EFL
Sen. John Kerry slammed President Bush on his treatment of the U.S. military in Iraq Saturday, citing an admission by a senior military official that U.S. troops went into the war unprepared.
"If they did it MY way; we could have toppled Saddam in three years, not just three weeks."
Massachusetts Sen. Kerry, in the Democratsâ weekly radio address, referred to an admission this week by acting Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee that U.S. troops were not prepared when the president sent them in to topple Saddam Hussein.
Each senior commander was polled by President Bush if they were ready and each said that they were. Is Brownlee saying his generals lied?
"Republican and Democratic leaders were right to join together to say to the Bush administration that this is just unacceptable," Kerry said. "If I am president, I will be prepared to use military force to protect our security, our people, and our vital interests. But I will never send our troops into harmâs way without enough firepower and support."
âThatâs why I VOTED for sending in the troops, but VOTED against funding them. That makes sense to you doesnât it. Me either.â
Kerry said that U.S. helicopters in Iraq even now "are flying missions without the best available anti-missile systems" and that "un-armored Humvees are falling victim to roadside bombs and small-arms fire". "The Bush administration waited through month after month of ambushes and only acted to start manufacturing armored door kits three months ago," he said.
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