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Opinion
Graham
shows he will not be intimidated by ‘seniors’
September
30, 2004
Lindsey
Graham, South Carolina’s Republican U. S. senator, has
apparently built a solid reputation as the successor to the
late Strom Thurmond. As one Washington independent observer
noted, when Graham has something to say it’s worth
hearing.
Graham has indeed been a favorite of the TV
network news shows, having been a frequent guest invited to
discuss both national issues and foreign policy. Graham also
has shown he is not intimidated by those who have more
seniority or more recognizable names ….. such as Massachusetts
Democrat Senator Edward Kennedy and presidential candidate
Sen. John Kerry.
Consider a speech Kennedy made the other
day at George Washington University. He attacked President
Bush’s handling of the Iraq war and even said he “thanked God
that President Bush was not president during the Cuban missile
crisis….. The president’s handling of the war has been a toxic
mix of ignorance, arrogance, and stubborn
ideology.”
ALSO, KENNEDY SAID, “Iraq
has been a constant perilous distraction from the real war on
terrorism.”
Some more junior senators may have let that
slide without responding. Not Graham. He issued a statement
that said, in part, that “Senator Kennedy’s evaluation and
criticism of the war effort is over the top and represents a
fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of the conflict and
the nature of our enemy.”
Graham also said, “The
Kennedy/Kerry model of promising withdrawal beginning next
year sends the wrong signal to terrorists ….. thank God
President bush understands that ruthless, brutal regimes like
Saddam Hussein must be dealt with aggressively. We can see
from Libya’s efforts to dismantle their weapons program that
strong responses do work in the Middle East …..
“
“FINALLY, GRAHAM SAID, “thank God
President Bush understands the limitations of the United
Nations. The Kennedy/Kerry model of turning over control to
the U. N. ignores the fact the U. N. has had a pathetic record
when it comes to controlling ruthless dictators ….. the
Kennedy/Kerry model of withdrawal, defeatism, and
over-reliance on the U. N. is a formula for disaster. Their
plan would certainly destroy any possibility of creating a
democratic Iraq which would be a transforming event for the
Middle East ….. “
Kerry and Kennedy are the most liberal
members of the Senate, Graham is a conservative. It’s a
classic confrontation representative of a hot presidential
race. But, agree with Graham or not, his intrepid challenge of
the “big boys” plays well with his constituents ….. the same
people who stood by Senator Thurmond.
Editorial expression in this feature represents
our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.
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