This surprising statement by John Kerry is a reaction to the decay of Joe Wilson’s credibility:
WASHINGTON – Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news – web sites) said Friday he would be willing to launch a pre-emptive strike against terrorists if he had adequate intelligence of a threat.
Kerry offered some support for one of the most controversial aspects of President Bush (news – web sites)’s national security policy, even as he criticized the president for not reforming intelligence agencies after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“Am I prepared as president to go get them before they get us if we locate them and have the sufficient intelligence? You bet I am,” he said at a news conference at his Washington headquarters.
The fact of the matter is this: given the state of the intelligence on Iraq in 2002, it would have been irresponsible of President Bush not to have invaded Iraq when he did. All the evidence suggested that Saddam stepped up his weapons programs after locking out UN inspectors in 1998, and the ties to Hamas were out there for anyone to see.