What do you think of these statements from the GOP about Clinton's successful military campaign in the Balkans

Question

"You can support the troops but not the president"
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)

"[The] President…is once again releasing American military might on a foreign country with an ill-defined objective and no exit strategy. He has yet to tell the Congress how much this operation will cost. And he has not informed our nation's armed forces about how long they will be away from home. These strikes do not make for a sound foreign policy."
-Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)

"American foreign policy is now one huge big mystery. Simply put, the administration is trying to lead the world with a feel-good foreign policy."
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)

"If we are going to commit American troops, we must be certain they have a clear mission, an achievable goal and an exit strategy."
-Karen Hughes, speaking on behalf of George W. Bush

"I had doubts about the bombing campaign from the beginning...I didn't think we had done enough in the diplomatic area."
-Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)

"Well, I just think it's a bad idea. What's going to happen is they're going to be over there for 10, 15, maybe 20 years"
-Joe Scarborough (R-FL)

"I cannot support a failed foreign policy. History teaches us that it is often easier to make war than peace. This administration is just learning that lesson right now. The President began this mission with very vague objectives and lots of unanswered questions. A month later, these questions are still unanswered. There are no clarified rules of engagement. There is no timetable. There is no legitimate definition of victory. There is no contingency plan for mission creep. There is no clear funding program. There is no agenda to bolster our overextended military. There is no explanation defining what vital national interests are at stake. There was no strategic plan for war when the President started this thing, and there still is no plan today"
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)

"Explain to the mothers and fathers of American servicemen that may come home in body bags why their son or daughter have to give up their life?"
-Sean Hannity, Fox News, 4/6/99

"Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the President to explain to us what the exit strategy is."
-Governor George W. Bush (R-TX)

"This is President Clinton's war, and when he falls flat on his face, that's his problem."
-Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)

"Bombing a sovereign nation for ill-defined reasons with vague objectives undermines the American stature in the world. The international respect and trust for America has diminished every time we casually let the bombs fly."
-Representative Tom Delay (R-TX)

Answer 1

While Clinton was president, the GOP dropped their entire agenda and spent all their time hating Clinton, investigating him, trying to embarrass him, thinking up bad things to say about him. For 8 years there it was all about Clinton. (In some ways it still is! Republicans STILL try to blame anything bad on Clinton, from Islamic extremism to bad weather).

Consequently, if you ask ANY Republican leader a question that has anything to do with Clinton in any way, the answer you get will not be personal opinion or expertise or even party philosophy. It will be whatever comes to his mind that sounds worst to say about Clinton.

This is especially bizarre in light of the Republican idea of 'patriotism', being to support the president and whatever he does, especially in a war. They feel you should support the president no matter which party he is. Even if you don't like him, you should show respect for the office. Of course they only feel this way when the president is a Republican. If it's a Democrat then it's your patriotic duty to bash the president at every opportunity.

Republicans and conservatives like to whine about 'political correctness' but they have their own version of political correctness, and they adhere to it very strongly. These flip-flops show how honest and consistent Republican leaders are, and how everything they say should be examined for partisan bias, and then taken with a liberal (no pun intended) grain of salt.

Answer 2

That is what we believed then, we flip flopped since then.

Cheney said Iraq would be a quagmire, then he flip flopped.

There is NOTHING wrong with FLIP FLOPPING....

ask McCain or FLip FLop Fred.

Besides there are only 1500 US troops there and they are not in combat, we have over 160,000 combat troops in Iraq.

Answer 3

So what do you think about Clinton's ill-conceived wars in the Soviet spheres of influence?

Oh wait, you said it was 'successful.'

Does this then, make you an imperialist war-monger? Or is that reserved for Republicans?

Wake up and smell the delusion of partisan loyalty - the hypocrisy goes both ways and all the proof you need to convict either party is right here in this thread.

Answer 4

"I'm not so sure the role of the United States is to go around the world and say, 'This is the way it's got to be.'"
George W. Bush 2000

Answer 5

we went into it with no clue what was going on,no exit strategy,we still don't know what the hell were doing there. but the Clinton's and Democrats felt good about it, so i guess they did have have a feel good foreign relations policy. but hey it was good old Bill so it is ok

Answer 6

All you libs can do is call the Republicans "Flip Floppers" and hypocrites. What about when Hillary, John Kerry and all the other Bozo Dems voted to send Troops to Iraq??? Were they hypocrites? It looks to me like it swings both ways.

Answer 7

I don't think you will find many Rep Conse that are going to answer this question. They now see the truth and it bitting them in the buttocks. Few that do are not Rep Conse but backers trying to keep the party alive with hope.

Answer 8

Typical republican hypocrisy. How many combat deaths did we (the U.S.) sustain in the Balkan campaign? Just curious.

Answer 9

Sounds like prime flip-flop material to me.

Answer 10

Like all successes, the military is still there. Do you see a pattern?