# I'm beginning to doubt the intelligence of John Kerry, and I am pissed **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 10, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575 "2004-03-10T23:37:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/1 "2004-03-10T23:37:54Z")
Until this week I had confidence that John Kerry, if nothing else, was clearly more intellectually capable the GWB. Now I’m not so sure. A couple of days ago I came across [this Washington Post story,](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1802&e=9&u=/washpost/20040307/ts_washpost/a36917_2004mar6) in which Kerry’s forein policy advisor states the reason why Kerry voted to support the use of force before the 2nd Iraq war: > [@](#): > > …what clinched the decision was the fact that the international community couldn’t prove that Saddam [Hussein] didn’t have a WMD program… Huh? Say it ain’t so, John. No one could prove that. That’s about the most ridiculous standard for decision making I’ver heard of since Nancy Reagan’s astrological charts. Today I saw [this Chicago Tribune story.](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2027&e=1&u=/chitribts/20040310/ts_chicagotrib/kerrysaysterroristsalonemeritexecution) In it Kerry states he is in favor of the death penaly for terroorists. Why? > [@](#): > > That exception, he said, was sealed by the realization that war had been declared against the United States that balmy autumn morning more than two years ago. > > “That status of war led me to find it impossible to suggest I wouldn’t want to blow Osama bin Laden’s brains out and treat him as an enemy,” he said in an interview with the Tribune while visiting the Chicago area for several campaign stops. I have a real problem with this. You may kill soldiers in combat, but not after you capture them. That’s why governments, including the United States and Great Britain, were loathe to give POW status to captured Afghanis and Iraqis. POWs are afforded protections and rights internationally that are not available to mere criminals. POWs, by and large, are not considered to have committed crimes. Of course, you may charge them with crimes and execute them as criminals, but it doesn’t matter whether or not a state of war exists. If we are “at war” with Al Queda, in my mind that is a mitigating, not an aggravating, factor in deciding their operatives’ punishments. I think Kerry didn’t want to relive the furor that came up when Michael Dukakis said he would oppose the death sentence even for a man who raped and killed Kitty. You might disagree with the decision, but at least Dukakis stood up and defended his publicly stated principles. ---
**Author:** ![Tender\_Betty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@Tender\_Betty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tender_Betty)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/2 "2004-03-10T23:41:53Z")
Ppfffftt… With you, Pal. What exactly is our alternative though? ---
**Author:** ![MrTuffPaws](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@MrTuffPaws](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrTuffPaws)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2004, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/3 "2004-03-10T23:43:29Z")
Uh, isn’t the only POW from both Iraq and Afwhatsitstan Sadam himself? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/4 "2004-03-11T00:09:01Z")
There are certain hard facts about the American electorate that any candidate simply has to face. Capital punishment is one of them: no amount of statistics or facts will sway the people. If Kerry were to make a firm statement of conscience opposing capital punishment, he would get creamed. That’s simply a fact. I have the luxury of adopting and promoting unpopular views. I also have the satisfaction of watching those views become gradually more acceptable to my fellow citizens. If you had told me thirty years ago that a Viet Nam war protestor like Clinton could be elected despite his public acknowledgement of that position, I would have asked to share whatever it was you were smoking. It is a somber truth that personal integrity can come at too high a price. Four more years of GeeDubya, in my estimation, is just such a price. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/5 "2004-03-11T00:09:16Z")
I understand Kerry’s statements perfectly. In the WMD statement, he’s essentially stating that he had no way of knowing that the WMD was a political snow-job, and that he chose to have faith in the US leadership that they knew what they were talking about. Now, I’m still of the opinion that the world will be a much happier place without Saddam Hussein and that we had reason to get rid of him even _without_ raising the spectre of WMD’s. I know everybody thought Iraqi WMD’s, given Hussein’s history, were an absolute clinch at the time. As for his statement about bin Laden, how could you not understand him, unless you’re being willfully dense? If I had Osama bin Laden at gunpoint as a POW, I’d want to blow his brains out too. I wouldn’t do it though, and neither, I’ll wager, would Kerry. His statement is clearly emotional hyperbole. You ask > [@](#): > > In it Kerry states he is in favor of the death penaly for terroorists. Why? Is it not obvious that “death penalty” implies a formal trial? If he meant “summary execution,” I’m pretty sure that’s what he’d have said. Your OP is pretty much entirely hysterical and without merit. Me? I defended Bush during the Iraqi Unpleasantness (which is still unpleasant…and I still think we should be there,) but I’m probably voting for Kerry. Why? Bush’s ridiculous domestic policy record. Patriot Act, Patriot Act II, the gay marriage amendment thing, TIPS, Total Information Awareness, John-Fucking-Ashcroft, etc. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/6 "2004-03-11T00:23:20Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Me? I defended Bush during the Iraqi Unpleasantness (which is still unpleasant…and I still think we should be there,) but I’m probably voting for Kerry. Why? Bush’s ridiculous domestic policy record. Patriot Act, Patriot Act II, **the gay marriage amendment thing** , TIPS, Total Information Awareness, John-Fucking-Ashcroft, etc. (Bolding mine) Hey, **Ogre**. Thanks. Seriously. It means a lot to me that people care enough about this issue to count it against the President when making their choice this November. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/7 "2004-03-11T01:13:51Z")
