2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumPolitifact: Bernie's suggestion that Madeleine Albright supported the Iraq war is mostly false
By Linda Qiu<...>
Bernie Sanders is feuding with a female former secretary of state over foreign policy, but her name isnt Hillary Clinton.
On NBCs Meet the Press, host Chuck Todd played Sanders a clip of Madeleine Albright, who supports Clinton and served as President Bill Clintons top diplomat, expressing concern over Sanders lack of foreign policy knowledge and interest. Sanders dismissed Albrights suggestion and, in turn, questioned her judgment.
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Our ruling
Sanders said, "Tell me what Madeleine Albrights position was on the War in Iraq. ... I wouldnt be surprised if she supported that war."
While Albright has voiced support for the troops and said she understands the rationale behind the war, her comments suggest she would have rather avoided the invasion.
We rate Sanders claim Mostly False.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2016/feb/07/bernie-s/foreign-policy-spat-bernie-sanders-suggests-madele/
beam me up scottie
(57,349 posts)It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons. Should he succeed in that endeavor, he could alter the political and security landscape of the Middle East, which as we know all too well, effects American security.
This is a very difficult vote, this is probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make. Any vote that might lead to war should be hard, but I cast it with conviction."
In March 2003 she fully endorsed the invasion:
For now nearly 20 years, the principal reason why women and children in Iraq have suffered, is because of Saddam's leadership.
The very difficult question for all of us, is how does one bring about the disarmament of someone with such a proven track record of a commitment, if not an obsession, with weapons of mass destruction.
I ended up voting for the Resolution after carefully reviewing the information and intelligence I had available, talking with people whose opinions I trusted, trying to discount political or other factors that I didn't believe should be in any way a part of this decision, and it is unfortunate that we are at the point of a potential military action to enforce the resolution. That is not my preference, it would be far preferable if we had legitimate cooperation from Saddam Hussein, and a willingness on his part to disarm, and to account for his chemical and biological storehouses.
With respect to whose responsibility it is to disarm Saddam Hussein, I do not believe that given the attitudes of many people in the world community today that there would be a willingness to take on very difficult problems were it not for United States leadership.
She even claimed that what we did to Iraq was a gift:
Hillary Clinton may fancy she opposes the war in Iraq, but she has a funny way of showing it. On Monday night in Austin, she had this to say about what the United States military has done over the past five years:
"We have given them the gift of freedom, the greatest gift you can give someone. Now it is really up to them to determine whether they will take that gift."
There was nothing accidental about this line. She delivered it in response to two Iraq veterans introduced at a town hall meeting at the Austin Convention Center by her friend and campaign surrogate Ted Danson. She liked the line enough that she delivered it again a couple of hours later, at a campaign-closing rally at a basketball arena in south Austin.
"The gift of freedom" is, of course, a curious way to describe an unprovoked invasion and occupation causing hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths and leaving just about every aspect of life chaotic and fraught with daily dangers. To then lay responsibility for the mess on the Iraqis -- we did our bit, now you do yours -- is the worst kind of dishonesty, a complete abdication of moral principles. It's the sort of thing George Bush has said to justify his decision both to launch the invasion in the first place and then stay the course -- a course Hillary Clinton has spent many months telling primary and caucus voters she thinks was misconceived from the start.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-gumbel/hillary-goes-orwellian-on_b_89729.html
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)Her record, as well as her opinions, should be filtered through the knowledge that she had no problem waging war against civilians.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)that Albright supported the Iraq war launched by GWB.
She did not.
He lied.
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)While Albright has voiced support for the troops and said she understands the rationale behind the war, her comments suggest she would have rather avoided the invasion.
And Albright's support for the Clinton-era sanctions that resulted in hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians suggests that her "rather have avoided the invasion" is a tactical avoidance rather than one based on law.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)The question:
The suggestion:
----------------------
You really should read a little more carefully before replying next time.
Vattel
(9,289 posts)To say "I wouldn't be surprised if she supported that war" is not to claim that she supported that war." Besides, she mostly objected to the timing of the war and she did say point blank that the war was justified. So politifact is full of shit on this one.
Motown_Johnny
(22,308 posts)That is not an untrue statement.
It brings to light that even Sec. Albright saw what Hillary could not see, that the IWR should not have been passed.
If you want to complain about a lie, then you should go find someone who was claiming Hillary was "Surging" right before New Hampshire. Now That was one hell of a whopper!
Bohemianwriter
(978 posts)"she understands the rationale behind the war"...
Right! As if there were any reasonable rationale behind any pre-emptive war.
But perhaps someone can explain that to me?
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)Sheepshank
(12,504 posts)riversedge
(70,242 posts)eager to jump on anyone associated with Hillary--and ASSumes wrong ideas.
bahrbearian
(13,466 posts)Sell Bombs and Weapons, Bomb Syria, Supply Saudi Arabia bombs to use in Yemen... on and on. But Henry Kissinger approves.
nichomachus
(12,754 posts)Has been an unmitigated disaster. She was incompetent and left the world a much worse place.
Response to Cali_Democrat (Original post)
bvf This message was self-deleted by its author.
Vattel
(9,289 posts)Besides Sanders didn't claim that she supported the war. He said he didn't know. So I rate politifact's claims mostly false.
"Now, I dont really know this. Maybe the answer is different. Tell me what Madeleine Albrights position was on the War in Iraq," Sanders asked.
"I dont know," Todd admitted.
"I wouldnt be surprised if she supported that war," Sanders said. "The issue here is not just experience. The issue here is judgment."