004, attempting to paint her as unquestioning of the intelligence Bush used to justify the invasion. But they leave out her speech on the floor of the Senate in October 2003:
OCTOBER 2003: HILLARY ASSERTS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION 'GILDED THE LILY' ON IRAQ WAR INTELLIGENCE: “Nevertheless, I think it is clear, and it is not just a mistake, it is not just a wrong assessment--I think now it is clear that, for a combination of reasons, the administration gilded the lily, engaged in hyperbole, took whatever small nugget of intelligence that existed and blew it up into a mountain, in order, I suppose, to make the case more strongly and convincingly to the American people. But at what a cost? The cost of our credibility, the cost of our national leadership, and even more so the cost of perhaps not being able to take actions in the future that are necessary to our well-being and our interests because we may look like the nation or at least the administration that cried wolf. It is a big price to pay.” [Floor Speech, 10/17/03]
Since that time, Hillary has continued her criticism of the Bush administration on Iraq. You can watch and read her speech on the Senate floor last night HERE.