You are quite welcome, **MrV**. I’ve always been pro-gay marriage (or is it more politically correct to refer to “same-sex marriages?” I am **so** not with it when it comes to keeping up with current lingo. I frankly still have a hard time seeing what, precisely, is wrong with “Oriental” for “Asian,” but I obviously digress,) and I find the opposite stance pretty well indefensible on any consistent grounds. I wouldn’t count me as a convert, necessarily. The fact is, despite the volume at which I argued pro-war, I’m a centrist. I believe that our system works because of the balance between right and left (even though our politically significant “left” is still pretty far right by, say, European standards.) As a result, I can pick and choose. 🙂 I get to support some Republican issues and some Democrat issues. Conversely, I also get to make fun of extremists of all stripes. Some people say I sit the fence. I call it “common sense.” Plus, as an atheist, it frankly galls me to have a Bible-thumping fundamentalist like Bush (and the Crisco-anointed Ashcroft) in the White House. [aside]I know, however, that some people around here have mentally grouped me in the “hardline Pubby” camp because of my support of the war. I’ve wondered, actually, if my username perpetuates the image. Some folks have actually used it as fuel for argument.[/aside] ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/8 "2004-03-11T01:44:04Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > …Your OP is pretty much entirely hysterical and without merit. > > Me? I defended Bush during the Iraqi Unpleasantness (which is still unpleasant…and I still think we should be there,) but I’m probably voting for Kerry. Why? Bush’s ridiculous domestic policy record. Patriot Act, Patriot Act II, the gay marriage amendment thing, TIPS, Total Information Awareness, John-Fucking-Ashcroft, etc. Oh, bullshit. I never suggested he meant summary exectiion. In fact I mention mitigating and aggravating circumstances, which clearly suggest a trial. YOU may have inferred that from his comments about putting a gun to bin Laden’s head, but I didn’t. My point is that being at “war” with Al Queda is a stupid and wrong justification for executing terrorists, even if you do give them trials. If he had claimed that the particularly heinous nature of the 9/11 crime merited execution, THAT would be a defensible position in favor of the death penalty under some circumstances. I would disagree with it, but I wouldn’t call it stupid. At this point in time, I too would vote for vote for Kerry over Bush. I just hate the idea of voting for the lesser evil, OR the lesser idiot. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve voted for one or the other reasons, and I’m getting REAL tired of it. ---
**Author:** ![county](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@county](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/county)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/9 "2004-03-11T02:14:31Z")
Wait, I thought this had been settled. That one incontrovertible, unrefutable fact remains. That beacon in the darkness created by the petty, corrupt Bush Administration. He’s not Bush. He will be propelled into the White House and if he does not suit us, well, we’ll replace him with someone else, who’s not Bush. So, let’s move on. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/10 "2004-03-11T03:24:35Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > I’ve wondered, actually, if my username perpetuates the image. Some folks have actually used it as fuel for argument.[/aside] Me, once, and I apologize for that. :o ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/11 "2004-03-11T04:06:43Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > I know everybody thought Iraqi WMD’s, given Hussein’s history, were an absolute clinch at the time. This statement is false. _Everybody_ did not think that at all. Some people thought he had them, others did not. You were wrong, others were right, get used to it and stop pretending your misjudgment is excusable on the grounds that everybody else made the same mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/12 "2004-03-11T04:23:47Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > This statement is false. _Everybody_ did not think that at all. Some people thought he had them, others did not. You were wrong, others were right, get used to it and stop pretending your misjudgment is excusable on the grounds that everybody else made the same mistake. Actually, WMD’s are completely irrelevant to me. As I stated before, I believe we were perfectly justified in going to Iraq even if the term “WMD” had never been uttered. No, I’m not interested in a rehash. Do a search on my username if you really want to know. Is there something about a political debate that paralyzes people’s hyperbole-detection engine? Did you _really_ think I meant “everyone, down to Jean-Louis L’Fromage from Versailles and the leader of the smallest Ma’asai tribe?” Are you that fucking stupid? I’ll take this slowly, since you seem to have problems with normal conversation: “The prospect that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, given his previous willingness to use them on Kurds, taken together with his propensity for genocide in general, whether it be Marsh Arabs, Kurds, Iranians, or the Shi’ite population of Iraq at large, was an altogether reasonable one.” The current US administration gambled on that reasonable prospect. They lost. Now, why are you sweating _me_ over it, asshole? And **Ale** , no problem. I sort of ask for it with the name, I admit. Perhaps I should consider a change. On second thought, considering how irritated I am with jackass up there right now, maybe I should go ahead and keep it. ---
