Because you lied to me, Dick. Remember? The White House sent its managers to Congress before the vote, and they briefed the House and Senate Intelligence committees on the dire threat of Saddam. The reconstituted nuclear program. The mushroom clouds that would be appearing over New York and Washington in a few years. The lie you were telling the American people in general terms, you told us with specific, impressive-sounding statistics and authoritative reports — that legendary ‘bad intelligence.’ It was on that basis and that basis alone — the basis of imminent threat to America from weapons of mass destruction — that my colleagues and I voted to give your boss the authority to invade. Now we know better.
I accept my share of responsibility for the thousands who have since died and are still dying in an elective war that had nothing to do with the war on terrorism but which you and your fellow extremists at the Project for a New American Century had been lusting after since 1992, a war you wanted so badly you lied to Congress and the American people to get it, you dark and terrible man. I was not cynical enough. I know I must make amends for my mistake. But first, come November, the American people must fix another mistake.
Andrew Christie imagines what he would tell Dick Cheney if he were in Kerry’s shoes. I just wish that Kerry would say something. His “we need a broader international coalition and more troops” line is already wearing thin. With Spain and Honduras pulling out and other leaders feeling growing pressure to follow suit, such a coalition will be damn near impossible. And I doubt that it would make much of a difference in Iraq anyway.
I’ll be voting the “Anybody but Bush” ticket in November, but I’m still waiting for Kerry to give me a reason to do so enthusiastically.