The Command Post - 2004 US Presidential Election - Nader wants rapid pullout from Iraq

April 20, 2004

Nader | Nader wants rapid pullout from Iraq

BALTIMORE SUN: Nader wants rapid pullout from Iraq

Ralph Nader, still laboring to get his presidential campaign off the ground, now calls himself a “muscular peace candidate.”
Nader, an independent, remains a marginal player in this year’s election. He is likely to be shut out of fall debates, has little campaign money and faces a struggle to get his name on the ballot in many states.

But the anti-corporate activist apparently senses an opening for an anti-war candidate in the ‘04 contest.

Nader is advocating a pullout, within six months, of all U.S. military forces from Iraq. He argues that Democratic candidate John Kerry is “making a big mistake” by adopting a “stay-the-course” position in the face of rising anti-U.S. violence in Iraq.

“The peace movement in this country is going to have an interesting choice” in November, Nader told a group of reporters in Washington yesterday.

Nader wants Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney impeached for taking the nation to war without a formal declaration by Congress. But he also labels Kerry a “war candidate.” He sharply criticized the Massachusetts senator for refusing to admit that the war, which he voted to authorize, was a mistake and for supporting the continued U.S. occupation.

“He’s stuck in the Iraq quagmire the way Bush is,” Nader said.

Posted by Laurence Simon at April 20, 2004 05:01 PM | TrackBack

Comments

What is a consumer rights activist doing pontificating on the state of foreign affairs? What would he rather us do, allow Iraq to be taken over by another Hussein, one who will leverage a pull-out to fuel continued hatred of America in that part of the world?

Posted by: ron at April 20, 2004 06:47 PM

Nader. Pfeh. He wants to impeach Bush and Cheney, some chickenhawk admission from Skeery, and good old-fashioned isolationism.

Right.

And I want a pony.

My chances are MUCH better than his.

Posted by: .com at April 21, 2004 03:58 AM

I like Nader. I like anybody who splits the pro and anti war Democrats. YO Nader, You go Girl!!!!

Posted by: Ricky Vandal at April 21, 2004 08:24 AM

To me this is just Nader’s ego overloading his sense. he has no chance and he knows it. All he’s doing is giving the Dennis Kuchinich types someplace else to go.

Posted by: skip at April 21, 2004 11:45 AM

That’s great! Now anon, x, and NobodyNeedstoKnow have someone to vote for.

Posted by: popd at April 21, 2004 11:48 AM

LMAO! Now everyone knows why Nader is just a rich idiot. He is after all, Lebanese.
sure, pull out now, let the Khomeini’s from Iran become the ME superpower. Hasn’t nader took the time to figure out that Iran has been meddling in crap since Bosnia?
Bosnia, afghanistan, iraq, Israel, the Russian Stuff. Iran has fingers in everything, and about to get their asses kicked severely, and it’s about time for F sakes! Nail the bastards!

Posted by: Al-Lat at April 21, 2004 05:57 PM

Since Iraq wasn’t a war, but rather a resumption of hostilities from the first gulf war…Nader doesnt have a pot to piss in…again….unless the US signed a formal peacetreaty with Iraq….last i checked it was only a cease-fire agreement that was in effect as long as the Iraqi regime abided by the agreement in the first place..they didnt…so it was time for a bitchslap…..

Posted by: terlizzi999 at April 21, 2004 11:21 PM

Never mind what Nader WANTS. Who the heck cares?

What Nader NEEDS is a “rapid pullout of his head from his anal orifice.”

Posted by: Brambles at April 22, 2004 05:20 AM

Ralph Nader is going to hand the Presidency to George W. Bush.

I LOVE THIS MAN.

Posted by: Nader rules at April 22, 2004 05:34 PM

“muscular peace candidate.”

I first read that as “muscular piece of candidate.”

I can’t believe I ever voted for that brainless loser.

Yeah, that’s too easy a set up, leave it alone, you’re bigger than that.

Posted by: Joshua Scholar at April 23, 2004 06:31 PM

America will find it impossible to set up a viable client state in Iraq and will accordingly lose the Iraqi war.

The weakening of the forces motivating the invasion of Iraq is desirable. The longer the US stays in Iraq, the weaker they will become. So the longer the US stays in Iraq, the better.

Bush’s leadership has done permanent damage to the neocon cause. I agree that Nader’s campaign increases the likelihood of Bush’s reelection. More of Bush will do more damage to his cabal. I look forward to observing that.

Posted by: an ame at May 11, 2004 10:46 AM

America will find it impossible to set up a viable client state in Iraq and will accordingly lose the Iraqi war.

The weakening of the forces motivating the invasion of Iraq is desirable. The longer the US stays in Iraq, the weaker they will become. So the longer the US stays in Iraq, the better.

Posted by: an ame at May 11, 2004 10:46 AM

“client state”? LOL!

We’re talking about an Iraq, which now has twice the electric power it had when Saddam was in charge, which has schools for girls for the first time in history, which takes opinion polls of Iraqis, believe it or not!

We’re talking about an Iraq, where a thousand ordinary people in Falujah dared to shout down that mad mullah al Sadr, and he backed down in the face of their defiance.

We’re talking about an Iraq, which has a viable police force, Iraqis enforcing Iraqi law.

We’re talking about only the second functioning constitutional democratic republic in the region, and the first ever Arab Democratic Republic.

Like all newborns, this Iraq started weak, but is getting stronger and more confident with every step. In fact, that is precisely why terrorists from every surrounding nation are there; they are scared witless, about what it would mean for ordinary Arabs to be able to govern themselves, to speak their mind and enjoy their personal rights.

Go visit Drudge, and see pictures of crowds of happy Iraqis, hugging Americans and smiling, now they know we did what we said we would.

Iraq is now a free Iraq; that ‘weakening US force’ idea is just a fantasy of the Left. We are winning, and God willing, the people of Iraq will enjoy the fruits of that victory.

Posted by: GDubya at May 12, 2004 03:26 PM