**Author:** ![minty\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@minty\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minty_green)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/13 "2004-03-11T05:00:06Z")
> [@MrTuffPaws](#): > > Uh, isn’t the only POW from both Iraq and Afwhatsitstan Sadam himself? No. To the best of my knowledge, every prisoner taken during the initial conquest of Iraq has been classified and treated as a POW under the Geneva Convention. I have no knowledge of how the post-conquest insuergents have been classified, though I have not heard any complaints from Amnesty Int’l, et al. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/14 "2004-03-11T07:49:11Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Actually, WMD’s are completely irrelevant to me. As I stated before, I believe we were perfectly justified in going to Iraq even if the term “WMD” had never been uttered. > > No, I’m not interested in a rehash. Do a search on my username if you really want to know. > > Is there something about a political debate that paralyzes people’s hyperbole-detection engine? Did you _really_ think I meant “everyone, down to Jean-Louis L’Fromage from Versailles and the leader of the smallest Ma’asai tribe?” Are you that fucking stupid? I’ll take this slowly, since you seem to have problems with normal conversation: > > “The prospect that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, given his previous willingness to use them on Kurds, taken together with his propensity for genocide in general, whether it be Marsh Arabs, Kurds, Iranians, or the Shi’ite population of Iraq at large, was an altogether reasonable one.” > > The current US administration gambled on that reasonable prospect. They lost. Now, why are you sweating _me_ over it, asshole? What a load of tedious whining. I’m didn’t mention a damn thing about anything except your statement that “everybody” thought there were WMD’s. Don’t think you can distract me with irrelevant crap. I understand perfectly that you were speaking hyperbole. I also understand that when one is speaking so hyperbolically that a small but significant and vocal minority of people in the US, the UK and Australia, notable dissenters from the intelligence community, and the fucking UN weapons inspectors becomes “nobody” one has gone well beyond hyperbole One is in fact speaking absolute bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![annaplurabelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@annaplurabelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annaplurabelle)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/15 "2004-03-11T07:53:54Z")
> [@minty green](#): > > I have no knowledge of how the post-conquest insuergents have been classified [http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/03/03/prison/](http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/03/03/prison/) > [@](#): > > …Right now in Iraq there are two classifications for detainees: criminal detainees and security detainees. Criminal detainees are those accused of what the military refers to as “Iraqi on Iraqi” crime – theft, murder, black-market peddling. While these detainees are ostensibly the responsibility of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), they are increasingly being processed through the Iraqi justice system. > > …Security detainees, on the other hand, fall under the auspices of the American military. In the words of a military Judge Advocate FAQ sheet: “Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, coalition forces are authorized to detain and intern an individual who poses an imminent threat to the security of coalition forces or the Iraqi state. Additionally, coalition forces may detain and intern individuals who are reasonably believed to have committed crimes against coalition forces.” > > …The military will not release specific numbers, for security reasons, but the Associated Press reported that 12,000 people are being held there. Prisoners are pouring into the system: According to Human Rights Watch, in December and January the U.S. military said it was arresting approximately 100 Iraqis per day. > > …“This situation is like Guantanamo on steroids,” said Stewart Vriesinga of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), a faith-based peace group. CPT has been interviewing former detainees and their families to try to shed some light on what happens to security detainees. > > …Right now, the official detainee list hovers between 11,000 and 13,000 people. But CPT believes that number is by no means comprehensive. With so many detainees falling through the cracks, they feel the number is probably closer to 18,000 to 20,000. > > …But a variety of human rights and peace groups, including Human Rights Watch, Occupation Watch, Christian Peacemakers, Amnesty International, as well as various Iraqi NGOs, have interviewed former security detainees who have described some kind of mistreatment at the hands of the Americans – at the time of arrest, during interrogation or during incarceration. > [@minty green](#): > > , though I have not