Like a couple of weathervanes, Bill and Hillary Clinton have both now reversed their earlier positions on two different aspects of the Iraq war -- whether the United States should have begun it, and whether the United States should announce a timetable to end it.
"In twin moves that amount to a 180 degree reversal of their previous positions, former President Bill Clinton called the Iraq war yesterday "a big mistake," while his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, voted for a Democratic bill that would announce a timetable for U.S. withdrawal," NewsMax.com reports.
Bill Clinton has long said that he supported the decision by President Bush to remove Saddam Hussein. Indeed, how could he not have said so? Let's travel back in time to December 16, 1998, at a time when (not coincidentally) impeachment was looming.
From the Oval Office (see picture), President Clinton announced to the nation, "Earlier today I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq." ("Clinton: Iraq Has Abused Its Last Chance") "Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors." Clinton called Saddam Hussein a threat to his people and to the security of the world. "The best way to end that threat once and for all is with a new Iraqi government -- a government ready to live in peace with its neighbors, a government that respects the rights of its people," Clinton said.
Gee, that sounds awfully familiar. Almost like what President Bush has been saying consistently for years now.
Yet now in 2005, safely out of office and no longer under the threat of impeachment, and with his wife getting ready to run for president, Bill Clinton suddenly announces that President Bush's decision to remove Saddam Hussein was a "big mistake." It was nice of Clinton to finally tell us. (Good thing we haven't already committed troops or anything.)
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton has now reversed herself by voting for a Democratic bill that would have set a timetable for withdrawal. "Asked in February, however, whether she supported a timetable for withdrawal, Mrs. Clinton told NBC's "Meet the Press": "At this point in time, I think that would be a mistake." (In fairness to Hillary Clinton, she did say in February that she didn't think a withdrawal timetable was a good idea "at this time." I guess that was then and this is now. The winds change.)
The 180 degree turns are funny, but they are also sad. America needs strong, consistent leadership from the type of president who "will not rest or tire until the war on terror is won" -- regardless of what the latest "job approval" public opinion polls have to say.
It never works out very well when we expect leadership from political weathervanes.
More coverage of Bill and Hillary Clinton's latest at Michelle Malkin, JunkYardBlog, A Certain Slant of Light, Gateway Pundit, and Know Absolutes.
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