Pacific Views

John Kerry's Democratic Radio Address

John Kerry delivered this week's Democratic Radio Address, transcript courtesy of Fox News. Kerry faced the national security issue head on, arguing that Bush has done a poor job of providing it. In part:

...Yet we hear reports that — in dangerous parts of Iraq — our helicopters are flying missions without the best available anti-missile systems.

At the same time, un-armored Humvees are falling victim to road-side 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.

The Army's 428th Transportation Company, headquartered in Jefferson City, Missouri, shipped out to Iraq two weeks ago. They had to ask local businesses to donate the steel to armor their vehicles. When the Bush Administration heard about this, their response wasn't 'never again.' It was 'good idea' - they emailed instructions to other units letting them know how they could use homemade armor to protect their own Humvees from attacks. I believe our soldiers deserve better.

Even more shocking, tens of thousands of other troops arrived in Iraq to find that — with danger around every corner — there wasn't enough body armor to protect them. Many of their families on the homefront — mothers and fathers, husbands and wives and children — were forced to raise the money to buy it for them. They went to their neighbors for donations — and dipped into their savings to give their sons and daughters the equipment to save their lives — which the Army should be providing. Last month, a young newlywed in Virginia even gave her husband body armor for Valentine's Day as he prepared to ship out to Iraq. ...

Looks like someone found the clue train. Let's hope this line of attack gets repeated by every Democratic official finding themselves in front of the press talking about Iraq.