heard any complaints from Amnesty Int’l, et al. From their website: [http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/index.do](http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/index.do) July 2003 [http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/document.do?id=F90B983BB47B82D280256D6C0031206C](http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/document.do?id=F90B983BB47B82D280256D6C0031206C) > [@](#): > > “The Iraqi people have suffered for long enough - it is shameful to still hear of people who are being detained in inhumane conditions without their family knowing where they are and with no access to a lawyer or a judge - often for weeks on end.” > > The organization has investigated a number of cases of unlawful detention. These result from the failure of Coalition Forces to implement promptly release orders issued by Iraqi examining magistrates, before the approval of a senior military official. > > “This is a flagrant breach of the rule of law,” said Amnesty International delegate Curt Goering. June 2003 [http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/document.do?id=80256AB9000584F680256D52005AC567](http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/iraq/document.do?id=80256AB9000584F680256D52005AC567) > [@](#): > > “The conditions of detention Iraqis are held under at the Camp Cropper Center at Baghdad International Airport - now a US base - and at Abu Ghraib Prison may amount to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, banned by international law,” Amnesty International said. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/16 "2004-03-11T12:51:50Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > The current US administration gambled on that reasonable prospect. They lost. Now, why are you sweating _me_ over it, asshole? I love how casual that is. “We _gambled_ and oops, we fucked up, oh well.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/17 "2004-03-11T19:47:17Z")
Jesus. Both **Princhester** and **World Eater** quite evidently have serious difficulties with reading comprehension. Allow me to point out for the _third time_ in a single thread that I never thought WMD’s were a significant issue. Don’t believe it? Search my username. And **Princhester** , my attitude is this concerning your “vocal minority,” and always has been: “Blah blah blah.” WMD’s were secondary, we destroyed the Ba’ath Party, Saddam is gone, and the insurgency will take care of itself. Yay for us and yay for the new Iraqi constitution. Iraq will straighten out under its own elected leadership, and there’s hope that it will become a leader in the Middle East as a Muslim democracy. Lovely. Sorry for the extended hijack of your thread, **Boyo Jim** , but I still think you’re off-base about Kerry’s “intelligence.” I maintain that his statements were perfectly understandable. If he spoke with emotionless, robotic precision, the media really would equate him with Dukakis, and it’d be all over. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/18 "2004-03-11T20:01:53Z")
“WMD’s were secondary…” Apparently so, secondary to the point of non-existence, which is just about the theoretical limit when it comes to relevence “…we destroyed the Ba’ath Party…” Well, whoop-de-fuck-a-doo! The fearful threat of the Ba’ath Party is nuetralized. What a relief! So they won’t take those weapons that don’t exist and not use them on us! Whheew! I sure feel safer now. “…Saddam is gone…” see above “…and the insurgency will take care of itself…” Oh. It will “take care of itself”. Well, thanks for sharing, I am definitely much relieved to hear that. You know, until I had your rock-solid assurance on that, I was a bit worried. “…Yay for us and yay the new Iraqi constitution. Iraq will straighten out under its own elected leadership, and there’s hope that it will become a leader in the Middle East as a Muslim democracy. Lovely…” Yes. There is hope. That’s your plan? You know, if you were competing on Policy Search, the snotty English guy would tear you a new one, sarcasm-wise. What utter drivel. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/19 "2004-03-11T20:04:57Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > WMD’s were secondary, we destroyed the Ba’ath Party, Saddam is gone, and the insurgency will take care of itself. Yay for us and yay for the new Iraqi constitution. Iraq will straighten out under its own elected leadership, and there’s hope that it will become a leader in the Middle East as a Muslim democracy. Lovely. If you believe this, you are far from reality. I must gauge how insane you are, so bare with me while I ask a few calibration questions. 1. SH had something to do with 9/11, yes, no maybe? 2. You would have attacked without them having WMD? 3. Do you find the way we’re handling North Korea a bit hypocritical? 4. Considering that 9/11 went down on the Republican’s watch, can we assume that they’re not worried about who’s in office when they attack again? ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2004, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575/20 "2004-03-11T20:18:56Z")
> [@](#): > > You know, if you were competing on Policy Search, the snotty English guy would tear you a new one, sarcasm-wise. What utter drivel. If I were competing on Policy Search, honeybunch, I’d make sure to be ready for it, not merely responding casually to a bunch of whiny clods who missed the point of the thread in an hysterical bid to upbraid me over one tiny bit of hyperbole. More blah, blah, blah. This has been done to death, and I’m not interested in another debate. Been there, done that, enjoy your futile, pointless objections. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-beginning-to-doubt-the-intelligence-of-john-kerry-and-i-am-pissed/233575.md?page=2)